Bibi Russell, Fashion for Development

If I were corny, I would write something like: “Bibi Russell is a supermodel and a super nice person.” Because it would be true.

But I’m not, so I won’t.

I searched out the Bibi Production office in Dhaka today with the hopes of talking to someone about their grassroots work with Bangladeshi craftspeople. I didn’t expect it would be Bibi herself.

I asked if I could schedule a time to talk, partly because I didn’t want to intrude and interrupt whatever she was working on, and partly because I really hadn’t outlined an interview.

“Now is a good time. The electricity is out.” Bibi said.

Bibi could probably be living anywhere in the world in some huge spread. She’s a model and a designer on the gobs-of-money level. But instead, today like many days she’s sitting in a dark office with the temperature pushing 100 degrees. And she’s talking passionately about her project to little old me.

I was there for an hour. We chatted, recorded an interview, and she even let me snap a few photos. That’s right. I had a photo shoot with a supermodel. But the audio is even better than the pictures. She had a lot of stuff to say and a beautiful way of saying it.

Her work, and her dedication to it, is inspiring.