Joe Fresh partners with lemlem by Liya Kebede

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Apr 25, 2017

Canadian retailer Joe Fresh is launching a limited-edition capsule collection with lemlem by Liya Kebede, an artisan-driven fashion brand.
 
The swimwear capsule collection is comprised of womenswear, kids, toddler and baby swimwear and beachwear pieces, featured in lemlem’s iconic bright stripes and various shades of blue, fuchsia pink and red.
 
The lemlem fashion line, founded by model and women's health advocate Liya Kebede, is normally produced in Kebede's native Ethiopia, which helps create jobs for local artisans. However, the Joe Fresh capsule collection only tapped lemlem's design skills, opting not to have the collection produced in Ethiopia. The brand says that the patterns and colour story found in the capsule collection were designed by lemlem's Ethiopian artisans.

 
The Joe Fresh x lemlem capsule collection will retail between $14 to $39 CDN, which is a far lower price point than the $185 scarf, for example, sold on lemlem’s website.
 
Kebede says that she hopes that “through this collection more people can come to discover lemlem's style and the story of what we are creating in Africa." Adding that; "Collaborating with Joe Fresh on this collection for women and kids is a great way to share what inspires us at lemlem and show how fashion and philanthropy can make a real impact around the world.”

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The announcement comes just days after Joe Fresh’s parent company Loblaw was asked to adopt the Apparel and Footwear Supply Chain Transparency Pledge, by human rights and labour rights advocates. Loblaw said they will begin to publish supplier factory information in 2017.
 
The Joe Fresh x lemlem capsule collection will launch online at JoeFresh.com on May 8, and in-store on May 15. Joe Fresh products are currently available in more than 1,450 retail locations; including over 350 Loblaw locations, 1,100 Shoppers Drugmart locations, 11 freestanding Joe Fresh stores and JoeFresh.com.