LBYC, Bpeace & FIT hosts delegation of Afghan business women

04 Jun '05

3 min read

The Lion Brand Yarn Company working in association with the Business Council For Peace ( Bpeace ) and New York's Fashion Institute of Technology ( FIT ), hosted a delegation of 12 business women from Kabul Afghanistan at their offices in Manhattan. The coming together of the two cultures was an eye opening experience for everyone.

The visiting women in the Bpeace program work in the apparel, accessories and home décor manufacturing related businesses in Afghanistan. They are attending specially-tailored classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology and on-site work sessions with designers and retailers. Lion Brand Yarn Company was selected as a top business in the fashion and textile industry for the group to visit.

The stereotypical media image of Afghan women in black burkas shunning interaction with western culture is a far cry from the group of business-savvy entrepreneurs that visited the Lion Brand offices on Wednesday.

Lion Brand's Design team had prepared gift bags of basic yarns in subdued colors, thinking that these would be in keeping with their guests' cultural tastes but were surprised to find that the Afghan women were excited by the novelty ribbon and fur yarns in bright colors and especially the whimsical garments and stuffed animals for children that they saw on display.

Speaking through an interpreter, Jack Blumenthal, a member of the family who owns the 127-year-old-business, explained how the yarns were designed and marketed through the use of pattern support, advertising and a web site.

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