Roma craftsmen collaborate with foreign designers in social project in Romania

A new social project in Romania aims to combine the working methods of the social economy with the old handicraft traditions of Roma people and the contemporary creativity. Caravana Mesteshukarilor MBQ Mobil, a project of Romano ButiQ, involves socially disadvantaged people in promoting objects made by Roma craftsmen in collaboration with international contemporary designers. Caravana Mesteshukarilor was launched in Sibiu, Romania, in early-November, but it will be present at different events throughout the country, mainly targeting the Bucharest-Ilfov, North-West, Center, South-East, and South-Muntenia regions. The visitors can find from souvenirs and small gifts made of silver, wood, textiles, leather, copper, iron, and wicker, to clothing items inspired from the Roma tradition, created in collaboration with foreign fashion designers and made by Roma seamstresses. The products’ prices start at RON 5, but can go up to more than RON 100. Some products can be customized based on the buyers’ preferences. The products presented by MBQ Mobil, via Caravana Mesteshukarilor, were created within a network of social economy companies called Mesteshukar ButiQ. The Roma craftsmen have been working with designers from Austria and Sweden to bring a contemporary touch to their collections. The Austrian designers, namely Nadja Zerunian and Peter Weisz, support the project through the Erste Foundation while Tor Palm and Mattias Rask are the design duo from Glimpt Studio in Sweden. This December, Caravana Mesteshukarilor will be present in Sibiu at the Creative Buzz Handmade Festival, and in Bucharest at Marche de Noel. Find more information here. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com