KOCHI: Kochi-based sociopreneur Ramesh Menon has been named as one of the 100 top innovators of 2024 by by Vogue Business. The list features 100 tech masterminds, sustainability leaders, entrepreneurs, beauty pioneers, and industry changemakers.
“I was named under ‘Entrepreneurs and Agitators’ category,” says Ramesh, founder of Save The Loom and One Zero Eight. “The recognition couldn’t have come at a better time as we are entering the sixth year of Save The Loom. I am elated and humbled at this honour of being listed among the global elite who are shaping the fashion industry.”
Ramesh believes this is a recognition for leading a social movement and change agency that started in the wake of the devastating flood of 2018 and its impact on traditional craft clusters and artisans. “It is also a victory for every weaver and artisan who hopes for a better future for handmade goods,” he says.
Vogue Business highlights Ramesh’s faith in India’s craft heritage and his dedication to advocating for the artisanal community. His efforts to launch a pop-up store for designers using handloom textiles at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which eventually found a permanent home in a heritage building at Fort Kochi, were also noted by the magazine’s editorial board.
“This space now collaborates with over 40 designers and has become a must-visit destination for tourists,” says Ramesh.