Designs for Togo orphans

The designer of Farmer's Market jumped at the chance to design a collection of dresses to be made in Togo, West Africa using local materials. All proceeds from the dresses, who go on sale today, go to an orphanage in Togo. 

"I was asked recently if I'd like to contribute to a fun and rather beautiful project in conjunction with a charity called Tau from Togo. The charity buys materials from the Divine Providence sewing rooms in Aneho, Togo to support the orphanage of Sister Victorine, " explains designer Bergþóra Guðnadóttir. Icelandic charity Sól í Tógó also supports the orphanage. 

"The sewing rooms are the main income for the orphanage and also serves as a technical college for the oldest children," explains Guðnadóttir who owns the successful Farmer's Market label with her husband Jóel Pálsson. "I designed a dress which comes with a matching scarf that can be tied in three different ways, around the waist, as a headscarf or around the neck. The dresses are made from printed cotton, materials selected in Togo from local markets."

The dresses have just hit Reykjavík shelves and each dress is different. "I found the project really interesting and I like the fact that the concept is a little similar to our own. Farmer's Market delves into Nordic traditions which we could cal ethnic also," explains Guðnadóttir.

All proceeds from sales of the dresses go to the orphanage. Half of the proceeds go to an exucational fund for the children and the other half goes to ordering new products and thus creating continuing work for the sewing rooms. All those working on the project donate their work. 

Each dress comes with a matching scarf that can be tied in different ways. Photo/Farmers Market