Move over, designers, there’s a new fashion line in town, and the outfits on the runway are only part of the story. It isn’t the clothing itself that makes this collection special—it’s the people who make it. Anna Malika doesn’t have any fashion design training, but she does have a mission. After being a victim of sex trafficking as a high school student, Malika set out to help other women who have suffered at the hands of sex traffickers who target children. Today, she employs other survivors as seamstresses to work on her collection, and the waiting list to join the team goes a whopping 500 deep.
Many of us assume that sex trafficking is a problem that is isolated to underdeveloped or foreign countries. It seems unbelievable to consider that sex trafficking could be happening in our own backyards. However, according to UNICEF, the U.S. is “considered one of the top destination points for victims of child trafficking and exploitation”—and it’s happening in every single state in the union. Those caught in the cycle face steep odds—only 1 to 2 percent escape their circumstances.
Malika herself was exploited as a teenager by a much older man, who sold thousands of pornographic pictures of her and other young girls. The injustice she faced sent her into a spiral of self-harm, but with the help of a program she entered, she regained her confidence and resolved to do something to fight back. To achieve her goal, Malika partnered with the designers behind Elegantees, (which already employs sex trafficking survivors in Nepal), to do something closer to home. Providing jobs to these women has a host of positive impacts. In addition to restoring confidence in victims, employment fights against the very thing that leads so many women and children to lives of exploitation and abuse in the first place: Poverty.
Two of Malika’s employees
The collection has an eveningwear aesthetic, and features lots of pearl detail—a meaningful choice. Anna says she sees pearls as “symbolic to my story and life,” pointing out that they “go through a process where they are ugly and dark...but with refining and restoration, they become what everyone knows them for and they shine.”
In fighting a system that commodifies women’s bodies, Malika has put women back on display, but has done so in a very different way. Instead of being exploited for others’ gain, women now proudly walk down the runway, unashamed and in control, in clothing made by survivors. The pieces are beautiful, but they carry a strong message, allowing those who made them to tell the world they won’t be beaten.
Check out Malika’s site for more info on her project!