Lovedesh is a new ethical luxury brand run by a mother and daughter duo.
Based in London.
Yasmin Choudhury (right of photo) is the founder of Lovedesh. Born and bred in London, she graduated from University of Westminster with a Business Studies degree. Previously, she worked in the City of London for top FTSE firms such as IBM and in Corporate Communications for Barclays Bank, Shandwick (a global PR Consultancy) and freelanced for Disney. Later, as a single mother, she trained as a professional actress and has worked for the BBC and as a voice over artiste.
After having experienced hardships herself in 2010, she chose to live the rest of her life making a social impact. To help talented people born into disadvantage. As Yasmin travelled to Bangladesh on business, she met many talented people in dire need. And so Lovedesh® was born in January 2012. She also set up a niche British charity Amcariza Foundation in memory of her beloved late father, who always urged her to give back to his motherland nation of Bangladesh and to never forget the privilege she was born into. Today, small grants are given to talented individuals in cities and rural villages to mentor them and uplift them into sustainable careers and educational success. From rural destitute villagers, fishermen to female students, no stone is left unturned in an effort to help and scout out talented people.
Amber Choudhury-Kaye (left of photo), has finished studying A Levels at the Royal Alexandra & Albert School. And she is off to university to study Business Management with Marketing. She loves travelling and creating new designs. Her passion for Business and Marketing helps Lovedesh stay engaged with our young consumers. She has been visiting Bangladesh with her mother since she was three and is excited to help other young women like her, discover unusual destinations across the world. Including her love for travelling to unfairly stigmatised nations.
Amber has been instrumental in helping her mother Yasmin creating original designs inspired by their joint love of the flora and fauna of Bangladesh.
OUR STORY
Yasmin and Amber explain why they want the world to fall in love with Lovedesh®:
“Welcome to our family.
“Join Us. Help us.
“By joining the waitlist for the Lovedesh Tee, we can fund and deliver more good such as better pay, for a better world.
“Together, we want to deliver new ethical, responsible solutions to fast fashion and fast food. Without exploiting workers and avoiding sweatshops.
“This type of mission does not happen overnight. And why we have sunk our own money into making this change happen. Before expecting you to do so.
“Now with your help, by buying The Lovedesh Tee (Limited Edition), we can deliver social impact sooner. To take better care of our planet, people and plants.
Here’s How
“We believe a critical priority, for emerging new responsible fashion brands like us, is to pay artisans and garment workers better. The only way to do this is to disrupt the current fashion business model.
“We plan to do so.
“We both have heritage from beautiful Bangladesh. So we are kicking off Lovedesh’s GoFundMe campaign at 11.36pm GMT on Wednesday 24 April 2019, by working to support Bangladeshi people and remember the fallen. On that date, we are due to launch our first fund-raising ethically sourced and designed organic cotton t-shirt “The Lovedesh Tee”. It features the hashtag #IRemember1136.
“The t-shirt has been specially designed with this hashtag slogan reminding us of the 1,136 garment workers who got trapped and died when the Rana Plaza factory building they were working in the Savar District of Bangladesh, collapsed on 24 April 2013. The Lovedesh crown logo is also featured above the left breast with our logo in Bengali letters at the back of the t-shirt. To impart the message that a more responsible ethical luxury fashion brand is now available.
“We are so excited to share that some of the survivors, as well as the relatives of the tragic garment workers who died in Savar, as well as our female garment worker sisters at worker owned factory who will stitch this item, have been met with and shown our concept. And given their blessings for The Lovedesh Tee. You can read more about this incredible journey to meet them on The Lovedesh Tee page.
Why buy The Lovedesh® Tee?
“Protect. Lovedesh Phase I. Key to our social mission is to protect and promote dying heritage craft skills. And why we created The Lovedesh Atelier range. To protect and boost the incomes of these handcraft artisans. We are worried their skills will soon be lost to the world. As handicrafts skills are not being passed on to the next generations. That is why sales of the Lovedesh Tee will help fund this rescue mission.
“Promote & Platform. Every Lovedesh Atelier fashion item we plan to sell, are fine luxury statement pieces we travel thousands of miles to have lovingly created by hand. These timeless pieces utilise the indigenous crafts and skills, showcase the ancient culture and stories of their heritage arts, as well as promoting the emerging economies across Asia and Africa we love to showcase, visit or learn about while also boosting their income.
“Remove Stigma. Working with talented artisans around the world in undiscovered, unfairly stigmatised nation and destinations, has inspired us to create print designs sold in The Lovedesh Merch, which we hope will help smash the stereotypical narrative. To show there is more to the people in these places than the horrid label ‘Third World’.
“Deliver Good. Creating Lovedesh will also help us donate some of our profits to other social causes we care about. These include British as well as foreign charities and grassroots startups that need financial help.
“Boost Income. The Tee will help donate monies to support garment workers who stitch for us, as well as survivors of those who died on the sixth anniversary (24.04.2019) Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. Funds will also be used to to bring alive our big, bold dream: The Lovedesh Artisan Atelier Studio
“Change Careers & Lives. Our plan is to bring Bangladeshi garment workers and artisan weavers into the UK for short term career experience at the London Artisan Atelier Studio we plan to build in London. To handcraft the Lovedesh Atelier range which works with indigenous textiles as well as up cycling offcuts of British silk, Harris Tweed and vintage handcrafted lace we acquire from the Lace Museum in UK. After all, if they are good enough to stitch high volume, high street fashion items for big global consumer brands who make profits of billions of pounds, serving millions of Western consumers in USA & Europe, these same workers are also good enough to come to the UK to obtain higher wages and learn more skills, that we hope, will change their lives and that of their family for the better. None of this can be achieved without money.
“Heritage Cuisine. Then, in August 2019, we plan to launch Lovedesh Phase II: bringing The Lovedesh Dawat, a series of fine pop up authentic dining experiences in major UK cities, that features ancient recipes and heritage cooking styles being lost to the world. A cultural fine dining experience, where we will share stories of the food artisans we work with and the rich history of recipes that we British folks rarely get access to.
“New Travel Destinations. Lovedesh Phase III in February 2020 will hopefully introduce The Lovedesh Luxe Tour & The Heritage Tour to Bangladesh. Curated trips for limited number of travellers to visit the people and lands we care passionately about. While Lovedesh Phase IV will see mother and daughter team, with the help of our Team roll out this new business model concept to other nations in Middle East, Asia and Africa so that we really do change the world.
“Within a year, if we can help to inspire, educate and encourage more of you to even holiday to some of these destinations, have protected and platformed heritage skills and boosted the incomes of artisans and garment workers, our mission will be accomplished.
“It is why Lovedesh is truly set to become a designer brand that really does look, feel and deliver good.
“So please support us. Join our waitlist. Then, from 11.36pm GMT, on Wednesday 24,04.2019 buy, buy, buy…….to change our world.”
Thanks for reading.
Love Yasmin & Amber x
London – April 2019.
Want more info?
To pre-order the Tee – Join The Lovedesh® Tee (Limited Edition) waiting list / Visit Indiegogo Crowdfunding Page / Visit Lovedesh Shop / Visit Lovedesh Merch Shop
To find out more about Lovedesh®, the transparent and responsible search and the supply chain journey for this ethical Tee, follow Yasmin’s journey on Instagram.
For press enquires, please contact media@lovedesh.com
