I was a Sari

I was a Sari won the Green Carpet Fashion Award 2019 for Responsible Disruption. "The Responsible Disruption Award has been awarded to I Was A Sari - a social enterprise training women in Mumbai to become world class embroiderers while upcycling used saris". I was a Sari brand is co-founded by Fashion in Process Research Collective (www.fashioninprocess.com) at Politecnico di Milano in collaboration with 2nd Innings Handicrafts Pvt Ltd, a for-profit, zero dividend social enterprise focused on empowering underprivileged Indian craftswomen by generating recurring employment opportunities. I was a Sari is social innovation project that aims at promoting the quality of life of communities in “fragile” region through the creation of income-generating practices and the development of micro-enterprise activities. Through a design-driven approach, it starts from the recovery and redesign of the tradition of Indian Sari. The objective is the enhancement of women’s creative and technical skills as drivers of self-development and promotion of social change. In fact, it aims to strengthen and improve their socio-economic conditions, particularly critical in contexts such as the Indian slums, developing their knowledge of traditional culture and local products. Starting with the re-use of second-hand Sari, the project promoted a collaborative process involving women from Mumbai's slums, fashion and product designers, and coordinated by Fashion in Process research collective. The result is a collection of original textile items produced in Mumbai and distributed internationally.