GLOBAL PRODUCTS PLACEMENT PROJECT
OUR MISSION, SIMPLY STATED:
To create new avenues of revenue for underprivileged working groups around the world by improving or developing more marketable products suitable for increased production capacity and placing these products with sponsor companies to increase long term sales, thereby increasing work capacity.
THE FOUNDER:
Victoria D'Angelo founded Design Development Team, Int'l Inc.
in the mid 90's, originally as a research vehicle related
to product development for the Fashion Industry. As a knit wear designer, her own
label was used during an association with the Norton
McNaughton Company prior to becoming independent in early
2000, then transitioning into home textiles as D'Angelo Home Collections, Inc. and Victoria D'Angelo Interior Collections. Her inspiration for creating this new approach to product development to the global market began with the Lace Ladies of India.
Reference: www.dangelohome.com, Press Releases, Profile, Lace Ladies of India
THE ORIGINAL "TEMPLATE" PROJECT:
During a more recent phase of product research for her home
textile company, D'Angelo Home Collections , a new area of
interest emerged via an introduction to Mrs. Aruna Seth, who
has been working in southern India with a small group of village women
making beautiful, old world bobbin lace products. The Venetian, Point Milan or
Rosaline lace and Cluny lace products were, for close to 15 years, being
exported to the US to one particular store in New York City by Mrs. Seth.
The unfortunate death of the store owner resulted in a
'disconnect' to the "lace ladies" and reduction of product
sales. The introduction of Ms. D'Angelo to Mrs. Seth was
fortuitous, and an agreement was struck in November 2004,
before the Tsunami disaster took it's toll. The plan, to market the lace products through D'Angelo Home Collections, has now come to fruition and the new 'collection' of products made by the lace ladies is expanding rapidly. The unique nature of
these laces is not typical of products normally found in
villages, this being attributed to the arrival of Belgian
missionaries in the early 1800's. Local girls attending
school at the convents settled at that time learned the art
of bobbin lace making, and it has been passed down through
the ages until present time, still being made in two
convents. However, the number of 'ladies' or schoolgirls had
dwindled to almost nothing, and with the death of their main
customer, they sought out new sources able to purchase the
lace. This lead them to tourist hotels in resort areas,
especially in Sri Lanka and other resort areas.
Unfortunately, the Tsunami had a great impact on them - the
facility or "unit:" where much of the lace was made was destroyed and the
stores purchasing the lace products were swept away. Ms.
D'Angelo is now the sole contact for sales of these beautiful,
distinctive laces and is working with Heritage Lace in
cooperation with Mrs. Seth to increase production to enable
the lace ladies to again practice the skills no longer
taught anywhere else in the world.
Reference: www.dangelohome.com, The Lace Ladies of India.
EXPANSION OF THE PROJECT BENEFITS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
The goal ultimately is the increase of sales of the products
to enable the small group to expand and teach more local
village ladies the art. This accomplishes several goals:
- The existing lace ladies can again produce sufficient
quantities of lace to meet their income requirements.
- The art of making these technically difficult but
exquisite lace is preserved and will not go 'by the boards'
as an ancient art replaced by machine made laces common today.
- Other local ladies can join the "lace unit" and have
employment incorporating other skills into the overall
product development of the group, such as embroidery,
beading, sewing, crochet, weaving, etc. This allows willing
workers the ability to create income even if they are not
able to learn lace making, really relegated to the younger
women with clear vision and steady hands.
- Instead of receiving charity due to the Tsunami disaster
of their area, they can create a future with potential for
increased income in a local area close to their families and
children and have a security never previously known.
- The competition to creating lace products are companies
making inexpensive 'trinkets' of shells, coconut and local
materials to be sold in small towns and tourist areas,
smoking and peeling cashews or making very dirty, rustic
type broom heads, all of which are not particularly clean or
safe environments for the 'ladies'. The lace unit offers a
clean, safe environment composed of local women, or the
safety of a convent for the lace making girls learning the art.
Increased sales will result in increased income per piece
and the elimination of the need for the lace ladies to look
elsewhere for a few more pennies a day to feed their
families.
- Most important is accomplishing the goal of helping this community and the
Lace Ladies be more self-sufficient and assist in creating avenues for future
security, resulting in increased self-esteem, self-reliance,
family security, community contribution and, in this case,
the preservation of an art form at risk of extinction.
Charity alone is the precursor to a welfare mentality,
The ability to create and produce income is what grounds people.
THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS, APPLIED WORLDWIDE:
Design Development Team International has created a working 'template' to help artisans and villagers in any part of the world. The first group, these Lace Ladies of India, has been the formula for helping local villagers create products suitable for sales in areas never before possible. This is how the formula works:
- Groups of workers making products of local materials who meet basic criteria are reviewed and their products analyzed for potential markets outside of the traditional markets previously approached.
- A committee of experts will review the existing products and companies who would like to sponsor one of the village groups. The local products are 'redesigned' or altered, if necessary, to be more suitable for outside markets without destroying the integrity of the products or placing undue demands on the workers' skills & environment.
- The connection of the product, production capacity, growth potential, etc and the sponsoring company is made and a product is developed or designed specifically for the village group. The sponsor company agrees to specific terms in regard to the quantity of production purchased based on initial capacity, and underwrites any purchases or development deemed necessary, i.e., purchasing sewing machines, building a shelter or kitchen, purchasing in advance sufficient raw materials for the group to produce the product quantity ordered, etc.
- The finished product is presented by the sponsor company specifically as a product associated with this organization and the humanitarian aid offered as a result of their sponsorship. Items are labeled to inform the consumer of their contribution as a result of their purchase.
- Any publicity or activity in regard to the promotion of the project will include all sponsor companies and will actively promote these sponsors and their generosity.
This 'formula' accomplishes many goals - groups of hard working people from any country in the world can participate and 'plug' into the world economy in a way never before possible. Incorporating the skills of Ms. D'Angelo and the experience of the review committee is the key to bringing previously obscure products to the retail market, enabling the workers to expand or secure their employment, perhaps saving a unique skill, as with the lace ladies of India , and promoting self worth by increasing the value of the product or skills presented.
HOW WILL WE FIND POTENTIAL CANDIDATES?
Specific guidelines have been created to determine the viability of a product or group, although the goal is to help as many groups as possible by improving or creating an environment so all can be successful. In many village areas where products are being sold only to other local markets with hardly more money to purchase the goods or trade for them, even a small increase in productivity can result in more return for product by volume than previously possible. If the same volume of production increases in value by 20% per item, the volume may not increase, but the income overall is increased. This can be accomplished, for example, by making bead buttons in colors suitable for the sponsor company's promotional garment.
Locating these groups or villages is accomplished with the aid of government agencies, charity organizations who are on site and know what groups are making products, relief organizations who give aid in poverty stricken or disaster areas and word of mouth or advertising. Students traveling abroad in more remote areas or those simply traveling throughout the world find unique products and return with souvenirs of products not common or sold in larger markets. Our global economy is also a global viewing lens and few areas remain untouched or unexplored.
However, finding these pockets of workers making products they would like to sell outside their local area is a more specific target than the general production of local necessity items, i.e., pitchers to bring water up from the well. A more appropriate item might be a local carved wood ladle with a local emblem typically used or specifically created for a ceremony, modified to reflect a carved design attractive in an American home rather than a local animal or deity. This ladle or wood product then sold to their sponsor company, a kitchen products manufacturer, who promotes a set of various sized ladles and wood spoons with a coordinated design of the American eagle. Almost any product can be formulated to fit the specific designs suggested by the review committee and agreed to by the sponsor company.
WHAT IS THE REVIEW COMMITTEE?
The committee is a group of professionals in various fields able to contribute their expertise in regard to the alteration of the products submitted by the village (generally speaking) and in regard to what sponsor company is ideal for the revised product.
The committee members are enlisted per project, depending on their area of expertise, and are called upon accordingly. Several members are involved in all active projects or in the initial review process for new applicants. Areas of expertise include: public relations, the humanities, children's arts and humanities, pottery and hand work, lace making and other related arts, engineering, charitable fund raising, sanitation, chiropractic and nutritional expertise, home textile design, fashion design, pattern making, accessory design, architectural design, legal advisors regarding importing of goods and international law, shipping consultants, packaging designers, management and project directors, photographers, advertising and graphics designers, etc., and the doors are open to other professionals who wish to contribute their expertise to any specific category or contribute in general to the advancement of the project. In addition to experts, a more "practical" group have been enlisted to lend their expertise. Moms, working people not in related industries and the "end user" of many of the products experts assume to understand. " 'WE', as a professional group, design and market to these end users, hoping we understand the logic of their practical or fashion oriented thinking, but they are ultimately in control. No matter what our high tech formulas - trend watching, style swapping, searching for the small detail we pray will be noticed or appreciated to become another form of purchase justification - we need this person to say 'yes' and plunk down their greenbacks to prove our formulas are on target, then we can all go about our business. I needed to include them in the process. They are the real thing, and, especially in this case, vital to proper application of the products we will be reviewing. This is a serious situation and the quality of lives is at stake. We will incorporate all the factors that make it possible to realistically understand all parameters of a product to give it a real fighting chance to succeed. We will also attempt to appeal to the heart of the issue and not ask simply for charity, but offer a viable, properly developed product for purchase. Everyone should win in this scenario. My worst moment will be the failure of a product, therefore, the failure to help. The best - to have Mr. or Mrs. Reality buy a product, feel they contributed, and yet feel satisfied with the quality and value of their purchase. That's a "win-win" globally."
PROJECT PRODUCTS
Block print pillows from India
Bouve-type hand embroidery on linen from
the Lace Ladies of India
Cotton pillowcase with hand detail &
embroidery
Full embroidery sateen pillow from India
Cotton tablecloth with hand embroidery
& finishing
Crochet glass diaper fits all sizes
Crochet wine glass base cozy
Design sketch of knitted throw with
crochet flowers, India
Hand embroidered table linens from India
Our Lady Venetian lace motif
Detailed sequins & zardosi inset bead
handwork
Festive sequins & zardosi beadwork motif
Framed Point Milan doily with center
needlepoint
Hand embroiderd design from the Lace
Ladies of India
Hand embroidery on fine Irish linen
Intricate sequins & metallic embroidery
hand work
Set of cotton crochet motifs from the Lace
Ladies
Special zardosi handwork floral & leaf
pattern
THE COMMITTEE
The Global Products Placement Project is a collection of practical and artistic minds. The formulation of the products to be presented, their evolution from village application to marketable commodity, and the process of bringing them to market, requires tremendous compassion and a lot of reality. Our Committee, a full cross section of 'free thinkers' and successful entrepreneurs, artisans, teachers and technical professionals, are called upon to lend their expertise to the project. The Committee varies as the products change and new members are added as the projects expand to include more categories or as new levels of expertise are needed to meet the challenges presented in accomplishing our goals.
These are a few of our founding committee members. If you wish to contact a member, or if you're interested in applying to be a member, please contact us through the website or send an email: Info@dangelohome.com , subject: committee member information.
Public Relations:
Utopia Communications
Ann Higgins
Promotion/music:
Terry Bleckley
Product evaluation / architectural design:
Anu Arponen Design
Anu Arponen
Product evaluation / location support / engineering design:
Robert K. Leaman
Product evaluation / pottery:
Artfully Equestrian
Lizi Ruch
Product evaluation / fashion / general / retail marketing:
Stuart Morrison
Product evaluation / fashion / women /retail marketing:
Barbara Martin
Product evaluation / fashion / knitwear:
Sonia Cozzi
Product evaluation / fashion / woven:
Iby Ibrahim
Product evaluation / jewelry:
Asch/Grossbardt, Inc.
Eric Grossbardt
Product evaluation / home textiles / India:
Aruna Seth
Product evaluation / home textiles / hard goods:
Victoria D'Angelo
Product evaluation / home textiles / print designs & application:
Susan D'Arcy
Product evaluation / health / holistic care / hard goods:
Dr. Robert Kramer
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