 My name is Stella Jean and I'm a fashion designer. Through the Women's Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, I recently learned about the Mountain Partnership Product Initiative and I was introduced to the work of a group of women producers in Kyrgyzstan. These women live on what was once the Silk Road, the network of trade routes that enable cultural exchange between Asia and Europe for centuries. The Mountain Partnership has been working in mountains for the past 20 years, from the Himalayas to the Andes. It promotes projects that protect this majestic yet fragile ecosystem against the threats of climate change and degradation and build the resilience of mountain people. Many of whom are among the world's most marginalized. Kyrgyzstan is an almost entirely mountainous country that still resonates with ancient traditions. Historically, the Kyrgyz were semi-nomadic cultured breeders and some families continued that way of life today, living in herds decorated with felt carpets. Life can be hard in the mountains. But in Bashkou, in the Isikou region of Kyrgyzstan, a group of women came together in 2017 to form an artisan's group called Topchul. Using traditional Kyrgyz motifs, these mountain women create textiles, carpets, clothes, silk scarves and wall hangings. I wanted to collaborate with these women, bringing their heritage and know-how together with my creative skills and access to international fashion markets. I was planning to visit the country and meet the producers. But when COVID-19 struck, we all had to adapt and embrace change. Working virtually with my focal point and sample designer, Ada, who was locked down in a flat in Bishkek, we found a way to transform the traditional sheared-duck design into a contemporary way of making clothes. Next, we decided to incorporate felt, a traditional material in Kyrgyz culture. No matter the challenges, Ada worked with me to find the fabric and create the samples, which were then packed off to Italy. Once we confirmed the samples, the women in mountain areas produced the collection under Ada's guidance. This collaboration is about an equal exchange of skills and knowledge, combining traditional craftsmanship from Kyrgyzstan with Italian design, we also wanted to show how cultural heritage can be a driver of sustainable development. Through this partnership, the women are building their own economic autonomy, preserving their own traditions and at the same time gaining a place in the global markets. These women are the backbone of eco-sustainable fashion. Our collaboration has allowed us to create a collection that turned a supply chain into a value chain and to work once again on the Silk Road.