Sarah’s Bag for Chloé
When high fashion and fashionable social enterprise collide, they push boundaries and create trends that have long-lasting influence on the industry. They form collaborations that reflect the political, economic, and social efforts exhibited in the world but are voiced within the realms of fashion.
As such the collaboration between the high fashion house Chloé and Sarah’s Bag comes as no surprise. The launch of Sarah’s Bag for Chloe, July 1, 2022, is an exciting partnership of values between two brands that believe in the importance of social sustainability and the empowerment of women. The collaboration with Sarah’s Bag allows for reinterpretation of Chloé’s nano Woody and nano Edith in crochet with the goal of empowering both the women who make them and the women who wear them.
Chloé’s strong commitment toward the environment and its support of positive social engagement has propelled Gabriella Hearst, Chloé’s creative director since 2020, to continue the legacy of its founder Gaby Aghion, and consciously curate their Fall 2022 collection. The partnership with Sarah’s Bag is in-tune with Chloé’s commitment to support women, balance gender-based disparities, and advance diversity. The objective is to produce fabulous fashion that has positive effects on both people and the environment.
In 2000, Sarah Baydoun established the social enterprise and global fashion label: Sarah’s Bag in Beirut. It has been empowering women for more than 20 years. What began as a college project focused on the rehabilitation of at-risk women and female ex-offenders has grown into one of the leading and enduring social enterprises in the Middle East. Over 200 marginalized Lebanese women, inmates, and ex-prisoners are now employed with Sarah’s Bag. Some of the female inmates use the money they earn to challenge incorrect convictions; others utilize it to support their families.
These women are trained in the artisanal arts and crafts of hand beading, embroidery, crocheting, and sequencing by the Sarah’s Bag team. The bags are meticulously handcrafted combining sophistication and luxury. They evoke a strong sense of style where the reinterpretation of the traditional craft of hand beading and crocheting are revived via new materials and techniques.
Their unique design and handcrafted nature have carved out a market for artisanal fashion bags and accessories such that Sarah’s Bags can be found on the arms of the most stylish and influential women in the world, including HM Queen Rania of Jordan, Amal Clooney, and Beyoncé.
Sarah’s Bag for Chloé is expected to last several seasons. Partnerships and sustainable fashion have become a crucial strategy for fashion houses as they pledge to lower the industry’s environmental impact and encourage positive social influence, we hope to see more collaborations amongst fashion houses that are inspired to build novel items generating a demand for originality, creativity, and sustainability.
