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Many major companies donate to charities, which is – without a doubt – a good thing. But occasionally it makes sense to initiate joint projects in order to really move things and make a sustainable, long-term difference.

“We want to empower and support women all over the world”, explains Dorothee Ingwersen, Olsen’s head of communications. Olsen is an international brand with a unique philosophy. The concepts of friendship and emotional strength play a very special role for Olsen. Fashion is perceived as a positive, authentic lifestyle. “And for us it goes without saying that we want to make a contribution to society by sharing our core competence in fashion. By providing manpower and know-how we hope to make a positive and lasting contribution to globalisation.”

The actress Christina Plate is the sponsor of these Olsen projects. Sustainability is a key aim in all Olsen’s textile projects.

As in the previous year, the project involves women from the Indian textile enterprise Sadhna,
which has produced epaulettes, embroidered items, small bird pendants and chain elements
made of fabric-covered pearls, with Double Happiness 2011 created by guest designer
Zerlina von dem Bussche, founder of the Berlin (Germany)-based Sisi Wasabi label.
For this designer, who successfully sold her label in 2009, Double Happiness was and
is an exciting challenge, but above all something that is very close to her heart.
“Double Happiness is a sustainable fair-trade project, and it means a lot to me to see my work
helping people”, says Zerlina von dem Bussche. Which is why it has been so important for
her to travel to Udaipur. “I wanted to get to know the Sadhna women I am working with, and
get an impression of their work, their quality of life and the local production conditions.”

Together with Plan International, Olsen is supporting a new textile project in India, base on the co-operation to the Indian women’s development project Sadhna. As part of our initiative “Empowering Women Worldwide” Olsen and Plan are again co-operating on another project. Last year the “Double Happiness Collection Vietnam”, which was created with women from the Vietnamese village of Van Ly, enabled them to secure their children’s future by feeding them and providing a good education.

This year, Olsen is again sharing the company’s expertise and experience. Our new partner is the Sadhna project, a textile company which helps women from rural areas by providing work, a steady income, and a say in all the company’s decision-making processes. The project enables the women to support their families; it gives them the courage to live their own lives and builds their self-esteem by showing them that they have something valuable to contribute. The women of Sadhna have embroidered a small collection of six pieces, including a beach dress, T-shirts and a bag, all incredibly beautiful and truly unique.

“With the ‘Double Happiness Collection’ 2010 you can share the exuberance of the Sadhna women by wearing something that is infused with their spirit”, says Christina Plate who sponsors the project. The ancient character for double happiness, the logo of the 2009 collection, appears in this collection, because whether you’re in Vietnam, India or anywhere else in the world, this character stands for two universal qualities: friendship and partnership.

Together with the children’s aid organisation Plan International, Olsen started “The Double Happiness” project. In 2009 a small collection was designed and produced in collaboration with rice farmers in Vietnam.

The Double Happiness Collection 2009 focused on embroidery, a craft which has a long tradition in Vietnam However, despite its rich cultural heritage, embroidery is gradually disappearing from everyday life. Step by step, the rice farmers of Van Ly relearned the art of embroidery from scratch, supported by Olsen and Plan International. With beautiful hand embroidery and much loving care, the women of Van Ly embroidered pieces for the new Olsen collection.

The project gives the women of Van Ly a second source of income, meaning that they are no longer forced to leave their village to seek work elsewhere. Their children can go to school. For the village of Van Ly, this is a small economic miracle.

For Olsen, the idea behind the project is to share expertise, to “donate” the company’s skills and expertise, to pass them on and help women set up their own, independent business which will generate income.

The project was so successful that the rice farmers of Van Ly have received follow-up orders from other companies and are now standing firmly on their own feet.

The key design in the collection is the Chinese character for “Double Happiness”, which stands for friendship and partnership. And for a better world. 

This symbol will also be featured in the next Double Happiness Collection 2011.