The Vision
To create a workshop which provides meaningful, well-paid employment to Tibetan refugees whilst producing beautiful, well-made items at a more affordable price to clients in the West.
To capitalize on my large body of original design work and share the fruits of this labour with the Tibetan people before big business "poaches at will" in a larger way.
To produce items of beauty and integrity in an environment that respects the dignity and rights of the worker.
The Story
In March 2004 I embarked on a mission to the Northern Himalayan town of Dharamsala to set up an ethically-run workshop that would produce the Green Girl line.
A Tibetan monk in my home town taught me the rudiments of the Tibetan language. But when I left for India, I essentially started from scratch.
To prepare my mind and spirit for the journey, I moved into an ashram called The Beacon Yoga Centre. There, I met the lovely Hansa, a filmmaker extraordinaire. When I shared my vision and ideas with her, Hansa was inspired to create a documentary about my life, my work and what I hoped to achieve in India. A Milliner's Tale sprang to life. Later, when I became unwell in India, Hansa flew in to film the unexpected turn of events and to document my marriage to Rabgey - a love story no one would have imagined...
The move to set up a workshop for Tibetan Refugees in Dharamsala was an audacious one but I have no less conviction now than I did before I experienced the hardships and difficulties of such an enterprise. Now, the India project waits in the wings.