The heated debates about cosmetic surgeries, under-age modeling, modesty, immodesty and all that jazz about women somehow lose its relevance when bigger and more grave issues like women’s security and education surface. Women empowerment has always been the prime focus of fashion fraternity, be it empowering women sexually or socially. And of late retailers and designers have teamed with Vital Voices, a non-profit, non-governmental organization to build brands while empowering women.
At the forefront of this initiative is designer Diane von Furstenberg who has been associated with the organization since 2008 donating 10% of her online and store sales to raise money to inspire women leaders overseas, and now gives two DVF awards of the organization’s five $ 50,000 grants to Vital Voice awardees. Wal-Mart has also partnered with the organization in Latin America and Caribbean.
Here in India where security of women is one of the prime concerns, three automobile engineers from Chennai have developed high-tech lingerie to help women fight sexual offences. Called ‘Society Harnessing Equipment’ (SHE) the product based on GPS and pressure sensors is capable of creating shock waves while sending alerts in times of danger.
