The Kering group’s project continues with “I was a Sari” to train new craftswomen skilled in the art of embroidery
Gucci expands its support for I was a Sari , an Indian social enterprise – founded by Stefano Funari in 2013 – that works to train groups of Indian women from disadvantaged communities, offering them the opportunity to become skilled artisans and achieve economic independence, creating contemporary garments and accessories through the creative reuse of old saris. Every product from I was a Sariit is handcrafted by Indian artisans and guarantees them a regular source of income. The maison of the Kering group, committed to the issues of gender equality, diversity and empowerment of women, as well as the promotion of virtuous circular economy processes, has supported the initiative since 2018 through various forms of collaboration. For example, thanks to the support of four Gucci partners, the artisans of I was a Sari received specific training on the main traditional embroidery techniques and from this experience a new line of luxury products by I was a Sari was launched .
Today the news is that the new professional training program on embroidery created by I was a Sari with the support of Gucci , debuts for free on Udemy, a digital platform of online courses. To access, simply send an email to [email protected]. The new course, with its evocative name Now I Can, is structured in 2 parts divided into 80 sections, and covers both the theoretical and practical learning area. Now I Can was created with the support of Gucci through its CHIME FOR CHANGE initiative , with the aim of further enhancing the impact of the partnership between I was a Sariand Gucci and increase the number of women to benefit from the project. To get an idea, the I was a Sari initiative involved more than 170 artisans in 2020. Social enterprises, NGOs and associations will in fact be able to offer the course free of charge to their members and promote qualified professional training for Indian women, so that they can enter the labor market and ensure an income even and above all in these difficult months linked to the pandemic.
“The idea of creating an embroidery art turnkey course is born from the desire to form a growing number of Indian women from disadvantaged social conditions,” explains Stefano Funari, Founder and Managing Director of I was a Sari ‘Together at Gucci we have decided to offer this new content free of charge to anyone who shares our values and is interested in creating a new generation of artisan women.
“Inclusion for Gucci means creating a sense of belonging, through concrete actions” declares Antonella Centra, EVP General Counsel, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability at Gucci. «With Now I Can , craftsmanship is an instrument of social emancipation and offers women in difficulty the opportunity to find their own place in the world of work and grow professionally. Values that are a fundamental part of our CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign and that immediately brought us closer to the I was a Sari project .
