Like every other fashion brand on social media, Haiti Design Co.’s (HDC) Instagram is covered with images of their products– beautiful handmade brass and bone jewelry, impeccable beadwork, and masterfully crafted leather bags and purses.
As you scroll down their feed you notice more and more images of people and landscapes. Pictures of artisans with their bios — who they are, what they do, what they work on. Images of the Haitian landscape, vintage of Haiti before the turn of the millennium. There’s an undeniable affection for the country that extends beyond profit.
There’s a particular video that stands out. Posted on March 23rd, a woman stares directly at the camera. She speaks in Haitian Kreyol. Her face is pixelated to protect her identity. She recounts harrowing stories of encounters with gang violence. Fleeing church with her baby in tow. Separation anxiety was brought on by leaving her child in the countryside as she returned to the capital. This woman is an artisan at HDC. Out of concern for her safety, she now lives where she works.
HDC’s entire business model centers around their artisans. Employing over 150 artisans, who are given the platform to elevate their craft. “The artisan incubator program exists to support the development of independent, Haitian artisan-based entrepreneurs through different pillars: technical training, leadership development, business management training, design support, access to market, and capacity building,” shared a representative of the company.
The political situation in Haiti is in a state of flux. Now more than ever it is important to platform Haitian stories and art. Travel to the island has steadily declined over the years. This is especially hard on outfits such as HDC. “We used to have many tourists in and out of the workshop. This was due to the fact that we are so well located (near the airport), the representative shared, “No need to say that these visits are a thing of the past. All of this has affected us and our artisans greatly and made it difficult for us to support them like we used to.”
Thankfully, it is still possible to directly support HDC, their sustainably crafted fashion, and their troupe of artisans. Their website features items across the diverse catalog and a subscription service called the “Maker’s Box” where every 3 months a new box of hand-crafted goodies steeped in Haitian culture is delivered to your doorstep. The ambitious company delivers to anywhere within the US and Canada.
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