The Magic of Their Hands
The Most Important Element of Bien Abyé Is Our Makers
Fair Trade and Stitched With Love
- The story behind Bien Abyé’s collection is much deeper than the textiles
- we use. The magic of the brand and the lifestyle are the hands that
- create each of our styles. Unlike large commercial chains, our products are predominantly handcrafted by Haitian artisans who put love and care into
- every stitch and layered bead. And, more importantly the women who curate our goods do so to support their family and help their communities grow. Join a movement of women around the world disrupting poverty and fashioning change through the art of their hands — luxury looks that you can feel good about.
The Hands That Create Bien Abyé Are...
- Are predominately Haitian women artisans
- Are highly trained annually
- Are setting the standard for commodity trade in their community
- Are inspiring our brand's mission to strive for Creole excellence
- Are passing their skills and knowledge to the next generation
- Are working in small community ateliers
- Are changing the world's vision of Haiti with the Magic of Their Hands
Each Piece Is completely Unique
Stimulates Local Haitian Economy
Shares Haitian Craft and Skills
Empowers Female Haitian Artisans
Haitian Artisans
- Bien Abyé’s founder and creator, Dayanne Danier is a proud half-Haitian
- American who recognized her unique position and opportunity to give back
- to her roots. By employing local Haitian artisans, she is able to sell
- high-quality merchandise while sharing the rich culture of her people,
- all while supporting the Haitian economy. Not only does she donate a
- portion of proceeds to Haitian communities, but by employing Haitian
- artisans, she helps the team of women continually support their local
- economy and community — the epitome of a win-win.
What Handcrafted Really Means
- “Artisanal” and “handcraft” are hot marketing buzzwords in the clothing
- and fashion industry, but what does it really mean? For most large
- brands, it simply means that at least one portion of a garment was made
- by hand, which leads to a higher price tag and perceived value.
Fashion With a Purpose
- At Bien Abyé, however, handcrafted refers to the local Haitian artisans
- who create our pieces, one at a time, with their crafts — sewing,
- beading, embroidery, and more. The Bien Abyé boutique features smaller
- quantities of limited-edition products because there is no assembly
- line. Our quality lies in true craftsmanship and can be seen in the
- construction, detailing, and traditional craftsmanship of the hands that
- made each product individually.
- Metier couture (sewing culture) allows Haitian artisans to teach their
- daughters and granddaughters a timeless art — more than creating magic,
- it nurtures future generations.
Metier Couture
Hand sewing allows each product to take shape and finish with a polished look. The traditional sewing method assures quality and durability unmatched by any machine.
Haitian beading art is a true treasure to behold. The details and hand-stitching of each bead is calculated and precise, executed one stitch at a time.
Each item is hand embroidered with nothing but needle, thread, and the talent of the women artisans. These details bring each piece to life and offer detailing that no other medium can.
Reasons We Stay Handmade (and, Why You Should Too!)
With the rise in mass production and outsourcing manufacturing to the cheapest laborers, more of humanity is being exploited, and the result is low-quality products created in unsafe factories. True luxury is created by artisans who genuinely enjoy their craft and are afforded the time and space to be creative and honor their traditions. It’s better ethics, better values, and leads to better products.
A few more reasons to purchase handmade goods include:
It’s Eco-Responsible.
- Handcrafted techniques result in less resource waste and require less
- electricity than powering production lines. And, that’s just in the
- fabrication process. In the long run, handcrafted products are more
- valued and higher-quality, which means they are less likely to end up in
- landfills.
Better Details.
- Luxury is in the fine details. Machine embroidery and beading gets the
- job done, but tends to result in flat dimension and broken or damaged
- beads. Hand stitching allows the crafter to select the best materials
- and truly create stunning detail and shapes that inspire.
Preserves Tradition.
- All across the world, we’ve seen culture and traditional skills die with
- the ones who knew them as machines and technology replaces time-honored
- skills — especially in cultures that become modernized and those who
- have more oral than written culture. Handcrafted merchandise allows
- artisans to pass along their crafts and honor traditions, connecting us
- all to history and culture.
Human Connection.
- This is by-far the most meaningful to Bien Abyé. The human connection is
- the ties that bind us. Behind each scarf or beaded purse is a Haitian
- artisan who stitched with love and care. When you hold it in your hands,
- you can see and feel that it was made by someone for you. From maker to
- wearer, stories and skills are shared, and anonymous relationships are
- forged.
A Complete Lifestyle
From the Haitian artisans who handcraft each piece to the shopper who relishes in the luxury end product, Bien Abyé is a lifestyle more than a brand. Share the rich culture and the value of humanity when you shop at Bien Abyé boutique.