Fashion with a Conscience
Human rights activist and music icon, Bono has been very outspoken about Poverty, Third World Debt Relief, Fair Trade and Aids. In 2005 he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. His wife, Ali Hewson is a mother of four and a dedicated environmental activist, and most recently, a fashion designer. Her natural feminine beauty is reflected in the clothing line - EDUN - that she has introduced with Bono and Rogan Gregory. The collection echoes a "return to nature" infused with a luminous edge.
In 1985, Bono and Ali Hewson traveled to Ethiopia and worked at an orphanage writing songs and plays to teach the children about basic health and hygiene. They witnessed extreme poverty first hand. The following year, they went to Nicaragua and El Salvador as those countries were dealing with political uprisings and war. In the early 90s, Bono and Ali organized a publicity stunt with Greenpeace where they donned radiation suits to protest Sellafield nuclear power plant's building of THORP, where nuclear waste from all over of the world is collected. Sellafield is also known to dump waste water into the Irish Sea. In 93, Ali went to Belarus to participate in the creation of "Black Wind, White Land", an award winning documentary that detailed life in Belarus in the years following the catastrophic devastation at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. She became a committed patron of the Chernobyl Children's Project (founded by Adi Roche); an Irish charity that raises money for needed operations as well helps to find adoptive homes for the children affected by the disaster. In '96 Ali led a convoy of 34 ambulances and trucks loaded with 2 million pounds of equipment and medicine for the victims of Chernobyl. The UN has estimated that at least nine million people were affected in Belarus in some way by the blast and Ukrainian officials say that 125,000 have already died.
Hip downtown New York fashion designer Rogan Gregory is best known for his multi-hued triple needle stitched jeans. He has been making organically produced clothing under his own labels which include Loomstate, Rogan and A Litl Betr. His artisinal approach to design includes abrading the fabrics and exposing the yarn character; similar to exposing the grain in wood. He is also a sculptor and the head designer for "Rogan Objects" which is a collection of chairs, tables and lighting. The beautifully handcrafted minimalist pieces incorporate recycled industrial materials while emphasizing their aesthetic qualities.
It was synchronicity when they met. Bono and Ali Hewson partnered with Rogan Gregory in June of 2005 to launch their socially conscious contemporary casual wear label EDUN. The company's aim was to set an ethical example in promoting humanitarian causes in the fashion industry, long known for exploiting child labor. EDUN created sustainable employment in developing countries by establishing ethically run factories in countries like Tunisia and Peru. The company grew out of a desire to shift the focus away from aid in the developing world, particularly Africa, and to help bring about commerce and trade and to empower these laborers with dignity and pride.
"We wanted to show that you can make a for-profit business where everybody in the chain is treated well," explains Ali Hewson. The brand's motto, "We carry the story of the people who make our clothes around with us" is a reminder of the awareness that they hope to extend to their customers. The men's and women's collection consists of organic materials treated in cool jeans-wear; with 100% organic cotton printed t-shirts, fitted jackets; chiffon dresses, sexy minis and beautiful feminine tops. What a lovely concept; consumers can buy EDUN and not only look beautiful, but also know that their simple gesture is helping to make a difference in the poverty in Africa and elsewhere.
Prices range from $50-$300 and is available at Selfridges, Harrods (England), Brown Thomas (Ireland), Holt Renfrew (Canada) and El Corte Ingles (Spain), Beams, Club 21 and Isetan (Japan) and Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys, Nordstrom and Fred Segal (US) as well as selected specialty stores worldwide.