VirtuArte.com

During this start up phase of VirtuArte, I have had the opportunity to meet a number of people and organizations working with artists, artisans and cooperatives in the developing world. I have heard some great stories about why they got involved, how they found the individuals and/or groups they work with and their experiences along the way. Pauline Lewis has one of those stories. She is the owner and "all-in-one bag" boss of oovoo, a unique wholesaler of hand-embroidered handbags. I first met Pauline at the New York International Gift Fair in February. Subsequently, she participated on a panel I facilitated, Empowering Women through Commerce, sponsored by the National Museum of Women in the Arts here in Washington, DC in May.

Pauline has more than a decade of experience in international business, primarily in marketing and market research. She was born in Malaysia and spent part of her childhood in Singapore and Hong Kong. Her career started at ACNielsen in Singapore and more recently, before starting oovoo, Pauline was a Director with a leading market research firm here in the US, serving Fortune 100 clients. Her experience crosses various markets and industries, with a focused expertise in South East Asia.

In 2004 she decided it was time to do something different. Pauline has a love for handcrafted art and during her travels in Asia she had seen beautifully made local products. She also knew she wanted to help women in the developing world; and work only with women-owned businesses and female artisans. After leaving her corporate position Pauline traveled back to Asia being inspired by the women she met along the way. While in Vietnam she saw superbly styled and well made handbags in a shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Less than a month later, Pauline returned to Ho Chi Minh City to meet with Le Thi Hong Tu, better known as Hong Tu, the owner of the shop and designer of the handbags. Hong Tu agreed to create a new handbag line for Pauline, act as point person and oversee the embroiderers.

A business was born.

Oovoo is a collaboration between Pauline and Hong Tu. This alliance has grown to support hundreds of women in Vietnam: including 120 full-time employees in the southern region of Vietnam who assemble the handbags; and part-time embroiderers in the North. All workers are paid 15% above market rate and given a bonus of one month's salary during the Vietnamese New Year. The women are also given an annual, all-expense paid vacation in Vietnam for themselves and their families. Five percent of oovoo's annual profits go to women's charities in Vietnam and the US.

For those wondering if oovoo has a meaning, the answer is yes. The name comes from the Latin word "ovo" which is "the female egg." The "o" in oovoo represents the embroidery circles in Vietnam; oovoo is the circle that connects producers, vendors and customers.

Every oovoo bag is a unique personality!

No two oovoo handbags are the same. The handbags are made from a synergistic mix of cotton, satin, leather and suede. Each panel is hand-embroidered with color-fast silk threads, and then the bag is sewn together. A handbag can take up to 20 hours to make.

Oovoo handbags are sold in more than 450 stores. Recently when I was in Santa Fe I spotted an oovoo handbag in a shop window. I went into the shop and asked about it. The salesperson told me about the company and than said "We do really well with these handbags. They sell quickly." I just smiled.

Check out the oovoo handbag collection at www.oovoodesign.com and let me know what you think.