Profession / role:

Fair Trade Importer and Shop Owner

Company / organisation:

Kolkata and FAIR

Website (if you have one):

www.kolkatafairtrade.co.uk and www.thefairshop.co.uk

My primary role in relation to fashion is:

Buyer, Retailer, Supplier

I am looking to discover or buy

Designers interested in product development with the groups in Kolkata. The skills of the producers that I work with are batik, embroidery, block printing, embossing leather, silk screening. We mainly focus on stationery at present but I would like to expand into clothing, home textiles.

About me / About business or organisation:

I studied International Development at University focusing on economics and sociology. After a fifteen year career in Finance, I have started an import business working with NGO's out in Kolkata, India and subsequently have opened two fair trade shops in Brighton, UK. I am interested in making fairtrade craft and clothing more accessible to the general public. I am interested in combining the skills of the design and retial industry here in the UK with the incredible skills and craftmanship of the producers that I work with.

Career history / Company history:

1994-2005 Various roles in American Express Finance and Treasury
2005-2007 Set up Kolkata importing products from NGO's in Kolkata
Nov. 2007 Opened the Kolkata Shop the first fair trade shop in Brighton focusing on clothing, jewellery, accessories and stationery
Nov. 2008 Opened FAIR shop along with three other fairtrade importers focusing on clothing, jewellery, homewares, stationery and cosmetics