Posted by BEN BEAUMONT – Clinton School graduate Julie West is realizing a dream – working with women artists and handicraft groups to bring their products to a global marketplace. This past week, West opened The Red Sari, a new business selling women’s fashion accessories designed and produced in Nepal.
This Arkansas-based company is now employing women both in the state and in Nepal. West will spend her time in between both places and work to bring Nepalese goods to a global marketplace.
Along with her business, West also launched The Red Sari Alliance, a nonprofit foundation to support the education of young women in Nepal, and she’s currently working with five young women who are learning to sew, so they can support themselves through college.
West’s venture into small-business-based economic development was predicated by her work at the Clinton School. While here, she completed her Practicum (group) project with Arkansas DeltaMade a branding and retail marketing initiative promoting products produced in the impoverished Mississippi River Delta region of Arkansas.
Congrats Julie!
UPDATE: Julie has a booth at Holiday House, a three-day crafts fair at this weekend at the Statehouse Convention Center. Drop by any time Friday and Saturday from 9am to 9pm to see some of Julie’s items.
Julie West visits a felt factory in Nepal.
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