Every Journey Began in Africa. Oh, really?
Checking in from that mythical magical place known as “Africa” (or, as Women’s Wear Daily reports, an “arid South African vista”) are Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, founders of the fashion brand, Edun, for which the above campaign was shot. The campaign is part of a push to relaunch the brand, which Bono and Hewson founded in 2005 with, as the Wall Street Journal reports, “the lofty mission of revitalizing apparel manufacturing in sub-Saharan Africa.” Trade, not aid. That’s what “the Africans” tell Bono, anyway.
Which would be all well and good, except for the fact that, as WSJ revealed, Edun produces mainly in China and, to a lesser extent, in Peru. To be fair, as the article points out, that partly has to do with the fact that Edun ran up against the “limitations of African manufacturing” during its early years. Of course, where exactly in Africa such manufacturing was taking place, as well as why Edun was unprepared for such obstacles and what the brand plans to do about this in the future remains unclear. But that’s Bono. According to Hewson, he is “unencumbered by practicalities.”
What are practicalities, after all, when it comes to saving helping Africa?
Is this an indictment of Bono or of Africa? When even Bono, who has a constant hard-on for “helping” Africa, can’t manage to get his t-shirts made on the continent, what hope is there that real businessmen would even consider it?
Someone scream publicity stunt!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Justin, business in Africa is tough. Not just for Bono but also for me who has been brought up in Africa. But if others have done it & succeeded, Bono is no exception.