Fashion Open Studio, British Council to launch digital events for COP26

Fashion Open Studio in partnership with the British Council will present a series of ten international digital events in response to the themes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26.

Launching at Digital Design Weekend at the V&A, during London Design Festival in September 2021, nine participating designers from across the world have been selected to open up their studios virtually to showcase their creative responses to fashion’s environmental impact and the climate talk themes of Adaptation and Resilience and Nature.

The digital event series will continue till 12 November 2021, forming part of the British Council's The Climate Connection global programme and campaign.

As a part of the initiative, together Rahemur Rahman and Aranya are using their collective voices to showcase responsibly made designs and telling stories of artisans in local and international platforms.

Rahemur Rahman and Aranya has had a successful and rewarding natural dye workshop during FOS 2021. Rahemur was selected as an emerging British Bangladeshi designer by the International Fashion Showcase in 2019. For his debut Mens collection he worked with Aranya to design and produce his eco-friendly textile.

Aranya supports an ecosystem of 1500 artisans across 16 districts of Bangladesh including MRO Indigenous artisans who reside in Shangu Reserve Forest in Chattogram hill tracts.

Aranya in partnership with Creative Conservation Alliance provides training and market access opportunities to help reduce forest dependency. As an emerging brand, Rahemur Rahman is already making a mark in terms of using responsible design.

On 21 October 2021, one can get to work with Rahemur Rahman and Aranya and learn how to stitch and repair old garments that need extra care.

Designers will be taking part from Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Zimbabwe. Each designer offers a perspective in response to their own experience.

The event series will be animated by a physical activation in Glasgow during COP26 (1 to 12 November) which will offer the public and COP26 attendees alike an opportunity to interact with the open studio activities in person.

The cohort of designers will have opportunities for skills and knowledge sharing to support and strengthen their work and knowledge, and the workshop series will culminate in a speed share networking event exploring the themes of COP26 in depth.

The nine designers selected to take part are Garcia Bello (Argentina/Netherlands), Aranya Craft x Rahemur Rahman (Bangladesh/London), Iro Iro (India), Toton (Indonesia), Bora Studio (Nepal), Sindiso Khumalo (South Africa), Bhukram, (Thailand), Huner (Turkey) and Vimbai Natasha Naomi, (Zimbabwe).