During the last years, women artisans from Chiapas have acquired new tools to improve their craft along with NGO Impacto and fashion designers. With Mexican designer Andrea Velasco they created the collection "Cosmos", which is inspired in elements of their environment. This campaign aims to raise funds to allow artisans from Aguacatenango, Santiago El Pinar, Zinacantan, and Andrea Velasco to attend the event A la Mexicana, at J/M Galley, London.
Women artisans have little opportunity to attend these events in which their voices can be heard. This event will allow the artisans from Aguacatenango to discuss the cases of plagiarism and protection of their heritage with fashion specialists. Also, the artisans of Santiago El Pinar will talk about, with Andrea Velasco, about the creative process and techniques behind the collection "Cosmos".
Considering that The high lands of Chiapas are among the most remote regions with the highest levels of income inequality, the attendance of the artisans to this event is particularly important to raise awareness of the implications of these projects in the quality of life of these vulnerable communities. Also, since this is a collaborative project, her attendance will provide an opportunity to understand the artisans' challenges and growth during these initiatives.
In the long term, the impact will be making their craft visible worldwide. Women artisans will be able to establish links within fashion world and identify possible collaborations with other designers. This will also give them the opportunity to expose their perspective on the issues they face as women artisans in front of a wide audience.
