When people talk about “supporting artisans,” it often comes from a good place - but sometimes from the wrong mindset. Artisans don’t need charity. They don’t want to be romanticised or pitied. What they really want, like any of us - is acknowledgment, respect, and fair pay for their skill.
Over the years, I’ve realised that the biggest misconception in this industry is that craft is fragile - something to be “saved” (mind you, I spent my initial years believing it needs to be saved too!). It isn’t. It’s evolving, adapting, and deeply capable. What it needs is an ecosystem that values it, not one that treats it as a side project of empathy.
Since starting VISHH, I’ve followed a simple rule of thumb: I don’t negotiate with artisans. If I know the price is fair, we pay it. Even when a client tries to bargain, we draw a line. Because it takes time, effort, and real expertise to do what they do - and all they ask for is to be paid fairly, just as you and I would expect to be. I’ve seen first-hand how a respectful relationship changes the energy of a project - deadlines are met with pride, not pressure; ideas are exchanged more openly; quality becomes a shared goal, not an imposed one.
The truth is, artisans don’t want our sympathy. They want our professionalism. And the best way to preserve these crafts is to treat them with that level of seriousness.
Another part of sustaining craft - and getting more people to care about it is storytelling. Not the over-polished kind, but real, human storytelling. Showing the process, sharing images of the actual makers, giving people a glimpse into the work that goes into every piece. When people see the person behind the product, they value it differently. We always encourage our clients and collaborators to do that - to tell the story honestly, without filters or pity.
Respect doesn’t need to be dramatic. It’s in the details - how you talk to the artisan, how you price a product, how you speak about the people who made it. For me, that’s what building a better system around craft really means.
Hey Elaine Bellezza, thank you! I have not written more but have so many thoughts around all of these nuances. Will definitely try and do more :)