Design 21: Social Design Network

This Sunday, 28 June, the magical city of Arnhem will be showcasing the Awearness Fair Fashion Show, organized in conjunction with the Arnhem Mode Biënnale 2009. This is the first year that the month long biënnale will highlight ‘sustainable fashion' as a vital theme.

Sunday's carefully curated runway line up will include prêt-a-porter, eco couture and arty fashion labels such as Alchemist, Merunisha Moonilal, Studio Jux, Van Markoviec, Rianne de Witte, Marlon Borgschot and Hedwig Homoet.

• visit Awearness Fashion for more details
• featured fashion photo from Van Markoviec collection

There is a tragedy happening in this world. A tragedy that hardly anyone realizes. The war in the Congo area of Africa has raged for ten years and continues to cause destruction to the land and its people. Women are mistreated, raped, and murdered daily in this region. Most women are taught to deal with the pain and struggle rather than fight back against it. It is not the fact that people aren't helping but more so the fact that people just don't know what is going on. Rare jewels, diamonds, and other resources are mined in these areas and are the main factor that has led to slavery and murder. One idea for helping the women of this region is "The City of Joy" This is an all-female village that would be a place for victims to recover from physical and psychological wounds that have terrorized their minds, bodies, and ways of life. Please see the sites below to find out more information on this topic and how you can help.

Notable sites for more information:

www.raisehopeforcongo.org

www.enoughproject.org

www.congoweek.org/english/