Edun — the line — is well-known in the fashion world. It’s interesting because Bono and wife Ali Hewson are distinctly involved in getting a fashion line together that’s more sustainable and environmentally friendly and also gives back in the form of creating jobs in other countries and helping to create a circle of development that will help emerging countries in Africa be able to have the basics of living plus go further to build up communities.
Recently there was a pop-up store in LA for a period of two weeks featuring the Edun Fall/Winter Collection for 2008. Ali Hewson was on tap for a brief interview about the collection, the pop-up store and the line as a whole.
Ali Hewson, photo by Helena Christensen. (Great photo but Hewson is a very pretty in person)
LA-Story: What’s the theme for this collection? What is your participation in the design aesthete and your role within Edun now that Rogan is no longer involved with the company.
Ali Hewson:
The FW08 collection was designed around the concept of Nocturne, nature at night, so it’s dark and romantic, feminine without being too frivolous, whimsical whilst embodying Edun’s signature of beauty and brains.
Brando shirt $155; Kate dress $345
The design team are very tolerant of my input…. Sharon Blankson heads our design team and we have been friends since we were teenagers.. We discuss everything together but she and the team are the creatives – identifying influences, themes and the shapes that will be important.
The Alyce dress. (gorgeous!! In the purple, $295. Available in Ebony Striped fabric, $325. (to die for!!)
LA-Story: What is the idea behind the pop-up store for Edun?
Ali Hewson:
The idea behind the pop-up shops was for us to go and visit markets where Edun has had a presence from the start, and the West Coast is a particularly important market for us. We want to meet our customers and hear what they have to say about the brand. In different stores each buyer may not be able to represent the full collection…so this is also an opportunity to showcase Edun in it’s entirety.
Pop-up store interior .
LA-Story: What’s your personal vision for the Edun’s future for the next 5 years?
Ali Hewson:
I’d love to open an Edun store…. Probably in New York since that has really been our home since 2005. I would also love to grow and help more and more factories develop their capabilities and encourage more business THROUGH their doors.
LA-Story: What do you do for fun?
Ali Hewson:
All of this is fun….life is too serious to take seriously… I’m lucky to get to work this way and with some really great people … who could want more?.. and when it’s done for the day we all have so much to appreciate with our families and friends..
. meaning is definitely the new luxury!
Thank you to Edun and Ali Hewson for the time they gave me for this interview and the fabulous images of this incredible collection.
About EDUN:
EDUN is a socially conscious clothing company launched in Spring 2005 by Ali Hewson and Bono. The company’s mission is to create beautiful clothing, while fostering sustainable employment in developing areas of the world, in particular,
sub-Saharan Africa.
EDUN is a full fashion collection for men and women, including tops, bottoms,
denim, dresses, jackets, knits and sweaters with prices ranging from $60 – $400 and sold globally in leading department and specialty stores.
In 2007, EDUN launched the EDUN LIVE brand of blank tee shirts. The EDUN LIVE range enables EDUN to drive further trade into Africa through high volume sales direct to the wholesale market as well as the consumer. The tees are 100% African produced, from the fields where the cotton is picked, to the
factory where the garment is cut and sewn.
About ONEXONE:
ONEXONE is a unique umbrella organization that partners with talented and dedicated NGOs to implement specific programs that align with its mission
statement – the alleviation of suffering of children locally and globally – and important programs targeted to health, education, self-esteem and dignity.
Through it’s ongoing campaigns, the ONEXONE foundation is committed to
supporting, preserving and improving the lives of children at home and around
the world. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle
Berdugo Adler. In only three years ONEXONE has raised over $7 Million for Global Children’s Charities. Among the organizations that have received grants from the money
raised are H2O Africa/Water Partners, Yéle Haiti, Millennium Promise, War Child, and Spread the Net; Fundraising that has directly impacted children in need around the world – one by one – and making great strides toward long-term
change. Please visit www.onexone.org for more information.
Stevie Wilson
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