Nomi Network's Project Beauty: A Different Kind of Photo Shoot

This past August, nine Nomi Network team members had the privilege of venturing off to Cambodia to visit our partner facilities and to strengthen our work there. The group leveraged its own network of family and friends to raise funding for the trip. During our second Project Beauty photo shoot, we lavished the women who create our products with makeovers and new clothes. With the help of five volunteer photographers, we returned with priceless snapshots of women whose lives are being restored and whose smiles have continued to inspire us even upon returning home to the United States.

Project Beauty initially began as a spontaneous photo shoot, where Supei Liu, Nomi’s Lead Product Developer VP of Commerce, desired to give the women a comprehensive overview of the fashion industry, including the importance of seasonal look books and product photo shoots when generating sales opportunities. Throughout the initial photo shoot, the women involved gained knowledge of artful product photography as well as personal confidence. The first shoot involved four women, all of whom volunteered to model the products that they had helped sew or produce. Inspired by an interest in learning more about the fashion industry, they became aware of their position to help their own social enterprise gain exposure. When we presented them each with copies of their photographs, we saw and heard them express their excitement and delight, and the full potential of this photo shoot becoming a treasured experience was realized. It had boosted their confidence and made them feel beautiful and special, and we wanted to give them so much more than that; beyond feeling pampered for a day, we wanted to unlock their potential on every level, demonstrating that they could try something new with confidence. We wanted them to know that they are worthy of affection, encouragement and the even the spotlight.

Project Beauty is now one Nomi’s formal initiatives, where we provide participating women with new clothes, hairdos and makeovers as well as a time of laughter, learning, and building safe and supportive relationships with Nomi team members. Our project gives participants a chance to feel beautiful from the inside and out. This summer we completed our second Project Beauty photo shoot, using various locations both indoors and outdoors and increasing the number of women involved. Some “veterans” returned fierce and ready for the camera while new participants giggled shyly as their pictures were being taken. Each woman kept the clothes that they modeled and were given other items donated by Nomi Network supporters and clothing companies in the United States.

We worked together effectively and efficiently as a team and executed the entire photo shoot in only two and a half hours. We were amazed that after only a couple of hours together, laughing, walking hand in hand and chatting with the women, we felt as though all of our friendships had been significantly deepened and strengthened. These memorable images of the women holding our Buy Her Bag Not Her Body® products will be celebrated in our next product Look Book.

Nomi Network is proud to develop and distribute products that help support the livelihood and future of these beautiful women – our dear friends.

- Lisa Kim & Alissa Moore