los angeles

Darling designer Jules Sherman, president and designer for Yosifa Penina, has recently become involved with an organization called Project H
She is volunteering her skills/time to help the Los Angeles chapter with a project called Abject Object. Abject Object, the Los Angeles chapter’s project, is making progress and meets weekly to work with the Downtown Women’s Center http://www.dwcweb.org/ on the design and production of four textile-based products. Some of the prototypes in development are wearable garments that can be used as something else – the Hood Bag, Sandal Rug, Hammock Wrap, and Pocket Scarf. The chapter continues to explore how the construction might be simplified and optimized to incorporate desirable skills such as sewing, weaving, knitting, and crocheting.

Abject Object, will assist the homeless individuals in Los Angeles in finding healthy, creative, and educational ways to move towards self sufficiency. Working directly with the Downtown Women’s Center and members of the homeless community as co-designers, the chapter design team will collaboratively develop and produce functionally simple, easily made objects from inexpensive, recycled or readily accessible materials.

Moving from a “hand out” to a “hands on” model of rehabilitation that can easily be adopted by other organizations in other cities, the project offers opportunities for the homeless to acquire lasting skills, positive leadership experience, and prospects for self-sustaining economic growth by selling products back to local communities.

Jules tasks include helping to organize a fund-raiser in Los Angeles and to find companies that are willing to donate materials such as fabric scraps, hardware (like rivets and grommets), sewing machines, scissors, sewing needles and other tools.  You can email: jules(at)yosifapenina(dot)com

She is asking all of us to help spread the word by forwarding this blog post.  If you have any PR contacts in Los Angeles that could help launch an event that would benefit this organization, it would be much appreciated. Does anyone have advertising space they are willing to donate for the event?  You can email: jules(at)yosifapenina(dot)com

In addition, the LA chapter is looking for fabric scrap donations in order to continue to develop the product prototypes we are creating now. All of the product photos in this post are products that have been completed using fabric scraps from Los Angeles apparel companies. The more scraps, the better!

Pocket Scarf

Hammock Wrap

Hammock Bag

Inner Tire Basket

Recycled Blanket

See all the Project H photos in their flickr album.

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