Ekn Kamthala –
Designed in Bangladesh
Made in Europe
Challenge
For decades the fashion industry has been characterized by exploitation of workers in the Global South.
The world is only truly fair when people in the so-called developing countries have the same opportunities as industrialized nations.
Solution
With the campaign “Designed in Bangladesh. Made in Europe” we turn the typical supply chain upside down and demonstrate that designers, fashion trends and subcultures in countries we had not pay attention to, can offer us new, enriching opportunities.
For that reason, we based the idea of cultural connection. We wanted to create a new design language – a mash-up of two worlds and a cultural fusion of two continents.
Context: Art Direction at Accenture Song
Year: 2022
Credits:
Managing Director: Noel Klein-Reesink
Creative Director: Marek Bäuerlein
Product Design: Rokaiya Ahmed Purna
Managing Director Creation: Fabian Frese
Managing Director Client Service: Lenart Wittgen
Executive Creative Director Martin Terhart
Executive Design Director: Marcel Krempin
Group Creative Director: Alexander Grapp
Lead Creation: Alexander Grapp & Felix Zielke
& more
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- Junior Talent 2023
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- Gold
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- Wooden Pencil
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- Shortlist
Watch the case study:
We found Rokaiya Ahmed Purna – a talented, female designer from Bangladesh with a unique style. We let her create the first sneaker designed in Bangladesh and produced in Europe: the ekn Kamthala. It is inspired by the jackfruit, the national fruit of Bangladesh. Shapes, skin and colors are reflected in the shoe like in the embroidery or the laser engraving. Further the shoe is made of vegan materials without harm for the environment, fairly handcrafted in Portugal and the uniquely refined packaging is made from recycled materials. So, each asset individually tells the story behind the product. Look and design are raw, unfinished, and still open to grow.
This design concept was applied consistently to the entire campaign, which is about respect, self-empowerment, strong women and disrupting a whole category. That is why all proceeds go to Rokaiya’s initiatives in order to support creatives in Bangladesh and make them believe in their talent. We hope to create more awareness for all hidden talents anywhere on this planet who have been ignored way too long – until now.
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