Photography: Emily Scott Pottruck

―――Please briefly share with us your background.
I was born in New York City. At an early age, I began observing how boys and girls are treated differently. I studied history of art, design, and material culture at Bard Graduate Center and gemology at the Gemological Institute of America. In 2006, I established Joyaux Marisol, LLC, to create jewelry in the tradition of fine art.

―――Please share how you started the brand.
It was in 2008 that I first learned what was happening in the Congo, where hundreds of thousands – some say as many as two million – women have been brutally raped since the conflict began seventeen years ago. My heart longed to express my outrage and sympathy….I felt an overwhelming desire to help these women. Several months later, the image of an umbrella came to me and would not let me go. A universal symbol of shelter and protection, the umbrella offers a place of rest, a sense of home.

Marisol umbrellas signify their owners’ compassion and action on behalf of women survivors of gender-based violence. Twenty percent of net profits are donated to grassroots anti-violence organizations to empower women through art. We also offer a lifetime limited warranty and repair service; by investing in one Marisol umbrella, you are reducing the environmental threat posed by cheap, disposable umbrellas.

―――How are your umbrellas made?
Marisol umbrellas are made with wax prints, traditionally worn by African women, that I source and waterproof locally. A single print can yield up to four different patterns. Usually there are only three or four of a kind ever made, and many Marisol umbrellas are unique. The vision is to train the women who benefit from Marisol umbrellas to design the textiles and create jobs themselves .

Gilbert Center, the last of the umbrella masters, made them for a few years and eventually taught me. We’re now training other women. Each Marisol umbrella takes approximately an hour and a half to make by hand. It requires patience, diligence, and a lot of love.

Gilbert Center, the last of the umbrella masters.

―――What do you love about Congo?
The strength of the Congolese women gives me hope. I did not choose Congo because I love it. It chose me because it is the worst place on Earth to be a woman.

―――Could you tell us about V-day? What do they do and what improvements have they achieved?
V-Day is a global grassroots movement to end violence against women. It was founded by playwright/activist Eve Ensler. Joyaux Marisol shares V-Day’s belief in art’s ability to build peace.

V-Day’s Congo Campaign supports City of Joy, a revolutionary training center for women survivors. It provides them with leadership development, educational and income-generating opportunities. Most recently, the women used Joyaux Marisol‘s donation to purchase sewing machines and a loom.

Women at City of Joy

―――Why did you design the brand so that each customer could choose their own handle and design?
Some fabrics work well with multiple handle colors. Choosing a favorite color or print is a fun way to express yourself. We also take custom requests. I’d like to form a close relationship with customers. I want them to support a more major movement while they enjoy expressing what kind of people they are. I call this form of mutual cooperation “21st century sisterly love”.

―――Would you share some of your future plans? Do you have plans to work with women of countries other than Congo?
Our dream is to offer educational opportunities and to employ African women as designers in the future. This July, Joyaux Marisol sponsored our first workshop with women from W.R.A.P., a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya. We are planning workshops in the USA, Haiti, and abroad. The vision is global.

(Translated by Akiko Ishige)