Profession / role:

Designer

Company / organisation:

Passion Lilie

Website (if you have one):

passionlilie.com

My primary role in relation to fashion is:

Business Owner

I am looking to discover or buy

More information about manufacturers, fashion trends and trade shows

About me / About business or organisation:

Passion Lilie began with a desire to change the fashion industry, so that ethical, fashionable and affordable fashion is the norm as opposed to the rarity. We are a New Orleans based women's fair trade clothing line that gives individuals, mainly women, in remote villages a unique opportunity to live a dignified life.

Our mission is to empower artisans by creating dignified employment opportunities that give fair wages to individuals, mainly women, in developing communities. We believe that these positive job opportunities lead to sustainable societies and a better world.

By purchasing ethical garments, you are helping to reverse the cycle of poverty and to improve the world you live in. And the best part is that neither Passion Lilie nor our artisans are asking for a penny of your charity. We just want you to make a conscious purchase when you go to buy your next outfit.

Career history / Company history:

Our Founder: Katie Schmidt, a global traveler, philanthropists and experienced designer, founded Passion Lilie in January of 2013. A California native, Katie received her B.A. in Drama from the University of California, Irvine, and began her career as a costume designer. After several years of working as a designer, Katie received her M.S. in Luxury and Fashion Management from SKEMA Business School in Sophia Antipolis, France. During graduate school, Katie tailored her education to meet her interests in sustainable and fair trade fashion industries.

In 2011, she moved to New Orleans where she took on the role of Executive Director for a local fair trade organization. Her work lead her to India, where she helped a small workshop become fair trade certified. After seeing first hand the many benefits of fair trade, Katie decided to create her own women’s fair trade clothing line.

Katie’s vision was to create a fun, playful line of dresses with simple cuts that are easy to wear and flattering on many different body types. She is inspired by the Indian hand block fabrics iconic to the line as well as by 1920s-1970s fashion.

“My mission in life is to improve the world I live in, and because of my love for design, I have chosen to do this through fashion.” –Katie Schmidt