TRENDING SUSTAINABI L I TY
Looking forward, one of the Fashion Design depart- ment’s studio courses will focus on a project to create abayas from fabrics that allow the wearer to absorb vitamin D through the fabric. For the upcoming ac- ademic year, the department plans to hold a series of sustainability-themed workshops – one on perfume making, and others in collaboration with Doha Design District, in Msheireb Downtown Doha. My brand “SR by Sonali Raman” is a slow fashion brand with ethically made ready-to-wear clothing for women, and a line of handmade jewelry. The brand was born out of a love for all things traditional in fabrics, crafts, and an appreciation for the old-fashioned ways of con- suming sensibly, buying responsibly, living mindfully, and caring for the environment. My years as a merchandiser for some of the biggest European brands taught me that it is not quantity, but quality, that matters. As a part of the sustain- able fashion community, I want to show that being fashion-conscious goes beyond being fashionable and trendy; it is the act of being conscious about consump- tion. The three core pillars of the brand are mindfulness, cultural sustainability, and inclusivity.
I want to see designers in Qatar move towards creat- ing more sustainable collections, and consumers be- ing more mindful of consumption. I aim to use every opportunity to bring attention to this. For instance, I recently spoke on webinars about how consumers can become more conscious of their consumption, and on how to build an ethical closet. I spoke at “Heya” an annual fashion event in Doha, in December 2020 about sustainable luxury fashion, and Harper’s Bazaar Arabia published an article in April 2021 about my brand on craft, consumption and style. In 2019, I was invited by the faculty of the Fashion Design department at our home campus in Richmond to speak to the fashion and merchandising students. I gave several talks in each of the classes on topics rang- ing from “How I built my brand”, and “Heritage Indian textiles”, to talks on Khadi, and “Entrepreneurship” with a focus on my brand and the sustainability factor in my products, how I develop my collections, and an insight into how to cost and price your products. These ses- sions were very well received by the students who were keen to know more, and had several questions to ask.
01 'SR by Sonali Raman' is a slow fashion brand with ethically made ready-to-wear clothing for women.
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