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About: A PEACE TREATY is an evolving collection aimed at creating ethically-produced,

artisan-level accessories and apparel for the luxury fashion marketplace.

Born in 2008, as a personal pact between Farah Malik,
a Pakistani Muslim, and Dana Arbib, a Libyan Jew, A
PEACE TREATY creates employment for skilled artisans
working in places of socio-political strife, effectively
supporting their technique and craft while elevating their
products to the level of high design for an exclusive and
international audience.

Inspired by the hand-crafting cultures of the Middle East,
Asia, South America and Africa, A PEACE TREATY
was conceived when Arbib and Malik met while living in
Rome. The two discovered that they shared both a love
of high fashion and a desire to increase awareness of
ancient, disappearing crafting traditions. Intermingling
Arbib’s strong background in graphic, textile and
product design with Malik’s history of developing
multimedia marketing campaigns for social justice and
human rights, they set about connecting discerning
fashion connoisseurs with cache, boutique level artifacts
from places typically seen only negatively through the
media lens. Working with craftspeople in seven selected
countries and injecting life and trade back into local
economies, A PEACE TREATY also assists artisans to
compete in the global economy.

Each season, A PEACE TREATY travels to a particular
region and seeks out local village artisans to re-define an
accessory, creating limited edition pieces in style unique
colorways. The 2012 retail season comprises of a jewelry
collection, inspired by ritual emblems and relics from
lost cities and legendary civilizations such as the Aztecs,

Mayans, and the Tribes of the Amazon and Papua New
Guinea. S/S 2012 also features vintage Japanese kimono
and Art Deco inspired scarves.

SOLWARA, the fourth jewelry collection envisions a
shipwrecked castaway’s discovery of indigenous tribes
and ritual emblems. Interweaving rattlesnake tails,
bones, sharks’ teeth, ropes and twine, the collection
references explorers marooned on desolate islands
amidst ancient settings, as well as movies embedded
in our popular imagination like The Blue Lagoon. In a
tribute to the feral elements of nature such as water, sand
and volcanic rock, SOLWARA’s pieces are embellished
with semi-precious gems - Lapis Lazuli, White Agate and
Lava stone. A PEACE TREATY employs desert artisan
families to craft the handcarved, goldplated tribal brass
pieces, using centuries-old sustainable techniques and
recycled materials.

NATSU, takes cues from elaborate handmade techniques
in traditional Japanese textiles such as Shibori, Katazome
and Tsutsugaki dyeing, Katagami stencil printing and
Kasuri Ikat weaving. In collaboration with artisan
groups, A PEACE TREATY recreates these irreplaceable,
one of a kind textile treasures.

Since its inception A PEACE TREATY has designed
exclusive lines for Rugby Ralph Lauren, ShopBop and
Urban Outfitters. Seasonal collections are available at
www.apeacetreaty.com and worldwide at 150 exclusive
retailers such as Liberty and Saks Fifth Avenue.

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ALEX & LEE

My mother handed down to me a couple of necklaces about 10 years ago that I have regarded as a couple of my greatest prized possessions. She could not remember who the designers were but after seeing the Proenza Schouler Spring 2012 jewelry collaboration they did with the brand Alex & Lee I knew the necklaces were theirs. 

The Alex & Lee brand is based on a rich and vibrant history of love, imagination and cosmic wonder that started one magical day when Alex Mate’ met Lee Brooks in New York’s Central Park. The year was 1970, and the mood of the culture was filled with optimism, radical self-expression and ecstatic freedom. It was love at first sight, and from that day forward, the two became partners in life as well as in art.

Their first creations originated that summer by beach-combing on Fire Island. They collected shells, flotsam, stones and feathers and created macrame’ necklaces with beads and wire. While walking the beach in their unique finery, they were discovered by Gwen Mazer, the Accessories Editor at Harper’s Bazaar, who commissioned them to make 20 pieces for her new boutique on the upper east side which sold out in a day. This collaboration originated the artists’ life-long exploration into found object assemblage, or Objet Trouve’.

 Below are some of their obsession worthy pieces

A piece from the Proenza Schouler collaboration