‘Fashion for the World’ aims to raise funds for Indigenous peoples with disabilities in Costa Rica by launching a new collection geared towards disability and culture.
Through its Fashion with Heart Foundation, Julián Sánchez Cardona, Director of Marketing and Clothing Design of Costa Rica Moda Para El Mundo (Costa Rica Moda for the World), said, “With this collection, initially, we want to help the indigenous people with disabilities in Talamanca, starting with a number of 200 people. Each one will be given three items of clothing according to their needs and disabilities, while maintaining and respecting their cultural identity. We have made several approaches with the communities and identified their needs, thanks to the accompaniment of a Legal Advisor of the Human Rights Parliament of the Indigenous communities of Costa Rica.”
The collection, called “Con Corazón,” will be for sale in CRMM stores in Multiplaza Curridabat, in the POP UP STORE CRMM in Multiplaza Escazú and on the social networks of Costa Rica Moda para el Mundo and CRMM.
According to the Human Rights Parliament of the Indigenous communities of Costa Rica, their country has 15,600 Indigenous peoples with some form of disability. Of that total, the Caribbean area has the most, with 5,400 Indigenous peoples with disabilities.
Indigenous peoples are much more likely to experience disability due to social, economic, and environmental factors.
“This collection is very special because 10 members of the Barba de Heredia Youth Achievers Center participated in its making. These young people with autism and Down Syndrome made the paintings by hand, so each design has the essence of each painter and their way of seeing the world,” added Sánchez.
All the paintings were converted into graphic arts for digitization and production. Epson provided the support and equipment for the transfer of design to garment.
“We have the vision of accompanying our clients and we seek to support social outreach initiatives and, as this is an opportunity to contribute to the Foundation, we do not hesitate to collaborate through sublimation and direct printing of the first garments in this collection. For two years, we have carried out various initiatives with CRMM because we believe in supporting the fashion design sector in the country,” said Bryan López, Epson’s Channel Manager for Central America.
The garments are made by a group of 15 women who form the CRMM chain and empowerment program for women. This initiative seeks to benefit women who are, in the majority of times, heads of families experiencing social and economic vulnerability.
This three-year program aims to encourage women to become entrepreneurs and self-sustainable.
The estimated cost of the clothing that is given to each person is 80,000 colones, for a total of 16,000 million colones, representing the first 200 people benefitting from the first stage of the initiative.
“Fashion With Heart is committed to providing and promoting the optimal development of people with disabilities, starting from the psychology of clothing; We focus on giving them access to clothing according to their appearance, enhancing the development of their abilities and talents.
In this way, we promote social inclusion and effective access to quality clothing for the optimal progress of these people within the communities,” concluded Sánchez.
The Foundation is also receiving contributions from companies, organizations and private entities, as well as private donations. There are ten piggy banks for collecting donations at strategic points in its stores and aesthetic CEM, Toque Celestial Multiplaza Escazú and Limoncello Restaurant.
