THE CUT - FINAL MAJOR PROJECT - DESIGN

THE CUT

MAY 2012 £4.50 www.thecut.com

FASHION INDUSTRY FOCUSED

LOUISE WILSON AND HER 2012 GRADUATES

THECUTMAGAZINE 01

ETHICAL SPECIAL

CONTENTS 6 13 14 18 20 23 24 27 28 31 32 34 37 38 41 43 48

NEWS ROUND UP Breakdown of key stories of the last month.

TECH: PINTEREST The latest technology trend, Pinterest.

THE CUT INTERVIEW: LOUISE WILSON We meet Central Saint Martins star maker.

STYLE SCHOOL Alex Longmore nurtures the stylists of the future.

TRENDWATCH: AW12 Next season’s top trends.

FUTURE FOCUS: SS13 The trends for the future season.

SPECIAL: ETHICAL FASHION Our special issue focuses on ethical fashion.

SPECIAL: MINNA On why you shouldn’t label yourself as ethical.

SPECIAL: JUNKY STYLING GUIDE TO UPCYCLING Upcycling brand give us their top tips.

SPECIAL: TOP UPCYCLING BLOGS Our selection of the best DIY blogs and how to use.

SOURCE SPOT: BEYOND RETRO We profile the vintage superbrand.

BEHIND THE LENS: MALIA JAMES The Californian photographer talks to The Cut. STYLIST SAYS Alexis Knox reveals her top photographers.

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND: GRUNGE Analysis of the recurring musical trend.

HOW TO STYLE MUSIC Styling tips for music related shoots or videos.

FASHION IN PHOTOS Our super stylish shoot of ethical items WHERE ARE THEY NOW Trends at different stages of their fashion cycle.

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THE CUT // CONTENTS

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elcome! I am pleased to introduce you to the first edition of The Cut, the trend analysis and future fashion publication for industry professionals and obsessives.

T his issue is dedicated to the growing trend effecting every sector. From production to distribution, it’s about making fashion ethical. The industry is going green so prepare for a real push towards sustainability such as ecofriendly fabrics, ethical working conditions, recycling and upcycling. The shield is down and consumers are more conscientious about who made their clothes, what they are made from and where they were made.

Our in-depth feature on page 24 will give you an insight into the ethical fashion industry with information from industry body, the Ethical Fashion Forum. On page 27 we spoke to eco-luxe brand owner, Minna Hepburn, about why labelling yourself as ethical can actually cause problems and we continue on page 28 with Junky Styling giving us a guide to upcycling.

The Cut has Central Saint Martins’ Louise Wilson on board for the first The Cut Interview on page 14 and we meet two of her 2012 graduates on page 17.

Another starmaker, nurturing the next generation of stylists, is Alex Longmore who discusses her Style School on page 18. The Cut is passionate about new, upcoming talent and these ladies are key players in developing a strong industry of the future.

The team and I hope you enjoy this launch issue and would appreciate any feedback.

Email me at EDITOR@THECUTMAG.CO.UK with what you’ve liked as well as what you haven’t so we can give you a resource you will love.

Helen Archard The Cut Editor

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THE CUT // EDITOR’S LETTER

EDITOR’S LETTER W

EXAMPLES OF FEATURE DESIGN

MINNA: BEING ETHICALSHOULD NoT DEFINE YOUR BRAND

MINNA HEPBURN AT ELLE STYLE AWARDS 2011

The owner of the prestigious ethical brand, Minna, tells us why she won’t let the term define her label and that fashion always comes first.

“

Ethical can be a negative term.

The retailers and press love it but it has got to be the product that sells,” begins Finnish designer Minna Hepburn, founder of eco-luxe label Minna.

She has a point. The words ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’ conjure up images of monotonous design and unflattering shape only justified because of their good moral fibre.

Even though there is so much quality, interesting and on trend design, which is still in keeping with ethical guidelines, this area of the market hasn’t yet fully shifted the sturdy misconception.

“A lot of the Fashion Week designers are ethical but they’re not shouting about it. Ethical shouldn’t be the selling point it should just be part of your brand,” she says.

Minna falls under the category of ethical fashion due to their general use of locally sourced fabrics, reducing the carbon

footprint, plus ethical production, manufacture and recycling. However, she is passionate that that is not all the label is about. “Fashion brands should be fashion led, fashion focused and, above all, commercial,” Minna continues.

As we’ve shown you in this issue, the attitude of the market and consumers are changing and Minna agrees. “Consumers are beginning to think about how harmful the clothing industry is and how disposable it is,” she says. “It should be about educating the consumer and what they’re interested in is how they can dress well and be ethical at the same time.”

Minna is stocked worldwide as well as widely online showing that a brand with an ethical base need not stick to a niche market.

Before launching her eponymous label in 2008, Minna experienced the fast fashion phenomenon first hand with a

concession at Topshop that gave her an insight into how disposable fashion can be.

The Minna brand was born after she found some antique lace at a market and traced it back to Scotland to the manufacturing company. In this romantic tale, this fabric has inspired their future collections and the manufacturers have worked closely with their collaborations.

“I wanted to focus on building a brand and something that hasn’t been done before. I have a niche product and strong customer base,” said Minna.

Strong in both bridal and childrenswear markets, Minna is growing as an all over lifestyle brand. Popular amongst the press, Minna’s products feature in consumer glossies like Vogue, Elle, Red and Cosmpolitan. Minna also won the Elle Style Awards 2011 in Finland.

For more information, visit www.minna.co.uk

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THE CUT // ETHICAL SPECIAL: MINNA

ETHICAL SPECIAL

THE CUT // SOURCE SPOT: BEYOND RETRO

SOURCE SPOT: Whether it’s something special for a shoot or a unique prop there are plenty of Aladdin’s caves, bursting with hidden gems.

This issue’s source spot is vintage legend, Beyond Retro.

B

eginning life in a disused dairy in East London nearly a decade ago, Beyond Retro, is on the brink of global notoriety, taking the energy of the capital’s vintage fashion scene with it.

Offering the cream of the crop to consumers, industry, press and top trendsetters, this multiple is a market leader and engulfs a lifestyle with its strong sense of London. The eclectic brand commands high media attention with fashion focused celebrity shoppers including Florence Welch, Alexa Chung, Pete Doherty and Paloma Faith and it’s one off pieces regularly seen adding a touch of classic to press editorial shoots.

The original concept was created by a Canadian couple who fell in love with London and opened the original Brick Lane site. Having since expanded across the city to open stores in Dalston and Soho, plus further East in Brighton, BR have also taken off internationally in Sweden.

Now a honey pot for trendsetters, BR’s brand image screams individuality and it is this which makes it a prime location for sourcing items for professional and personal use. Every exquisite piece

is shipped in from the USA and out of every 500 items, only one reaches their stores to ensure that only the best vintage items are presented.

“The details, shapes and prints are so unique that you’ll be lucky to find them anywhere else,” they said. “Each customer and staff member get excited about all sorts of things in-store, whether it’s product, our displays or even Tiny the cat from our Brick Lane store.”

It would seem people agree as they also told us: “We’ve had many trendsetters through our doors. There’s a really diverse range of customers, from Nick Cave to Dita von Teese and Rihanna. Each of which emulate the spirit of Beyond Retro in their own individual way.”

This shopping experience keeps the customer happy and the sturdy relationship with the media proves beneficial to all parties. The company continues to source original wares and kickstart trends by keeping in-tune with our surroundings. “Each of our stores is led by instinctive fashion forecasting and staffed by creative individuals which has helped propel our status as a major player for British fashion and affirms our store as a must-see destination.”

Vintage fashion correlates

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with trends which are inspired by classic looks and items of different eras. Beyond Retro’s stock provide a wide selection of items allowing customers to pull together their own looks and own interpretations of trends without dictating to them what to wear as with a lot of high street retailers. “We saw lots of ’50s America for SS12, particularly with shows like Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Miu Miu, so we’re very much looking forward to this. Our current shop display theme is Walk Like An Egyptian which is our own take on

the Great Gatsby inspired ‘20s trend, which designers like Ralph Lauren and Gucci have for their collections this season.”

Channelling all areas of the Hipster spectrum, and so much more than a mere vintage store, Beyond Retro moulds into its surroundings and most importantly its customers with in-store events and music tailored to the location. This multiplatform approach defines a brand and is echoed by other national retailers such as All Saints and Urban Outfitters. “Our aim is to ensure

that every visit is as memorable to customers as possible,” they said.

Vintage fashion has boomed in the last decade and the recycling of trends as well as items is contributing to the campaign for an ethical industry. Stores like Beyond Retro are at the forefront of the vintage movement and are actively prosustainable fashion. “We believe that all resources must be utilised in order to encourage and promote sustainability.”

Their own range, Beyond Retro MADE, captures their sustainable morals and channels the popular upcycling trend to both an instore and online consumer.

“These collections concentrate on a combination of vintage aesthetics with innovative designs,” said BR. “ They are brought to you by sourcing classic textiles that channel their essence into new and exciting garments.”

Noting the change in consumer behaviour, BR said: “those who shop for vintage, particularly those who enjoy the Beyond Retro MADE collection, are mostly interested in the quality and design of clothes as it becomes increasingly difficult to find reasonably priced, good quality clothing.”

As well as its UK presence, Beyond Retro have expanded into

the Swedish market which seems like an unusual choice for a first international development. The overseas journey, which has developed four stores in the country, came about as “a product of a Swedish native in London, who adored the shop so much that she wanted to take in home with her!” BR told us. Sweden’s fashion forward fans embrace the vintage vibe as much as here in the UK. “The big trends there differ to those in the UK,” they said.

“For us, this makes for a really interesting dynamic that is always exciting to learn from.”

From spending so much time with their heads in fashion past, Beyond Retro peer into their future plans and vintage world domination. Now they have conquered the UK and won the heart of Sweden, they hope to venture beyond Europe and over to the United States. In particular, their sights are set on fashion capital New York where they can nuzzle in between the kooky boutiques and massive department stores. This year will be big for this source spot as a whole as they celebrate their 10th birthday with heaps of activities and special products planned.

For more information and for press enquiries, visit www.beyondretro.com

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THE CUT // SOURCE SPOT: BEYOND RETRO

BEYOND RETRO LONDON STORE