ETHICS
Ethical fashion is a very broad term, but I believe that by championing its pillars of transparency, timelessness and connection, Casa Nushki’s garments and the stories behind them will inspire you to value clothes for more than ephemeral trends. Fashion is history, culture, and expression rolled into one, and to remain ‘ethical’, it simply must show love and respect for people and the planet, from the people who make garments to the origins of the yarns and their impact on the planet. Female artisans are the backbone of fashion, they always have been. To walk the walk of intersectional feminism, we must honour the female garment workers who are so often pushed to the side-lines of fashion.
If we go back in time, when textiles used to be currency and identity for indigenous communities, all the designing and creating was done by women. And clothes were symbols of history, generations gone, and ancestral techniques that are timeless by virtue. Sometime after the industrial revolution, the slowness and valuing of art and culture and community started to diminish in the textile industry, as people were slowly being replaced by machines, and this is when the ‘faster = better’ mentality started to kick in. The first time I saw the beauty of women and crafts was when my grandfather set up a weaving community in rural Gujarat, where my ancestors are from, and he explained that the women working there are escaping domestic violence and striving to gain financial freedom through art. I hope to visit them again as an adult, and work together in the future.
Transparency
Transparency means that we want you to know exactly where our textiles come from, including the stories behind them, the cultural significance of them, the work that goes into producing them. I was touched by the warmth, kindness, hospitality and feminine energy that I felt when I first met Laila Nadir and the women weaving at her cooperative. She started her cooperative after her divorce, and through traditional Moroccan weaving, Laila gave work and a regular income to the women around her. As well as financial independence, traditional rug weaving is a form of keeping their cultural heritage alive. They work in a distinctly feminine way: slow, steady, communicative, compassionate and with a strong sense of community. Sourcing vintage textiles is my love language, I love sharing their who when and where stories with you, and seeing women around the world wear physical souvenirs of my happiest memories.
Timelessness
Timelessness manifests itself in many facets: firstly, the textiles we work with are made using age-old, traditional weaving techniques which stand the test of time due to their quality craftsmanship. Whether vintage or newly woven, this is a priority. I don’t like fleeting things, whether that be relationships or fashion trends. I believe the best things in life have an air of timelessness about them. Secondly, we try to keep our silhouettes simple, classic and timeless. While some of the patterns are busy, woven with stories of women and faraway lands, the cuts are timeless and flattering.
Connection
Connection to the self, to the earth and to community is the magic ingredient of creating art. Emotional connections are the heartbeat of life, the string that ties humanity together. I think the reason I was able to start this business when I did is because I had never felt so connected to myself, desires, dreams, fears and doubts included, I was in a place where I was able to relate to the world, to foreign lands and to strangers with clarity. Casa Nushki is a brand built on connection to cultures and artists and keeping heritages alive, not factories and synthetic fabrics. It wasn’t until I was able finally able see my vulnerability as strength rather than weakness that I watched the magic unfold. Women who openly express emotion are so often made to feel like too much, we are told that being sexy is all about mystery and being enigmatic, and while this is a fun performance to play on let’s say a first date, I’ve learnt that true sexiness is embodiment, authenticity and quiet confidence that doesn’t rely on the validation of a man. I hope you feel the connection, the community and the timelessness through our garments, and I hope you know that they are made with so much love.
