From the famed haute couture of Paris to the treasured ateliers of Italy, craftsmanship in Europe is a deeply embedded cultural point of pride. What's more, these traditions – leatherwork, embroidery, shoe-making, hat-making, sewing, glassblowing and the like – are largely revered by consumers as telltale signs of luxury.
Heritage techniques are front and centre in marketing campaigns for Gucci, Berlutti, Hermes, Chanel, among others. Artisans themselves are increasingly introduced to consumers at craft festivals such as L'Ecole Metiers d'Art with the understanding that this exposure to craft builds loyalty with consumers who increasingly value history and authenticity.
iIn Varanasi, India, the 500-year-old handloom silk-weaving technique has been a source of cultural pride and livelihood passed down through generations. The skills of working a loom require years to perfect. The punch cards, which depict a handloomed textile's elaborate motifs, can themselves be several feet high. This is an art, and to be a proud owner of one of these textiles is a luxury.
These small examples only scratch the surface of the $34 billion industry for artisan exports. This global market employs millions of artisans whose skills are most certainly on a par with those of the masters of Europe.
So what is different for these artisans? Why do they see so little investment? Why is their craft hard to find at international trade shows and on contemporary runways? Why is this work underpaid and undervalued in the international marketplace? And why are these talented workers given little to no visibility? Who is supporting the global community of artisans and the craft traditions they carry forth?
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-- Heritage techniques are front and centre in marketing campaigns for Gucci, Berlutti, Hermes, Chanel, among others. Artisans themselves are increasingly introduced to consumers at craft festivals such as L'Ecole Metiers d'Art with the understanding that this exposure to craft builds loyalty with consumers who increasingly value history and authenticity.
iIn Varanasi, India, the 500-year-old handloom silk-weaving technique has been a source of cultural pride and livelihood passed down through generations. The skills of working a loom require years to perfect. The punch cards, which depict a handloomed textile's elaborate motifs, can themselves be several feet high. This is an art, and to be a proud owner of one of these textiles is a luxury.
These small examples only scratch the surface of the $34 billion industry for artisan exports. This global market employs millions of artisans whose skills are most certainly on a par with those of the masters of Europe.
So what is different for these artisans? Why do they see so little investment? Why is their craft hard to find at international trade shows and on contemporary runways? Why is this work underpaid and undervalued in the international marketplace? And why are these talented workers given little to no visibility? Who is supporting the global community of artisans and the craft traditions they carry forth?
[An excerpt from WEF Report]
EDUCATE, EMPOWER, ELEVATE
Prof. Bholanath Dutta
Founder & President
MTC Global: A Global Think Tank in
Higher Educaiton Education, ISO 9001: 2008
Partner: UN Global Compact I UN Academic Impact
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