PureDKNY is more than just a fragrance; it’s a lifestyle, a state of mind, a way of being and living responsibly. A drop of vanilla, from sustainable crops grown in Uganda, is the signature ingredient in each pureDKNY fragrance. This note is sourced from vanilla bean farmers in Uganda, the majority of whom are women. PureDKNY is partnering with CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty to train these women in the practice of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), a proven approach to empowering women through increased income generating opportunities.

 

Attendees on this trip included Vice President of Corporate Fragrance Development Worldwide, Trudi Loren; DKNY Supermodel and brand ambassador Angela Lindvall; Global Commutations Executive Director, Allison Greenberg; and PR Managers Maria Macias (Spain) and Angela Rusteberg (Germany). All hosted beauty editors from their respective countries.

During the two day trip they discovered how one fragrance, one note, has helped change, save, and empower the lives of Ugandan vanilla farmers, the majority of whom are women. The team became familiar with:

• The women who grow, harvest and sell vanilla

 

• How the pureDKNY program works and its direct impact on the women

 

• The ceremonies the women participate in when they make their first dollar from a vanilla bean and have the chance to put it in the pureDKNY savings program

 

• The Ugandan Vanilla Association factory

 

• The men, women, and children who survived high-risk health scares because they can now take out loans to obtain the right medication and education