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MassArt Fashion Design Creative Collaboration in Laos

A person with curly brown hair and an orange scarf, perhaps a first-time undergraduate in fashion design, examines a gray coat on a mannequin in a workshop setting, surrounded by sewing materials and dress forms.

Yes, they met new people, tasted the food, and took in the landscape. But students who traveled to Laos with Fashion Chair Jennifer Varekamp also worked hand-in-hand with local artisans to support their creative entrepreneurial efforts.

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MassArt Travel Course, "Laos: A Journey Into Culture and Craft through a Social Enterprise"

Written by Jen Roy

During January 2020, students experienced the mystical country of Laos through an integrative collaboration with the social enterprise, Ma Té Sai, as they travelled with Jennifer Varekamp, Professor of Fashion Design, to some of the northern villages and worked with artisans on collaborative projects.

The course explored the culture of Laos, through the people, the food and the varied landscape from the Mekong River to the Buddhist temples. Students participated in a variety of workshops on traditional handwork and explored the unique atmosphere of the UNESCO World Heritage City, Luang Prabang.

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