Danielle’s story is a great yarn (pun intended). Danielle Chiel is an Australian entrepreneur who founded KOCO (Knit One Change One). She has a Ph.D. in Musicology, sits at the intersection of fashion, entrepreneurialism, creativity, and joy, and making a more beautiful, creative, and happy world and real difference in literally thousands of women’s lives.
Danielle, through KOCO, is seeking to change lives one hand-knitted garment at a time.
She currently employs 200 Indian ladies from various villages in India, to hand-knit garments for her; but her dream is to expand the business and employ 10,000 women. KOCO hand-knits garments for global fashion brands – they produce fashions and homewares that customers love, by working with women in the rural villages in the south of Tamil Nadu. At the same time as giving these ladies employment, KOCO provides them with an education and all the training they need, in order to become world-class hand knitters.
“What I admire about the art of knitting are the same qualities that I admire in music: endless creative possibilities made possible by skilled and passionate hands and a perfect score, or pattern”.
Connecting fashion brands, customers, and artisans through the art and science of handknitting, along with being one of the most amazing curious problem solvers we have ever had on the show, this is a chat you won’t want to miss!
Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellechiel/
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/headline-20160409-go2k7y.html
Episodes
Ep. 115 Why Your Company Events Are Killing Culture (And What Burning Man Gets Right) | With Jasper Vallance
Ep. 114 – Guest episode with the wonderfully curious Professor Kathryn Boydell
Ep. 116: Who’s that behind the mask? Creative Director, Tim Simpson!
Ep. 115: Photography, the art of seeing and failing your way to creativity, with guest, Kurt Sneddon.
Ep 114: Guest episode with Katherine Boydell, Professor of Mental Health at the Black Dog Institure