How Warah Empowers Women by Calling Them by Their Name
The women of Bangladesh face a lack of identity by being referred to by anything other than their own name. They become wives, mothers and sisters, shaping the community but losing their personal identity. Luxury fashion designer Warah decided to change this by partnering with Wunderman Thompson Mumbai and creating ‘The Nameless Women Project’, with the aim of giving women their names back.
Working with local communities and specialist tailors, the traditional Bangladeshi Tangail Sari was transformed to incorporate the wearer's name, encouraging women to own their identity. As a symbol of the country’s patriotism, using the Tangail Sari was a way of implementing lasting change among the communities who value tradition, yet will move forward by empowering the women who form the backbone of society. The saris were distributed with the help of various NGOs and with both time and support, local women began to take pride in their unique identities.
Speaking to Wunderman Thompson Mumbai’s VPs and senior creative directors Ashish Pathak and Chandni Kapur, LBB’s Nisna Mahtani hears about the lasting impact of the project.
LBB> What was the starting point for The Nameless Women Project?
Ashish & Chandni> The starting point was the insight into the country and its women. While everyone is born with a name, the women in Bangladesh begin to be referred to by the many roles they play: mother, daughter, wife and something as inherent as their own name is left forgotten.
LBB> Why was Warah the right brand to collaborate with? And how did you go about creating the partnership?
Ashish & Chandni> Warah, a popular fashion label in Bangladesh, believes that clothes are an expression of a woman’s self-confidence and self-worth. In fact the founder, Rumana Chowdhury is a social activist herself and believes deeply in the cause of women. She has also recently been felicitated at the Women of Inspiration Award in 2020. Her fashion brand strives to be environmentally conscious, promoting local fabric and working with local artisans. It was therefore the perfect fit for the collaboration.
LBB> Tell us about the Tangail Sari. What is its significance and why was it important to incorporate this particular piece of clothing?
Ashish & Chandni> The traditional Tangail Sari is proudly worn by the women of Bangladesh. Handcrafted by weavers, the sari is a symbol of the country’s culture and patriotism.
Warah took this erstwhile sari and with the help of the weavers created a story for the women who wore them. Each sari carried its wearer’s name, reminding women of their true selves. The recreated sari stood for a woman’s birth name, her birthright.
LBB> What was it like working with local communities to create the campaign as well as craft the saris?
Ashish & Chandni> The local communities were the weavers, who helped create the saris. It was an enriching experience to watch them go about continuing a tradition yet designing something which was more than just a garment.
LBB> Did you notice any changes when the women were called by their first names?
Ashish & Chandni> The saris were received with curiosity as well as awe. Women who wore them slowly began to experience change. For the first time ever, their families started referring to them by their names. There was a sense of increased self-awareness and pride in the women.
LBB> How long did it take to create this campaign from start to finish? And were there any challenges?
Ashish & Chandni> From start to end it took about six months. The challenge was to change mindsets.
LBB> What has the reaction to the campaign been like so far?
Ashish & Chandni> The campaign was received well by the women, it is now gaining traction through social media
LBB> What can we expect to see next from this project?
Ashish & Chandni> We are still in the process of developing phase two, for which we will share details in due course.
LBB> Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Ashish & Chandni> It has been an enriching experience working on this campaign. We hope change is afoot and that this is only the beginning of a transformation for the women in Bangladesh.
