Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hiywet Girma. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hiywet, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

YESAET is Design x Positive impact: creating a positive impact on people and the planet whilst offering fashion & Style rooted in a sustainable and ethical means of production. It is a story about connections..about giving back, about looking into your roots to go forward with prosperity, ..about celebrating and empowering artisans, makers who are not necessarily seen but whose work connects us all, at a time when connecting with each other is more important than ever.

Hiywet, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Hiywet Mimi Girma; I’m
the founder of YESAET, an artisanal luxury Fashion brand based in Brooklyn, NY., inspired by centuries of ancient African craft. YESAET stems from my roots in Africa, where I grew up surrounded with bountiful intricate textiles, bold colors, patterns and prints. I was born in Ethiopia, raised in the Cote d’Ivoire and the UK. My origins and exposure to textile and craftsmanship in Africa ignited my passion for textile innovation and fashion design. Handcrafted textiles and art have always fascinated and inspired me.

In my 25-year career as a designer in New York, I saw first-hand the waste of resources that results from favoring the speed and never-ending cycle of fashion over the wellness of people and planet.
As a designer and a mother, I knew that the only way forward is to create responsibly and with purpose. Ultimately, we need to choose the wellness of our planet and each other.
From my passion for artisan craft and luxury, style and sustainability, YESAET was born.

In the Amharic language, YESAET means ‘a wxman’s work’ and the brand’s sustainable practices and priorities are designed to capture wxmen’s strength, focus and resilience, and represent the power they bring to their communities.

Yesaet offers collections made with custom handcrafted and ethically sourced textiles, as well as ‘deadstock’ luxury natural fabrics from top designers. We also upcycle and hand dye a percentage of the collection with botanical dyes ranging from floral waste and food waste.
We offer complimentary tailoring adjustments to suit our customer’s needs at the retail level, and offer our collection on a made to order model to reduce waste. This has been our biggest victory that we are proud of. Since we produce locally in New York, our production lead times are short, and we keep our carbon footprint at a minimum. Our customer base understands, appreciates and champions sustainability so it’s been wonderful to know the interest and support is strong.
We’re proud of everyone’s commitment to sustainability and their desire to learn more about the process as they shop.
We also offer YESAET Bespoke, a collaboration between YESAET and our client, to offer event dressing made sustainably and produced in NY.
We aim to create styles you will love for years to come, filled with stories to pay forward.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I launched YESAET March 2020, not knowing COVID was at our doorstep. Everything shut down the next day; it was the wrong time and yet became a time for focus, resilience and reflection as well. I kept YESAET going through outdoor pop ups and through the help and support of my community. I understood very quickly that community was key in building my brand.
I sourced botanical waste around me in order to dye my fabrics in a sustainable and unique way, when other resources were not available. This led to an exploration of botanical dyes, and now an integral part of our collection.
3 years later, through resilience and the support of our community, we have pulled through and opened a small retail/studio in Brooklyn.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

The personal attention and care we give our clients has helped build our reputation in our market. We listen to the needs of our clients and take our time to understand and meet their needs.
Community is what got us here and we value our relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yesaet.com
• Instagram: @y_e_s_a_e_t
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yesaet
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/y-e-s-a-e-t
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/girma0641/_shop/