After a summer spent visiting cooperatives throughout South America, entrepreneur, Annie O. Waterman, found a way to merge her love for color, textiles, and design by working alongside a weaving cooperative in Peru. This is where her vision to create a socially responsible business began.
WA: So tell us about your company, “annie O.”
Annie: My business, annie O. boutique, designs and sources beautiful hand crafted accessories while working directly with female artisan cooperatives in remote parts of the world. These women are often victims of domestic violence and/or live in impoverishment. Our mission is to connect these artisan groups to the market, while sustaining artistic traditions, employment, and long term relationships. We support fair trade practices which promote healthy lifestyles and financial independence.
WA: How long have you been working with women in Peru?
Annie: I traveled down to Peru about three years ago, where I made the connection with a women’s cooperative made up of about 80 women and run by three sweet, Peruvian sisters. I was drawn to their coop because it was run by women and it supports women who are victims of domestic violence. These women are living in impoverished conditions, and I saw such a chance to help.
Traditionally, the Peruvian coop makes embroidered table mats and belts with tassels, but I have been working with them on colors and various designs to create more contemporary products. I started out by having trunk shows, and due to the high response and enthusiasm, began to travel back down to Peru to develop more products, moving into clutch bags, coin purses, shawls, and other styles of belts. Peru is inspiring with its bright colors and textures as well as its incredibly sweet people. It’s a rich, ancient culture.
WA: You’ve got partnerships with women in Peru and Nepal – what’s next for annie O.?
Annie: Our goal is to create beautiful accessories that tell a story and to help these traditional artists create financial stability for themselves. I hope to create more beautiful collections from around the world, representing the artists and the colors within these culturally rich countries. It’s a collaboration and these women are my inspiration.
You can visit Annie’s website at: www.annieoboutique.com
