"The Road to Rwanda"

Chrissie Lam, Senior Concept Designer at American Eagle and Founding Director of The Supply Change, traveled to Rwanda in 2008. Shortly thereafter, Chrissie connected with Indego Africa and was able to connect them with American Eagle and facilitate a collaboration for an upcoming accessories line for Spring/Summer 2012.

Chrissie Lam (far right) in a dress hand-made in Rwanda

Chrissie discovered Indego Africa after a trip to Rwanda, where she was approached by the CEO of the company at a fundraiser. AE donated product and shipped it to Rwanda during Chrissie's sabbatical in the country, but she wanted to do more. Using her experience and contacts in the fashion industry, Chrissie was able to bring products from Indego Africa artisans to American Eagle customers worldwide.

Read an excerpt below of Chrissie's curation for "Source 4 Style".

Colorful textiles from the Indego Africa showroom in Rwanda

"Two friends of mine are telling me about a women’s cooperative called Amani ya Juu, Swahili for “Higher Peace,” a sewing/marketing training project for Rwandan women in need. This project started in Nairobi in 1996 with three women, and has grown to over 50 women from many ethnic groups in Africa. My friends just had clothing made and after seeing the end results, I wanted to learn more about the project..."

"...A year after I came back from Rwanda, I had a serendipitous introduction to Indego Africa. CEO, Ben Stone, noticed a Gisimba Orphanage fundraiser I was organizing. He realized that besides our common interest and work in Rwanda, we both also live in the same apartment building in NYC! He facebook messaged me and we ended up having a great discussion on the roof deck about our projects.

Indego Africa’s operation is larger in scale than Amani Ya Juu, but shares the same philosophy. Indego Africa, which stands for INdependence, DEvelopment, and GOvernance, is an innovative social enterprise built upon the belief that women in Rwanda can lift themselves out of poverty. Indego Africa provides more than 400 Rwandan artisans with access to the global marketplace, enabling them to sell their vibrant handicrafts for a fair wage.

Two and a half years ago, my employer, American Eagle Outfitters, donated product (an unsustainable charity gesture), and shipped it to Rwanda during my sabbatical. After seeing the positive impact programs like Indego Africa, Amani Ya Juu, and donations like AE made on the Rwandan community, I decided to combine my interest in helping poverty stricken women become self-sufficient with my experience and contacts in the fashion industry. These seemingly innocuous concerns united to form The Supply Change – a new company that sources socially responsible goods and manufacturers who have previously lacked access to global markets and connects them with mainstream brands in an effort to forge long-term partnerships. These connections can help the fashion supply chain create products that are profitable, as well as purposeful.

Now, my involvement with sustainable products and services in Africa has come full circle. Indego Africa is currently collaborating with American Eagle Outfitters on developing an accessories collection for the Spring/Summer 2012 seasons. The Rwandans are lifting themselves out of poverty by producing marketable goods and selling them in AE stores."

Read the full post about Chrissie's trip: "The Road to Rwanda".


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How to Wear It: Jen's Top Styles for Holiday

Jenmarie G., a store associate from our AE store in Corona, California, runs a great fashion blog called Style Through Her Eyes. We love reading Jenmarie's style tips and thought she would make a great guest blogger for Made to Last.

We asked Jenmarie to style and photograph her top three looks for men and women from our Holiday collection. Jenmarie is wearing the women's looks and Luis, a key holder at the Corona AE, is modeling the men's looks.

Look 1: Feminine detailing like ruffles is one of my favorite things. This new, shimmery ruffled skirt works great with a tucked in shirt. If tucking your shirt in to a pair of high-waisted jeans or a skirt like this one is a new thing for you, try going for a loose chiffon top like the one I'm wearing. It makes for a comfortable and effortless look. And you know, a little pop of red never hurts either. We have fantastic new skinny belts and beautiful skirts and dresses in our store already, so if you're thinking you need something new to wear for the holidays, definitely take a peek!

Look 2: My confession is this; I'm obsessed with lace and crocheted pieces. I'm the type of person who would wear this outfit even if I had no event to attend. Why not have a red carpet moment every day? I love the lace bodice on the dress and the sleeves on the cardigan. Silver happens to be one of my favorite accent colors and it worked perfectly for this outfit. Flats are also a good option if you don't want to feel too dressed up.

Look 3: Lately I've found myself leaning more towards the dark side (no pun intended). I've been incorporating more black and fun, edgy pieces as part of my every day look. Black isn't just for funerals or formal events. It's the perfect basic color for both men and women. A black blazer is such a transitional piece that every woman should own in her closet! Don't stop searching until you've found the perfect one! And while you're on the hunt, be sure to try on our knit jegging. I'm the proud owner of three of them (including the black pair you see above) and I wear them all the time. You'll never want to wear another pair of pants!

Look 1: There's something about a plain white shirt that's very manly and this new long-sleeved thermal is no different. If white isn't your favorite you'll be happy to know they come in different colors and there are a handful of graphic printed styles as well. Add a rustic-looking plaid, a winter jacket and black slims and you're good to go for the day or night. Men can look just as fashionable with layered pieces as women can!

Look 2: Every man needs a black shirt and if he's bold enough he'll sport a v-neck. I have found that many men make up their minds about v-necks without ever trying them on. I say try it and then make your decision. V-necks emphasize and broaden your shoulders and all the ladies love that. You'll also be glad to know that American Eagle's v-necks aren't as low as others you'll find, so definitely give these a chance! I also can't say enough about our jackets this season, especially the men's collection. They're warm, slightly worn-looking and the detailing couldn't be more perfect.

Look 3: I thought it strange to find denim jackets back on trend but it's nice to re-discover how to wear pieces like these again. Usually denim on denim doesn't really work but as you can see it's easy to pull it off. With accessories like a great pair of aviators and a plaid scarf how could you go wrong? At American Eagle we have a wide range of great accessories for men including necklaces, bracelets, watches and beanies. Check them out and see which ones best represent your personality! [Products available in store]

Happy Holidays!
Jenmarie

Building a Better World

Today we are featuring a guest blog post by Monica Gorman, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility & International Trade Compliance at AE.

Some kids want to be a movie star or a race car driver when they grow up. I wanted to be Secretary of State.

Crazy, I know. But I grew up in an immigrant family short on cash and long on dreams – especially that quintessential American dream that if you work hard and have a positive attitude, you just might become someone who makes a difference in this world.

Today, I lead the Corporate Responsibility team at American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. It’s not the State Department, but it’s not as different as you might think. One big lesson I’ve learned is that companies have a huge impact on people’s lives all over the world. Whether that impact is good or bad depends a lot on the choices we make as we do business.

That’s why I love what I do.

I work with a team of extraordinary people who have dedicated their careers to making this world a better place. Every day, the AEO Corporate Responsibility team visits factories, talks with people who make our clothes, thinks about how to reduce our impact on the environment, and brainstorms with people in organizations who share our goals. We grapple with economic, social, and political issues facing the apparel industry from Dhaka to Delhi, Shanghai to Hanoi, Guatemala City to Washington, DC.

Over the years, you’ve told us that you’re passionate about these issues too, which is a major reason why we created our first-ever Corporate Responsibility Report – AE Better World. You’ll find a ton of information about how we’re working to improve factories and help the environment, what it’s like to work at AEO, and how we invest in our community.

If you’ve never seen a website like this before, you might be surprised by our open, candid tone. We’ve been pretty honest about the challenges we face and what we’re doing to address them.

The good news is some of the best companies in the world have similar websites. In fact, we believe one of the most effective ways to make progress is by working with our peers in the industry.

So take a look. Ask questions. Let us know what you think. We hope that this will be the beginning of a conversation of ideas – ideas that will help us all live our lives in a better world.

Costa Rican Charm: Guest Post from The Jungle Princess

This post comes to us from our friend Abby Tegnelia who writes the blog, The Jungle Princess. Abby spent a year between jobs exploring and writing about Costa Rica, our featured destination for The AE Nomad Summer Sweeps. She continues to blog about her life in Las Vegas as the Editor of Vegas Magazine. Here is her advice on what to see in Costa Rica.

Abby in Costa Rica

I am on email, Twitter and Skype all day long, keeping in touch with friends from all over the world, many whom I’ve met and some who I haven’t. Just this week I received my favorite type of email: from someone planning a move to Costa Rica, the slow-paced tropical little country I called home for one year. This particular traveler will be making her way all the way from India.

Another beautiful sunset in Costa Rica.

Even on my busiest days, I’ll always find time to write someone like her back, encouraging time in the land of pura vida, which means “pura life” in Spanish but can be translated to mean anything from “good morning” to “let’s put that off until tomorrow.” In Costa Rica, time really does seem to stand still. Getting out into the surfing towns and fishing villages, you can stroll along dirt roads, watching in awe as monkeys play in the trees or a flock of bright green toucans fly overhead. The sunsets are stunning, the cold beer cheap. Nothing is planned in advance, so the anxiety of my over-planned life in the United States melted away.

Monkeys are everywhere!

Everything is simple there; even the food consists mostly of fish, chicken, rice and beans. But the fish is on the oven rack was caught that day (the children fight over the eye balls!), and visitors to Costa Rica rave about its famous gallo pinto, black beans and rice.

Surfing towns like Guiones and Playa Grande revolve around the waves, forecasts spread among the locals and visitors like a game of telephone. Even those uninterested in hitting the waves can bask in the sun all day, watching the athletes at work, and hit the super-chill bars at night.

I spent a year in Costa Rica, unwinding. But no matter your time frame, the Central American country has so much to offer. From the volcanoes and hot springs of Arenal and the animal-packed hikes on the east coast, to the cloud forests of Monteverde and the quiet life of Coco, where I called home, Costa Rica can be truly life-changing. Slowing down and checking in with nature create the most centering, refreshing trip, the reason I think so many travelers fall in love with the country. I’m dying to hear who will be the next of my friends, virtual or otherwise, to head down there to experience the joy of this charming tropical country.

Enter HERE to win your chance to explore Costa Rica. You'll visit Finca Bellavista, Manuel Antonio and San Jose + enjoy 2 $250 AE gift cards. Sweeps ends May 25.