A big and hidden part of the fashion industry is the artisans who create the items that we know the brands for. However, these masters are the ones who are least rewarded. A lot of brands are shooting campaigns that show artisans in person, but the question is- does that pay them what they deserve? Most of the labour is hired with a daily wage system with unclarified terms.They are not even aware of the minimum amount they deserve. Big brands expect to hire the most skilled labour and drag their payment as down as they can. This same system has continued for many years now. This happens because of the price competition among fashion brands. Every brand wants to produce more at a lesser price, while crushing the labour, to win their battles. The pandemic has worsened the situation more for the artisans, businesses went 50-70% down and orders were cancelled. Some artisans are working as day labourers for 200 to 300 rupees, or $2.50 to $4, per day. It's a matter of survival for the labour, the employers knowing that, might exploit them more by offering them much less than they were getting before the pandemic. Further, if they ask for a raise, telling them to be thankful for having a job.
The big labels and luxury brands forget they might not exist if these artisans don't work for them. There has been a respect deficit in recognising the hard work these artisans put in for merely a pay. A single dress that sells for 1000s of US Dollars takes thousands of hours to be made. We think of luxury brands as being thoroughly Italian, or French, or Belgian, but the fact is, most of them wouldn’t exist without countries such as India. Indian artisans have an important hand in some of the world's most expensive luxury items, including ready-to-wear collections and haute couture seen on red carpets and runways. The embroidery which a ready-to-wear luxury brand is doing doesn’t come out of the blue. There are many artisans working day and night to make it look luxurious, but unfortunately don't get recognised. The creative directors don't know who is putting in the work for them, the labourers are invisible to them.
For centuries, these artisans have been working for big brands without due credit. It is high time for their talent to be recognised and given fair pay. The talent and work that the artisans have given to the fashion industry should be reciprocated with support that they need in return. First and the most basic thing that brands can do is guarantee their artisans fair working conditions and living wages. Making advance payments to factories and giving some extension instead of cancelling orders can also be of some support for the labourers. Second, full transparency on which factories these big brands are working with can help them get recognition and attract more people to work with these small factories which otherwise are not easily found. Brands could help their customers better understand how they manufacture their clothes, and who creates them,this would help promote artisan’s work. Last, as consumers, we can also play a role in supporting the artisans, by being aware of where our clothes are coming from, of the practices the brands are following, and making our buying choices accordingly. We can buy from brands that keep transparency on the same and reciprocate the efforts of the artisans. Let's make our wardrobes “Artisan Friendly.”