May 22nd, 2010 by Rachel | Tags: Anthropology, Corporation, Etsy, Material Culture, Shopping | No Comments »
As the sun rose above the mountains of the Luberon region, a region in Provence, wind bringing in a fresh breeze drifted through the narrow streets where open air markets stand every Saturday morning . I went up to a vendor and on this table with blue leather cloth over it, there were beautiful purses, wallets, shoes, and belts all handmade utilizing leather. “Bonjour monsieur! Ca va?” I asked how the salesperson was doing. He greeted me with a big smile and asked me how I was doing too. Then he said, “I have your wallet ready!” He recognized me instantly and knew why I was at his table. On a previous Saturday, I told him that I was looking for a turquoise wallet. While he did not have one available, he told me that he can make one and have it ready by the following Saturday. He handed it to me, and I felt instant gratification.
Seeing the wallet in my favorite color was not my only reason to be delighted, but also knowing who made the wallet is what made the item so special. When I handed my money to the salesperson who also made the wallet, I had a sense of comfort knowing where the money was exactly going and that I am paying well to the person who made the wallet and is living a decent lifestyle. This salesperson lives in Orange town in Provence where the architecture is beautiful.
When I purchase a wallet from Target or Macy’s or Dillard’s, I never know and will never know who is the person who put the wallet together and what is the condition of their life…
While the US lacks in open air markets where we can buy directly from people who make the products, there are online shops where we can purchase items directly from independent artists:
