I was wondering how to start this feature about pivoting from luxury fashion to handmade artisanal goods when I thought it best to let former Prada specialist-turned-Vita Lenta Founder Carla Ruscetta explain it herself.
“I started to become really conscious of what the fashion industry was doing to people and the planet. I saw it and felt it on all levels,” she says. “I wanted to separate myself from traditional fashion but I still wanted to work with beautiful things. This led me to the ultimate luxury, which is anything handmade. I started to go down the rabbit hole of sustainable and indigenous handmade lines and began Vita Lenta.”
The collection features housewares, ceramics, handbags and pet collars and leashes. I was immediately drawn to the stunning multicoloured handbags handwoven in Colombia by the Wayuu tribe. It takes about two weeks to make just one and they sell out almost immediately. I purchased an all-black one (with chic pom-poms to keep me covered until the colours are back in stock later this year).
“The Wayuu society is matrilineal,” says Carla. “Weaving makes up a large part of their daily life, helping sustain their families financially, while preserving the ancient craft. The women are paid above-market rates to ensure they can earn a living from their art and live and work in safe conditions.”
The baskets are pretty great too. Carla works directly with a woman in Ghana, who hand weaves using techniques she learned from her mother. “African women historically run the business and provide for their families. Sarah, the Vita Lenta weaver, is very entrepreneurial and has access to all social media platforms. She has been an amazing partner who inspires me in many ways. She wants the very best for her young family and works hard to make it happen.”
The dog collars are adorable and, while distributed through a fair-trade company in California, are handwoven by Mayan women using traditional artisanal techniques. Many artisans rely on tourists to make their living and since the pandemic drastically changed that, Vita Lenta offers a real way to expose their cultural gifts to the world.
Carla says that Vita Lenta strives to meet as many pillars of sustainability as possible, either through cultural preservation, economic viability or environmental protection, but she never forgets the fashionable aspect. “When buying from Vita Lenta, the customer will know the intention is to support people and the planet without compromising style.”
She’s right. I’ve already had two neighbours ask me where I got my bag and it felt good to share with them all the care that went into one little item and all the good that it generates.
