{NM Daily}

Liya Kebede wears lemlem

When supermodel Liya Kebede discovered that traditional weavers in her native country of Ethiopia were losing their jobs due to a decline in local demand for their goods, the fashion industry vet wanted to help. Recognizing the beauty, quality and historic significance of their work, Kebede decided to found a clothing collection made by Ethiopian artisans.

Dedicated to preserving the art of weaving and inspiring economic independence, Kebede fittingly named the collection lemlem, meaning to flourish or bloom in Amharic. Not only does the handcrafted collection preserve an ancient art form, it adds diversity to the modern day fashion market all while creating prosperity for others.

As another facet of her commitment to African causes, Kebede founded The Liya Kebede Foundation, whose mission is to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and to improve the health and well being of mothers and children worldwide. Her cause is also supported by her work as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN’s World Health Organization. Kebede hopes that by heightening the awareness of these issues, international donors and local governments may be encouraged to increase their budgets on maternal and child health.

 Shop lemlem at the Cusp shops in Neiman Marcus stores.