INTERVIEW: Reve En Vert

Sustainable fashion and where to find it

by Laura Zanovello

The sustainable fashion movement has never been as active as in the last few years and increasingly more brands are being invented or re-invented with an ecofriendly imprint. But where is it actually possible to find and buy these brands? Cora Hilts and Natasha Tuckers asked themselves the same question when in 2013 they founded Rêve En Vert. Duped as the Net-A-Porter for sustainable fashion, Rêve En Vert is an online store that gathers an array of sustainable luxury brands as well as makeup, skincare and home decor products. The selection comprehends activewear, underwear and fashionable pieces with important things in common such as the use of low impact and ethically

produced materials, the production made relying on local communities and the consequent guarantee that the people involved are paid fair wages and work in a suitable and safe environment, last but not least the promise to produce the minimum waste possible through recycling and upcycling. The platform does not only function as an online shop but also expands on a blog where the reader is informed on how to conduct a more conscious and green lifestyle. The customer is involved in every decision and initiative in the name of transparency and sustainability. In this interview, the founders explain the importance of these values and the meaning of their work.

Cora Hilts Co-founder Rêve En Vert

First of all, what does Rêve En Vert mean and why did you choose this name?

It means “dream in green” and I actually came up with it whilst I was living in Paris...I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with the name exactly I just knew that I was leaning towards something to do with environmental protection and a better world and I loved how it sounded!

What were you doing before launching this business and what inspired you to start it?

I actually had the idea for Rêve En Vert when I was finishing my Master’s Degree in Environmental Politics and Sustainability at Kings College London - I was in a lecture there where my professor mentioned that fashion was the second most polluting industry on earth behind oil and gas. It just seemed incredible to me that fashion, which is supposed to be one of the most innovative, creative and beautiful forms of commerce could be so backwards when it came to its environmental and humanitarian impact. The idea was to create a retailer that would allow people to have superb style without sacrificing the ethics we really need to consider when it comes to our clothing.

What criteria do you use when selecting the brands to feature of your platform?

We have four main criteria - organic, remade, local and fair - that dictate the core principles of our designers. We also look into things like water usage, chemicals and dyes and packaging. It’s really a 360 approach to who the designer is and what they stand for. We do make sure that everything is beautiful as well!

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