Travels of a Fair Trade Accessories Designer

Celebrating Fair Trade Fortnight at AURA QUE!

2012-03-02T07:27:00.001-08:00

At AURA QUE, we are continuing to work with various members of the World Fair Trade Organisation in Nepal, as well as other small family busineses, to promote ethical trading. Now it is Fair Trade Fortnight - see the Fair Trade Foundation 'Take a step' Website here:

http://step.fairtrade.org.uk

See how Future Frock put together a Fair Trade outfit, also using our AURA QUE Large Handbag:

http://www.futurefrock.com/blog/fairtrade-outfit-of-the-day/

AURA QUE is celebrating with a 20% discount code for our online boutique. Please use the code FTFT2012 at the online check out to receive 20% discount.

Go to our online boutique here: http://shop.auraque.com/products

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Our SS12 Pocket Bag Range is nearly ready!

2012-02-09T15:14:00.001-08:00

Our new summer AURA QUE range of cotton bags with leather handles have been made cut, made by the women at Sana Hastakala and passed to our leather producer to add the handles and straps.

The bags come in a Large and Small size, both roomy casual bags, in heavy cottons, stripes and geometric striped fabrics.

Large Pocket Bag shown above in BW Geometric and Light Brown, retailing at £85

Small Pocket Bag shown avbove in Light Brown, Grey/Cream Stripe, BW Geometric, retailing at £65.

Coming soon!

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January Wedding Celebrations in Kathmandu, warming by fires!

2012-01-30T07:09:00.001-08:00

Yes January is a dreary month, even in Nepal, but it was nice to celebrate the marriage of Aamir and Huma last week! Aamir and his family's tannery have been working with me on the current Nepalese buffalo leather we use at AURA QUE for over a year now.

It was nice to meet Aamir's friends and family members at the Kathmandu stint of the wedding celebrations! It sounded exhausting, the celebration in Huma's hometown of Calcutta, then a massive reception for 1000 people in Biratnagar on 25th December then the Kathmandu celebration at the Shangri-La Hotel. Cor blimey, and I thought weddings in England were extravagant!

I was told that the celebration in Kathmandu was more 'Nepali style' than the main ceremony for the Muslim family, whose hometown is in Biratnagar on the Nepali-Indian Southern border.

A 'small affair', the celebration included music with traditional Nepalese instruments and cultural songs, a selection of indian, nepali and western food (with some great cakes!), all in the beautiful five star hotel in Lazimpat, Kathmandu. It really looked beautiful in the evening with all the lights around the pond, with the statue and fountain etc!

We all kept warm around the fires dotted around the garden...

and I was addicted to the cranberry juice with pomegranates in the bottom - mmmm!

Huma looked fantastic in a white glittering sari with all the wedding jewellery, matching Aamir with his diamonte collared suit, fantastic!

I went for dinner at their house the other night, was nice to see Huma settling into Kathmandu life! All the best to you both for the future!!

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Strike in Kathmandu for increased petrol prices - a quiet cycle to the factory!

2012-01-28T01:26:00.001-08:00

This week there was a day strike imposed by student groups about the increased prices of petrol. This meant that there was absolutely no traffic on the road all day. These bandhas happen frequently in Nepal, it seems to be the only way known to protest.....but it stops businesses and industry, very frustrating!

So everyone either stayed at home or had to walk or cycle to work. I opted for the cycle to work, but when i past big groups of guys with sticks and burning fires on the main road, i got off my bike and walked a little as I don't want any trouble!

Usually crammed with traffic, its amazing to see the streets without any vehicles - only a few ambulances, and police vans were about. The police presence was felt also.

I passed one protest march along the way, where they were all chanting and waving flags. The price of petrol has now gone up to 115 Rs a litre (just under £1) as the Nepalese petrol corporation owes too much money to India (who supplies all the petrol to Nepal). This is very high for a country where the average person earns minimum 6000 Rs a month (approx £50).

Though its a problem, I don't understand how this is a constructive way to protest and make a difference by stopping businesses opening. It did make the Nepalese Prime Minister call a government meeting though....lets see if anything comes of it......but for now, its best to be on the bike!!

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Hanging out with the kids at KTM Family Fair today!

2012-01-21T08:37:00.001-08:00

So Saturday is generally the only day off in the factory, and though we are nearly finishing our Spring/Summer 2012 production, this week I went to the KTM Family Fair! There is not much to do for kids in Kathmandu - not many children friendly activities or places to go, so Shirley Bredal (who produces fair trade childrens knit wear in Nepal) organised the first Family Fair!

It was great to be a part of it - preparing for the creative workshops and candy shop, as well as the different shows that went on during the day! We had a great turn out, and lots of happy kids I am sure :)

Set in the 'Garden of Dreams' which is a renovated Nepali Rana palace with beautiful gardens and architecture, in North Kathmandu....

There were creative workshops, making crowns, masks, playdough models and origami! Great to see the kids being so creative!

and cupcake decorating at the candy shop!

The sack race....

Facepainting....they had packed up before i had time to try this!

The magician show

B Boys....

The Shirley Bredal and AURA QUE stalls...

And I met Winnie the Pooh and Minnie Mouse!

Lots of fun....big thanks to Shirley Bredal and Bikash Gurung for organising the event!

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Words from the back of a Nepalese Taxi...

2012-01-21T06:55:00.001-08:00

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Celebrating the turn of the lunar calendar...here's to warmer weather in Nepal!!

2012-01-16T06:20:00.001-08:00

So there was another Nepalese Festival today - I was totally unaware of it until I arrived at the factory. Some places have a day off so that must have been why the roads were so quiet on my cycle to work!

In the morning, Man Bahadur presented me with the lump of what looked like tree root, stained purple, with hair root bits coming out of it and a thin bark-like skin. Not very appealing! He said it was eaten on this 'auspicious day' and I had to peel it and eat all of it. No way out of that then!! Hope I don't get sick from it but it tasted like potato, not that bad!

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Then I got MORE at lunchtime from Shanti!!

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It is always hard to find out the meaning of these many different festivals, I vaguely understood that it marked an important point in the lunar calendar (which Nepal follows, hence the year is now 2068....!). I was also told that people tend to start new projects after this time, as it marks a change in season.

So after a bit of internet research i found out this:

"Maghe Sankranti is one of the important festivals in the country, especially the Tharu community in Nepal and is a time of family reunion and celebration.

The festival is mostly marked by Nepali Hindus by taking ritual bath in confluence of rivers and offering worships in various temples, and eating special delicacies like chaku (hardened molasses), til ko laddu (sesame sweets) and tarul (yam).

The members of the Tharu community observe this festival as Maghi by organizing traditional dances, consuming various delicacies and displaying traditional costumes.

This day or the day of Maghe Sankranti is regarded as the coldest day of the year and marks the start of warmer season. According to the religious facts and beliefs, the sun is believed to leave its southernmost position and begin its northward journey.

The people of Magar, Chhantyal and Tharu communities celebrate the festival as Maghi, marking the beginning of a new year with this day."

http://news.xinhuanet.com

Note: the Tharu communities are mainly from the Terai and the southern region of Nepal.

Phew! so I hope this means that it gets warmer in Nepal - after 6 weeks here over the coldest season, without central heating, I am now cold to the core!! Looking forward to sunnier weather in 2012!

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Spot the birdy in the Nepali Corner Shop!

2012-01-11T04:46:00.001-08:00

Cor blimey, its cold here in Nepal - I am missing central heating UK style!! Anyway, the AURA QUE production is coming to an end and the new samples for next season are also nearly there - its been busy!

Random, but on a visit to my local nepalese corner shop to get some groceries, there were these little sparrows flying around inside (probably keeping warm!). See if you can spot the two birdies amongst the consumables!!

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Weaving our popular Black/White Geometric fabric - its complicated stuff!!

2012-01-08T07:24:00.001-08:00

On New Years Day, instead of the usual family activities, I went on a trip to visit our Jacquard woven fabric producer outside the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.

This fabric in the striped black/white design that I chose, has been really popular with buyers and customers alike, so I wanted to find out how this fabric was produced.

The cotton yarn is woven onto spindles (see below) using a variety of home made devices!

The geometric patterns are created with a series of metal plates with holes punched into them. Each plate makes up a series of lines of the pattern, so when they are linked together in different combinations, they make up the various patterns. Its a really complicated process!

Once the right combination of plates have been secured together, and the loom has been set up, the shuttle is pulled side to side to build up the fabric. The cloth is made by hand, so is a time consuming job!

AURA QUE will be looking at developing some new geometric designs, as well as a variety of colourful options for our summer collection - look out for them!

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11 o'clock Tea Break with a Gingerbread House in the Factory

2012-01-07T08:03:00.001-08:00

So after the Christmas Day church service with Surya Kala, as I was away from home, and had the day off, my friend and I set about constructing and decorating a gingerbread house that my family had given me.....ok, a bit of a random activity but it felt very festive (with Home Alone on HBO in the background!).

After I finished my masterpiece, i didnt know what to do with all that gingerbread, icing and candy, so I took it into the NLT leather factory between christmas and new year (as I was managing the AURA QUE production whilst their production manager was away to visit his family in the village of Gorkha). And no, i didn't cycle to the factory that day, with the house balanced on the back, I took a taxi....

So all the guys in the factory seemed amused at what i had brought it, and it took me a while to explain during the 11 o'clock tea break, that i wanted them to 'destroy' the house, and eat it.....

Above: Kumar

Above: Man Bahadur

But they soon got the hang of it and as I passed it around, they all grabbed a handful!

Above: Manchu

Above: Bhim and Shyam

My lovely sample making team

From left to right: Man Bahadur, Kumar, Shanti and Manchu.

And the funniest thing was, when i left half the house on the side, and told all the guys in the main room of the factory to come and take what they wanted.....I left the room for 5 minutes, no less, and then it was ALL GONE!! Must have tasted good :)

Happy Christmas x

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Gingerbread house in the factory

2012-01-07T07:59:00.001-08:00

So all the guys in the factory seemed amused at what i had brought it, and it took me a while to explain during the 11 o'clock tea break, that i wanted them to 'destroy' the house, and eat it.....

Above: Kumar

Above: Man Bahadur

But they soon got the hang of it and as I passed it around, they all grabbed a handful!

Above: Manchu

Above: Bhim and Shyam

My lovely sample making team

From left to right: Man Bahadur, Kumar, Shanti and Manchu.

Happy Christmas x

Posted via email from AURA QUE

Gingerbread house in the factory

2012-01-07T07:48:00.001-08:00

So all the guys in the factory seemed amused at what i had brought it, and it took me a while to explain during the 11 o'clock tea break, that i wanted them to 'destroy' the house, and eat it.....

Above: Kumar

Above: Man Bahadur

But they soon got the hang of it and as I passed it around, they all grabbed a handful!

Above: Manchu

Above: Bhim and Shyam

My lovely sample making team

From left to right: Man Bahadur, Kumar, Shanti and Manchu.

Happy Christmas x

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Happy Christmas Day from Nepal!

2011-12-26T21:46:00.001-08:00

So with how the production schedule has worked out this year, I am in Nepal for Christmas for the first time. Its not my favourite time to be here mainly because of the cold weather, which is accentuated by the lack of central heating everywhere, so i am permanently cold!

But I have managed to find some christmas festivities here and there. As well as celebrating with a Christmas Eve Dinner with my expat and Nepali friends, I was invited to Christmas Day Church service with Surya Kala and her family.

I was surprised to find a large congregation of Nepali christians, in the large decorated hall, and thought the sermon fell on deaf ears with me, there were children doing dances and christmas songs in Nepali which was really nice to see! I also loved all the christmas decorations, and every-one was so friendly!

Surya Kala works at the Nepal Leprosy Trust - she has brought up her two teenage daughters Elishiva and Esther on her own, since her husband died of leprosy many years ago, as well as surviving the disease herself. She is such a kind and cheery woman, despite various health concerns over the last year especially.

Above Left: Esther and Elishiva (Surya Kala's daughters in their sunday best)

Above Right: Surya Kala (third from left) with her friends.

She converted the christian faith many years ago, and has since been very involved in the Nepali Christian community. At the Christmas Day service, it was the first time she had been back for over a month since a major operation, so it was nice to see how welcomed she was by everyone!

Above: Christmas Dinner still consisted of the daal baht though!!! No change there!!

I hope every one has had a great christmas! It has definately been a different experience to celebrate here!!

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The Art Market with AURA QUE at the Festival of Light in Huddersfield

2011-12-18T01:09:00.001-08:00

So the first week of December saw AURA QUE at the Art Market at the Huddersfield Art Gallery during the weekend Festival of Light.

It was such a fantastic event, with lots of great events around the town - including the Illuminated Light Garden, Aerial Ballet off the side of the Art Gallery building, and various entertainment and acrobatic shows at night! It was great to see so many people down and around the town, braving the cold for the events!

We were a bit warmer in the Art Gallery for the weekend event - surrounded by such a great mix of local Yorkshire artists and designers (see pictures below of stands by Julia Ogden, Michelle Freemantle and Clare Lane)

It was such a great Christmas event to be part of, and great to see so many people there! Plus I had my first glass of festive mulled wine to start the season, before I had to fly back to Nepal for the next production and sampling session over Christmas and January.

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Christmas is coming!! Making Nepalese lokta paper pop-up Christmas Cards at the Leeds Summat Event

2011-12-01T04:09:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday, AURA QUE was part of the Leeds SUMMAT Gathering 2011 at the Leeds University Union. The event was an all-age gathering for 1000+ people from all walks of life across Leeds and the north to explore the big issues of our time. There were workshops about political/environmental/social issues with headline speakers, plus performances, activities and stalls - lots going on!

Here is a youtube clip of the opening event at the Leeds Summat 2011, with Harry Gration from BBC Look North: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mItA8O5N8Fw&feature=youtu.be

AURA QUE had a stall of our fair trade bags and accessories in the market area, but we were also involved in a workshop in the Art Zone. My sister Elspeth led a workshop making pop-up christmas cards, inspired by the Nepali designs that my paper producer makes in Bhaktapur.

The local kids made pop-up christmas trees decorated with glitter and stars, backed onto the Nepali handmade lokta paper card base. Here are a sample of some the cards they made!

In Nepal, the producers who make the handmade Lokta paper, use this material for various products. For more information on the making process of this paper, please see the AURA QUE 'process' section of our website or a previous blog post: http://auraque.posterous.com/making-paper-on-the-roof-top-in-bhaktapur

AURA QUE currently uses the Nepalese Lokta paper for stationary, swing tickets, business cards, gift bags and notebooks, where I can. But they also produce beautiful pop up christmas cards (shown below) which are sold at the Holmfirth Fair Traders Cooperative:

http://www.thefairtraderscooperative.co.uk/

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Good luck for business on a Tuesday from Ganesh

2011-11-23T05:19:00.001-08:00

Every Tuesday at the Ganesh Mandir in Kathmandu, various business owners, individuals and locals, come to the temple as a tradition on this day of good luck for Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu God of good fortune.

I have been around to the temple with friends on this day, when in the area, and seen the queues of people at the temple, leaving offerings, lighting candles and receiving blessings to give them good luck and 'auspicious beginnings'.

Hope it will bring us some more good luck at AURA QUE!!

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After years of political squabbling, there may be a turning point for political peace in Nepal!

2011-11-01T23:01:00.001-07:00

With the festivities over, its good to see that Nepali politicians are back at work, with intensive talks towards a peace deal secured yesterday. Its been five years since the end of the Maoist civil war here, the subsequent 'peace process' and various prime ministers and president nominations and resignations.

With the political failings and squabblings over the last few years, creating even more ecomonic problems in Nepal, I really hope for Nepal that this may be a turning point in the country's development and progress. The current Maoist prime minister, Baburam Bhattarai (previously a successful finance minister) seems to be making positive changes to encourage peace, cooperation and reduce corrupt politics here.

Anyway I have probably said too much as a foreigner working in Nepal.....though it may not be my place to be opinionated or political, over the last few years, it has been prevalent how the corrupt politics here have stunted all development and legitimate business progress and export possibilities of Nepali goods. Hopefully positive changes will be made, I am crossing my fingers anyway!!

For more information on the current political situation, please see the BBC News link below - they can explain things much more adequately than I ever could!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15542959

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Brothers, Sisters....its Bhai Tikka!

2011-10-27T23:55:00.001-07:00

Today I went to Kumar's house (my leather sample maker), he had invited me to his daughter Alisha's Bhai Tika ceremony with her younger brother and cousin.

Alisha performed this ceremony to her two 'brothers' including putting dots of the brightly coloured powder paste and a mixture of dry rice and red powder, on their foreheads. They had big plates of food gifts and incense which she gave them, as well as garlands they wore around their neck.

It was beautifully colourful and great to see them perform it in their own home, I was greatful to be part of it!

"The last day of Tihar is Bhai Tika, when sisters put tika on foreheads of brothers, to ensure long life, and thank them for the protection they give. When the sisters give the tika, the brothers give gifts or money in return. A special garland is made for the brothers out of a flower that wilts after a couple of months, symbolizing the sister's prayer for her brother's long life."

Kumar also gave me some brightly coloured lights that look like flowers with smily faces on! And they flash in different ways - be great to decorate my flat!

Cycling back, I noticed that lots of people had also performed the ceremony already this morning, with the noticeable coloured dots tikka and the flower garlands. Most families seem to go to each other's houses throughout the day, so different family members can perform the ceremony to each other. Kumar and his family were going to his sister's house south of the city, so he could perform the ceremony with her. Seems like a good way for families to catch up!

Happy Bhai Tikka!

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Dancing in the Streets! Happy Tihar!

2011-10-26T23:29:00.001-07:00

Its festival season here in Nepal at the moment! Great atmosphere but hard to get work done as there are endless holidays and festivities during October.

Tihar is a five day Nepali festival incorporating the Hindu Festival of Divali. Lots of houses and business premises are covered with little lights, it looks so festive! Reminds me of Christmas in the UK!

In the markets and bazaars across town, there has been a flurry of activity, everyone buying decorations for their home and supplies for the puja ceremonies. The bussle of people and amazing colours was a lot more fun to watch than a christmas rush on Oxford Street for sure!

Yesterday was Laxmi Puja where the Goddess of Wealth, Laxmi is celebrated. Walking through the neighbourhood I am living in, every family had lit candles and made Rangoli decorative designs infront of their houses and businesses, on the street, to welcome prosperity and wellbeing.

Every-one was celebrating in their houses and on the streets, with kids going from house to house to play music and dance, traditionally asking for money and sweets for their performance. Looked like more fun than halloween!

Happy Tihar every-one!

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Our first AURA QUE collaboration for ethical products with Jobs Australia

2011-10-21T00:57:00.001-07:00

AURA QUE has recently worked with Jobs Australia, creating gift products with their logo for their National Conference in Brisbane: 12-14th October 2011.

"Jobs Australia supports and represents the interests of non-profit employment and related service organisations that exist to achieve a fair and equitable Australia.

Jobs Australia is the national peak body for nonprofit organisations that assist unemployed people to get and keep jobs. The network helps members to make the most effective use of their resources and promotes the needs of unemployed people for the services and support that will help them to participate fully in society."

Thanks to Jen Mercer and all at Jobs Australia for this opportunity; looking forward to working with you again!

Here are some pictures from the production - we just managed to get it finished before the Dashain festival in Nepal, thank goodness!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Meera, the production manager, distributing cut cloth to the women for stitching the cotton bags.

Working out the correct colours with pantone references for the hand screen-printed Jobs Australia logo.

Various products samples, including cotton bag, and leather gifts such as notebook designs and travel wallet.

For any companies or organisations wishing to have cotton, leather or paper products with their logo and design, AURA QUE would love to work with you on designs and liase directly with our producers to make the best product for you! Please get in touch: info@auraque.com

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Time off to trek to the Himalaya!

2011-10-09T20:32:00.001-07:00

With the festival of Dashain in full flow, I decided to make the most of the week holiday and escape to the mountains to trek to the Annapurna Base Camp with friends that were visiting me in Nepal. I had done the trek nearly 9 years before on my first visit to Nepal. It was great to see the mountains and escape from the city....

These are two pictures from my trek in early 2003, getting to Base Camp in the snow.....

Breakfast looking out at the Himalaya....

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Kathmandu Fashion Parade.....

2011-09-24T10:09:00.001-07:00

Last week, AURA QUE took part in the Kathmandu Fashion Parade to promote fashion products made in Nepal. It was a good opportunity to promote our products to a local audience, along side other Nepalese designers! Though there were techincal glitches and a power cut, Nepali style, we were pleased to be part of the first edition of this event!

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As written in Republica (national newspaper in Nepal) by Shitu Rajbhandari:

"The accessories showcased by Aura Que were interesting, to say the least, and impressive for the fact that they were all made in Nepal. Through her collection, Laura Queening showed the potential our fashion industry has within the country."

Nice one!!

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Settling into Kathmandu....with a fashion show and earthquake

2011-09-19T02:06:00.001-07:00

So I arrived back in Kathmandu on Friday morning, straight to the factories to sort out some stock with my producers and working out the logistics of the Kathmandu Fashion Parade that AURA QUE was part of on Saturday night in the capital.

It was great to show our products to a local audience, and we got a good response from people in Kathmandu, which was really reassuring! I wiill put up pics as soon as i get them!

Events on Sunday night were less fun, with an earthquake hitting the capital Kathmandu. Thought the epi-centre was on the Nepal/Sikkim border in the East at a scale of 6.8, repercussions were felt through India, Nepal and Tibet. See the bbc coverage:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14965598

I was in my rented apartment at 6.30pm last night and heard lots of locals screaming (mainly in the higher buildings) and then for a good 30 seconds or more, could see the walls and floor shaking - it was like being on a boat, you couldnt remain standing still. It was actually pretty scary as i had no idea what if anything, I could or should do!!

Luckily the damage has been minimal considering the scale, though there has been some casualties in various places. In a way, hopefully it will make people more aware of the dangers of imminent earthquakes in Nepal, and there will be a lot more preparation to ensure less damage in the future. I hope so!!

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The new AURA QUE Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection is available now!

2011-08-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

After months of preparation in Nepal, the AURA QUE Autumn/Winter Collection is now in the UK and available to purchase! We have our classic bag range which now combines our soft buffalo leather with handknitted banana yarn in tonal colours of black, brown and grey. The popular neck scarves with leather tabs are available in plain coloured cable or a variety of stripes, and the Jogi Shopper has been made in a thick cotton drill, with matching purses. Take a look!

We are excited to show our new collection and hope you all like it! Until 15th September, we are offering all customers a 10% discount - enter the code HIMALAYA into the online checkout to receive your discount.

Until stocks last, we are also offering a free matching purse for all jogi bag orders, or a free small leather goods item for all leather bags orders (over £70).

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Winding up to leave Nepal, but still had time for a visit to Kumar's house!

2011-08-11T02:49:00.001-07:00

So its been a hectic few weeks before I left Nepal - getting the new samples finished to show buyers, as well our Autumn/Winter production that wiill be available shortly! It is always a mad rush before I come back to the UK, and it is stressful to try and do things fast in Nepal for sure!

But I had promised Kumar, the sample maker at NLT Leather factory, that I would meet his family again before I left. So on the Saturday before I left, I went to visit them at their house down near the river in Tripureshwor. Cor blimey his kids seemed to have grown up since I last saw them in December.

Alina has just finished college and joined an adminstrative training course, hoping to get a job at the end of it, and Alish seems to have grown a couple of extra foot, but is still as shy as before! As it is the beginning of the festival season, Alina had a go at the mendhi on the palm of my hand - all the women have these beautiful designs in henna on their hands and feet - she drew a beautiful design so fast, it was impressive!

I had a random meal that Kumar had asked his wife Usha to make for me - a weird mixture of all the different food he knows i like - roti, vegetables, coconut rice pudding and yoghurt curd, washed down with some bright orange Fanta (hey, I know it is so wrong, but when you are hot and sweaty, a bit of sugary fizz is the best 'pick me up'!). Also, Kumar still can't get his head round the fact that I don't eat meat....

I had got Alish a stunt kite thing from UK, as I had heard that last Dashain (festival in Sept/October) he was obsessed with kite flying. I was worried that maybe at 14 yrs old he had grown out of it, but Kumar said the next day at work, that his son was so excited about the kite - so I am well happy! Looking forward to see it in action when I am back in October. For Alina, I gave her one of the bag samples me and Kumar had been working on - last time I was there, I saw that she was using one of my very old first samples that Kumar had repaired and fixed for her (it looked a sorry state!), so I wanted her to have a good sample that her father had made!

Lovely people, I am glad I went before I left Nepal!

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Maithil Art in progress at Sana Hastakala....

2011-07-22T04:45:00.001-07:00

Sana Hastakala, the fair trade producer group that makes our Jogi Bag Range, are having a refurbishment in their showroom and shop in Kathmandu. Over the last week when I have been popping in about my new samples, Nepali women from Janakpur have been painting these amazing designs on all the walls.

I asked the team at Sana Hastakala about the paintings, and they are all traditional Maithil art designs, depicting familiar Nepalese scenes. So I bought this book about the Janakpur Women's Development Centre in South Nepal, which describes the tradition as such:

"The paintings are rooted in traditions which Maithil women have passed down through generations. On the occasion of marriage or festivals such as Deepawali, Maithil women paint lively designs on the mud walls of their houses....In monsoon season the paintings fase or wash away".

It was the Janakpur Women's Development Centre that helped these talented women to transfer their wall designs to paper. Now the designs are seen on a range of products such as coasters, fabric hangings, book covers, furniture and boxes etc, which are also sold at the Sana Hastakala shop.

Its great that they are promoting this craft, and the women have been labouring over the designs all week - I can't wait to see how they look when finished!

Also, it has given me thoughts for initial inspiration for print designs for AURA QUE - I should make a trip to Janakpur next time to check it out....

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All you need to make you smile on the way to work in the morning.....an elephant walking down the streets of Kathmandu

2011-07-20T21:05:00.001-07:00

So of course you see elephants in Chitwan in the National Park in the South of Nepal, but I didnt expect to see an elephant on my cycle to the factory this morning!! That was a first for me - only in Kathmandu....

Good thing, cos it definitely made me smile!

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New Samples vs. Production.....

2011-07-19T09:03:00.001-07:00

I have been trying my hardest to get our new Spring/Summer 2012 samples finished for upcoming viewings with our lovely stockists, and hopefully new wholesale buyers also!!

As the leather factory does not have a seperate sampling department, I have been working around the ongoing production to sneak in a few new patterns and samples to add to our leather collection. All are a 'work in process' but we are nearly there!! Kumar has been helping me get the samples ready - we are running a little late, but will be getting our catalogue finalised soon!

Throughout the year, I put together books of ideas for details, construction, pockets and texture - taken from magazines or library books or photos i take or ideas I draw.....anything I like the look of goes in there, until I refine my ideas each season for the new designs - its a good starting point!

I have only got 2 weeks left in Nepal sadly! But I have plenty of pics and stories to blog about, that I haven't had time to put up yet!!

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Making paper on the roof top in Bhaktapur...

2011-07-14T22:27:00.001-07:00

The paper making process in Bhaktapur is all done by hand, each sheet individually - from the Lokta bark found in the Himalayas. Though I went to see Ram & Aparna to collect my swing tickets and other stationary in Natural Lokta Paper, I took some pictures of the paper making process that is ongoing....

This is what the Lokta bark looks like - it is boiled into a pulp to make the paper.

It reminds me of doing paper mache when I was a kid! All the pulp is mixed with colour pigment or pressed flowers/leaves, and then sieved through these mesh screens, wiggled and drained to get an even layer in the net. Then they are dried in the sun on the roof.

I only use the natural cream colour of the lokta paper for my products but at this point they were making bright red paper for an order of red boxes.

The lokta paper is then screen printed by hand into whatever design required - they also make it into notebooks, boxes, bags - you name it!!

Suryog, who is Ram & Aparna's teenage son, has written a book about Nepali Cultural symbols and traditions, based on all the history surrounding their home and business in Bhakapur, a World Heritage site. His book has been carved onto metal blocks, page by page, and is printed (as with large repeat orders) on this German printing machine - looks very heavy duty! the mechanism swings the print block from the ink to the plain paper, stamping it, as the operator quickly changes the pages.

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What wood you use this traditional craft for?!

2011-07-13T18:44:00.001-07:00

So I was at the Lokta paper making factory in Bhaktapur, sorting out my swing tickets/stationary order, last week. I have blogged about my visits before, but this time I wanted to put on pictures of all the traditional hand-carved wooden pieces that Ram, Aparna's husband collects. Ram is a fanatic for Nepali history and collects alot of traditional craft pieces - Suryog, their teenage son, showed me his father's new purchases, and he has some beautiful examples of Nepali hand-carving, that is used for window frames, doorways, and pillars in their traditional housing.

There are some great projects that preserve this traditonal skill - such as the amazing 5 star boutique hotel Dwarikas, that is in the East of Kathmandu. Its built around a courtyard, with lots of original Nepali features - its lovely to go sit inthe restaurant and have a nice glass of wine!! Beats all the Yak & Yeti, Radisson, Hyatt etc, for sure, in my eyes!

http://www.dwarikas.com

"The Dwarika's commitment to heritage conservation dates back to 1952, when the founder of the hotel, the late Dwarika Das Shrestha came upon some carpenters sawing off the carved portion of an intricately carved wooden pillar. These pieces of exquisitely carved wood, several centuries old, were being used as firewood. The destruction of Nepal's heritage profoundly influenced Dwarika Das and he bought the half sawed pillar. What began as an impulsive action grew into a passion and ultimately a lifetime of work.

Dwarika Das Shrestha’s commitment towards meticulously collecting and documenting artifacts soon took on a life of its own. Faced with the problem of storing these works of art, Dwarika Das decided to construct a building in the old Newari style of Kathmandu, using the rescued doors and window frames. He envisioned that this new building, which would operate as a guest house, would give these restored treasures a new life and allow more people to appreciate Nepal’s ancient cultural history. The vision behind the Dwarika's Hotel was thus born."

ARNIKO is a great brand of skateboards and clothing, that uses the hand-crafted skills of Nepalese carpenters to produce some hand-carved designs on their skateboards - such great products!

http://shop.arnikoskateboards.com/

"Arniko Skateboards are literally made on top of the world using the ancient Himalayan craftsmanship of woodcarving. The Swiss design Skateboards, enriched with the traditions of Nepal, are nothing less than the beautiful result of the fusion of tradition and modernity.

Arniko Skateboards produces all its boards and a wide range of fashion articles in Nepal. It goes without saying that the company ...respects the natural beauty of the country and the dignity of its people in every step of its production. This commitment is well reflected in the company’s products. Each and every one of them treasures a glimpse of the pride of the Nepali people and a peek of the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayan landscape."

SO where could AURA QUE fit into this? Maybe using some hand-carved wooden handles or fittings down the line? Well its an idea at least for now!......

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Anyone want a hat?

2011-07-04T09:50:00.001-07:00

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One stitch at a time.....AURA QUE leather production

2011-06-27T09:53:00.001-07:00

So the AURA QUE A/W 2011 production is quietly moving forward....with all the components ready and delivered, all the producers are working really hard in the factory to get the leather bags ready by end of July! We are doing the production in batches, and it is getting there!

From top left, going clockwise: Man Bahadur folding straps, Bhim attaching the banana yarn wool panels, Surya folding tabs, and Shyam cutting d-ring tabs straight.

Left: Kumar checking a detail on our Shopper bag with Shanti

Right: Ram making the hobo bag using the foot powered sewing machine (despite the loadshedding schedule and power cuts!).

Left: The heavy cotton cut for the new Pocket Bag, ready for stitching.

RIght: Front pocket of the Small Handbag ready to be stitched to the body panel of the bag.

Left: Kumar working on the handle pattern for the Shopper Bag.

Right: Shanti stitching parts of the Pocket Bag together.

We are getting there on schedule!!

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All pieces hand-knitted for the bags....ready for leather production!

2011-06-19T09:01:00.001-07:00

Finally our AURA QUE hand-knitted panels for the handbag range are now completed! The women have all brought in the pieces that they have knitted at home over the last few weeks. All the pieces had to be checked compared to the pattern size, with each piece inspected and cleaned up before I collected them all to take to the leather factory.

Checking all hand-knitted pieces once they have been completed.

The picture above shows the hub of Kumbeshwar hand-knitting department. Laxmi Shoba heads up the production unit, coordinating all knitters and yarn supply.

Sanita Khadgi discussing with me about the new knitted purses for the AURA QUE Autumn/Wiinter collection, before they go into production this week - thats the next job!

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AURA QUE SALE - on past seasons' stock!

2011-06-13T04:57:00.001-07:00

Check out our online boutique for summer sale prices on our bags and accessories from our archive....leather/knit bags for under £100, plus other great online bargains!

And for all our social media followers, here is an extra discount code - type in 'SUMMER2011' at the online check out to receive a further 10% off!

Happy Summer!!

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The Opening of Shirley Bredal Boutique, with AURA QUE bags available to order in Kathmandu!

2011-06-11T22:14:00.001-07:00

Shirley Bredal designs and makes beautiful hand-knitted and cotton embroidered childrenswear, currently sold across Scandinavia. She works with many women's knitting groups around Kathmandu to produce her designs, and has a similar ethical policy to mine at AURA QUE.

After much work and preparation, Shirley's first boutique has now opened in Kathmandu, selling all her children's clothes and accessories locally. The store, though small, looks absolutely beautiful, Shirley has such an eye for interiors and for detail....

In the corner of the store, there are AURA QUE leather bags on display as well as NAZ jewellery by Russian designer Masha Navarova. I am really pleased to have our AURA QUE bags displayed there, its a great boutique to be part of, and hopefully we can see what interest there might be in the market locally! It is worth a try!

The opening on Saturday went really well, with many people, both nepalese and ex-pats, turning up to check out the store and join the garden tea party, munching the fab mini cookies, doughnuts and cupcakes that Shirley had prepared - thanks to everyone who showed up! The store is now open!!

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An old school lunch swap!

2011-06-09T05:15:00.001-07:00

So with the leather production for Autumn/Winter 2011 in full swing, I am spending more time mainly at one of the leather factories that supports the Nepal Leprosy Trust. Yesterday, I was going to work through the lunch break to get some things done, but Shanti and Man Bahadur insisted on me sharing the chapati/roti that Shanti had made and the boiled potato curry that Man Bahadur had brought from home. Definately hit the spot!! Glad I was able to return the favour by bringing out 3 fresh mangoes (in season and YUMMY) that I had got from a fruit vendor on the street. Desert and all!

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The rickshaw adventure to find metal fittings in Delhi

2011-06-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a weekend in Delhi - It was great to have a break from Kathmandu, and I had such a good time catching up with Kirat, a university friend from London College of Fashion. While I was there, I also went on an adventure to find some trigger hooks for the A/W production. I have real problems sourcing quality metal fittings with mechanical parts in Nepal - such as the trigger hooks with the spring catch for our detachable shoulder straps on the leather handbags - they are not made in Nepal and have to be imported from China or India. So I thought that whilst I was in Delhi, I would go directly to wholesalers and see if I could source some myself. Having found out about this one bazaar in North Delhi that may be useful, armed with my samples, Kirat and I set off in a cycle rickshaw to the market.

There is NO way I would have found anything in this market on my own, it was massive and a maze of back alleys and crowded with people/cows/dogs - I was sooo lucky to have Kirat battling through all the misdirections and haggles in Hindi for me! Finally we found the area of the wholesale bazaar that had metal fittings and all kinds of accessories for bags and footwear - it was amazing....full of all these random shops and carts with all the fittings you would ever need!

Down one narrow alley (which didnt stop motorbikes, carts or cows from passing through!) we found the tiniest shop that was filled to the brim with fittings, all the way to the tin roof top. The owners were really helpful and I found the antique brass trigger hook i wanted and arranged road frieght etc - We rewarded ourselves with Kingfisher beer and some tasty Indian grub....nice one!

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Its World Fair Trade Day!

2011-05-14T02:39:00.001-07:00

So today is World Fair Trade Day, aiming to promote ethical standards amongst producer groups around the world....

The Nepal Fair Trade Group is holding a market today in the City Hall in Kathmandu, with all members promoting sales of their products, with handicraft demonstrations across the different product ranges - from lokta paper stationary, to carpet weaving, basket weaving and a variety of cloth products using traditional methods from various parts of Nepal. I have to say that the Fair Trade Group in Nepal is very well established with a great collection of various handicraft workshops, charity groups and social initiatives, as well as a large selection of product areas - the member groups that I work with within this collective are a pleasure to work with!

The picture above shows some of the women who hand-knit jumpers and accessories at Kumbeshwar Technical School, who are quality checking various pieces that they have been working on at home. It is much easier for the women to be able to work from home, giving them flexibility to earn a living around their daily family commitments - then they come back to the workshop once they have finished their assigned pieces to check them through. So I thought this was an appropriate picture for World Fair Trade Day....

This week, I visited the KTS handknit workshop to confirm my patterns and orders for the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, which has now been distributed to various hand-knitters to take home and work on - so the bag panels and various scarf designs are being hand-knitted in the banana yarn at this very moment!

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Free Eye Tests and Womens Health Check-ups at KTS for the upcoming World Fair Trade Day

2011-05-09T08:17:00.001-07:00

For the upcoming World Fair Trade Day, Kumbeshwar Technical School promoted a Free Eye and Womens Health Check up and Treatment Program last Saturday on their premises. The program was advertised within the local area, with 283 people participating on the day - including students, staff, produers and members of the local community in Kumbeshwar, Patan.

During the eye check ups, eighteen people were found to have cataracts, one of the cataract patient was a 100 years old man Mr Ratna Bahadur Khadgi. The program was conducted in association with Nepal Eye Hospital, who provided skilled doctors to carry out the check ups. Kumbeshwar Trading Centre supported the provision of medicine and the program logistics. The cataract surgeries for these 18 patients will be performed in Nepal Eye Hospital who has given special discount for the operation, with the rest of the operation costs sponsored by Kumbeshwar Trading Centre on 12th May.

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Though I was not able to visit and help out on Saturday because of other commitments, I wanted to blog about this, as it shows how KTS and the wonderful Khadgi family that founded and run the organisation, consistently tries to assist their producers and people in their local area, in practical and useful ways. As one of the founding members of the Nepal Fair Trade Group, KTS is a great example of a producer group run by Nepali's, helping Nepali's and with motivation to constantly improve and try new ideas, not only in their technical work, but also with their local social work. I am really lucky to be working with them!

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Production getting started! - Hand dyeing the Banana Yarn

2011-05-06T04:53:00.001-07:00

So our next production is just getting started slowly but surely in Nepal!! The whole process takes time; once orders are finalised, the Banana Yarn has to be hand-dyed and dried, before distributing to the women handknitters at Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS). Once the knit pieces are finished, then they are delivered to the leather factory (along with all other components and materials) to start the bag production for all the leather goods....

For this AURA QUE production, I will be documenting and describing the whole process as it happens whilst I am currently in Nepal....so for now, we are starting with the dyeing of the Banana Yarn:

The Banana Yarn is supplied in washed natural colour, having been boiled and hand spun from the raw material - the pruned outer layers of the Banana Tree after the fruit harvest in rural Nepal. This natural yarn is supplied in mass to KTS from their trusted supplier. I am hoping to visit the farmers and producers outside Kathmandu that make this yarn from the raw material, over the next few months, dependent on the next crop season - fingers crossed!

Each lot of natural banana yarn is firstly washed and prepped for dyeing and then dyed the following day in larger copper pots, all on site at KTS. As I wanted the banana yarn to be a tonal match to the buffalo leather that I am using for the bags, the women dyers firstly try a recipe of different azo-free dyes on a yarn sample. It is a trial and error process, though all previous dyed colours are catalogued with their dye colour 'recipes' which can also be helpful to find a suitable shade. When they are happy with the sample colour, a larger sample will be dyed with the same 'recipe'.

A challenge with the natural banana yarn is that sometimes different lots of the same yarn, when dyed with the same dye recipe, come out slightly different tones - which is frustrating when you are trying to match to a sample or leather colour! Therefore I have spent much time in the last two weeks going back and forth to the dye area to check on the process, waiting for the yarn to dry to check before the next lot is dyed (only 1 lot = 10 kg can be dyed in one pot in one day). There would be even more diversity in colour matching with natural dyes, so to maximise efficiency and minimise wastage, we have to stick to azo-free dyes for now....

For example - see the picture below showing three bundles of the Grey banana yarn for our A/W 2011 collection - if you look closely you can see there is a slight shade difference between each bundle, despite using the same yarn fibre, dye recipe and process! Its a mystery to me!! Luckily all are similar enough to use for our production in seperate pieces.

Once the yarn lot has been dyed, it is then dried for several days, outside but away from direct sunlight. Then the yarn is wound into balls ready for the hand-knitters to take home.

So now our banana yarn is nearly finished in our four colours: Black, Grey, Stone Brown and Cream.....almost ready for our AURA QUE bag panels, scarves and accessories to be hand-knitted by KTS' skilled women, who will be collecting the yarn and the patterns from the workshop to then continue knitting the pieces from the comfort of their own home, around the Kathmandu Valley over the next few weeks!

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Celebrating Nepali New Year with traditional Nepalese dance and music at Kumbeshwar!

2011-04-19T06:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Nepali New Year!

I arrived back in Nepal just in time for their New Year celebrations on Wednesday - they have a whole different lunar calendar based on the phases of the moon. I was invited to the cultural programme at Kumbeshwar Technical School, where some of the children from the KTS primary school performed various traditional Nepali folk dances and songs - it was soo much fun!!

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The recycled cardboard house that 11 yr old Alish built

2011-03-14T09:10:00.001-07:00

When I was last in Nepal, I was invited to lunch again by Kumar, one of the sample makers at the leather factory, at his family home on the weekend. I have been before and blogged about how welcoming his wife and two children are also.

This time, Kumar's son, Alish had drawn a picture for me - its really good and now on my wall in the UK! I had asked him about what he likes doing after school in his spare time and he told me how he liked to draw pictures and fly kites.

I was pleased to find out that he loves to draw, make things and be creative - especially as this is not really developed and nurtured in the Nepalese government school education system. The 11 year old showed me what he had made recently - a 'Nepali' house and an 'Indian' house, that he had made out of old boxes, cardboard and mobile phone charge cards. He said that he had made it when he was bored from what he could find. Its fantastic!

I found it refreshing to see Alish entertaining himself by making things from limited resources, including the kites that he flies by the river with his friends after school. I know its a bit of a cliched comparison but it seems a lot more fun for a kid than in the UK where some kids seem to sit indoors playing computer games all day or watching TV on their own, and always want the latest gadgets.

So in preparation for my upcoming trip to Nepal, I am stocking up on sketching and painting materials for him, and I am looking forward to having a go at flying that kite!!

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AURA QUE discount in celebration of FairTrade Fortnight until 3 March 2011

2011-02-28T05:57:00.001-08:00

In celebration of Fair Trade Fortnight from now until 3^rd March 2011, AURA QUE is offering 10% discount on ALL products sold through our online boutique.

Enter code “FTFORTNIGHT2011” at the online check-out to receive 10% discount on all AURA QUE products including the NEW S/S 2011 collection….. Hope you have chance to take a look!

This includes the NEW Spring/Summer 2011 Collection that is now available as well as all SALE stock. Also, the AURA QUE online boutique provides free UK delivery, and free international delivery for orders over £100.

The S/S 2011 Collection includes various styles of soft leather handbags with woven handles in Black, Grey and Brown, small leather goods and the popular Jogi casual cotton bag range in shades of Grey, Slate Blue, Raspberry and Black/White Geometric Print.

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Spring/Summer 2011 Collection Highlights:

Small Handbag - Shown in Grey Leather - RRP: £135

Square Handbag - Shown in Brown Leather - RRP: £149

Large Jogi Bag - Shown in Khaki Brown and Raspberry Pink Woven Cotton - RRP: £23

Please see link below for full product information and pictures: http://shop.auraque.com/products

Hope you have chance to take a look!

I will post up more stories and blog posts about our producers over the next fortnight, so please come back and have a read.

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How to manufacture without electricity....

2011-02-25T04:53:00.001-08:00

Power cuts and load shedding in Nepal is now a normality. Kathmandu has a load shedding electricity schedule which means that power is only available at selected times every day. Currently this mean that most areas have maximum of 12 hrs electricity a day, in various time slots, and can be up to only 5 hours of power a day at some points in the year.

As reported on the BBC news channel:

"One of Nepal's top television networks has begun broadcasting its nightly news bulletin in semi-darkness to highlight the effects of massive power cuts.

Since the beginning of February, Kantipur Television has used only a kerosene (paraffin) lantern to light its 30-minute-long 7pm news bulletin.

The head of Kantipur News said that the aim was to put pressure on the government to tackle the problem...."

For the rest of the article, please see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12356312

For all businesses in Nepal this is a real challenge - larger businesses have to install generators to have power available throughout the working day for constant work flow with machinery and computers, which is a great added expense for their outgoings. Smaller businesses, such as the factories and production units that I work with, cannot afford these costs and have to organise their working day around the power cuts.

This can be really frustrating as without power, the computers and internet will be out of action, so communication with customers abroad can be infrequent and difficult to maintain (I find this really difficult when I am back in the UK and liasing with my producers by phone or email!). Also, within the factories, many electric machinery will be out of action at certain points in the day. Though my leather producer uses foot-powered sewing machines, which are not only better for the carbon footprint but avoids this power cut problem! This is a challenge that my producers have faced over the last few years and they work with it the best they can!

Evenings are usually without power, maybe 5 nights in the week, which many of my producers do not seem to mind by eating at candle light and going to bed early (the Nepalese are definately 'morning' people, bussling around their homes and streets from 5am). For me, it is a hard thing to get use to, the 'rationing' of electricity, as we are so used to it constantly in the UK.

Though Nepali people just get on with it, there is no question how it has affected trade and daily life in Nepal. It is estimated that only 40% of Nepal's population have access to any electricity, despite the massive possibilities for Hydro-Electicity in Nepal, with estimates that only 2% of the country's hydro power potential has been tapped into.

With water flowing down from the mountains, Nepal is abundant with possibilities for hydro-power which has been stunted by the change in governments and political situation over the last 15 years.

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Bryan Adams on how to train your guinea-pig......

2011-02-19T08:56:00.001-08:00

Since returning to the UK before christmas, I have been busy with the wholesale business and meetings with buyers and customers, as it is now the season of sales and trade shows with London Fashion Week kicking off this weekend! So apologies for my lack of posts recently!

Just now I was looking through some of my pictures from the last trip to Nepal, and found some great ones I wanted to blog about.....Its also getting me excited about my next visit to Nepal in April....

But for now, here is some random blog entry news:

Here is a picture of an article I found in the Nepali newspaper Himalyan Times, bizarrely giving instructions on how to train your guinea pig.....very strange.....

"While a guinea pig may not be as eager to learn tricks as your average family dog, you may be surprised at how intelligent this animal can be when properly motivated..."

Also, today is 'Democracy Day' in Nepal, with formal ceremonies taking place within the capital Kathmandu, which seems to have been overshadowed by the stadium performance of Bryan Adams to a 35,000+ crowd of Nepalis, this evening - can't really get my head around that..... There will be more relevant news and pics of the people I work with and maybe some new AURA QUE product shots - coming soon!!

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20% off all sales at our AURA QUE online boutique until 31st Jan!!

2011-01-27T08:06:00.001-08:00

Check out our online boutique at http://shop.auraque.com for some handbag and accessories bargains!!

Only until 31st Jan 2011....have a look!

Enter the discount code SURYA20 at the online checkout for 20% off your order.

Free UK delivery and free international delivery for orders over £100.

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Happy New Year from AURA QUE!!

2011-01-03T09:07:00.001-08:00

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and best wishes for 2011!!!

I have a feeling its going to be a great year for us all!!

At AURA QUE, we are offering 20% discount off ALL stock in our online boutique - please use discount code 'JAN2011' at the check out! Remember we give free UK delivery, as well as for international orders over £100.

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Made it home for Christmas!!

2011-01-03T08:47:00.001-08:00

This year 2010 has been full of disastrous travel, whether it be volcanic ash clouds, indian visa immigration officials, sickness or national political travel strikes by Nepali maoists.....well the latest, is the snow at Heathrow, to finish off the year completely. After a two month trip to Nepal, I was stuck in Delhi for several days due to my Kingfisher plane being stuck in Brussels because they had 'run out of de-icer'. Classic!!

So after being told I could only fly back to the UK on Boxing Day and with my only 'Christmassy' encounter in the December run-up, being with a half sized felt Santa at a Christmas Bazaar in Kathmandu, I thought Christmas was going to be cancelled for me this year....

Luckily, I got bundled onto a flight with another airline on 22nd and made it home in time for the festivities, for a well needed catch up with my family and friends. Its great going to Nepal for Nov/Dec as you dont have any of the commercial Christmas stuff wearing you down, and you get back (luckily!) for the celebrations to spend time with everyone you love - Happy Christmas to all!!!

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AURA QUE featured in Nepali newspaper: Republica

2010-12-04T10:47:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to Sumina Karki for her write up about my work in Nepal, and CIndy Sin Yu Yau for her enthusiasm and help also!

See below:

http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=25806

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Anuradha Koirala, founder of MAITI Nepal, is the CNN Hero for 2010!!

2010-11-22T22:12:00.001-08:00

Anuradha Koirala has been awarded the CNN Hero for 2010, in LA on Saturday. She founded MAITI Nepal in 1993, aiming to help Nepalese women and children affected by domestic violence, trafficking and prostitution, working with over 12,000 individuals. WIth this award, she was given $100,000 to help continue the work at MAITI! You can see the winning moment in this YouTube clip:

I think its inspiring to see a strong Nepalese woman, with such motivation and kindness, and it is great positive promotion for MAITI and Nepal!! Please see below for more information about MAITI Nepal:

"MAITI Nepal was born out of a crusade to protect Nepali girls and women from crimes like domestic violence, trafficking for flesh trade, child prostitution, child labor and various forms of exploitation and torture. A group of socially committed professionals like teachers, journalists and social workers together formed Maiti Nepal in 1993 to fight against all the social evils inflicted upon our female populace. Most of all, its special focus has always been on preventing trafficking for forced prostitution, rescuing flesh trade victims and rehabilitating them. This social organisation also actively works to find justice for the victimized lot of girls and women by engaging in criminal investigation and waging legal battles against the criminals. It has highlighted the trafficking issue with its strong advocacy from the local to national and international levels."

Please go to www.maitinepal.org

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Tihar Festival of Light - in Nepal

2010-11-22T21:45:00.001-08:00

Tihar is a five day Nepalese festival which has been celebrated this week, beginning of November. Two of these days incorporates the Hindu Festival of Deepavali (Divali), where one day is celebrated for goddess Laxmi and the other one is celebrated to worship brothers for their long life. All ethnic groups celebrate this festival, and Kathmandu has had a festive vibe for the celebrations.

Little fairy lights and candles decorate all buildings and windows, during this festival of light - the city looks really pretty by night - I loved it! In one street, they were making this giant floor painting, made from powdered spice, food and colour - it looked so beautiful, with crowds of people having a look at their work!

The fifth and last day of Tihar is Bhai Tika, a day where sisters put tika on forehead of brothers, to ensure long life, and thank them for the protection they give. When the sisters give the tika, the brothers give gifts or money as a return. A special garland is made for the brothers out of a flower that wilts after a couple of months, symbolizing the sister's prayer for her brother's long life.

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AURA QUE gets a mention in Grazia this week!!

2010-10-13T16:45:00.001-07:00

I am really pleased that AURA QUE got a mention in fashion magazine, Grazia this week - as a recommended brand for ethical bags by Fashion Conscience founder Lianne Ludlow! Great stuff!

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Momentoes from Nepal....grubby money love notes...aaaah!

2010-09-29T09:22:00.001-07:00

So I have been back in the UK madly getting out the A/W 2010 orders for the new season! Been really pleased with the response, with a few reorders already and happy customers!! phew!!

When I was unpacking my stuff from the trip, I found these two nepali bank notes that I had saved....a five rupee (5p) and ten rupee (10p) note........I liked the little love note graffitti on grubby money! I think I am going to start collecting them if I get any more with doodles on, when I go back to Nepal next month.

The five rupee note says 'Do u love me? yes, no' on one side and then 'I love u my boy' on the back - wonder what the story was there? I will never know....

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Escape from the city before I leave Kathmandu

2010-09-06T03:45:00.001-07:00

Before I left Kathmandu, with the A/W 2010 production all quality checked and sent to the UK, I managed to get out of the city for 2 days - was a breath of fresh air, quite literally!

It has been quite hard this time to get out the city, with manufacturers having their weekly days off/holidays on different days, there is always some work to do, especially with the manufacturers scattered at opposite ends of the city! So I was really happy to get out of Kathmandu briefly before I left. I went to Kurintar, which is 95 km west from Kathmandu, on the way to Pokhara. With friends, I went camping on the riverside, across the swinging metal footbridge, then up to Mamakamana Temple on the only cable car in Nepal!

Manakamana is the name of a Hindu Goddess, and it is believed that the Goddess fulfils the wishes of people....and if the wish comes true, you have to go back to the temple to thank the gods. And I am not telling you what I wished for! The ten minute cable car ride from Kurintar to Manakamana, is amazing. It rises over 1000 metres, and has incredible views of the Nepali countryside, though no himalaya views because of the monsoon, but the rain clouds are really eery spilling over the mountains - awesthome! The view kept me silent the whole way up and down.

Though only in Nepal do they stop the cable car for 1.5 hrs for 'lunch' so took us ages to get back down with the endless queues of locals, indian tourists and sacrificed goats in plastic bags....

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Meeting Meera from Sana Hastakala

2010-09-01T13:28:00.001-07:00

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]Meera coordinates all the productions at Sana Hastakala where all the Jogi bags and Allo Hemp items are made - efficient and strong willed, she oversees all the women working at the in-house stitching unit and has been working at Sana Hastakala for over 15 years. With many different customers, such as AURA QUE, she manages to juggle all the different products from different designers and companies internationally, with a huge smile.

With her son Sagun, back from working in Bangalore, I went around to their house to meet them and other family members as well as have some fantastic Newari food! Meera brought up her son and daughter single handedly (now both in their late twenties/early thirties) which I think is really impressive, especially in Nepal.

I had got Meera a watch as a present when I arrived this trip, which she seemed really pleased with - and then she presented me with an AURA QUE brass presentation plaque, designed by Sagun who works in the family business with his Uncle - they produce the brass embossed AURA QUE tags for the new A/W 2010 collection (see the Key Fob). Sooooo cool - another reminder of why I started working here - how kind and welcoming people are!

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The best lunch invitation and surprise gift!

2010-08-22T11:46:00.001-07:00

Kumar is one of the sample makers I work with at NLT - its a great process: I will bring the designs and patterns, and we work together to find the best way to make each product with the factory's technical skills - I always learn a new technique or find some tool that I have not used before, so its definately a two way process!

When my sister, Elspeth, came to Nepal with me last winter, she distinctly remembers Kumar whose first words to her were "I am Kumar, I like meat" - very bizarre, but we were being taken for lunch at the time, and his English was a bit stilted at the time....Anyway, we went to his house to meet his family and they were so welcoming and hospitable. I havent managed to visit since, until this week, when I went for lunch after work (Friday is a half day). His wife had prepared all the bits of food that Kumar knew I liked from lunches at the factory - roti, pickle, potato curry as well as this fab rice pudding stuff - a right feast!

This time, I got to meet his daughter Alina, who was away last time I visited. She studies Humanities at the local college and I had good conversation with her! She had bought me an amazing gift of this plastic silver/gold photoframe with roses all over it - she was well happy when i told her how good the present was because my middle name (and mother's maiden name) is rose, so it was very appropriate! Though I did have a bit of a paparazzi moment, when she was taking my photo on her phone, of me with my mouth full of all the tasty food

Oh and the first picture of me and the family.....I promise they were happy to hang out with me, despite the solemn faces - it seems to be a Nepali habit to take very serious poses for photos!

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To Bhaktapur to visit Lokta Paper producer and get a face lift (of sorts)

2010-08-22T11:11:00.001-07:00

It was great to have a quick trip out the city the other day - a friend took me on a motorbike to Bhaktapur - half an hour east of Kathmandu. It is the third largest city in Kathmandu valley and is listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood, metal and stone artwork. Its such a beautiful place - all narrow streets, temples and statues, and busy with everyday life.

I had to go collect some paper products from Aparna and Ram, who run the Peacock Shop, making traditional lokta paper cards, books and gifts. The traditional Nepalese handmade Lokta paper, known for its durability and special texture, is made from Lokta bark (only the outer bark is collected to ensure the preservation of the trees). It is produced by a traditional technique, the bark is boiled and the soft pulp spread evenly in a wooden frame in water, and finally sun dried.

Here is Aparna with the press machine used to print onto the lokta paper. And the picture above is me trying out one of the handpainted traditional masks that they also produce - good look for me aye?

Late afternoon is the best time to go to Bhaktapur I reckon - at dusk, you can sit at watch all the locals milling around the temples and statues - great atmosphere. Though I wasnt keen on the dark motorbike ride back, avoiding the potholes in the rain - just my luck! Worth it though!

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Meet Chimsi, who works at the Nepal Leprosy Trust...

2010-08-08T08:14:00.001-07:00

One of the biggest characters I have met in Nepal, is Chimsi, who works at the Nepal Leprosy Trust, doing odd jobs around the building. The factory where we make some of the AURA QUE leather products, supports the Nepal Leprosy Trust, helping people who have been affected with leprosy, as well as education and empowerment programmes in Kathmandu and the Lalguardh hospital near Janakhpur, South Nepal.

When I am working at NLT, I work directly with the producers in the factory, working out patterns, ways to make new designs etc etc. Its a great way to get to know the workers, though I REALLY need to improve my Nepali language! Chimsi has provided many comedy moments, by walking slowly into the room, and shouting gruff Nepali at me (she is partially deaf) about whether I wanted milk tea, or the weather or whatever...and with her exaggerated movements and funny one liners, she would have the rest of the factory workers in hysterics. Either that or she would creep up on me and give me the fright of my life, or just sit there and watch me work!

She has worked at NLT for over 20 years, and is married to Makuram Nepali, who used to work in the factory before he retired. They both live in the accomodation block funded by NLT nearby to the factory - its built around a courtyard, and i park my bike round the side entrance, greeted by a huge 'NAMASTE DIDI!!" by Makuram who is sitting by the window of their place. I didnt understand for ages why he kept calling me 'didi' (big sister) as I was blatantly younger than his 60 or so years.. but I was told it is a mark of respect by him, so I had to make a joke with him about that...

OH and lastly, I am gutted that I never got a picture of Chimsi in her best outfit (which I am sad to say i have never seen since) - brightly coloured sari wrapped around her waist, scruffy trainers, bandana (see the one she is sporting above) and a blue tshirt that just said 'David Beckham' on it. Amazing, you got to love her...

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Think I jinxed it, I got caught in the monsoon rain...

2010-08-05T07:12:00.001-07:00

I think my last post must have jinxed me, because today i got caught on my cycle in the monsoon...not fun! The rain pelts at you and even my lovely knee-length mac doesn't seem to do much against it!

It reminded me of something I had said to an old work colleague about working in Nepal - I was trying to describe the difference I find between Nepal and the west... and the first thing that came into my head (I had just come back from a visit same time last year) was about what happens during monsoon rain. Basically the roads go quiet, with most of the motorbike drivers getting off their bikes and waiting in shelter on the side of the road for the rain to stop. Can you imagine this happening in the UK? Everyone needs to get some where fast!

I remember noticing this when I was madly cycling to a meeting in the rain, determined to fit as many things into my day as possible. And it made me smile - in Nepal, most people are not in a rush, without any sense of urgency - why not stop for awhile and watch the rain, or have a chai?

So when this came back to me today, i stopped cycling and did as the Nepalese do, and had a tea break and watched the rain fall....

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New A/W2010 Collection now available for pre-order with 15% discount until the end of August!

2010-08-03T09:52:00.001-07:00

The new AURA QUE A/W2010 collection is arriving by the end of August!! Includes our signature leather and handknit handbags, versatile handknitted snoods and scarves, and unique small leather goods...

You can now pre-order all items for delivery by 25th August....Also it is your last chance to grab a sale bargain from our previous collections with sale leather bags from £35!

We are offering you 20% off ALL products in our Online Boutique until the end of August - including all sale and 'last chance to buy' items and pre-orders of our new A/W 2010 collection.

Just use the following discount code "SURYA20" at the online check out - also there is free postage and packing to all UK deliveries!

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Trying not to get caught in the Monsoon rain in Nepal!

2010-08-01T10:47:00.001-07:00

So, its been a busy month, I haven't had chance to blog for awhile.....oops!

I arrived back in Kathmandu few days ago, overseeing my Autumn/Winter Production which is now coming along nicely.....more on that later...

Nepal is now in the monsoon season, its sunny, a little humid, with odd rain showers here and there. I forgot how muddy the streets get, dodging the potholes of puddles while cycling to work! A friend has lent me his mountain bike this time, as mine got stolen before, but I didnt realise that it didnt have any mud guards on, so on my first cycle to the factory, I had to be told about the huge mud splash all up my back, not the best time to wear a white vest...

Actually been having a bit of a bike nightmare, with endless punctures and crazy gears that I dont understand, so I am spending a lot of time sat outside random little bike repair shops on the side of the road, with a cup of chai, while the bike gets fixed! Still, it doesn't seem to be as rainy as the year before last when I was here during the monsoon - I have been doing quite well at avoiding cycling in the rain which is never fun...apart from my best monsoon memory when I had to cycle back from the knit manufacturers before it got dark (no bike lights), in a flourescent 80s rain mac I had to borrow (I was underprepared at the time!), only to get caught in the most ridiculous floods, where I was trying to cycle through gushing muddy rain water up to my knees. Then lost a flip flop and had to wade through to fish it out. Too funny!

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Opening of the Fair Trade Cooperative in Holmfirth..

2010-06-28T09:26:00.001-07:00

So I have been getting used to being back in the UK after my last trip to Nepal and India. This is the first time I have been back in the UK for June for at least 5 years, and I have to say I am loving it!! The beautiful weather is making me appreciate the british countryside all around where I am based in Yorkshire - fantastic!

Anyway, when I first got back, I went to the opening of a new Co-operative project in Holmfirth - http://www.thefairtraderscooperative.co.uk/ - founded and invested in by the local community, the new shop sells a range of fair trade and ethical products and gifts. As well as the shop, there is also a community room where customers can relax and learn more about how the Fair Traders Co-operative works.

At the opening, I was introduced to the new local MP for Colne Valley, Jason McCartney, who took an interest in the AURA QUE leathergoods that are for sale at the new store...

Photo by Ciaran Bodenham

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SUMMER SALE - 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL AURA QUE STOCK until 30th June 2010

2010-06-15T08:44:00.001-07:00

AURA QUE is offering you 20% off ALL products in our Online Boutique until the end of June - including all sale items and our Spring/Summer 2010 stock. Just use the following discount code "SURYA2010" at the check out - and remember we provide free postage and packing!

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I dont think that bright pink leather with zebra print is really my style?!

2010-06-15T03:55:00.001-07:00

So I got to Delhi, had a couple of meetings, and got to catch up with Kirat, a good university friend from LCF Cordwainers College, before heading on the 14 hr round trip by train to visit the leather tannery I am working with. I had to check my leather production before it was to be road freighted up to Kathmandu. But I had to put this picture into the blog - of Faiz, the leather technician, who I was talking to while waiting for the leather pieces. I asked him what his favourite leather was, and I am not sure if it was lost in translation, as he came running back holding up a bright pink hair-on cow leather with a black zebra print on top. It was very funny, I was in shock! But I dont think this leather is suitable for the next AURA QUE collection...

With my train back booked for 7pm, to take 7 hrs back to Delhi, just in time for my flight back to London in the morning (yes, all abit hectic), the tannery director wanted to check if my train was running on time, and with a bit of a gasp, we found out it was running 5hrs late.....PANIC! With Indian trains booking up like crazy in advance, my only option was to take the 8pm bus that got me into Delhi at 8am. Just in time for breakfast and straight to the airport! Pooooped!

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Leaving Nepal - until next time...

2010-06-14T15:42:00.001-07:00

So after a whirlwind three and a half week trip to Kathmandu, I have gone back to Delhi for several meetings, and to view my leather production. With a severe shortage of time, due to all the delays at the beginning of my trip, I had to fly back to Delhi from Kathmandu, making sure that I got a window seat on the right side of the plane, to get the Himalayan views of the mountains peaking through the clouds - I love it!

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Nearly finished working on my Spring/Summer 2011 samples!

2010-06-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

Whilst in Nepal this time, I have been working on my designs and collection for Spring/Summer 2011 to show to buyers over the next few months. I have been working with some of the sample makers at a leather workshop in South Kathmandu, set up by the Nepal Leprosy Trust.

For the summer collection, I have been working with buffalo leathers, allo nettle material with printed AURA QUE logo and jute braiding. I am really pleased with how hard all the producers worked with me, and pleased with the samples we made together!! Have put some pics of me and the lovely Bharat, Kumar, Shyam, Surya, Ram, and all the others who helped here and there...

So i think I am a bit of a giant here in Nepal...

2010-06-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

Well I am 5 ft 10 inches, tall but not that tall in the UK - but in Nepal, I definately feel like a giant! I still remember my first time living in Nepal in 2003, when I was teaching English in a rural village, and how all the local families were laughing when they put me on one side of the metal scales (used for weighing bags of rice) and then two local girls (same age as me) on the other side - yep, I was the same weight as 2 Nepali girls!

Around the producers, I also seem to be huge in comparison - Nepalese are generally very small and slight people! So I thought I would take two pics of two women I work with. On the left, is Meera, the production director at Sana Hastakala - a force to be reckoned with!

The picture to the right is with Manju, who works at the Nepal Leprosy Trust - I still remember my total surprise when she stood up from her desk, first time I visited - all the the other producers find it hilarious if we walk to the local cafe at lunch together!!

Cycling around Kathmandu

2010-05-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

Kathmandu is chaotic, there is no doubt about it. The mass sprawl, the crowds, the mental traffic of motorbikes, tuktuks, cars, rickshaws, and cows! Its not a huge city, but its pretty packed with people! With over 2000 years of cultural heritage, you catch glimpses of the buddhist stupas or hindu temples next to modern buildings and rickety huts.

I bicycle around the city as its quick to get around, and you can weave around the traffic and take the bumpy scenic back roads! Weirdly I am so comfortable cycling around Kathmandu, but have only tried it once in London - all those cycle lanes coming and going, with all drivers on autopilot, made me nervous! At least in Kathmandu, it is organised chaos - despite the traffic weaving around, moving everywhere, squeezing everywhere, they are all very aware of the road. You even get used to the customary horn 'beep' everytime a car passes any other moving object!

Its a lot of fun too; I have had plenty of random chats with taxi drivers or tuktuk passengers whilst at traffic lights, even lost a flipflop or two mid-cycle during monsoon. Its also a great way to learn about the city, find your way around - and sometimes you find the best places when you get lost!

Going for lunch with my producers

2010-05-24T06:53:00.001-07:00

Ok so from this photo, i seem a little over excited about lunch with the producers at my leather factory - but you cant beat a lunch break for veg chowmein and good company!!

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Spring/Summer 2010 - Screenprinting AURA QUE Logo

2010-05-24T05:49:00.000-07:00

For our Allo hemp products, the AURA QUE logo is screenprinted by hand onto each piece - see pictures below from the manufacturer that I visited this week, whilst developing new samples for our next collection!

Visit to Tannery in India

2010-05-18T00:31:00.001-07:00

On my road trip from Delhi to Kathmandu, I visited the tannery that produces buffalo leather for AURA QUE's leather collection. I have visited many tanneries in various parts of India over the last few years, and am pleased to be working this well established tannery. They have a strong social responsibility policy and work to European regulations for Health & Safety and their treatment process, which I have seen first hand during my visits.

From Autumn/Winter 2010, AURA QUE will be working with leather made from high grade buffalo hides, that is a by-product of the local food industry. To create the colours and finish required, the tanning process uses some chemicals and waxes which are processed through the tannery's primary and secondary effluent treatment plants that extracts, contains and reuses any chemicals, and purifies water to be used for irrigation.

The tannery process the leather from raw hide to finished product. Once the raw leather hide has been processed, the leather is dyed in a large drum, dried, wax added, and then tumbled by a milling process to soften it.

I think its important to know how my materials are made, and having seen the whole tanning process from start to finish, its definately not for the faint hearted! But personally, I really think it is a necessary industry - realistically when is the world going to stop eating meat? Surely it is important to use all by-products to minimise waste?

Finally made it to Kathmandu

2010-05-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Once the strike was lifted, we were able to get transport to Kathmandu from the border of Nepal/India. An 8 hour bus journey, with incredible scenes of Nepal - through the farmlands of the southern Terai and the windy roads through the mountains, following the river to Kathmandu. Some of those bends were a bit hairy though...

And there is no limit to how many people can fit on a Nepali local bus...And we finally made it to KATHMANDU, despite volcano ash, food poisoning and a national political strike - phew!

Maoist Strike cripples transport links, causing Nepal to stand still for nearly a week

2010-05-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

So we got to the Nepali/Indian border on Tuesday, filled with optimism that the strike that started last Sunday, would be over by then. But no; at the border, all shops were closed, all cafes, all buses stopped, with everyone just milling around with nothing to do.

With no one knowing when the strike would be over, we decided to head down to Varanasi, and see some sights at the River Ganges while trying to find out any information about the strike from the international news, local news and friends in Kathmandu. It has been surprising how little international news coverage the strike in Nepal has received - despite the country having stood still by Maoist protests for nearly a week.

Coming away from the Nepali border (so near but so far...!), I took a photo of all the trucks lined up waiting to take supplies into Nepal, waiting patiently on both sides of the road - miles and miles of them.

Now the strike has finally been called off, we will be retracing our steps over night, hoping to arrive in Kathmandu tomorrow - FINALLY!!

My love/hate relationship with the Delhi to Kathmandu Overland Trip

2010-05-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

So I could take a 1.5 hr flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, but when possible I travel overland to see new places in India and visit my leather tannery firsthand.

Its a mission of a journey that has taken me between 1.5 days to 5 days and can never be fully planned it seems! You have to get an overnight train from Delhi to Gorakhpur (12 hrs approx) then local bus to the border (3hrs) then rickshaw over the border, then its anything from 6 hrs to 13 hrs by bus to Kathmandu.

The first time I travelled overland across this route was from KTM down to Delhi in June 2003 when I left Nepal after five months teaching English in a rural community. That journey still makes me shudder when I think about sleeping on the rail platform as our train was delayed by hours in Gorakhpur, and then the 40 degree heat blasting through our non-AC carriage, which was full of Indians curiously looking at my friend Hannah's long blonde curly hair. Sweaty parched panic resulted in me having to jump off the train at one stop to find some bottled water, only for the train to start pulling off and some indian guy having to heave me onto the train from the low platform - funny in hindsight!

Since then, I have travelled up from Delhi to Kathmandu several times, always with far too much luggage - mainly first samples, supplies and presents for some of the kids of my producers. Last summer, on the border, I bumped into ten members of the Kandel family who I lived with in South Nepal during my 5 months teaching - I nearly choked on my masala tea with surprise! So with their insistence, I had another impromptu return to the village.

Also last year, I was stuck at the border for 10 hours, waiting to go in convoy with other buses because of a Maoist national strike, which is why I am apprehensive about our travel plans to get up to Kathmandu on Tuesday.

From today, there is a Maoist political strike nationwide in protest about the government, said to last 'indefinatly' until a compromise has been found. Though many of the strikes are non-violent, the transport strike stops people travelling on the main roads around Kathmandu at least, which affects all industry (with minimal work force as people cannot travel to work), export/import (eg, road freight from India) and of course, tourism, one of the country's main sources of income.

Check out today's BBC News report here

So fingers crossed for Tuesday!

Double Introduction to India

2010-04-29T02:21:00.000-07:00

Despite travelling through India many times, I have never been to see the Taj Mahal, so thought we would take a look before I met my leather suppliers at their tannery further north, on our way overland to Nepal.

So we hopped on a train to Agra from Delhi. Unfortunately, my friend Nick, who has come along for the ride, developed severe 'Delhi Belly' on his second day in India -ooooops! He reckoned he was going to die from food poisoning, I told him he was not. But poor guy, its not a nice way to be introduced to India!! So it has meant an extra few days in Agra until he feels better - so I'm making good use of my time: catching up on emails via wifi, sketching my design ideas and sunbathing - though I did drag Nick out to see the Taj Mahal at 5.30am this morn!

Finally made it to Delhi!

2010-04-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

So after the airspace closure, a few days of "will we or will we not fly", then a 5 day delay, me and my friend Nick finally made it to Delhi!!! Straight into the 42 degree heat, crazy construction for the commonwealth games later this year, and the 16 million people that live in the city. Cor blimey, it takes a while to get your head round!

I took a pic of these kids on a narrow street in Delhi, in an autorickshaw on their way back from school, with all their school backpacks hung on the back - love the colours and the chaos and how unfazed these kids are by it all!

2010-04-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog! I started AURA QUE nearly two years and have entertained my friends, family and co-workers with stories of my trips to Nepal and India, but now I have finally managed to start blogging... As well updates of products, including previews of new collections, I am going to share with you what happens behind the scenes at AURA QUE...

Laura Queening