Working From Home tells the overlooked stories of Vietnamese outworkers in Australia and celebrates their contributions to the fashion industry. The book melds journalism, illustration and oral history to explore personal stories of workers who made a living sewing from lounge rooms and back yards.
Alongside stories of sacrifice are tales of business savvy and pride in craftsmanship. For the Vietnamese migrants who arrived with no English skills and few job prospects, holding down a backyard sewing operation while raising a family was no mean feat. Working From Home also explains the origins of outwork, along with the economic conditions that create a shadow workforce.
Working From Home was made in Narrm (Melbourne) by Emma Do and Kim Lam.