Angelina Jolie, actress, director and former special envoy for the United Nations’ refugee agency has started a new fashion venture aimed at allowing customers to participate in the making of their own creations with master tailors, pattern makers and artisans around the world.
According to AP, Jolie, made the announcement on Instagramb and the new website of Atelier Jolie that the project will make use of deadstock fabric and vintage materials, while keeping discarded fabric out of landfills.
“We hope to create a community of creativity and inspiration, regardless of socio-economic background,” Jolie posted on the brand’s site. “We will spotlight the people who play a part in each creation. We will bring together a diverse team, including apprenticeships for refugees and other talented, underappreciated groups, with positions of dignity based on skill.”
The project hopes to “help share the richness of their cultural heritage and support the development of their own businesses,” Jolie wrote. In addition, customers will be able to repair or upcycle pieces from their closets as a way to eliminate waste.
“We can all collect, appreciate, and be influenced by the designs of others. But the highest form of self-expression — and I believe the most fun — is to create for ourselves,” she said.
The idea, Jolie said, stems from her “appreciation and deep respect for the many tailors and makers I’ve worked with over the years, a desire to make use of the high-quality vintage material and deadstock fabric already available, and also to be part of a movement to cultivate more self-expression.”
