ASHYA FW19 Shows Us the People of the Irula Tribe

Documenting one of India’s oldest indigenous tribe, ASHYA’s FW19 collection titled “Ode to Exploration: Irula”, tells the story of the daredevil snake catchers whose history runs deep through southern India. Known for their ancient knowledge of the land and its inhabitants, the hunting skills passed down through generations remain vital yet nearly unseen by India’s healthcare system. Enter Moya Annecee and Ashley Cimone, a duo that first connected 10 years ago during their undergrad studies at FIT. Now as business partners, the two are pushing boundaries of design and creating an ode to exploration with their New York-based accessories label. Staying true to their love of storytelling and adventure, ASHYA’s FW19 collection documents India’s most marginalized yet most vital group of people.

We caught up with Moya and Ashley ahead of the AW19 launch to hear the story of how they first connected with the people of the Irula tribe.

Tell me about the CFDA program you guys were part of.

A CFDA staff member reached out and informed us about the program, thereafter we applied and were on cloud 9 when we learned that we got through!

We recently just finished up our fellowship with the CFDA + Accessories Council Elaine Gold Launch Pad program, it’s a fairly new residency as we were part of the 2nd cohort. The fellowship is catered to early emerging talent within 0-3 years of business. Being selected as a finalist for the program and working with these organizations has already been instrumental in the way we operate as a business. The initial application process alone pushed us to revisit our initial goals for the company and also helped us to step back and view the design label holistically and develop a growth strategy.

What was your biggest takeaway?

Definitely the mentors we’ve gained through the program. The mentorship and our new support system have been transformative! Being able to lean on industry professionals with expertise and know-how has been invaluable. We’ve not only learned a great deal but have been affirmed in many ways. The support and encouragement has been so energizing.

Why the name AYSHA?

ASHYA is a combination of our first names: Ashley and Moya. Our friendship is essentially the reason for ASHYA’s existence and the name is representative of that.

Why an accessories brand?

Ultimately our travels motivated the idea of bridging the gap between functionality and style. We were very keen on designing a product that is just as practical as it is playful and beautiful. We knew we were on to something, at the time it was difficult finding a sophisticated, contemporary, and well-designed belt bag. We searched all over including eBay for belt bags before our trip to India and came across a bunch of nylon sportswear-inspired fanny packs. We then noticed there was a void in the industry and we were determined to change that.

When did you first hear about the Irula tribe?

We stumbled across the Irula tribe during our initial research of South India late last fall. We were invited to participate in the Chennai Design Fair in the southern state of Tamil Nadu during the earlier part of this year. We recognized it as an opportunity to delve into the history of neighboring regions and also get started with our field research on local tanneries as an extension of our trip. During this period we discovered the Irulas, one of India’s oldest indigenous communities also known as the “people of the night” as the word Irular in Tamil is associated with darkness or night.

What about them made you want to create this lookbook?

As explorers who are captivated by the cultural roots of communities and the origins of people, we were drawn to the Irula tribe specifically in the rural area of Kancheepuram. Indigenous people are often the victims of colonialism, marginalization, and erasure. We want to learn more about not only our roots but the roots of the communities we visit and use ASHYA as a platform to shed light on underrepresented stories. The community is known for their intimate and ancient knowledge of the lands and its venomous inhabitants. Their marveled relationship with the most venomous snakes in India is what initially caught our eye and their crucial role in saving the lives of thousands of Indians by capturing venomous snakes to extract their venom for the purpose of creating antivenom, piqued our interest.

How would you describe the story you’re trying to tell with the AW19 campaign?

This marginalized community of people play a vital yet almost invisible role in the country’s healthcare system. Approximately 50,000 people die of snakebites annually in India and most of the venom used to create antivenom serum in India to cure poisonous snakebites are supplied by the Irulas.

Our brand exists as a vehicle to diversify cultural perspectives through our broadly researched narratives and designs. There is an ongoing threat of erasure of cultural identities globally, and as we travel we hope to use our brand as a way to help preserve and bring to light the mystic and somewhat isolated cultural stories that are less frequently told. The story of the Irulas is indicative of such, an underrepresented group of people, rich of traditions and of historical significance.

Tell me about your collaboration with The Helm. How did it come about and why sell through this platform?

The Helm launched as a VC fund investing in women-founded companies and a contextual commerce platform, providing multiple access points for investing in women with the goal of reclaiming the relationship between women, money and power. This June, they launched their official e-commerce platform that features only female-founded companies. Earlier this year, when meeting with founder Lindsey Taylor Wood, we were instantly drawn to the mission, a company that makes it easy to invest in women. Representation is not only important so that we can see ourselves but so that we can be seen and valued. As perfectly phrased by The Helm, “if we want the future to include companies that consider women, are led by women and create wealth for women, we need to invest in them.”

ASHYA being a brand founded by women of color, there was clear alignment for obvious reasons. We believe in The Helm’s mission and are honored to be part of a roster of talented female-led companies including, Mansur Gavriel, Lorod, Lizzie Fortunato, and more.

Explain the utility behind your bag. Who is your customer and what is she doing?

For each product, we’ve refined the designs to make sure everyday items such as passports, keys, phones, lipstick, credit cards, etc. can easily and safely be held. As a label that was inspired by and built on the idea of travel and commuting with ease, we see great value in empowering our customers by giving them a sense of freedom through our multi-functional designs, wearing the accessories in a variety of ways and allowing them to move through the world more fluidly. The leather accessories we design encourage minimalism in a way and we hope to give the wearer a sense of freedom and ease with day-to-day travel.

What are some other sources of inspiration for the brand?

Outside of travel, art in various mediums and forms serve as a constant inspiration, whether through film, visual artistry, sculptural work, everyday shapes & objects, these are things constantly feeding our creative process, as well as our community. Art has equally been a pillar in our relationship/friendship, but we also look within, to our individual experiences and let them influence our design process when it pertains to aesthetics and functionality.

What’s next for the brand?

Over the next couple of seasons, we’re hoping to expand our product mix further, introducing new styles of accessories, including more unisex and multifunctional items that are all travel-friendly. Next steps for our brand also includes applying all the business development skills we’ve learned throughout our fellowship, our growing network, and our supportive mentors to propel us forward. We hope to continue to build strong partnerships and bring fresh energy to the travel space.

If your AW19 collection were a song what song would it be?

“Between the Lines” (feat. Bajka) by Bonobo.