Girls! Make Your Mark/Handbag.com People’s Choice
Carry Somers, Pachacuti, Derbyshire
Carry Somers founded Pachacuti, meaning ‘world upside down' in Quechua, out of a desire to make a stand against problems in the clothing trade in the Andean regions of South America, which regularly included arson, intimidation and mistreatment. Since its inception 16 years ago, Carry's company has done what had previously been deemed impossible; to create beautiful clothing which benefits the producers, preserves the traditional skills of the workers and is totally environmentally sustainable.
Pachacuti employs over 400 embroiderers, tailors, knitters and milliners, and 300 weavers through women's Panama hat co-operatives in Ecuador. The hat sales fund a number of social projects; from paying the rent and food costs for Alcoholics Anonymous to building a local grocery store. Carry is also running an apprenticeship programme that equips future generations with the skills needed to support themselves.
She is passionate about inspiring future generations closer to home; in the UK she works with secondary schools to educate pupils on the human cost of cheap fashion and encourages young designers to work more ethically through providing work placements.
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