Beyond her magical handmade pieces is a truly remarkable Viva Babe whose compassion and devotion make life ridiculously awesome for others! Here’s to Viva Babe Anya, our newest ‘It’s Not About the Bag’ honoree! 💓🙌
Anya is the founder and designer of a luxury knitwear brand in New York City and was nominated by her daughter, Kasia. Anya’s mother instilled her love of knitting with, ‘If you need it, you make it.’ 🧶 Anya emigrated from Poland in 1988, started her company in 2012, and now has more than 100 immigrant women across the five boroughs of New York who knit for her on a freelance basis. Kasia says, “These women have other full-time jobs cleaning homes or being caretakers, but they can use their knowledge of knitting to help supplement their incomes by knitting on their own schedule. It was her dedication to her knitters throughout the pandemic that makes her ridiculous awesome. Mom has not collected a penny from her profits, pumping everything back in to keep her knitters employed.” 💗 At the core of her company’s mission is a focus on empowering women to “ply a trade that they love and to celebrate the continuation of traditional crafts.” 🎊🌟
Anya elevates the lives of New Yorkers in other incredible ways too, dedicating a percentage of her proceeds to two local charities, Debra of America and Let’s Get Ready, and through her repurposing program. Her repurposing program is part of a commitment to a circular design model and zero-waste future that allows customers to return items no longer wanted. These items are unraveled and the yarn is used to make hats donated to children’s and cancer charities in NYC. 💗🧒💓
Thank you, Anya, for your commitment to lifting the lives of those in your midst! We celebrate you for your passion to make each day ridiculously awesome for others! 🥳💜
Nominate someone who inspires you today! Go to: https://consuelastyle.com/pages/its-not-about-the-bag/
Through our ‘It’s Not About the Bag’ program, we’re on a mission to celebrate women who impact the world in positive ways through their service, strength, kindness, tenacity, and love.