Abstract

The article is a case study of a fashion house in South India, which has successfully and uniquely melded its business with social and environmental responsibilities in a spiritual and productive way, while producing a range of textile products. The fashion designer of this organization tells us that the attires are an expression of spirituality and divine consciousness. All activities are aligned with this philosophy. For example, organic raw materials for a particular fashion line are sourced from struggling farmers. In another instance, a range of products are produced using indigent weavers who work with a languishing craft skill. Dolls made by impoverished rural women from cloth scraps became an effective healing tool as well as a branding strategy for the fashion house. The creation of fashion here is not guided solely by the generation of profits for the organization but also by creating shared benefits along the value chain for its stakeholders in a conscious manner. This holistic approach to business is what, the authors feel, would be increasingly required in future and, thus, possibly represents a new operating paradigm for business enterprises around the world. Thus this article will examine the interlinked notions of shared value, conscious business and spirituality using a case study from India.