Friends for Femmes: Interview with Award-Winning Actress ROBIN WRIGHT and KAREN FOWLER On Partnering with SUKU To Give Back To Women From Conflict Regions With Their Inspiring Social Enterprise POUR LES FEMMES
ROBIN WRIGHT is the epitome of extraordinary talent, elegance and beauty. A truly gifted Golden Globe award-winning actress, she is known for her iconic roles in many blockbuster films - such as Jenny Curran in Forrest Gump, Princess Buttercup in The Princess Bride and Antiope in Wonder Woman - and for starring as the one and only stylish President Claire Underwood in the hit show House of Cards. Besides an extremely successful career in acting, Wright is also an incredibly inspiring philanthropist and social entrepreneur. Together with her lovely friend, designer Karen Fowler, the eloquent and charming Wright co-founded POUR LES FEMMES - a sleep and loungewear social enterprise company creating gorgeous, timeless and vintage-inspired sustainable and ethically sourced collections with partners that provide opportunities for decent work, safety, stability and advancement to women in places where they are most vulnerable.
The two friends have partnered with SUKU to provide supply-chain transparency to its base of conscious customers. SUKU's innovative digital ledger-based tagging and tracing system enables Pour Les Femmes to demonstrate and verify the brand's commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and support for advancement of women to its customers. Using a smartphone app, customers can scan a QR code on the product's tag to gain unprecedented transparency into the story of the garment’s journey brought to life through engaging text, pictures, and video—all made traceable using SUKU's digital ledger-based technology.
According to Yonathan Lapchik, the CEO of SUKU, "it is really important to recognise that you are not only telling a story, but that you are telling a story you can verify. It’s the difference between trusting someone – someone who is telling you something about the product - and being able to refine those claims". SUKU has been using blockchain as a way to create verifiable ways on claims that brands make about their products and started really helping them understand their supply chain, such as what suppliers are using, how they are treating their employees and putting their supply chain in a place where they can understand exactly what is happening. "We are helping brands become more transparent and to know each other better, but also to speak the same language as new consumers", Lapchik explained.
Georgina Lara Booth interviewed Robin Wright and Karen Fowler on their friendship and founding of Pour Les Femmes, their partnership with SUKU, their philanthropy and travels to the Congo, sustainable fashion, the 'perfect lightweight pajamas' and more.
Hi Robin and Karen! It is so lovely to speak with both of you. How did you two meet and start working together on your wonderful social enterprise Pour Les Femmes?
Robin: "Karen and I met over 25 years ago through a mutual friend and she had always been in design and had her own clothing businesses. She came to meet with me one day and said "listen, you have been travelling, speaking, trying to raise awareness about the crisis in Congo" - about how dangerous it is to be a woman in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I wasn’t getting any traction with amplifying the voice of these women and getting our government to come to attention, etc., and she had this genius idea! She said "why don’t we do a giveback company where we are literally giving back to women in some form and creating job opportunities for them?", because they want work in these crisis regions around the world and we wanted to build what we felt was the perfect lightweight pajamas that we couldn’t find on the market and we knew all women would love it! We called it 'Pour Les Femmes' and what that represented was comfort, security, pajamas and we also wanted to make sure we aligned with craftsman and artisans that practice slow fashion and sustainable work practices. That’s a very important pillar of our business."
What made you decide to call your social enterprise company "Pour Les Femmes" and why a French name in particular?
Robin: "Congo was our first visit and we felt the need was so great for job opportunities as well and safety for these women and it is all for the women, so there it is!"
Karen: "Robin has a love for France and that’s their official language in the Congo. It kind of came together in a beautiful way - it just happened."
"You can help a woman in your sleep"
Pour Les Femmes supports women in conflict regions. Robin, you have played a lot of strong female characters in your acting career. Did your work as an actress inspire you to support a women's cause or is that a cause that you have supported on a personal level?
Robin: "I had finally travelled to the Congo to speak with a series of these women who were victims of rape and I wanted to hear their story. Every one of them answered the questions that I posed, which were "what do you need?" and "what do you want?" - because everyone can do a handout - and they all said "we need you to be our voice". That is where it just kind of formulated into a great quality brand that we are going to create and allowing the customer to participate in the give back aspect. I think that it is very exciting for them to know what they are doing in our little catchphrase, which was "you can help a woman in your sleep".
That is really lovely. So, you both both already knew from the beginning that when you came together as co-founders, you wanted the company to specifically be a social enterprise?
Robin: "Yes, exactly. The mission of Pour Les Femmes is the ethos of safety and comfort. It extends to the actions we take to work with partners that provide opportunities for decent work, safety, stability and advancement to women in places where they are most vulnerable, so it is very important that we stay committed to our vision of maintaining and practicing fair trade and a clean supply chain."
Pour Les Femmes absolutely has beautiful products! What is your favourite product? Are there any particular products you would recommend to the public?
Robin: "Gosh, all of them, Georgina! What is your favourite Karen?"
Karen: "Well, I love our cotton, so I sleep in our pajamas every single night! I don't think I could live without the pajama pants, for sure, but the most special part of the brand is probably our pajamas, which is made in Eastern Congo. It is made of European cotton, but it is trimmed in a Congolese fabric, which just reminds you that you are helping a woman. When you are sleeping at night, it is a good thought that you are helping another woman across the world. Like Robin said, I would actually recommend everything!"
"It is beautiful, lightweight and vintage-inspired, but it's also very feminine"
What makes the perfect lightweight pajamas? Is it made of a specific material?
Karen: "I think what makes the perfect lightweight is our cotton lawn that is breathable, but it seems somehow warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It has this really unique feel to it. It is breathable and lightweight and it literally feels like you are not wearing anything."
Robin: "That was sort of the intention - to make something not only feminine, but it is also a sexy pajama without being overtly sexual, you know...what I mean is it is beautiful, lightweight and vintage-inspired, but it's also very feminine."
Karen: "It has classic silhouettes, which makes it a classic pajama, but because of the fabric being so light, it has this sense of being vintage – like Robin said – but it is also feminine without being in your face and that is what we love about it!"
Robin, you have starred in so many iconic and timeless films like Forrest Gump and The Princess Bride and in hit shows like House of Cards...have the designs been inspired by your work? Or did something else inspire the look of your designs?
Robin: "Well, what Karen and I both love - if we were both to pick a place - is Italy 1968, the Amalfi coast, the 40s, 50s, 60s and looking through just wonderful books of vintage photographs, posters, etc. The colour schemes that they chose back then very much inspired us by all of the above."
"Every choice we made, our mindset was that the planet comes first"
Yes, Italy is indeed a gorgeous country and would definitely inspire beautiful designs! How are you trying to rethink fashion and how are you trying to minimise the impact fashion has on the planet with what you are doing?
Karen: "I just feel like the whole world is rethinking fashion as a consumer, but as a company that is emerging as a global brand, I think that we are lucky in the space that we are. That we are able to make choices along the way. We didn’t have to change everything. We literally started making choices from day one. Every choice we made, our mindset was that the planet comes first, so we were able to navigate from there and that’s where SUKU came in. They have been instrumental in helping us understand our supply chain and correct places where we needed to be corrected, so it's not only for our consumer, but also for us."
Are you seeing a shift in the mindset of the consumer? Are consumers more willing to buy more from companies like yours with a social mission?
Karen: "They are - we are definitely seeing a shift in the mindset of the consumer more now than ever - because they are demanding transparency. They want to see the lifecycle of products, how they are made, who is making them and by being transparent, open and honest with our customers, they feel connected and confident in what they are purchasing."
When you started Pour Les Femmes, did you have any challenges in particular with what you are doing? What advice do you have for people who want to make that one difference towards being more sustainable?
Karen: "I think when we started the company we did. We were able to correct some things. When we first started, we didn’t realise how big we were going to be. I have always had smaller companies and I manufactured here in Los Angeles, so when you have a small company, you are not faced with fast fashion issues, but as the company scales and it gets to be a global brand and you have to keep up with manufacturing, you do have to be really careful about where you manufacture. You have to know your manufacturing places. We started off in India, but then we weren’t really happy with our production there. We met this amazing woman who had a workshop in Pakistan and we were able to really trace the production line there and so I think that you have to really align yourself with your partners also having the same vision that you do. Robin and I first and foremost care about the planet, so you have to align yourself with people - investors, manufacturers, etc. - who also feel that way."
Robin: "Partners who are on the same page with the same vision."
"Nicole Kidman loves our sleepwear and buys them every season [...] Sandra Bullock wants to purchase multiple pairs, because she wants to wear it in the next television series she’s coming out in. We have a huge following and we hope that our efforts support artisans and craftsmen."
How can sustainable fashion be made more scalable in your opinion?
Robin: "We are committed to making quality products that last season after season. We have so many returning customers, faithful lovers of our product, and our business grows when our customer is satisfied. When they are happy with what they are purchasing and can see the pieces are crafted with slow fashion initiatives - that’s at the forefront of what we do. As self-care and sleepwear becomes a growing category in the marketplace, we have very loyal and supporting customers that purchase pajamas and nightwear monthly, which in turn helps the brand to scale in a very organic way. We’ve got celebrities that are returning customers. Nicole Kidman loves our sleepwear - our pajamas - and buys them every season. I got an email from Sandra Bullock who wanted to purchase multiple pairs, because she wants to wear it in the next television series she’s coming out in. We have a huge following, so we hope that our efforts to practice slow fashion support artisans and craftsmen. Like I was saying before, our customers are investing in something that is truly part of something bigger."
"I wore them once on 'House of Cards' and we got really nice feedback about our pair of pajamas"
Robin, as a hugely successful actress who has starred in so many incredible films and shows over the years, what does it feel like to see your fantastic products and gorgeous designs in films and TV shows?
Robin: "I wore them once on the Netflix show 'House of Cards' and we got really nice feedback about our pair of pajamas, so it's just about reach, which is incredible. It is a kind of medium that way - whether it's an influencer on Instagram or social media across the board - but of course film and TV is just as big as having a piece in Vogue magazine."
Karen: "I remember when Robin and I were first together in London...we saw our brand on the floor in Selfridges and Robin actually cried. It was so moving to see it come to life. It is really beautiful wherever we see it and people enjoying it. It's joy."
Robin: "What was so sweet was educating the sales girls the whole story behind our brand - what a Pour Les Femmes garment does for another woman, which is giving them a sustainable life again and being an incredible, clean product."
Karen: I think that one of the things that is so nice that moved me so much towards SUKU was the fact that Robin and I have been in the Congo. We always say "you can’t unsee what you have already seen" and people often say to me "why Africa?". There are so many things, but the answer is you can't unsee what you have seen. I believe when these people ask Robin to be their voice, you can't walk away from that and forget it. I mean, some could, we can’t. What's nice about SUKU is we are actually bringing that journey to the consumer. When they scan a QR code in our garment, someone tells you live how it has changed their life or what work it has brought to their families and how they were able to send their kids to school. We can also bring our consumer right to the place that we have been and they understand what we already know - what we understand - and that is what is so beautiful about it. That’s what moved me from the beginning with SUKU."
You are both from a creative background - acting and design - but what did you learn in particular on the business side of founding a social enterprise company? Is there anything in particular that you learned or stood out for you?
Karen: Well, I think what we have learned is when you put in the hard work to change how fashion is conducted - going from not using fast fashion, but slow fashion - you realise that if you can tell that message, your consumers will come along on that journey with you. I think that’s something we learned and Robin always says that the customers want to participate. I think that is one of the things we really learned. It's not easy to do slow fashion and it's not the quickest way to make money. The world is changing, so it's nice. We just have to stay our course and I think the more educated the consumer becomes, the better for all of us really."
"We want our customers to know that when they purchase a piece from Pour Les Femmes, they are supporting slow fashion and everything that it represents"
Why is transparency important for Pour Les Femmes?
Robin: "Customers are more than ever demanding transparency from brands. They want to learn and understand about the fabrics being used, why they are selected, who is producing the pieces and that there is no unethical behaviour, so fair trade is very important. We want our customers to know that when they purchase a piece from Pour Les Femmes, they are supporting slow fashion and everything that it represents."
Karen: "We want to be transparent with our customers. We also want to correct our mistakes and that’s where SUKU has come in really helpful for us, because if we see our carbon footprint in one area is too much, then we learn, correct and we share all of that - like Robin said - with our consumers. We always laugh when we say "what clothing company tells people to buy less and buy better?".
"It's all about the verifiability of ethics and sustainability"
Do you see Pour Les Femmes as a model for transparency and the verifiability of ethics and sustainability that other brands can adopt?
Karen: "Do we want to be a leader in the field? Do we want to share this with anybody that wants to trace their supply chain to use SUKU's technology to help learn and correct?Robin?"
Robin: "Yes, totally! I echo what you say it's true. It's all about the verifiability of ethics and sustainability - how can other people adopt that? It is being a model by doing it. We don’t want to forget about the women in the Congo. We can't leave them. We can't do half the job. This is the same theory that we have to get on this bandwagon and not get off and continue to learn, grow and evolve - then you are inviting the consumer and brands to be part of that journey."
Would you consider starting another social enterprise and, if so, would it support another women’s cause or would it support another cause that you both support?
Karen: "Well, I would never walk away from the Congo, because they are partners now and we are friends with the women there, so that’s a big question. We are both in our fifties, so would we start another social enterprise company? I don’t know. I would definitely bring our work to other regions of the world, but also helping women here. I think we both feel that way. Our next step is charity work, but who knows."
Robin: "We want to continue to expand our business. We're only halfway there. We’ve got so many other things on the agenda to make it more like a lifestyle brand, but we will get there."
What is next for Pour Les Femmes?
Robin: "We are launching our foundation soon, which is very exciting and just open to learning and believing there is always more to do and more to improve on. More to spread the good word of slow fashion and we're excited to continue building Pour Les Femmes into a company that is trusted by our customers. Customers mean everything to us."
Karen: "I second that! The planet is our main concern here and so being really transparent for ourselves and for our customers is the most important thing here for Pour Les Femmes. We are also really excited about our foundation, so we can help more people around the world."
To read more about the inspiring work of Robin Wright and Karen Fowler and to shop for their gorgeous sleepwear, while supporting women in conflict regions around the world, visit Pour Les Femmes.
Visit SUKU to read more about the transparency and technology that elevates the consumer experience.
TOPICS: Celebrities, Entertainment, Tech, Netflix, Social Good, Social Good, Sleep, Entrepreneurs, Fashion, Activism, Women, Activist, House Of Cards, Golden Globe Awards, Actress, sustainability, Sustainable Design, Wonder Woman, Hollywood, Award, Movie Star, Charities, Entrepreneurship, Nicole Kidman, Vintage Clothes, Friendship, Technology, Philanthropist, Philanthropy, Slow-fashion, Congo, Sleepwear, Pajamas, Selfridges, Robin Wright, Sandra Bullock, The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, Fashionable, Transparency, Social Enterprise, Fashion Design