Overview The Artisans The Team
Inspired by the passion, resourcefulness and eye for design of the female artisan rubbish collectors of the favelas (slums) of Rio De Janeiro - Ephemeral Brazil has landed on these shores to pave the way in the art of making something magical from nothing. Ephemeral Brazil is the love child of Millinery designer Cristina Carneiro de Mendonca. Following a trip to the land of her Ancestors, her artist's soul sang when she happened upon the work of these incredibly determined women. Using, materials collected from rubbish tips interwoven with waste and scrap textiles provided by local factories, the women employ a host of skills both new and ancient. The end result is something so special that the Ephemeral Brazil range of handbags and accessories are set to take these shores by storm.
These products are not just another range of contemporary designer fare - they are pieces of art crafted from start to finish by the hands of one artisan living thousand of miles away in a place that many of us could not even imagine. These pieces exist only because of the strength of spirit, grim determination, passion and creativity of a group of unbelievable women. Now with the belief of one woman on this side of the world - these ephemeral pieces of art will live to inspire us all and continue to provide long term enterprise for many residents of these vulnerable communities.
Projects
Ephemeral Brazil works with the Children at Risk Foundation (www.carf-uk.org) and with ACER Brazil (www.acerbrasil.org.br).
Ephemeral and Ong Corpo Movimento (www.corpomovimento.org) have joined forces to launch "Fashion and Design - Riches From Rags" (Projeto Moda e Design Do Lixo Ao Luxo) in the communities of Cantagalo, Pavão and Pavãozinho.