VOZ Case Study

October 2, 2024 I PSOF 2095: Global Artisan - The Alternative Supply Chain

VOZ: CASE STUDY

VALENTINA CHIRKES

“The Mapuche today are not just folklore. The Mapuche today are a cultural icon and a pop-cultural icon.”

Pedro Cayuqueo, a Mapuche author and host of “KulMapu,” a TV show profiling everything Mapuche

PRODUCT OVERVIEW: CLOTHING

PRODUCT OVERVIEW: ACCESSORIES

INTRODUCTION

One of the Mapuche weavers setting up a warp. (Pilar Castro - NBC)

1, 2 “About,” VOZ, September 6, 2024, https://madebyvoz.com/pages/about.

3 “Mapuche,” Britannica, accessed September 22, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mapuche.

4 “About,” VOZ, September 6, 2024, https://madebyvoz.com/pages/about.

5 Ruby Veridiano, “Luxury Fashion Brand Raises 'VOZ' of South American Women Artisans” NBC News, December 15, 2016, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/luxury-fashion-brand-raises-voz-south-american-women-artisans-n695331.

6 “About,” VOZ. 7 Jasmine Etoile Aarons, “VOZ Sanctuary opens in Soho, New York,” VOZ, March 01, 2021, https://madebyvoz.com/blogs/vozwoman/voz-sanctuary-pop-up-opens-its-doors?srsltid=AfmBOorN8Sz0826uS2GK1oQzPCjevSn7gtfq4LZYXIC77c9XyxCz0_wz.

In 2012, Jasmine Etoile Aarons, a product designer from California, founded VOZ as a way to help the Mapuche artisans she had met in Temuco, a southern city in Chile. VOZ celebrates the artisanal processes of this community through womenswear proposals that explore weaving, knitting, and metalwork. Its mission is “to protect the livelihoods, well-being, and cultural values of rural indigenous women globally,”¹ through fair and sustainable practices. In the past 12 years, VOZ has grown and evolved and today provides more than 100 jobs throughout their supply chain.² The brand continues producing high-quality products through a uniquely social and environmentally conscious business model. They honor their artisans through every step of the process and ensure that the customer knows where, how, and who made their product.

The Mapuche are a native community present in Chile and Argentina. With an estimated population of 1,400,000 at the beginning of the 21st century, they are the largest native group in South America, as well as the largest in both Chile and Argentina.³ The Mapuche are the only indigenous group that was able to remain independent during the Spanish colonial period.⁴ During the 1880s, they became part of Chilean territory, after sustained attacks on their land. Since then, numerous disputes have occurred between the community and Chilean authorities. Today, most Mapuche organizations have gained significant visibility within the country’s political and social landscapes.

In 2009, during her post-graduate fellowship with Stanford’s HAAS Center for Public Service, Jasmine Etoile Aarons visited the Mapuche community in Temuco. Here, she “fell in love with the community and pledged to help them.”⁵ This help came to life as an educational-structured fashion brand, in which women artisans of the community would become the core stakeholders. They pride themselves in a collaborative design method, in which the artisans are part of the entire ideation process rather than just the manufacturers. During this process, they infuse their creations with ancestral symbols, materials, and traditions. Their textile selection is native to the land where the products are manufactured, and include baby alpaca, wool, and Pima cotton,⁶ ensuring a high-quality and durable end product.

These traditional and conscious practices are not only visible in the final garment but also throughout the brand’s entire retail and marketing process, demonstrating the importance of the values and ideals of the Mapuche community for the brand’s identity. In 2021, VOZ opened its first store, described as the “VOZ Sanctuary”,⁷ using the physical space to bring slow, ancient practices to hectic New York City. The tactile reminder of materials and their origins make it impossible for customers to be oblivious to their garment’s story and value, as well as the brand's commitment to the land and its preservation. Through in-store collaborations with other like-minded brands and individuals, they can compile all of VOZ’s values and interests in one space.

After more than a decade in business, VOZ is a comprehensible example of how unique a brand can be when it is inspired by an indigenous community and their artisanal crafts. It honors and showcases the Mapuche through every aspect of their business and celebrates what Indigenous values and practices can do for modern US society and the entire fashion industry. VOZ looks to have an impact on the people, land, environment, and communities that are part of their supply chain; because of their business model, this impact is meant to be much more personal, immediate, and direct.

Outline of Rankülche Wallmapu (Mapuche) Territory across Chile and Argentina “Home,” Native Land Digital, accessed September 22, 2024, https://native-land.ca/.

POLITICAL & LEGAL ANALYSIS

Voz founder Jasmine Aarons, at right, with women weavers in Chile. (Pilar Castro - NBC)

8 Tracey Meyers, “Ethical Fashion Brand Voz Reopens New ‘Sanctuary’ Store in New York,” WWD, March 4, 2021, https://wwd.com/feature/voz-reopens-sanctuary-new-york-1234763751/.

9, 10, 11, 12 Ruby Veridiano “Luxury Fashion Brand Raises 'VOZ' of South American Women Artisans”

VOZ manufactures products mainly in New York City and Chile. Visually, it is very evident which products are made where, as the artisanal work is very visible in the ones made in South America. The US-based production is mostly reserved for silk garments that perceptibly appear as simple backdrops for the more intricate artisanal products. Its international production is subject to numerous regulations and policies in manufacturing, exporting/importing and selling. The Mapuche communities that are part of the business model are mostly located in rural areas of Temuco, imposing an added challenge for the supply chain and transportation routes. Especially during COVID-19, when the brand faced an increase in online orders from US-based customers while Chile was increasing its lockdown restrictions. VOZ’s founder shared that they had to “find sacred backroads, apply for taxi permits, and plea with policemen”⁸ in order to fulfill orders during the pandemic. The tension between the USA’s increased shopping demand during this period and South America’s strict adherence to COVID-19 protection policies is an evident example of problems that have to be solved when developing multinational and multicultural business models. At the same time, there is also an evident co-dependency as the Mapuche still needed to work and make a living and the brand still needed to deliver orders. In this case, one country’s policies determined commerce in another one, and led the company to understand how to look for alternatives and deal with South American laws.

On another note, VOZ has joined the United Nations’ Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women (UNTF),⁹ as part of the “Orange Label” program that uses clear labeling systems to distinguish garments that are aligned with the UNTF’s mission and objectives.

This project focuses both on raising funds for the cause as well as promoting awareness. These are two things that VOZ already does as a brand, so adding the partnership with the UNTF only seems to make its commitment stronger and more evident. VOZ works with mostly female artisans in Chile and provides an opportunity for them to generate their own income and thus sustain their independence. In 2016, VOZ dedicated 20% of the proceeds from their “Manta” poncho, one of their most iconic styles, to the UNTF.¹⁰ During this time, they also stated that “Each season hereafter, Voz will dedicate one piece of their collection to the ‘Orange Label’ to continue their partnership with the UNTF.”¹¹ However, there is no public data or information that shares that this has been the case during the past 8 years since this statement. As mentioned previously, the values that the UNTF stands for are very similar to those that VOZ does, so even if this particular pledge was unfulfilled, it is unlikely that VOZ completely deviated from their commitment to the UNTF’s programs. Nevertheless, official partnership documentation or supporting quantitative data would prove a more solid stance in these matters and generate more transparency and trust with their consumers. We will see that this lack of verifiable information is probably the biggest weakness of the company.

Another important legal and economic challenge for this business is its relationship with knockoff products. In fact, one of the reasons Aarons decided to start the brand was that she saw how much the lesser-quality products were hurting the livelihoods of the artisans who made the products in the original, manual and slow-paced way. The knockoff products were less authentic but available at a fraction of the price, they were able to reach a wider audience.¹² Because of this, Aarons wanted to create a business that celebrated the original artisanal products, allowed their makers to earn a steady income and expanded their market to a larger scale. The authenticity of VOZ’s products is evident through the quality of the items as well as through their digital presence, which includes first-hand videos from the artisans themselves. However, it needs to be stated once again that there is no empirical evidence of the effect that VOZ has on the livelihoods of these women and how deeply the brand was able to counteract the effect of knockoff products.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

VOZ’s most recent campaign.

13 Tracey Meyers, “Ethical Fashion Brand Voz Reopens New ‘Sanctuary’ Store in New York” 14, 15 Ruby Veridiano “Luxury Fashion Brand Raises 'VOZ' of South American Women Artisans”

VOZ’s mission states that they aim to “provide fair trade wages for handmade production in South America and New York,”¹³ encouraging justice and transparency throughout their entire supply chain. The pandemic forced them to reanalyze their processes and economic decisions in order to maintain a long-lasting business model. During this time, VOZ’s founder says, she had to fulfill and deliver online orders herself, and come up with new methods of showcasing the products digitally. In this situation, as did many other brands, Aarons relied on digital storytelling to generate media impact in order to maintain sales and continue to pay the workers in Chile. VOZ's digital storytelling, through their website, social media and press articles, became their most trustworthy method of economic justification. Their products are more on the “expensive” side of the industry; according to the stories they post, the prices of their products are directly related to the quality of materials and the fair wages that the people in the supply chain earn. All of this is explained to potential customers as soon as they enter one of the digital platforms.

As for external verification, NBC’s Ruby Veridiano was able to get first-hand testimony from one of the artisans from the Mapuche community in Temuco, who stated that VOZ is “a safe alternative for the artisans, so we avoid occasions in which we are not able to sell our products.”¹⁴ She testifies the impact that VOZ had from taking their small scale local production into a larger, more constant model. This is an incredibly important aspect of the economic security of these women, who may be dependent on unpredictable sales patterns, most likely related to tourist seasons and external factors. According to the same NBC article, they are now making three times more than they would for local companies. This economic security allows the brand to retain the same workers that started during its founding. Which in turn is a benefit for the brand as they can rely on consistent products and artisans that get increasingly better at the crafts necessary to produce their garments. NBC also stated that “They have since been able to earn a consistent income, buy medicine when they need it, and have transitioned into the formal economy by opening their own bank accounts,”¹⁵ showcasing that in these scenarios, it is never solely about the money, but rather an increase in overall health and a more stable lifestyle. VOZ’s economic and business model has shifted towards a more formal design process based in New York City, where the artisans have a stake in the company and are active in the design process and possibilities of their designs beyond their local communities. The fact of the artisans being co-founders of the company generates a very different business model than that of a brand that buys and resells products from indigenous communities. Through trust and collaboration between the craftswomen and Jasmine Aarons, they can push the brand to grow and evolve.

SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Lindvall with one of the Mapuche artisans (Ben Draper - Vogue)

16 Chioma Nnadi, “In Chile, Angela Lindvall Discovers a World of Stunning, Sustainable Knits,” Vogue, July 19, 2017, https://www.vogue.com/article/angela-lindvall-voz-collaboration-chile-travel.

17 Ruby Veridiano “Luxury Fashion Brand Raises 'VOZ' of South American Women Artisans” 18 Tracey Meyers, “Ethical Fashion Brand Voz Reopens New ‘Sanctuary’ Store in New York” 19 “About,” VOZ 20 Celine Semaan, “Sustainable Fashion Only Works When It's Inclusive,” Elle, June 26, 2018, https://www.elle.com/fashion/personal-style/a21950586/sustainable-fashion-inclusive/.

The crafts present in the garments sold by VOZ are much more than textile techniques. The layers of symbolism in these pieces give a whole new level of meaning to the handmade aspects of the garment. These symbols are cultural codes shared and passed down through generations and each carry multiple meanings. Model Angela Lindvall shared a trip to Chile with VOZ back in 2017 and was able to see and learn about the different symbols used by Mapuche artisans. One that called her attention was the star motif that represents womanhood, as according to Mapuche legend “woman was born from the stars and the stars represent the divine.”¹⁶ This adds a new layer to the meaning behind the brand’s mission and even their products, as artisans can communicate their ancestral legends and stories through modern visual motifs. The experience visually demonstrates cultural storytelling through handcraft.

Also, being able to see this ancestral imagery produced and showcased globally plays a big psychological role in the communities.

Beyond the economic reassurance caused by the larger scale production of their garments, seeing their products succeed on a global scale installs confidence and security among the artisans: they feel that their products are being valued and appreciated by VOZ’s consumers. This newfound psycho-social security encourages them to become stronger leaders and inspire others through their voice. After all, the term “voz” means voice in Spanish, leading back to the original goal of the brand: to give these artisans a voice and a platform through which to share their culture and craft. Aarons stated this succinctly during her interview with NBC: “Seeing their talents as powerful unleashes them, it increases their self-esteem. Because of this, they have become leaders in their communities.”¹⁷ The last, but not least important, aspect to this brand is their commitment to the environment and the planet’s health. They approach environmental sustainability through a combination of eco-conscious, transparent and fair practices, in order to balance the wellness of people and the planet. Aarons states that as “a company that celebrates the handmade and human connection between maker and wearer, we cannot sever our relationship to the physical realm.”¹⁸ This better shows how they see human and environmental relationships as directly dependent on each other and that one doesn’t succeed without the other.

The company also focuses on immersive experiences as the key value for a true sustainable business. VOZ’s founder is encouraged to carry it out through in-person retail and promotion methods. Their products are very tactile and environmentally sensible, and most of their storytelling focuses on how they will make the wearer feel. Through their physical stores they aim to mimic a beauty and peace that can most often be found in nature, and to generate a space where the symbols and ideals present in their work become visible. Most of them are rooted in nature and in the land indigenous to the Mapuche. VOZ publicly and continuously mentions and reminds the audience of their conscience on matters regarding environmental responsibility. But again, in spite of that, the only “environmental” information available is the textile’s content and origin. Although they claim to “use sustainable fibers and processes,”¹⁹ there is no actual information on the sustainability practices and impacts that the brand has. Solely stating the origin and content of the fiber does not justify sustainable practices and could even lead to greenwashing claims, as there is a preconceived notion that textiles made in South America are environmentally conscious.

Enacting positive social and environmental change are showcased as being very much the main pillars of the brand. The entire business was created as a way to allow for better opportunities for the artisans and therefore strengthen their society. Elle’s Céline Semaan states that “when we use fashion as a medium for social and environmental change, we become social justice workers.”²⁰ Therefore, if done properly, social and environmental changes could not only be an additional goal for the brand, but become its very core structure. True social and environmental responsibility is something that takes over every aspect of a business and inspires the mentality through which it functions.

CONCLUSION STRENGTHS I WEAKNESSES I OPPORTUNITIES I THREATS

VOZ AW20 campaign.

16 Chioma Nnadi, “In Chile, Angela Lindvall Discovers a World of Stunning, Sustainable Knits,” Vogue, July 19, 2017, https://www.vogue.com/article/angela-lindvall-voz-collaboration-chile-travel.

17 Ruby Veridiano “Luxury Fashion Brand Raises 'VOZ' of South American Women Artisans” 18 Tracey Meyers, “Ethical Fashion Brand Voz Reopens New ‘Sanctuary’ Store in New York” 19 “About,” VOZ 20 Celine Semaan, “Sustainable Fashion Only Works When It's Inclusive,” Elle, June 26, 2018, https://www.elle.com/fashion/personal-style/a21950586/sustainable-fashion-inclusive/.

VOZ is a clear example of a brand that was founded upon strong positive social, environmental and cultural goals. These are still extremely present in everything they show 12 years later. They have developed very strong and consistent storytelling that clearly shares these goals with their stakeholders. Their approach to making the artisans co-founder of the brands make them stand out in a sea of fashion brands wanting to claim artisanal practices and transform them for modern cultures. The liberty that the artisans have in designing and influencing the products is evident as the garments are not the standard mass-commissioned pieces that lots of brands are selling nowadays. This allows them to gain a unique aesthetic and visual identity. Their products are very much an even balance of traditional Mapuche crafts and New York City silhouettes and functionality. Besides, this business model has probably allowed for the impact to the community to be greater and go beyond the financial benefits: the economic improvement of their lives was one of the most important factors when building the business, but the approach is not just giving them fair money for their work but rather also paying them for having inspired the brand and allowing it to exist.

The brand’s approach to business and social development is one-of-a-kind and something that other brands seeking similar concepts should use as a model. However, regardless of how noble and honest their objectives are, they become significantly less trustworthy without quantitative and first-hand evidence to support their stories. Their strong and consistent storytelling allows for a lot of trust in potential customers but may not be enough in a more formal setting for possible investors or impact investigators. The lack of evidence of all of their statements can leave stakeholders feeling dubious about the truthfulness or the extent of the impact that VOZ is actually making in the Mapuche communities in Temuco. Providing impact statements for those who deem it necessary would be a simple and effective way to support their statements. Additionally, press articles from more investigative sources rather than fashion ones could also help spread this information and attract new possible consumers.

Also, in the future, VOZ may face threats or possible issues as a business that they should prepare to face. One of them being volatile political conditions in South America. Due to the distance of their Chilean center to the New York City operational offices, issues related to transportation, imports and delivery could arise. As described at the beginning of this paper, international businesses have to deal with foreign policies that can affect business in a country that has nothing to do with these changes.

Planning for possible legal, financial and political challenges would help VOZ reduce the possible impacts of these not just on their business but also on the lives of the artisans in Chile. In this kind of business model, planning ahead for unforeseen obstacles and interruptions is extremely important, since the effects they can have on the lives of people involved will be much more immediate and disastrous as there are not many alternative support networks for the Mapuche artisans.

Another problem that VOZ may face is the competition with other brands and businesses that are selling similar knockoff products in a cheaper and more efficient way. In today’s fast-paced fashion landscape customers in the global north are expecting their products to come at incredibly fast speeds and at cheap price points. Because of this, the true value and effect of the artisanal craft may be lost in people who are not educated on the topic or may simply not care enough to get the authentic product. In this regard, it is important for the brand to communicate the social and environmental impact it has, as well as how their product is better than the knockoff. This is something that VOZ is already doing to some extent through their storytelling efforts. Adding some transparency data to justify their price could help in explaining why their products are set at a high price, and how that money is used in the community.

Through this analysis, though there are no “official” documents to prove it, it seems that VOZ’s business model is pretty successful in accomplishing what they set out to achieve. They are providing a reliable and constant platform for Chilean Mapuche artisans to share, develop and sell their crafts. The brand serves indeed as a celebration and reminder of South American craft and the value that purchasing this kind of product has. In the future, VOZ could look into expanding their successful business model into other Mapuche crafts, or even expand to other indigenous communities. They are starting to explore the world of metalwork, but they could add another focus and try to expand to another section in the industry, and possibly attract more customers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Aarons, Jasmine Etoile. “VOZ Sanctuary opens in Soho, New York.” VOZ, March 01, 2021. https://madebyvoz.com/blogs/vozwoman/voz-sanctuary-pop-up-opens-its-doors?srsltid=AfmB OorN8Sz0826uS2GK1oQzPCjevSn7gtfq4LZYXIC77c9XyxCz0_wz.

Britannica. “Mapuche.” Accessed September 22, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mapuche.

Henao, Luis Andres. “Mapuche indigenous culture thrives in Chile and abroad” AP News,August 15, 2024. https://apnews.com/general-news-20b2d3b58a354223beb3320ea7a683d6.

Meyers, Tracey. “Ethical Fashion Brand Voz Reopens New ‘Sanctuary’ Store in New York” WWD, March 4, 2021. https://wwd.com/feature/voz-reopens-sanctuary-new-york-1234763751/.

Minority Rights Group. “Mapuche in Chile.” Accessed September 22, 2024. https://minorityrights.org/communities/mapuche-2/ Nnadi, Chioma. “In Chile, Angela Lindvall Discovers a World of Stunning, Sustainable Knits” Vogue, July 19, 2017. https://www.vogue.com/article/angela-lindvall-voz-collaboration-chile-travel.

Semaan, Celine. “Sustainable Fashion Only Works When It's Inclusive” Elle, June 26, 2018. https://www.elle.com/fashion/personal-style/a21950586/sustainable-fashion-inclusive/.

Veridiano, Ruby. “Luxury Fashion Brand Raises 'VOZ' of South American Women Artisans” NBC News, December 15, 2016. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/luxury-fashion-brand-raises-voz-south-american-wome n-artisans-n695331.

VOZ. “About.” September 6, 2024. https://madebyvoz.com/pages/about.

VOZ. “VOZ Woman.” September 6, 2024. https://madebyvoz.com/blogs/vozwoman.

“Voz partners with the United Nations Trust Fund” Fashion Network. March 8, 2016. https://us.fashionnetwork.com/news/Voz-partners-with-the-united-nations-trust-fund,666598.ht ml.