Charlotte Moss Creates Collection for Ibu
By Women, For Women: Charlotte Moss is spreading her wings.
The interior designer and lifestyle authority collaborated on fall clothing, jewelry, shoes and accessories for Ibu, a three-year-old brand offering artisanal wares handmade by women in 34 nations. Moss and Ibu founder and creative director Susan Walker showcased the goods Wednesday and Thursday at Ceylon et Cie in Dallas.
From a Panamanian mola clutch to a cream and black felted wool coat made in Kyrgyzstan, Charlotte Moss for Ibu merges ethnic motifs with urban sophistication.
“It’s almost evergreen,” said Moss, gazing at a rack of the designs. “A caftan is forever. I often look at it as, ‘How do I justify certain prices for fashion when you know it’s done next season?’ Now I want to dress like this. We’re a global world, and it’s global attire.”
Walker is a former minister and trained weaver who got the idea for Ibu while visiting Timor and noticing that tourist shops sold soulless trinkets instead of native craftwork.
“There are people who want to pay for the real deal,” she said. “Women were putting their stories into textiles, and it’s a cultural language. I wanted to save that and put money into the hands of the women so they don’t have to go to a city and work in a cell-phone factory.”
Ibu also offers gifts and home goods. Prices span a wide range, from $8 woven straw Colombian cuffs to an $1,845 coat embroidered in Afghanistan.
“I want everyone to be able to have something,” Walker said. “Millennials love this.”
She sells them at ibumovement.com and her boutique in Charleston, S.C., but wholesale is on the horizon.
“I just hired someone to develop that,” Walker said. “I would like to find a few stores.”
Related stories
The Art of a Dior Collaboration
Chiara Ferragni Lights Swarovski Christmas Tree in Milan
Dover Street Market Hosts Festive Open House
Get more from WWD: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
