Real People Make Your Clothes // Pink City Prints

Working from start to finish with the artisan block-printers, indigo dyers, embroiderers and weavers in Jaipur, India, allows Glasgow School of art graduate Molly Russell to create ethical hand-made women's wear for her label Pink City Prints, which celebrates the beauty of craft and sustainable fashion.

“India has such an immensely rich culture of craft forms I’m constantly finding new processes to work with. It’s so inspirational, my senses are alive and I find beauty everywhere but craft is dying out, we must do all we can to use and promote them.“

An embroidered dress takes three days to complete. Block-printing is a little quicker but can only be printed during certain times of the year due to the weather. Only natural fibres including cotton, hand-loomed khadi cotton and silk are used, with each piece being worked on by hand, whether hand spun, printed or embroidered. It is this unique hand-work which brings life and a quality to the clothing.

Each workshop that Molly works with has been vetted. The employees are treated with care and respect, working eight hour days with three breaks and earning more than double the minimum wage. Each has an open door policy and Molly can visit whenever she likes. Molly is also working with a women's centre to teach them skills so they can embroider the dresses earning money for themselves.

The standout pieces of the season are the stunning Jungle Disco Seville dress and the Vintage Black Embroidered Dress. A combination of Studio 54 glam and vintage era beauty, these are two pieces destined to become your new keep forever party dresses.

The beautiful Seville silhouette has ruffle sleeves with two bows that tie at the back. Midnight black velvet is hand-embroidered with stunning disco jungle scene which includes palm trees, stars, leopards and a tiger in gold and silver glass beads. The images below show the dedication and skill (and the real life people!) that produce the embroidery. The Vintage embroidered dress is a heavy black silk crepe, hand embroidered with diamante and glass beads. Taking two days to embroider the neckline is showcased in sparkling florals and two love birds, with a beautiful leaf belt detail and decorated cuffs. 

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