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Sustainable Fashion projects that need you!

Posted in news, the 'slow' movement on Tuesday, December 4th, 2012

Yesterday I spent the evening replying to emails I received from students and researchers, asking for help/collaboration on their projects related to their studies in fashion & sustainability. So far, I have been in touch with people from Journalism at Leeds Metropolitan University, Human Geography at LCF Nottingham University, a Textile MAA at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in British Columbia, Canada.

The latest request I got came via the Ethical Fashion Forum, and is still open, so I’m happy to spread the word here. Fellowship 500 member and Northumbria University postgraduate researcher Alana James is in the final stages of her PhD focusing on responsibly sourced fashion on the UK high street, from both the consumer and retailer perspectives. She explores the unique relationship between consumers and retailers and the methods used to convey brand values during the purchasing process. You can help Alana complete her research by undertaking a short survey which should take no more than 2-3 minutes. You will answer a few questions about what information you would like a high street retailer to disclose regarding their CSR policies, when shopping both in-store and online. Our position as consumers is extremely important (remember: we vote with our wallet every day!), so this is welcome research that I personally encourage you to take part in! Find the survey here.

If you’re a student or a researcher involved with fashion & ethics/sustainability, the place to be is definitely London College of Fashion’s Centre For Sustainable Fashion, directed by Dilys Williams and whose team includes names such as Sandy Black and Kate Fletcher (find their books here), Helen Storey and Caryn Franklin. I’ve also been in touch with some of the candidates of its MA Fashion and the Environment, and I have to say the quality of research is astounding – from Rachel Clowes ‘edible’ sequins (seen at Estethica in September, in collaboration with Junky Styling), to Vivienne Austin’s study of shoes, to Nina Walsh’s Fashion Activism project. You can take part in this one too:

But the one project I am really looking forward to is one that requires me – and you! – personally. As in: physically. This is a wonderful body of work carried out internationally and centred on my favourite aspect of Slow/sustainable fashion: upcycling. Katelyn Toth-Fejel (of Here Today Here Tomorrow and Dinners To Dye For) invited me to Local Wisdom, a project that aims at changing the way you think about, buy and wear fashion forever. Local Wisdom invites people to local venues for a community photoshoot gathering unique and moving stories about how they use and care for their clothing. On Wednesday 5 December 2012 the Local Wisdom team lands at London College of Fashion looking to unearth stories behind the clothes and the people that live in the fashion capital. 

Local Wisdom was conceived in 2009 by Dr Kate Fletcher, and has already interviewed hundreds of people about their very personal relationships with their most treasured garments.
Thanks to generous funding from the Leverhulme Trust Local Wisdom is set to go global in 2012-14, unearthing stories from people in cities across the world including Vancouver, New York, Melbourne, Wellington and London. Perhaps you live in one of the UK’s typical households, where on average, around 30% of a person’s wardrobe sits unused and unworn for at least a year, resulting in a massive £30 billion worth of unloved garments going to waste. Or maybe you’re amongst the growing number of people bucking the fast fashion trend and investing in alternative fashion experiences, in addition to shopping. You might be the proud owner of a treasured pair of jeans that you’ve never dared wash so as to keep their personalised look, or a dress that is shared and covetously passed around your sisters and aunts. If so then Local Wisdom wants to speak to you!

Local Wisdom celebrates the people who are finding riches and abundance within the limits of the stuff they already own. In tough economic times many are questioning whether our thirst for material
goods is actually making us happy? Evidence suggests that the ever increasing material rewards available to us can actually undermine our capacity to enjoy them, the challenge explored by Local Wisdom is how to pace consumption rather than maximise it. By making small changes in our day to day lives, be that extending the life of our clothes through customisation or developing an expert eye for second hand and vintage pieces, we each have the capacity to play our part in embedding cultural change by bringing sustainability to a human and achievable level.

I will be taking part. Still haven’t decided what to wear, but I have so many upcycled pieces… See you there?

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Shopping itinerary for an ethical Christmas – The Markets

Posted in news, shopping on Friday, November 30th, 2012

So this has now become a trilogy of blog posts – I had so much to report on boutiques’ and pop-up events that I had to write two blog posts for those (here and here)! Now let’s see just how long this one about the markets will turn out to be…

London has a great tradition for markets, but there’s literally a boom over the Christmas period, on every weekend or even weekday, and dotted around town. We love the location for the first one tomorrow (Saturday 1st December): Oxford Street! Smack bang in the heart of the high-street. Almost a guerrilla infiltration – let’s hope it works, and that some of those who have hit London’s busiest shopping area will be lured into buying something more unique and sustainably made. The Fair Christmas Fayre will take place from 11-6pm at The Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street (opposite BHS) and will showcase a number of Fairtrade, handmade, eco and vintage traders. One name for all: Arthur & Henry organic & Fairtrade men’s shirts. 

For the first time this year, TFCF have added a second location, the Horniman Museum in South London, for the weekend of 8th and 9th of December – 100 London Road, just a short walk from Forest Hill station. 

On Sunday, 2nd December the appointment is at The Garden Museum, hosting its first ever Winter Fair. As well as browsing through a host of desirable, affordable and sustainable gift ideas for the festive season, you can also enjoy coffee and cake in their delightful garden cafe and meander around the museum and knot garden. In keeping with the ethos of the venue, stall holders will be selling a variety of exciting original design: handmade, upcycled with reclaimed fabrics, Made in UK, Fairly traded, ethically produced. The choice will be huge, take a look at their catalogue and you’ll understand! 10.30am – 6.00pm, Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1 7LB. 

We Make London have organised a whole series of events. They started off last Thursday in Camden, and will continue with more events throughout December. Go there to meet favourite designer Bridget Harvey and her jewellery made of reclaimed wood.  

  

My home Walthamstow, E17 is host to a large group of artists, designers, makers and creatives of all sorts – the E17 Art Trail takes place every year in September and its calendar is so full that it has to spread over the course of 2 full weeks. And that’s not to mention the newly refurbished William Morris Gallery, the E17 Film Festival, and so on. Not surprisingly then, it will be buzzing with events at this time of year. Wood Street Market is actually open all year round, and will make for a pleasant location, since it’s actually a covered market, full of vintage stores like Forsaken Dreams and Gigi’s Dressing Room.

A few times a year, the E17 Designers collective also organise their local markets – and believe you me they are a treat. My favourite designer to be met there is Mia Sabel, who makes the most refined saddlery and leather work, including stationery that she can customise, like she’s recently done for the William Morris Gallery and Fortnum & Mason (she also does quality leather repairs: in the summer I had her do some work on three of my most used leather handbags, and I swear she added years of life to them). Find them tomorrow, Saturday 1st December, at the Asian Centre in Orford Road, The Village, Walthamstow. 

Well, that concludes my trilogy of posts for a Shopping itinerary for an ethical Christmas – however I have a fresh post to follow with details of events and offers related to ethical fashion books!

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Shopping itinerary for an ethical Christmas – The Stores, part 2

Posted in news on Thursday, November 29th, 2012

Thanks everyone for the great response to my latest blog post about shopping events at sustainable fashion boutiques around London. As well as lovely comments, a few more brands reached out to me to tell me about more events. At first, I thought I’d simply update the original post – which is already quite jam-packed with info! But I have so many updates, that I actually need to write another post altogether! Isn’t that great?

First up, it’s breaking news that übercool brand Lu-Flux have just been granted their own exclusive pop-up space in East London’s shopping heart, Spitalfields. The store will be open for one month only throughout this coming December. The shop will be the ultimate Lu Flux experience offering her new addition patchwork cushions to accessories including fox scarves and her AW12 ready to wear collection. The best part is that Lu will be manning the shop everyday which is a great excuse to pop down and grab a cup of tea with Lu herself. And have a look at the invitation below: it offers a 10% discount too! 

On Friday 7th December, Broadway market will be the place to be, for the collective event organised by 69b, Hub and Strut – some of London’s trendiest boutiques. 69b stocks exclusively directional sustainable womenswear, with a selection of all my favourite brands, some of which cannot be found anywhere else in London (Gudrun&Gudrun knits, anyone?). Hub also stocks some absolute favourites, like Veja and Nudie jeans. At Strut, you’ll find the best curated selection of pre-loved pieces by some of the edgier contemporary designer brands: if you’re looking for an original MMMargiela, forget about the H&M version and head here for an original from the 90s. With a good 20% off thrown in for good measure. 

(oh, and while in Broadway Market, do check out Unpackaged‘s new and improved location. The legendary Islington shop, famed for being the first to put forward a new model of grocery shopping that cuts packaging waste, have recently relocated to E8, and now have a cafe’ too)

If it’s pre-loved designer pieces you’re after, you certainly cannot miss the most talked-about pop-up event in Central London. The team behind destination boutique Darkroom let the news circulate to their contacts, that Starbucks were vacating their Lambs Conduit Street premises, and that the store was to become available to the most deserving project (there were submission guidelines and a full judging panel). This had to be a truly sought-after destination for anyone wanting to join the list of beautiful independent boutiques that make this small street one of London’s best shopping destinations. And the pop-up was awarded to The Designer Jumble Sale – yes, the one curated by Abigail Chisman, Vogue.com’s ex-Editor. Join them on Thursday 6th December for the official opening at 6pm. 

Another eclectic Central London pop-up space is being curated by Wired Magazine, and will present products, exhibits and demonstrations that celebrate the concept of the “New Industrial Revolution” – where creative thinking is meeting new technologies to inform manufacturing techniques, product customisation and smart business innovations. A selection of collaborators who embody the concept of the new industrial revolution will take over a number of pop-up units: among these, Hiut Denim 
will bring their expertly-crafted denim from west Wales to their own pop-up store to introduce audiences to the concept of the History Tag, which links each handmade product to a dedicated online log about its making and story. The Wired Pop-up Store will be open from Friday, November 30 through to Wednesday, December 5 at Quadrant Arcade, Regent Street, Greater London W1B 5HF.

When you leave the madness of Regent Street behind, you’ll probably want to head somewhere quieter. Just like Lambs Conduit Street, Bermondsey Street is a little gem entirely lined with independent boutiques, restaurants and artists’ hubs (as well as the Fashion and Textile Museum). Starting from tomorrow, they are curating a 12-day-of-Christmas collective offer and, to mark each day, a different shop, studio or restaurant is paying homage to the famous Christmas carol of the same name in their own individual style. Our favourite on the street is obviously the Susie Stone – Bespoke Womenswear studio, whose special night is on Friday 7th December: “We are channeling ’7 swans a swimming’ with a nod to swan lake-esque poise and glamour in our collection. We have made some beautiful party pieces for the Studio Range and have sourced special jewellery for that perfect Christmas gift”. 

To conclude, a reflection on the role of pop-ups in this article by Bloomberg’s Businessweek. See you tomorrow with news of Christmas Markets!

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Shopping itinerary for an ethical Christmas – The Stores, part 1

Posted in fashion, news, shopping on Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

Black Friday, Cyber Monday… in the last few days, we’ve all been absolutely swamped with offers and discounts, willing us to buy more, spend more. Bothered as we may be by these blatant pushes to reckless consumerism, a look at the calendar reminds us that today marks – deep breath – exactly 4 weeks to Christmas! And a certain amount of shopping is certainly on everybody’s cards. Only, it doesn’t have to be mindlessly consumeristic, nor mind-bogglingly stressful. Instead, this week we want the key words to be Ethical and Enjoyable.

So, I’ve drawn up a list of new pop-up openings, Christmas themed evenings and other stylish happenings, all organised by my favourite sustainable brands. And it’s not all – follow tomorrow’s blog post for a list of weekend markets with an ethical twist.

With excellent seasonal timing, knitwear brand Lowie are opening their first store – not a pop-up, but a real-life, brick-and-mortar location that’s there to stay, in the lovely Herne Hill area. The launch party is this Wednesday, 28 November, details below: 

Over in Portobello, Danaqa is a quirky boutique with many ranges of gorgeous and strictly ethical accessories. On both the 29th of November and 5th of December, from 6pm until 9pm Danaqa will be open, and offering special prices too. And if you cannot make it, don’t forget to do your shopping at www.danaqa.com and use the discount coupon ‘ChristmasCheer’. 

West London is also home to Henrietta Ludgate‘s own Work-Shop (inside the Whiteleys shopping centre). On Tuesday 4 December, 7-10pm, the boutique will present a limited edition of 200 luxury scarves, special one-off collaboration between Sam Birch and Henrietta Ludgate, each one individually hand signed and numbered by the artists. Limited edition Giclée prints on fine art paper will also be available on the night, with 15% of the profits donated to charity. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, they will be serving mulled wine, spiced cider, and a selection of exciting home made canapés. 

Henrietta Ludgate is a regular host to great events at her Work-Shop. Only last week, The Good Wardrobe had their launch night there. The Good Wardrobe is an online style-sharing community hub created by Slow Fashion advocate Zoe Robinson. It mixes the best of sustainable fashion with services that prolong the life of a wardrobe. The idea was born out of the increasing demand for affordable sustainable style, the positive impact of personal creativity, the desire to promote local and ethical industries. (photo credit: Susanne Hakuba)

If you’re interested in taking part in the project, their next event is on Friday 30 November at Atelier Tammam. A similar location, the home of an ethical fashion designer who is always happy to open its doors to stylish and fun initiatives – remember our Vogue Fashion’s Night Out back in September? The evening is cheekily themed around the ‘A dress that’s not just for Christmas’ concept, and will be a perfect shopping opportunity, with brands such as Outsider, Nancy Dee, Lucina Puro by Tammam, Ruby and Eve, A.Alicia and Frilly by Lily taking part. Meet the designers and benefit from their styling expertise as they show you how a few select pieces will last you the festive season and beyond.

Also, swing by Atelier Tammam this Wednesday 28, 6.30-8.30pm for an exclusive try-on session with new brand Andrea Paul – she makes the finest dresses, ideal for the office. Maybe not on top of your Christmas shopping list, but you’ll thank me for this tip come January!

In trendy Dalston, Here Today Here Tomorrow are offering a series of fun Crafty Christmas workshops on Monday evenings, where participants will learn crafty skills to create hand sewn and sequined Christmas decorations, perfect for the tree or as gifts. But HTHT is home to a collective of amazing designers and brands, and if it’s some gorgeous ethical fashion you’re after, they will be open on Sundays for four weeks, starting on the 25th November 11am-4pm – and on the weekend of the 15th and 16th of December, they are doing an extra special offer: 10% off everything in store! 

I also have news of some great pop-up stores!

You may remember I already blogged about a few pop-ups in October, some of which will be open throughout the Christmas period. A welcome addition is soon to be found in Sloane Square (which might sound like an unlikely area for small brands, but read this past post I wrote in September about a number of sustainable finds in this part of town). Pants To Poverty are opening The Loom, The Stitch and Wardrobe in Pavilion Road from 5 December to 5 January. The shop will act as the brand’s flagship, bringing the ethical story of Pants to Poverty: From Cotton To Bottom to life with cotton plants, spindles, looms and sewing machines, vibrant vegetation and videos from farmers and their communities in India as well as photography of models in the cotton fields. 

Another pop-up I’m very happy to advertise is by Antiform – this might be in Leeds and not in London, but I think it deserves a mention as it’s looking striking! A collaboration between two of Leeds’ most unique home-grown brands – Antiform and Dots Printhaus – Made In Leeds Pop Up will be bringing the best of locally made clothing and accessories to an exciting new pop up shop in the city’s iconic Corn Exchange. The collaboration is part of the wider ‘Made in Leeds’ initiative in a association with Hebe Media that aims to animate and promote the fashion and textiles industry in the Leeds City Region. With special events and offers celebrating local production throughout the month, the Made in Leeds pop-up shop will run from Saturday 24 November to Saturday 22 of December, open Monday – Saturday from 10-6pm and 10.30-4.30pm on Sundays. (and if you are not planning a quick trip to Leeds, Antiform are stocked with our friends Here Today Here Tomorrow, mentioned above!) 

Last but not least, this is the event I’m looking forward to the most – as Rewardrobe will be part of it! Organised by forward online magazine The Urban Times, Bid For Better will take place on Thursday 13 December, and it promises to be the most stylish culmination of a Christmas shopping season with ethics firmly at its heart! This is not a strictly speaking shopping event – rather, a charity silent auction where guests will be able to bid on one-off or limited edition pieces by some of the best and most renowned sustainable fashion brands out there, with all proceeding going to the Environmental Justice Foundation, for their campaigns promoting human rights and an end to environmental abuses in the cotton industry. There will also be a chance to speak to thought-leaders in the industry, such as fashion designers Ada Zanditon and Olwen Bourke and filmmaker Leah Borromeo (whose documentary Dirty White Gold I introduced in my latest blog post). Rewardrobe will be there offering style advice – you will be able to book mini one-to-one consultations. More soon in a dedicated blog post! 

Doesn’t it all sound fab? I promised you at the beginning of this post that it was going to be Ethical and Enjoyable and I think I kept my word there. If you go to any of these events, I would love to leave your comments below!

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Ethical Fashion Pop-Ups!

Posted in news, shopping on Thursday, October 25th, 2012

One of the services I offer my clients is Personal Shopping, but not of the ‘let’s go down Oxford Street and hit all the high-street stores’ kind. I always try to suggest pieces by ethical/sustainable brands, but the challenge is that it’s not easy to hit the shops and find them all in ‘bricks and mortar’ spaces. But then there’s private sales events, for which I can get myself and clients an invitation, and the great invention of pop-up shops, which luckily spring up quite regularly in London.

And October really is the perfect time for a real ethical fashion (or early Christmas gifts) bonanza, with three of them all open at the same time! (nb: hurry to the first one of the list, it’ll be gone after the weekend!)

Pure Thread, Shoreditch 

British shoppers with a conscience and an eye for fashion get the opportunity to touch, feel and buy into the world’s hottest sustainable style brands. Jocelyn Whipple, leading light of Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge joins with Jill Heller of New York’s Pure Thread to host this exclusive event. Finally British shoppers get a chance to try exquisite ethical brands from Kami Organic to Stewart & Brown, Henrietta Ludgate to Beautiful Soul. “Brands proving to the world that ethics and chic can go together. Brands that are helping to redefine ethical fashion across the world” explain Joss & Jill about their selection.

Collections/brands for sale: An exclusive edit of sustainable style from Autumn Winter 12 collections by Ada Zanditon, Altheane, Anna Louca, Beautiful Soul, Bottletop, Charini, L’herbe Rouge, Loomstate 321, Komodo, From Somewhere, Henrietta Ludgate, Izzy Lane, Junky Styling, Les Racines Du Ciel, Minna, Organic Leather, Panchachuli, Popomomo, Privatsachen, Raffauf Rainwear, Sonya Kashmiri, Still, Kami, Stewart+Brown, Sweet Blossom, Studio Jux, Front Row Society, Right as Rain.

Pure Thread – 67 Old Street, London EC1V 9HW - 8-26 October - daily from 10am – 6pm, Sunday by appointment.

JUST by EJF, Soho 

Just by EJF at 46 Carnaby Street is the destination to shop with a guilt-free conscience and green your wardrobe this autumn with designer, organic, fairly traded, climate-neutral cotton t-shirts. All profits from the t-shirts go to UK charity Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). It is also the new home for EJF’s exclusive Vivienne Westwood War/Peace t-shirt which has been designed to raise awareness of EJF’s No Place Like Home campaign for climate refugees. Building on Vivienne Westwood’s ongoing passion and advocacy for highlighting the issue of climate change, the popular War/Peace t-shirt supports EJF’s ‘No Place Like Home’ campaign for climate refugees which is calling for legal recognition, protection and assistance for those who have been forced from their homes and land due climate related natural hazards such as floods and storms. EJF also teamed up with Cool Earth, the charity that protects endangered rainforests in partnership with indigenous communities to help fight climate change. Their exquisitely crafted seed jewellery made by indigenous tribes in Northern Peru is on sale as well as a Vivienne Westwood scarf created for Cool Earth, of which 100% of the profits go to protecting over an acre of rainforest in Peru. Just by EJF will also be selling ‘new’ exclusive designer organic t-shirts by From Somewhere, Martina Spetlova and Eley Kishimoto as well as styles from previous collections including Katharine Hamnett, John Rocha, Allegra Hicks, Alice Temperley and Christian Lacroix.

Just by EJF – t 46 Carnaby Street - Monday – Wednesday: 10.30am – 7.00pm, Thursday – Saturday: 10.30am – 8.00pm, Sundays: 11.30am – 6.00pm

Fine Cell Work, Mayfair 

Fine Cell Work is a social enterprise that trains prisoners in paid, skilled, creative needlework – undertaken in the long hours spent in their cells – to foster hope, discipline and self esteem. This helps them to connect to society and to leave prison with the confidence and financial means to stop offending. In 2011 Fine Cell Work worked in 29 prisons with 490 prisoners and 75% of the stitchers are men. Prisoners earn approximately 37% of the sale price and there is around 100 hours in each of our products. At their pop-up at 5 Grosvenor Street, Fine Cell Work sell exquisite needlepoint and embroidered home furnishings as well as a delightful range of home and fashion accessories. Celebrated designers such as Nicky Haslam, John Stephanidis, Cath Kidston, Emily Peacock and Daisy de Villeneuve have created and donated designs for cushions and witty shopping bags which are painstakingly stitched by prisoners. The products are beautiful, desirable and of the highest quality. The shop also displays some recent commissions that Fine Cell Work undertakes as bespoke projects for interior designers and private clients including tapestry, upholstered chairs, patchwork quilts, dedicated wedding gifts etc.

Fine Cell Work - 5 Grosvenor Street, London W1K 4DJ - 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday

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LFW trend report: Estethica

Posted in fashion, news on Sunday, September 16th, 2012

Yesterday I spent my first day at London Fashion Week. Obviously, my main interest is to see all the new collections by all the great designers of sustainable fashion who, season after season, are gaining a more prominent position. Naturally, then, Estethica is always my first stop.

While I was there chatting with the designers, I had a couple of conversations about how I feel it’s important that ethical fashion is communicated just like mainstream fashion – so that it gets picked up by fashion journalists and critics. And trend reporters.

I belong to the latter category, and have a trained eye to analyse recurring patterns within collections. One of the details I picked up yesterday at Estethica were the fluo colours – from Maxjenny‘s usual mix of maxi-pixelled neon prints, to Henrietta Ludgate‘s trademark hot pink. But what really grabbed my eye was the frequent appearance of accents of neon yellow (see: Honest by, Ada Zanditon, White Tent).

Then last night I was catching up with reports from all the shows of Day 1 and 2, and flicked through London Fashion Week’s official website photos of Somerset House ‘streetstyle’ – i.e. what the fashion crowd are sporting at the minute. And neon yellow made a strong appearance there.

Need any more proof that designers who produce ethically and sustainably are first and foremost talented, original, innovative and bang on trend? Look no further.

 

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Sustainable fashion infiltrates London’s main shopping areas: King’s Road

Posted in fashion, news, shopping on Tuesday, September 11th, 2012

I took a stroll down the King’s Road today, to organise a shopping itinerary for a client. Obviously, I’ll try and mix in as many Slow fashion brands or pieces as possible into a shopping consultation, so I was keeping my eyes open for anything in this area today. I am glad to report I did find a little something to show that sustainable fashion really is (slowly, and no pun intended) infiltrating the high street.

First of all, I popped into Hoss Intropia. Hoss is a Spanish brand with 3 stores in major London areas (Sloane Square, Regent Street, Covent Garden) and does have a sustainable direction.  You can read more about their Corporate Social Responsibility here. They have recently launched a limited edition collection, in collaboration with Spanish organisation Fabrics For Freedom, whose aim is to “raise awareness of the importance of responsible textile consumption, promoting ecological and natural textile fibers, supporting and encouraging the making from social projects and / or sustainable as a tool for social transformation”. More info about the World Selection here, and a couple of snaps from the Sloane Square boutique:

Moving further down the road, I found out italian brand Stefanel have finally opened a standalone store in London. I don’t have precise information about the yarns they use (the brand is famous for its beautiful knitwear) or where they produce, but I had recently read about their eco cashmere collection, and I was happy to find it on display in the shop.

I also took a quick snap at the Muji window. The whole theme was addressed to back-to-uni students, so it’s nice to see they are targeting a young and not rich market and introducing the idea that organic cotton can be ‘everyday’ and affordable. (Muji also have a well developed sustainability policy, and have used organic cotton and reclaimed yarn regularly in their collections.)

I didn’t manage to take any more pictures, but there are two more brands with stores on the King’s Road worth mentioning.

The first one is Timberland, which did have their Earthkeepers line advertised in the window – and is a generally very committed and forward company when it comes to sustainability.

The other is Monsoon, full members of the Ethical Trading Initiative. They produce their L.O.V.E. collection, a blend of contemporary design with Indian hand crafts and organic fabrics, evoking memories of Monsoon’s strong ethnic heritage, made from recycled saris, tie&dying, bandini and hand embroidery – and have sponsored Estethica since its start. A few days from London’s Fashion Week, this is worth a mention: looking forward to seeing their new line at Somerset House on Friday!

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Rewardrobe styling at Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out event!

Posted in events on Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

It’s Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out! The hottest international fashion event, just ahead of London Fashion Week, and Rewardrobe have been invited to style the warm-up party, at Atelier Tammam.

I have the pleasure to invite all my readers to a relaxed evening of style, beauty, music and sustainable shopping. I will be offering taster styling sessions, so if you’ve been curious about what a Rewardrobe consultation could do for you, this is the perfect occasion to meet me in person and ask me all the questions you want.

Atelier Tammam will be hosting the ultimate Fashion Night Out warm-up event on Thursday September 6th. Starting at 5pm, the party will boast a list of services essential to add last-minute perfection and finishes to such a special night’s outfit, as well as drinks, nibbles and music to keep guests entertained while they browse the sustainable accessories especially selected for the evening, and have their hair and make-up done.

Atelier Tammam was recently opened in the heart of Bloomsbury, at 5 Hasting Street, a central location near the British Library and St. Pancras, which also retains the charm of a more intimate setting. Guests are invited to start their FNO itinerary there, before collecting their gift of vouchers worth over £150 and catching the convenient shuttle services Green Tomato Cars are providing to the FNO hotspots of Covent Garden or Bond Street.

While at Atelier Tammam, guests will enjoy styling advice by Rewardrobe, last minute alterations by Nanna Sandom of Splendid Stitches, and hair and make up touch-up sessions (vintage and modern options) by Mark Alexander and Kitty Vintage at Suedey Salon next door to the Atelier.

The evening will naturally have music entertainment with live performances and a soundtrack provided by Broken Hearts DJs, complimentary vegan cocktails featuring Sailor Jerry’s Rum, and nibbles by guilt-free PopChips and Conscious Chocolates.

But this is first and foremost a fashion evening, so Atelier Tammam have selected a range of conscious accessories for guests to discover. They will display the Atelier’s own Lucina Puro by Tammam luxury silk accessories collection, lingerie by Who Made Your Pants? and one-of-a-kind jewellery creations by Linnie McLarty. All topped off with a dab of natural scent from The Perfume Garden.

I would be delighted if you wanted to join me on this special night. And if you’d like to book a mini-consultation, please do so here: http://ateliertammamfno.simplybook.me/index/about

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Sustainable jewellery at Boticca.com

Posted in fashion, shopping on Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

As part of my industry-led consultancy services, I am currently carrying out a market research for a jewellery brand, who are aiming to explore the London market. This has led to some interesting learnings for me, and to finding out a lot more than I already knew about jewellery designers and retailers.

Naturally, I always work with an eye to sustainability, and I’ve been positively noticing how many jewellery designers have this in mind, and how successful they are being at being stocked and showcased by major retailers.

One such retailer is Boticca.com, which presents a truly vast and wonderfully curated selection of accessories. Headquartered in London, Boticca.com is a global online destination for unique jewellery, bags and fashion accessories, creating a unique experience of international discovery by connecting fashion-forward customers directly with top independent designers and brands from all over the world. The globetrotting style hunting team has handpicked more than 260 emerging designers from over 40 countries. The site now offers a selection of over 6,500 pieces in its marketplace, which is curated and edited to illustrate the culture, stories and inspiration behind each of the collections on the site.

Below, some examples of the great pieces I found:

Ines Susaeta - Cliffs of different shores provide the main raw material and inspiration for the jewellery. Cliffs, eroded by the wind and the sea, offer a wide variety of shapes and unique textures. Inés selects one by one exclusive stones and the most special textures for her jewels. As Inés uses raw materials provided by nature to produce jewellery, she is committed to contributing to the preservation and care of the environment. She devolves 1% of annual net sales to 1% For The Planet, an environmental group working on the awareness and improvement of corporate responsibility in the business community.

Saloukee – “For years I have created traditional metal jewellery models in paper, as preparation for larger works. It was at this point that I realised that I loved working with the malleable, ephemeral nature of paper of the models, much more than the metals which had made the final outcomes. My unique use of materials enables me to create amazingly innovative, wearable, statement jewellery, precious to each and every wearer. All pieces are handcrafted in my London studio”

Caipora Jewellery - Caipora presents the best Brazilian designers & ethically produced jewellery. All unique, intriguing and gorgeous pieces that embrace sustainability principles and strive towards a better relationship between the environment and the people. Each design has its own story and ideals.

Linnie Mclarty - Award-winning designer and artist-jeweller Linnie Mclarty launched her own company in 2009, producing the unique sculptural jewellery that made her a finalist in the nominations for LJW ‘Jewellery Designer of the Year’ 2011, and recently won her the John Paul Dejoria Award for Excellence. Linnie tries to work ethically and responsibly: she is one of the first licensees worldwide of certified Fairtrade, Fairmined Ecological gold, from which 15% of the bullion price is guaranteed to go towards ensuring a fair wage for the miners as well as funding the development of schools, healthcare, fresh water and mid-wives in the mining dependant villages. No chemicals are used in the extraction of the ore, and no child-labour is involved. Linnie also works in 100% recycled silver and uses ethically and responsibly sourced gemstones with a transparent and traceable supply chain. All pieces are hand made in her London studio. She tries to ensure that the story behind her jewellery is equally as lovely as the jewellery itself.

Gina Melosi – “Initially I used glass in its rough and rugged state, more for its physical characteristics and socio-political connotations than for its clarity and gem-like aesthetics. While technically wearable, my glass shard jewellery is not for the faint-hearted. So I sought to alchemise those pieces into a luxurious, fashion-forward collection in precious metal inspired by broken glass fragments. The result is SHATTERED fragments, my directional debut collection for A/W 2011-2012. It is cast directly from shards of glass into recycled metals and set with fair-trade gemstones. Although my work is design-led, I believe environmental practice should be an integral part of this process.”

Michelle Oh – “I take inspiration from curious organic sources to create statement pieces that redefine luxury, challenging concepts of preciousness and presenting it in a new and raw fashion.Wherever possible I try to use ethically sourced materials. Every piece is lovingly hand crafted by me in my studio in London.”

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Not to miss: A Dinner To Dye For this Saturday

Posted in news on Thursday, May 31st, 2012

For those who are interested in Slow Fashion, London does offer a number of event and experiences. Few are as sophisticated and sensorial as this one.

The Dinner to Dye For is a horticultural, culinary and textile experience all in one.

The afternoon workshop starts with a guided foraging walk around Hackney City Farm and continues with bubbling pots of natural colour and a lesson in the rare art of transforming flowers, bark, leaves, and roots into brilliant natural colour on cloth.

In the evening, a three course meal with drinks will be served, using the same plants as seen in the dye baths, for a celebration of foods that are seasonal and foraged. The menu is created by Chef Beatrice Ferrante, and will be served on stylish ceramic tableware specially designed by artist, Owen Wall.

Dinners to Dye For are presented as an eco literacy project of the Permacouture Institute, an organisation with the mission of integrating clothing and textiles into the ecological landscape. By offering an uncommon multi sensory experience of these plants the event also builds a bridge between the well-known sustainable food movement and the more unusual realm of sustainable fashion and textiles.

The Permacouture Institute is an educational charity founded and co-directed in San Francisco by Sasha Duerr with UK projects coordinated by Katelyn Toth-Fejel. Katelyn is also a member of the Dalston based shop and sustainable design collective, Here Today Here Tomorrow and works for the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion.

The workshop and dinner take place Saturday 2 June 2012, 3:00 – 8:00pm, at Hackney City Farm, Straw Bale Room 1a Goldsmiths Row, London E2 8QA. Tickets for workshop, meal and drinks are £45.

Reserve a seat by emailing katelyn@permacouture.org

 

For more images of past events see www.permacouturepress.tumblr.com.

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