Rachana Suri is the founder and designer of Accessuri.com, a luxury fashion line that prides itself in following only the highest ethical fashion principles. Rachana is an ex-ad exec who has stressed the importance of ethics in consumerism. She believes that our spending habits have a much larger impact on the world around us than we realize, and encourages socially responsible spending. Rachana has worked hard to put the spotlight on the issue of human/labor trafficking and even dedicates a portion of Accessuri’s profits to ending human/labor trafficking. She founded Accessuri.com to prove that designing socially responsible clothing does not mean sacrificing style and luxury.

1. What does fashion mean to you? Fashion to me is more about how I feel about myself. That means how an outfit can bring out my personality, or remind me of places I have visited. I do not like brand names just for the name; I do enjoy anything that is well-made, timeless, and fashionable. My favorite pieces are from traveling around Europe; I have pieces that are still so hot 10 years later.
2. What do you hope to bring to Tampa Bay’s fashion scene? A sense of strength amongst women. I would love for women to buy/spend their money on supporting other women, our local communities, etc. It used to be that this type of ethical fashion may not be so fashionable. I want to show that we can use organic fabrics, fair labor, support local communities, and raise awareness for human trafficking all the while looking glamorous, sexy, and fashionable.
3. What matters to you the most as a designer? I really like pieces that one feels comfortable in, accents their assets, all the while being a piece that you enjoy wearing and come back to often.
4. What makes your line unique? My line is about being a “rockanrolla” and about being glamorous, while doing good. I use a lot of mixed materials to create unique outlines that accentuate the female figure. The designs are simple so they can easily be manufactured locally.
5. You are active in creating awareness in ending human/labor trafficking, and a portion of each purchase from your line goes towards preventing this. How do you hope to continue making a difference with this cause? I want to continue to create awareness about human/labor trafficking. How we spend our money directly correlates to the world we want to create. You can spend your money with companies whose sole purpose profits at the exploitation of others, or you can spend money with companies who are trying to replenish the world. I would like to see a paradigm shift in people’s minds as to how much power their money has. The only way to show your voice in this modern time is how you spend your money. It’s your only true vote, use it wisely.

~Stephanie