DEYI 德逸 design studio works with several artisans from Guizhou and Guangxi which are among the poorest provinces in China. This region is known to be the cradle of several indigenous communities: Miao, Yao, Dong, Gejia… The fine craftsmanship of these people is exceptional, from their very ancient textile culture (pleated fabric, indigo dyeing, wax-resist printing, embroideries..) to the bamboo crafts and handmade paper, and also traditional wooden architecture. This unique cultural heritage in the globe is threatened to disappear in the very near future. Our main mission is to collaborate with local artisans to preserve their traditional crafts.
Our project is built in opposition to the growing phenomenon of cultural appropriation in the design world. On the one hand, we use the traditional garments and techniques of indigenous communities for our contemporary designs, on the other hand, we empower local communities, in particular women artisans, to become the main actors of their social and economic development. We offer them a living wage and aspire to build a long-term collaboration with them.
Collaborating with our studio demonstrates a willingness to preserve the craft’s cultural heritage and contribute to the empowerment of woman artisans in rural China.
