Each year I design two new jewelry collections for the European fashion seasons of fall/winter and spring/summer. My bead collection does not follow this pattern, as it is in a continuous state of evolution, which is the result of my close collaboration with the tribal silversmiths who visit me in my workshop in Chiang Mai on a weekly basis in order to discuss the new designs that they hand-craft for me.
Together we have come a long way, as I have been working with the same Hill Tribe families since the start of my business in the mid-nineties. Back then, their remote dusty village was not connected to the power, water and phone grids. In those early days, a few lucky ones possessed a battery-powered radio and a beat-up scooter. These days, they own satellite TVs, DVD players, mobile phones and air-conditioned 4WD pick-ups. Globalization has reached far into the jungles of South-East Asia…
My long-term collaboration with the Hill Tribe artisans has always been based on principles of fair trade, long before it became a buzz word in today s global market. In my business dealings, as in life, I have always believed in treating people the way I would like to be treated, with fairness, honesty and respect. The fact that the same people work for me since the early days of my business is a testimony to this.