EDUN

In 2005, Hewson and Bono founded the Edun label ("nude" spelled backwards, to suggest both "natural" and the Garden of Eden).{{cite news | url=http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/alis-other-eden-465270.html | title=Ali's other Eden | first=John | last=Masterson | newspaper=Irish Independent | location=Dublin | date=6 March 2005}} It was intended to help bring about positive change in Africa through a fair trade-based relationship rather than by direct aid.{{cite news | url=http://heyokamagazine.com/HEYOKA.4.Fashion.htm | title=Fashion with a Conscience | magazine=Heyoka | date=Spring 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060617072741/http://heyokamagazine.com/HEYOKA.4.Fashion.htm | archive-date=17 June 2006}}{{cite web|title=About Edun |access-date=24 March 2007 |url=http://www.edun.ie/about.asp |publisher=EDUN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070329013300/http://www.edun.ie/about.asp |archive-date=29 March 2007 |df=dmy }} Hewson said they wanted "to show that you can make a for-profit business where everybody in the chain is treated well."

In May 2009 the couple sold 49% of the company to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.{{cite news | url=http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/03/05/ali-hewson-and-bonos-return-to-edun/ | title=Ali Hewson and Bono's return to Edun | first=Nathalie | last=Atkinson | newspaper=National Post | location=Toronto | date=5 March 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707181731/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/03/05/ali-hewson-and-bonos-return-to-edun/ | archive-date=7 July 2012 | df=dmy-all }}{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704358904575478310504593870 | title=Out of Africa, Into Asia | first=Rachel | last=Dodes | newspaper=The Wall Street Journal | date=10 September 2010}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Times | location=London |date=9 May 2010 |title=Mrs Bono on how fashion can save the world |first=John-Paul |last=Flintoff }}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3T3KWaqIsk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/Q3T3KWaqIsk |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=The Today Show |publisher=Youtube.com |date=2006-07-16 |access-date=2012-09-27}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/ali-hewson-edun-regained-1984391.html|title=Ali Hewson: Edun regained |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=30 May 2010 |access-date=2012-09-27 |first=Craig |last=McLean}} The large luxury conglomerate helped the company recruit new management and a new designer after the departure of Rogan Gregory two years before.

Following LVMH's investment in the brand, EDUN appointed a new creative director, Sharon Wauchob.

In season 2010 Edun brought back the focus to the runway, which was critical for their new chief executive, Janice Sullivan, former president of Liz Claiborne Inc.'s DKNY Jeans division. The same year Ali Hewson and Bono appeared wearing EDUN in a Louis Vuitton campaign, shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz in Africa.{{cite web |url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/100902-bono-and-ali-hewson-for-louis-vuitt.aspx |title=Vogue UK, Bono In Fashion, 2010 |publisher=Vogue.co.uk |date=2010-09-02 |access-date=2012-09-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905195258/http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/100902-bono-and-ali-hewson-for-louis-vuitt.aspx |archive-date=5 September 2010 |df=dmy-all }}

In April 2013 Danielle Sherman became the creative director for the brand{{cite web |url= http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9966544/Alexander-Wang-designer-Danielle-Sherman-moves-to-Edun.html |title=Alexander Wang designer Danielle Sherman moves to Edun – Telegraph |first=Belinda |last=White |work=fashion.telegraph.co.uk |year=2013 |access-date=19 August 2013}} and debuted her first collection SS14 during New York Fashion September 2013.

Julien Labat took over as CEO, May 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/edun-names-julien-labat-ceo-10117318/|title=Edun Names Julien Labat CEO|date=27 April 2015}} Labat had most recently worked at French fashion brand Carven as Commercial Director.{{Cite web|url=http://uk.fashionnetwork.com/news/Edun-appoints-Labat-CEO-,534947.html#.WbsFNdOGPq0|title=Edun appoints Labat CEO}}

In May 2016 Danielle Sherman resigned as creative director of Edun, a role she held for three years, to pursue other opportunities.{{Cite web|url=http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/danielle-sherman-exits-edun-10435697/|title=Danielle Sherman Exits Edun|date=23 May 2016}}

From Spring 2017, 80% of EDUN's production is made in Africa and the remaining 20% is produced locally in the US. Collection's sourcing is a mix of organic, recycled, upcycled fabric and some artisanal-custom-made developments from Africa. EDUN just launched its first E-commerce platform recently on Edun.com. The collection also welcomed its first leather bag line, 100% sourced and made in Kenya, signed by an artisanal handle made of recycled polished metal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/pre-fall-2017/edun|title = Edun Pre-Fall 2017 Collection|date = 9 January 2017}}

EDUN opened its first retail location on 14 September 2017, located at 265 Lafayette Street, New York City.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/edun-new-york-city-store|title = Edun is Opening Its First-Ever Store in the Heart of New York City|date = 11 September 2017}}

In 2008, Edun established the Conservation Cotton Initiative Uganda (CCIU), which provides funding, training and enterprise support to cotton farmers to help build sustainable businesses in Northern Uganda.{{cite web |url= http://www.juxtapoz.com/current/sean-metelerkamp-for-diesel-x-edun-studio-africa |title=Juxtapoz Magazine – Sean Metelerkamp for DIESEL x EDUN: Studio Africa |work=juxtapoz.com |year=2013 |access-date=19 August 2013}}

In 2007, Edun launched the division Edun Live, a tee-shirt business which is 100% grown and sewn in Africa.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lvmh.com/the-group/lvmh-companies-and-brands/fashion-leather-goods/edun |title=Edun, Fashion and Leather Goods, haute couture - LVMH |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530225506/http://www.lvmh.com/the-group/lvmh-companies-and-brands/fashion-leather-goods/edun |archive-date=30 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}

In January 2012, Italian fashion entrepreneur and "jeans genius" Renzo Rosso of the Diesel group,{{Cite journal |title=Renzo Rosso, jeans genius |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/30/style/30iht-fash_ed3__1.html |first=Suzy |last=Menkes |date=30 September 2003 |journal=The New York Times }} Hewson and Bono travelled to north Uganda, where EDUN's Conservation Cotton Initiative (CCI) is based, and to Dioro in Mali, which is house of the Only The Brave Foundation Millennium Village, a project of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, the United Nations Development Programme, the Millennium Promise, and Renzo Rosso.{{Cite web |url=http://www.millenniumvillages.org/press-releases/only-the-brave-foundation-launches-partenership-with-millennium-promise |date=14 September 2010 |title=Only The Brave Foundation Launches {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|Partenership}} with Millennium Promise |location=New York, NY |publisher=Millennium Villages Project|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021100624/http://www.millenniumvillages.org/press-releases/only-the-brave-foundation-launches-partenership-with-millennium-promise|archive-date=21 October 2013 |url-status=dead }} This African journey encouraged them to join their forces for a new Diesel+Edun label that will be made entirely in Africa to generate sustainable development and raise awareness of the creative opportunities in the continent.{{Cite journal |last=Menkes |first=Suzy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/fashion/16iht-fbono16.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |title=Philanthropy in Fashion |journal=The New York Times |date=15 November 2012 }}

By 2010, most of the company's fashion line manufacturing was in China, while simpler garments were still African-made. This gave some negative publicity to the brand.{{cite web |last=Bowman |first=Jo |url=http://www.cnbcmagazine.com/story/branding/1200/1/ |title=CNBC.com |publisher=Cnbcmagazine.com |access-date=2012-09-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302204656/http://www.cnbcmagazine.com/story/branding/1200/1/ |archive-date=2 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }} Hewson said that business realities compelled this action, but that over time she hoped more work could be done in Africa. Since its founding in 2007, Edun Live has produced 700,000 African made t-shirts. Hewson calls this venture 100 percent African grow-to-sew initiative.Elle Magazine, July 2010

Hewson said in March 2011, "There is a misconception that we moved business out of Africa. We didn’t. We’re now working in eight factories in Africa whereas this time last year we were in two. We’ve actually grown our Edun business in Africa and by 2013, it will be up to 40%".{{cite web |url=http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/03/05/ali-hewson-and-bonos-return-to-edun/ |title=Ali Hewson and Bono's return to Edun | Arts | National Post |publisher=Arts.nationalpost.com |date=2011-03-05 |access-date=2012-09-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707181731/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/03/05/ali-hewson-and-bonos-return-to-edun/ |archive-date=7 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }}

The company now produces 85% of its collection in Africa.{{cite web |url= http://thewindow.barneys.com/ali-hewson-danielle-sherman-edun |title= Ali Hewson, Danielle Sherman and Simon Doonan Talk EDUN |date=7 March 2014 |access-date= 30 June 2014}}

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edun}}

Category:Clothing brands

Category:Clothing companies of Ireland

Category:Organizations founded by Bono

Category:Privately held companies of Ireland