(LP) revolutions Eco-Issue

the EDITOR’S letter

“Sustainable fashion and design is part of our society, which is growing at a fast pace. It has been proven that our environment isn’t built to last forever and with that in mind it is important to indicate how we can use recycle, re-use and sustain for the benefit of our society.

With this in mind I will be producing a magazine/journal publication, which looks at sustainable fashion and design. My aim is to increase people’s knowledge of eco-design within the 21st century. Even though sustainable fashion is described by those involved as a ‘niche’, fashion changes at such a fast rate that in the next 5 years it will be a subject that is popular and well known.

I feel that this subject should be discussed and the opinion and thoughts of those involved should be put forward. I plan for my magazine to be part of the next Estethica exhibition at London Fashion Week. I feel there should be more done to publise and promote an issue in our society that in the long run will affect everyone. “ This was my original plan for my a magazine two months ago. It is still based on sustainable fashion and design, but from living and breathing sustainable fashion for the last three months it has opened my eyes to what is wrong within this world and what needs to change. I can’t just put the fashion industry to blame for how our Earth is being abused, as there are so many other industries’ you aren’t helping. But in the whole scheme of things I have concentrated on fashion, so that’s exactly what I will be talking about.

Meeting and speaking to so many people about this subject has really opened my eyes to what the designers, companies and organizations are trying to do. Before taking on this project I never worried about how our environment was suffering. But it is and all the people within this publication care and have something to say.

I felt that there really wasn’t a platform for people to talk about this subject. Not enough people know what is happening and considering that the consequences of our actions will affect everyone shouldn’t more people be educated about this topic.

In simple terms, due to our demand for fast fashion not only within the high street but also high fashion we are shipping manufactured goods to and from third world country’s on a far to regular bases. This is obviously costing fuel and is adding to the carbon footprint of the goods we consume. Fuel is starting to run out. It’s clear that is the case when you drive past a petrol station and look at the prices. With no fuel, transport will be very hard to maintain. One way of helping this fuel crisis is by companies using Production Company’s within their own country. There are so many people, craftsmen, within the UK who have lost jobs because companies have moved their manufacturing to a country were the labour is cheap and fast.

It may be cheaper, but the travel of the products and the treatment of the workers within that country are two things to consider. There are organisations that are trying to help the workers within the factories who make our garments.

Have you ever asked yourself how Primark can sell t-shirts for £1? The materials used may not of great quality; nut there’s obviously something going on behind the scenes that need to be addressed, as people most definitely are not being treated correctly.

Our demand for new things everyday may be costing a person their life and our environment is gradually going to suffer. By doing making a change now we can make a difference for the future.

The contributor’s within this magazine identify what they are doing to help and are wanting people to listen and take note on how they can help.

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CONTENTS - PAST. - The second world war ‘make do and mend’ movement.

-PRESENT. - The designer’s/ contributor’s of the PRESENT day.

- Amelia Gregory, amelia’s magazine -Little Glass Clementine, clementine james - Tara Starlet -Nancy Dee, tamsin & seraphina davis - Study NY, tara st james - ECOluxe & By Stamo, stamo-elisabeth ampatielo - Hetty Rose, henrietta rose samuels - Frank & Faith - Wilfried Pletzinger -The North Circular, Katherine Poulton -Diary of London Fashion Week - Environmental Justice Foundation, Larissa Clark - Banuq, Davide Gazioli - John Smedley, Dawne Stubbs - Ada Zanditon - Element 23, Jocelyn Whipple - Made UK- by the people for the people, Florence Hill - FUTURE. - It’s all about, fashion’s new generation - Feng Ho - Hannah Wellham - Kirstie Williams -ADDRESS BOOK. Where to buy your eco friendly fashion

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‘MAKE DO AND MEND’ life on the ration Rationing created a culture of scarcity, and the food queue became a way of life. People learned to make do and mend, and to recycle everything from dishrags to cabbage stalks.

From the outbreak of war until D-day, Germany did its best to starve Britain into submission. Every household felt the effect of shortages as the economy swung into martial gear. Factories which in peacetime had produced consumer goods were now turned over opt the panoply of war. Overseas imports were drastically cut in order to save reserves of currency and even this trickle of incoming ships was reduced by the activity of U-boats. Almost to the surprise of the authorities, the move was at first welcomed: at least now there would be a fair share for everyone. Bacon and ham, butter and sugar were restricted in January 1940, followed over the next two years by cooking fat, meat, tea, cheese, jam, eggs, and sweets. To add variety and an element of choice, the ration was supplemented with a point’s allocation. This gave everyone coupons worth 16 points a month, which they would spend on biscuits, cereal, tinned fruit or fish. The ‘points value’ of food would change. The grocer’s stock response to any complaint about the lack of goods on sale was ‘don’t you know there’s a war going on?’ though the same shopkeeper might find a little something under the counter-half a pound of sausages perhaps- for a regular customer.

Some goods were rationed, but that is not to say that they were in abundant supply. Tobacco and alcohol, for some very the very staples of existence became more rare and more costly. >

Rationing didn’t stop at food and drink. The rationing of clothes was announced in 1941. ‘ I know all the women will look smart, but we men may look shabby. If we do we must not be ashamed. In war, the terms “bottle-stained” is an honorable ne’. Like food coupons, clothing coupons were not a substitute for money: you had to hand over exactly the same number of coupons whether you chose to buy clothes from a Saville Row tailor or off the peg. Every man, woman and child was given a yearly allowance of 66 coupons. A man’s three-piece suit took 26 coupons, and a woman’s woolen dress would be 11. Even a tie needed one coupon, as did two handkerchiefs or two ounces of knitting wool. Some people began to positively daunted by the complexity of the system: ‘ we shall soon need suitcases to carry round our ration books’.

Clothes bought from the shops were designed to use as little material as possible. On a mans suit you would have only three pockets no turn-ups only three buttons and a maximum trouser length of 48 cm. On the dress for women no elastic waist bands, no fancy belts maximum heel height of 5 cm, for a night dress you would have to pay and give 6 coupons. 16 coupons for a mans overcoat, 11 coupons for a dress, 4 coupons for under pants, half a coupon for a handkerchief and 8 coupons for pyjamas.

Women were encouraged to repair and remake their family’s old clothes. Old curtains were cut up to make skirts and dresses. Unwanted jumpers were unravelled and knitted into something else.

Make up and stockings were hard to come by. Some women would draw a line down the back of each leg and pretend they were wearing stockings. Others used gravy browning to dye their legs but on a hot day this drew the flies to their legs.

Most people relied on their own inventiveness to keep themselves clothes and fed. Parachute silk was cut-up for under-garments, blackout material was used for skirts and children’s clothes were made from their parents hand me downs.

Any scrap of waste was recycled. Housewives were asked to keep four bin: one for tins to make tanks and planes; one for boiled bones, to be turned into glycerin for explosives; a third for leftovers to feed the pigs; and the last for paper, which was used to make shell cases. Paper salvage became an obsessive activity that the editor of Everywoman was moved to write that ‘any woman who destroys a scrap of precious paper destroys the means of making British weapons just as surely as if she helped to blow up a munitions dump’. >

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“

“LIVING IN THE PAST. ...we never knew any different...

An interview with the people who lived through rationing and experienced the ‘make do and mend’ trend for real.

‘Make do and Mend’ is a part of life, which a lot of people remember. They either experienced it for themselves or they have read about what the way of life was like in time of the Second War World.

Luckily for me I was able to talk to two people whom new exactly what I was talking about and gave all the right answers to my questions. That would my grandparents.

Growing up in the center of London at the time of the Second War World wasn’t an experience you could ever forget. There were obviously a lot of bad points and memory’s, but like my grandmother said, ‘we never knew any different’.

It was really nice to hear about the things they used to do to save money. Actually save is a bad choice of words. It’s more like; it was really nice to hear about the things they used to do when they had no money.

In this article I have collated the information I was told to show people what that era was like compared to now.

When rationing came about we didn’t have any choice but to deal with it. When it came to things that you would usually replace with a click of a finger today, back then that was no the case. With shoes they were repaired and repaired and repaired and you only threw away when they were absolutely useless. My dad used to mend his own shoes because he couldn’t afford to have them mended.

We didn’t have duvets in those days, you had a mattress a sheet and then a sheet over the top, which you would sleep under, and then a blanket or whatever was adequate to keep you warm. Over the years sheets would wear in the middle where you had slept. Sheets were expensive to buy so we used to cut a sheet in half and then sew the outside of the two pieces together, this meant that the worn part of the sheet was then on the outside. When you tell people the things that we used to do, not necessarily to save money, but we didn’t have any money at all to buy new things so this was a cheap alternative. >

You could go out to the cinema, have a meal, get a bus home and still have change. Considering my wages in today’s money would only have been £5 it shows you how expensive things are now. You could have a good night out with a £1. You could get a bus there and back, your cinema ticket, a bag of chips for the way home and still come back with change. It is unbelievable that it now costs approximately £10 to go to the cinema. You could get a bus for a hap penny, a half penny, but today it is £2 for one journey. People would go mad if they knew how much it cost. The Newspaper used to be a penny but now the cheapest newspaper is 40p.

During the War everything was rationed and you were given coupons for your necessities. You had to make sure that your coupons lasted the month because that’s all you were entitled to. You didn’t have any choice but to make things last.

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That’s where the Black Market came in. You would have your dodgy dealers where you would be able to buy more coupons; no one knows how they got them. The dodgy dealers of that time, actually called either ‘spivs’ or ‘the

Some times I don’t know how we survived in comparison to what we can buy now. Everything was rationed apart from groceries, but what was rationed you were only allowed a small amount of.

Even the rationing was fiddled depending who you knew. You could use a token from the ration book to get, for example, a bag of sugar, the token would be marked with a crayon in normal circumstances, but if the person knew you they would mark the token in pencil and then you could go home and erase the mark so that the token could be used again.

At the end of the War in 1945 rationing started to reduce gradually and it took a long time, the last thing to come off rationing was sweets. I remember when my dad went over to the sweet shop in The Cut at Waterloo. This shop only sold sweets and ice cream and he bought me back a whole bar of pink and white coconut ice. What he bought on that day would originally of been a months worth. After using rationing books for so long it felt strange going into a shop and not have to worry about the amount you were buying.

Even though rationing had ended people were still aware of how expensive it was to dress themselves. The whole make do and mend aspect of the Second World War still carried on, as money was still limited. People took care of their clothes a lot better than people necessarily do now. I still have items that were passed down through the family showing you that things can last if they are looked after and respected.

Images from my grandmother.

black market profiteers’, could get their hands on a lot of items that were useful for everyday use, one of them being parachutes. Parachutes In those days used to be made out of silk. They were the large round ones, which were made out of a number of silk panels. If you knew a good dressmaker they would unpick the panels and make them into a wedding dress. No one knows how he or she got hold of most of the things that they did but to be honest you never wanted to find out. The dodgy dealers of our time were called ‘spivs’. You could tell a spiv from a mile off, they dressed flashier than everybody else, which considering they were trying to hide dodgy dealings seemed a little strange but they got away with it.

If you had a jumper that you didn’t like anymore you couldn’t go and buy a new one, you would carefully unpick it if it had been knitted, wash it and reknit it into something else. You wouldn’t throw a jumper away; you would always use what you could. In those days gent’s trousers had a turn up, that was how they were made.

If they started to fray, the turn up would be turned down and a false turn up made so then you wouldn’t have to go out and buy a new pair of trousers.

People have no idea what times were like back then. We were young and didn’t know anything different, that’s how life was. You could tell who had money and who didn’t but it wasn’t looked down upon. I remember when my dad bought me a new suit and when I came home he would inspect it to make sure that I was looking after it. There was no way I could go out and buy a new one if I ruined it; the money just wasn’t there to replace things.

Everything has changed so much. From the 1900s up to the present day in that period of time the changes in technology and especially medicine, you would never have thought that a persons heart could be replaced by another in order to keep someone alive. In those days you would have thought they were telling you a sick joke.

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AMELIA GREGORY

amelia’s magazine

Sutainable fashion IS moving FORWARD. question :What are your thoughts?

answer :

I started Amelia’s Magazine in print in 2004 and since 2008 it has been entirely online. The website champions the very best in independent and ethical fashion design accompanied by fashion illustrations. Forget the sackcloth’s of yesteryear, the new breed of ethical designers can now stand alone next to the best of mainstream fashion design. It has always concentrated on fashion. I have always been inspired by environmental issues and worrying about what’s happening with the earth. The two subjects have overlapped over the years and it makes sense to focus on these key issues.”

Everybody is interested in fashion to a certain extent, anybody who says there not are lying to a certain degree. Everybody has to wear clothes at the end of the day and a lot of people are obsessed by the way they look or the way that others look and clothes can be beautiful. I don’t think we should beat people up about it. But I think that we should always think about the concerns of what clothing, making clothes and wearing clothes is doing to the environment, which is why I wanted to prove that you can have ethical fashion design which is also really attractive, really appealing and really beautiful. I think it’s really important to make that clear and things are moving in that direction. I think that is definitely starting to happen. A lot of people are coming through now who are actually trained in fashion design, who wants to design in an ethical manor. Before, the people making ethical clothes were mainly people who were coming from the environmental view point and didn’t necessarily have the design skills to go with the vision they were trying to produce.

I think places like 123 Bethnal Green Road, who I have a close connection with, are really promoting high end design within the ethical bracket of the fashion industry. I think that’s brilliant. If we are to make a difference people have got to be attracted to it on the same level as normal fashion. For too long ethical fashion has been quite bad, to be far and the vast majority of people are not going to be attracted to it, it’s only when we start getting really good quality design is when things will start to change.

The designers that are coming out of the woodwork with new ideas are the people to watch out for. These designers are working in a range of different ways, from the use of carefully sourced recycled, organic, local and/or fair-trade materials to a thoughtful purpose behind the entire supply chain. I personally call this ethical fashion design, for truly sustainable fashion has ethics at the heart of it- where care of people and the planet are considered a priority. In the UK there is a considerable support for ethical fashion – many designers show their collections at the Estethica eco fashion exhibition during London Fashion Week and are given guidance by organisations such as the Ethical Fashion Forum and the Centre of Sustainable Fashion. Those with the most experience now campaign and teach their skills to others as the benefits of acting sustainability become ever more apparent. Talking to the ethical designers behind the collections is really revealing when it comes to their reasons and its interesting to hear about the amount of effort and research that goes into producing their garments. But at the end of the day it for fashion and its helping the environment. Even if it’s a small change it all makes a big difference.

For the contact details of Amelia Gregory go to the address book at the back.

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LITTLE GLASS CLEMENTINE

Clementine James re-use recycle re-invent

Clementine’s studio space in Dalston, London.

Working at London Fashion Week within the Estethica sector of the exhibition, I came across Little Glass Clementine, whose stand just totally made me stop, look and stare! The necklaces Clementine James produces are absolutely gorgeous and are high in demand. Not only was she showing at Somerset House, but Little Glass Clementine is also part of a project Selfridges have just put together called Bright Young Things. There aim is to highlight new talent within London and Little Glass Clementine was chosen to exhibit within the store, as well as design a shop window.

From speaking to her at London Fashion Week I so wanted her to be a part of my magazine. Her items are so unique and striking that she would really stand out againt the vast amount of clothing designers out there. Lucky enough for me, Clementine agreed to be interviewed personally, so on Tuesday 8th March I met Clementine at her studio.

Walking into her space of inspiration was a real privelige.

She shares the space with a further four people, but the whole atmosphere of so many projects happenng at different times was really nice. Looking through the boxes of trinkets she has collected over the year was really insiteful. There were antique necklaces, broken charm bracelets, worn buttons, frayed ribbons, precious stones and gems. It was a real alandin cave within her small chester drawers.

The walls Clementine would be looking at while working where full of personal pictures, paintings, natural images, magazine cut outs, cards and messages. There was a real mixture to get inspired by. Even sitting up on the roof terrace, where we sat and spoke for about an hour, there was old wooden benchs and a rustic table sitting in the middle of plants in broken pots. Even a sofa! There was a real sense of re-using and recycling.

So, with further a do, here are Clementine James answers to my all and important questions, which I’ve wanted to ask from the first day I set my eyes on her little masterpieces.

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Hi Clementine. Thank you for meeting with me. I’m really excitied about you being a part of my publication. Well first of all, what is your story?

I have been making jewelry since I was 16. I have always collected interesting little trinkets, shells, beads and feathers.

My first little trial run was making these long ‘one-off’ earrings.

I used to sell them on Brighton Beach and at music festivals sitting cross-legged on the floor with them all laid out on colorful little rugs. Making and selling jewelry began as a way of interweaving my lifestyle with my work.

I grew up deep in the countryside When I was 14, I was allowed to travel to London to go shopping, and that is when my friends and I discovered Portobello Road. After days of listening to reggae and sifting through piles of vintage clothing and tables full of strange artifacts, I used to come home and dream of being one of ‘those girls’ who made her own stuff and sold it in Portobello Market. Dreams turned to reality and while I was doing my degree in Anthropology and Religion, I used to always make sure I never had lectures on Fridays so I could get up at 6 am and trek across London and under the bridge next to the man who sold records and lamps from the 1960s… “Little Glass Clementine” was born!

How long have you been producing your jewellery?

I’ve only just launched into the higher end of fashion in August 2010 ready for London Fashion Week in the September.

I used to sell at Portobello Market just selling smaller items. I wasn’t working with precious stones and old antiques then, so that’s why I have aimed for a higher market.

That’s the reason it was such a god send to find Estethica, we are the only country that has something like this and is run by the British Fashion Council. I think you need to start somewhere and that was my platform. I’ve just come back from Milan and they are trying to do something similar, but it didn’t really work very well.

It’s good that sustainable fashion and design now has a bit of a buzz around it, but it can’t and really mustn’t be green washed and that’s what worries me a little bit. You have so many companies saying they are fair-trade or ethical or ecofriendly, but which part of the company is helping the environment. I can’t be self righteous, not every part of my company is ethical like flying to Milan. I don’t think that is good for the environment, but I think the whole traceable aspect of knowing where each part of your garment or accessories has come

upon Orsola de Castro and through reading about what she’s achieved and been involved in I realised that she had helped set-up Estethica so I applied online and my application was approved.

What is the process you have to go through to be granted a space within Estethica?

You have to apply online. You write to the British Fashion Council about your work and what you are all about. Then if they like it they will obviously get back to you, in which case you are given a questionnaire to fill out and if they still like you after that they ask you to bring all of your pieces in and meet with them personally at Somerset House. Then you are given your answer after about a week’s wait. And obviously I was a yes!

Where do you source your items, which you make your jewellery out of?

A lot of antique fairs, there are some beautiful antique shops by St. Pauls Cathedral.

There’s an underground vault which is full of antique shops, it’s like a mini treasure trove for me! London is so expensive and I find that things aren’t original enough anymore. The unique items are the highest prices. I go to Rye and Hastings and Canterbury I often go to. I have a lot of family in Scotland so I visit a lot of places in Edinburgh. Charity shops, boot fairs and second hand stores are always good places to visit. I always come across some real gems and amazing little trinkets and things that the people selling them don’t really know the full extent of what they are worth. At the moment I am learning about the quality of precious stones and what to look out for when shopping for antiques. It’s quite a time consuming process, but fun as well as I get to go shopping for a living!

Are there any designers or brands you would like to collaborate with?

I was always massively inspired by Vivienne Westwood when I was younger, not to mention Mr John Galliano. I love his work. But to be honest I think I see more style on the streets than within high fashion. I’m more inspired by

“It’s good that SUSTAINABLE FASHION now has a BUZZ that surrounds it...” from is the main issue that should be considered. In my eyes to make someone truly involved within the whole ethical sector they should know, when asked, where all the components came from.

How did you get into Estethica?

I just researched Estethica. I wanted to do high fashion. I actually wanted to do couture. I wanted to create bespoke, one off pieces. My background isn’t fashion at all and luckily I fell

the way my friends dress and people watching and looking at old paintings, architecture and theatre. I’m more inspired by the aesthetics of life than the work of another designer.

There are people I would like to dress like Helena Bonham Carter. I would love to make her piece. I think her whole style and aura really links with my pieces. >

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What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/recycling companies?

A major element of my brand is that I actually make it. I don’t design and get it sent away.

I make it with my little hands! In my eyes I’m not a designer I am an artist. I make things, so I think that’s a really major element. Secondly, they are totally bespoke. I can never make them again because they are things I’ve found and they are one offs so I can never get hold of them again. In away its more like I’m a painter than a jewellery designer, even the word accessories is a bit weird because I don’t associate it with my pieces. Essentially, hopefully, there beauty is what makes them unique.

Do you have an idea about what you want a particular piece to look like?

I have no idea how it will turn out. It’s definitely a process where you play around with

You feed the baby everyday so it grows. With your garden, you don’t just water it once, you water it every day and look after it. It’s a sense of tendering to something and looking after something so that it can grow, but in its self grow by not trampling on other things.

Bring that into fashion, I think that in one aspect the fashion world isn’t sustainable because it’s demanding new stuff all the time. You have to design a collection twice a year. Buying at the moment is uncontrollable. We buy items by the bucket load, but the items that are £5 can’t have been made by someone who is on a fair wage or are being treated well. I don’t think we can continue like that, however we will always dress ourselves.

When I was travelling in India the poorest of people were the most exquisitely dressed.

In the fields it’s the women that tend the crops and they are so beautifully dressed in there sari’s and jewellery that they don’t look poor. To these people it’s not about money.

Aesthetics are important. It’s not about being fickle or narrow minded; it’s actually about enriching and adding to nature’s beauty. I think we are always going to dress ourselves so I think it’s really challenging and really exciting to try and work out how we can help the situation. The way that I am doing it at the moment is to re-use what has been made.

The whole aspect of recycling has been lost in this snobby world of ours. ‘Make Do and Mend’ is an expression we are all accustoming to yet it has been lost. I still take my shoes to the cobblers. I now not usual to encourage trade because you have a much bigger fashion industry out there where you can walk into a shop and pick up something already made.

Cobblers for instance are forgotten. I hope sustainability and fashion does become bigger than it is and have a buzz surrounding the subject. It shouldn’t be a trend it should be a way of life. What I do by re-using items is no way new. It is what everyone has done. The idea has been there for century’s it’s just sad that it has been lost. The idea of having an old pair of curtains which you use to the mend the pockets of jeans, I love it. I highly respect the people of the second world war and I don’t want that time to be glorified which I think by having the whole ‘make do and mend trend’ does put across an element of not caring. But if that’s the only way will be get people to listen and make people aware of it then it’s better than nothing. It’s an interesting time, like craftsmanship and handmade stuff is definitely coming back but it should never have been forgotten. Ethical fashion is important in every

“In my eye’s SUSTAINABILITY is more to do with the way of LIFE. It’s about a BALANCE...” shape and you see what you end up with.

There’s no way of designing and there’s no way of knowing what the end result is, but I think that’s exciting. But when it comes to inspirations there are definitely periods of history or paintings that I like and I imagine what these people will be wearing, what the women in the painting would want her necklace to look like. I’m definitely inspired by things.

What is your definition of Sustainability?

In my eyes sustainability is more to do with the way of life. It’s about balance. It’s about not in crouching on others and resources, but it’s about longevity. It’s about something that doesn’t peak and can never be re-used, whether that’s non-renewable fuel. It’s about really thinking about what can be continuous and can last, but mainly this idea that you aren’t leaning on one aspect. You’re not leaning on a form of resource that is not renewable. There are things that are going to run out and we are all aware that we live on a planet where we don’t have enough of what we need to carry on living within the way of life we have at the moment. Sustainability for me is balance and consideration. When you have a baby, you don’t feed the baby once.

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Left, images of Little Glass Clementine necklaces.

Above, Selfridges shop window Bright Young Things.

aspect of our lives. It like saying why is it important to eat fresh eggs. It’s important because within ethical fashion you get to see the process before you receive the final item while within other forms of fashion you only see the garment on the rail.

When you buy something ethical your mind instantly goes wild and you ask yourself what does that word mean. It means that the process of the item you are holding in your hand is considered. Just adding that name it gives the idea that there was a process that’s thought through and really important.

Sustainable fashion is considered to be a ‘niche’ in the market. I think the whole idea of the hippies hugging trees and trying to save the planet is definitely disappearing.

I think people are more serious and designers are starting to become more aware of the issue. The way to include more people is to make it easy accessible. I run workshops and by teaching people and educating them will help get the message across.

Fashion designers hold there ideas very close to there heart and when it comes down to getting the message out there you have to advertise your work and show off your ideas. It’s the only way to teach people and to show them that this is possible. Plus the fact that items have been made by you instead of buying them from a shop will make the gift you give someone more sentimental. Empowering people is the way forward.

I think ethical fashion will get bigger and bigger. Having large company’s coming around to the idea, such as Tesco’s and other big multi national chains sitting up and taking notice of what’s happening and what needs to be changed is a very positive set in the future progress of sustainable design. If the government do something about it now, in five years time our planet could be in an amazing place. The future could look brighter than it does now. Where not going to be able to fly tonnes and tonnes of clothes around the world in the next ten years. Only sixty years ago a high percentage of clothing was

was made in the UK and now hardly anything is made here. So I think were see a change when it comes down to the necessity of fuel.

Considering we are running out fast and prices are increasing we won’t be able to fly as much, so therefore that may bring back more business to the people of the UK. Well I hope so.

When it comes to ethical fashion, the designs are now holding themselves. The finished garment or accessories are as beautiful and attractive than any other piece, it’s just the behind the scenes is different. The making process is much more considered and thought through.

I don’t want my brand to be labelled as just ethical jewellery because that’s saying it can only be within that bracket. I want to be accessible for everyone, but maybe it will make people think and take notice that there are people out there who are doing something different.

For the contact details of Little Glass Clementine go to the address book at the back.

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TARA STARLET online fashion brand

A vintage inspired brand with responsible ethics and timeless charm. The mother and daughter team behind Tara Starlet use pin up pictures of the 40s and 50s as their inspiration to create an exclusive range of beautifully made pieces.

Tara Starlet is a vintage inspired fashion line with responsible ethics and a timeless charm. Created, and run by a mother and daughter team, Tara Starlet is a family business, born out of a shared passion for the glory days of the 1940s and ‘50s, and a mutual concern for the well being of our planet and it’s inhabitants. We take our inspiration from the original Pin-up paintings and silver screen starlets like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe as well as our collection of original patterns.

The collection is full of dresses for rolling around in the overgrown grass, playsuits for picnics in the park, and circle skirts for swing dancing. They’ll take you back in time to the days long-gone where clothes were cherished until the elbows were worn and the buttons were lost. We want our customers to treasure their pieces for as long as possible, true style never goes out of fashion!

We are advocates of recycling and we have a collection of original buttons and trimmings from our favourite era that we try to incorporate into our designs wherever possible, giving our collection true authenticity. Also we reinvent quality wool jumpers, injecting a bit of fifties glamour to give them a new lease of life!

We use end of roll fabrics too, putting to good use what would otherwise be waste.

This means that our designs are often made in a selection of different fabrics with a limited amount of garments in each, so you won’t find hundreds of other women wearing the same thing! On top of this, all of our clothes are made locally in London, to keep our carbon footprint dainty. These ecological techniques help to make our collection authentic, unique and exclusive, and at the same time, keep our conscience clear as crystal!

Talking to Tara, co-founder of Tara Starlet was a real privilege. She was to busy for a full interview so here are her answers to my quick fire question interview with her...

When did your brand begin?

Tara Starlet was established 6 years ago. it was founded by myself and my mother who also has a love of vintage fashion.

Why did you go down the sustainable route?

It always came naturally and wasn’t intended as a concept at the beginning, a lot of the things we do are just practical, economical and logical.

How are your pieces sustainable?

We source and manufacture everything locally in London, and our products are made using pre-consumer waste fabrics.

We pride ourselves for recycling and reusing wer we can, as well as,up-cycling.

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

I love Izzy Lane for their wholehearted commitment to manufacturing a high quality and fully ethical product from start to finish. I would love to make some suits or jackets using their lovely wools and tweeds.

What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/ recyclable fashion companys?

Everything we make is inspired by the iconic eras of the 1940s and 1950s. This means that we are producing slow fashion rather than fast fashion. Vintage fashion has already stood the test of time. We hope that our customers will love and treasure their pieces from us rather than sling them on the funeral pyre of last seasons fashion regrets.

We also use our brand to evoke the thrifty atmosphere of war time Britain which couldn’t be more relevant in today’s environmental and economic climate. The notions of ‘Make-do and Mend’ and ‘Grow

Your Own’/’Dig for Victory’ are perfect for what is happening right here in the 21st century.

What is your definition of sustainable?

My definition of sustainability is, something that has a greater output than input.

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

YES! Why do you think ethical fashion is important?

The fashion industry is one of the biggest profit making and the biggest waste making industries on the planet. It has a horrible track record for human rights as well as environmental impact, and it is one of the few indulgent luxuries that people see as a necessity. People will not give up on fashion, they therefore need to be given options that meet their moral needs and standards. If the fashion industry is going to change, it has to come from within.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

I hope that in the future there won’t be such a thing as an ethical fashion movement. I hope that good business practice that takes into account environmental and humanitarian responsibility will be the norm.

What do you think needs to be done to make it more mainstream?

Price points need to be more affordable, ethical fashion should not be something that is exclusive. Also more effort needs to be made to appeal to the wider consumer market aesthetically.

What single ethical/sustainable product would most improve the quality of your life?

An electric Car! For the contact details of Tara Starlet go to the address book at the back.

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NANCY DEE. online fashion brand.

Specialising in day-to-night jersey, Nancy Dee creates stylish, versatile pieces that translate easily from home to office to evening out. Inspired by retro designs, the collections rework classic shapes with bold prints and strong colour palettes, utilising the inherent characteristics of jersey - its softness, drape and stretch.

Nancy Dee was created in 2008 by sisters Tamsin and Seraphina, who recognised there was a need to bridge the gap between style, comfort and ethics.

Their aim is to make ethical fashion accessible, by creating easy-to-wear styles at realistic prices without compromising on quality or standards.

Speaking to Tamsin felt more like talking a friend.

You could tell by the way she was answering the question I asked her, while sitting in a small cafe off of Oxford Street was that she felt so strongly about this subject. In her words ‘nancy dee is my baby and everyone likes talking about their baby’s so I may go on abit’. It was a nice atmosphere and posistion to be in while listening to her thoughts and opinions. So without further a do here are her answers...

Why the name Nancy Dee? Nancy is a long standing family name and Dee simply stands for our initial of our surname, Davis. We settled on the name Nancy Dee because it is a little bit kitsch and reflects the style of their designs.

Why did you go down the sustainable route?

It was simply a feeling that any business should be run as ethically as possible, which for us included an attention to sustainability – the idea that the company makes as little negative impact environmentally and socially as possible.

How are your pieces sustainable?

We consider the full life cycle of the garment, from the initial design process right through to its end use. That includes things like: reducing fabric wastage with good patterns, and re-using leftovers for new styles or sampling, using natural, organic and sustainable fabrics (with elastane for longevity), trying where possible to ensure all pieces are machine washable at low temperatures (no dry cleaning or tumble drying!), sourcing local supplies where possible, such as recycled swing tags and locally made labels and for supplies from abroad, trying to ship them by sea instead of air whenever time allows. >

eco-issue And of course the pieces are designed to be versatile, so that Is Sustainability an element of our society, which the same piece works for several occasions; also, while they you have always been interested in? take inspiration from the trends, they do not From a social science viewpoint yes, I have follow fads slavishly, so the pieces will work for always been interested in how capitalist econoseveral seasons to come. mies operate and impact both socially and How do you manage to keep your designs environmentally, but from the point of view of both retro and up to date? running a company, we simply feel everyone Fashion is cyclical by nature, and all trends should be doing as much as they can to help, are developments on past ideas. We take the and that includes businesses as well as indishapes and references that appeal to us from viduals. Having said that, we’re a long way from history and update them by using new eco being perfect, but we do analyze every part fabrics and modern colours. The prints play a of the business to see where processes can be large part; they are designed by us but influimproved. enced by older designs.

Why do you think ethical fashion is imporAre there any designers/brands you would tant? like your brand to collaborate with?

I get asked this question a lot, but to be honest, We’ve just started working with a fantastic I find it really confusing. Why would anyone illustrator called Love Lexi, who has produced produce anything unethically? Surely this is the some gorgeous T-shirts for us for next season. question that should be asked. Of course, much And at some point we’d love to expand into of the answer comes down to increasing profit menswear with a similar 50s vintage theme margins at the cost of something or someone as the womenswear. else, but surely anyone with a sense of moral justice For photo-shoots and fashion shows we would ask, why make fashion that isn’t ethical? often work with accessory and jewellery How do you see the ethical fashion movement designers to bring a garment to life with progressing in the future? some good styling.

Well I hope more and more clothing companies will What do you think your brands unique pay better attention to their supply chains. It can be selling point is compared to other eco/ hard for small companies to audit their supply chains, recyclable fashion companies? which is why international audits like SA8000 certifiAt Nancy Dee we specialise in jersey; cation are so useful, and I hope these become widespecifically we want to challenge the idea spread international benchmarks for all companies. I that jersey has to mean ‘casual’. We call it also hope that customers become more aware of the day-to-night jersey because many of the costs that go into a garment – not just the fabric and styles are designed to be versatile – to the sewing, but all the other bits like transport, import work for the office, an evening date or duty, quality controls and the mark-up that party, as well as more casual occasions. a shop places on top of the wholesale price How did you get in contact with the family-run – the cost of making the garment is actufactory in India that makes your clothes? ally a very small proportion of its price.

We were actually approached by them whilst at What do you think needs to be done to a trade show, which was lucky because it wasn’t make it more mainstream? working out with another factory, so we were actuBetter customer awareness, stricter and ally searching for someone to take over production. compulsory auditing standards that are Fate intervened: we met the owner in London, then internationally recognised and adopted. travelled over to Delhi later that season to check I think it’s really important to remember over the factory conditions, meet the staff and work that ethical fashion is about the fashion on samples. first and foremost. Regarding price, it is How will you further reduce your environmenmore expensive to produce ethical fashion, tal impact? especially for small businesses where Video conferencing and daily phone calls enable minimum orders for factories are difficult both Seraphina and I to work from home, I live in to achieve. This is because fabrics like Leicester while she is in London. Skype is an amazorganic cotton cost more because the yield ing invention that helps us to keep in touch with the is lower, workers need be paid a fair wage Above. Images of S/S11 factory, reducing the need to visit so often. We’re constantly (often extra facilities like crèche and training mean a looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact, such social premium is paid on top of manufacture) – but as the use of degradable packaging for the web shop- but it what customers don’t realise is that the difference need is an ongoing job. We want to start some production in the only be a pound or two on top of the cost of a normal UK since one of our biggest environmental impacts is caused garment. With larger companies, their economies of by the delivery of stock from India. Many UK factories lost scale mean that’s probably even less. Personally, I think a huge portion of their income when it became so much that’s worth paying.

For the contact details of Nancy Dee go to the address book at the cheaper to produce garments in Asia so it will be nice to back. bring some work back here...

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tara st.james

STUDY NY

Believing that open source material plays a strong role in the development of the sustainable design community, Tara St.James brings you New York based Fashion Label.

Being part of London Fashion Week and working within the Exhibition, which is home to various designers as well as Estethica and Newgen, I was able meet with Tara St James personally. St James came across as a very humble and friendly woman, who is very passionate about her fashion label. Talking to her for just ten minutes gave me a real insight into why she loves ethical fashion so much. Craftily I recorded our discussion, which I have now told her about with the response of ‘cheeky, I hate the sound of my own voice’. From speaking to her personally and then having various conversations on Skype, as Study NY is obviously based in New York, I had the opportunity to ask her about the set up of her label, what ethical fashion means to her and what’s next for Study New York.

Tara St James is the owner and head designer for the New York-based clothing label Study, a high-concept brand primarily produced in New York City. St James was born and raised in Montreal, Canada but has lived and worked in New York since 2004, she now calls Brooklyn home. Formerly the creative director of Covet, a mainstream eco-friendly sportswear collection for men and women, Tara left to start Study in September 2009. Tara is hoping to add more accessories, expand fabric development and hopefully add a men’s line in the near future. She also works with local artisans in India to create very limited edition runs of hand-woven textiles. She is looking to expand this specialized production to other artisans around the world.

Believing that open source material plays a strong role in the development of the sustainable design community, St James started Study Hall in the summer of 2010. Under her guidance, Study interns developed, produced and sold their own sustainable mini collections. Study Hall can now be found at several retailers in New York City and abroad. She is very open about her production and design process and documents these regularly here on her blog.

A strong and driving presence among young sustainable designers, St James lends her talent and skills to various organizations.

She is the fashion director for The Uniform Project, a fundraising platform using sustainable design to raise money for underprivileged children. As a mentor at the Awamaki Lab, a program that fosters cross-cultural partnerships between young designers and Peru’s Awamaki indigenous weaver collective, she facilitates discussions about the intersection of sustainability, ethical sourcing and product innovation.

Why did you go down the sustainable route?

I started Covet, a more mass market eco brand in 2004. When I left that company to start my own collection, I was armed with a tremendous amount of knowledge about the industry and production, and I couldn’t conscientiously create a new brand that wasn’t sustainable. When you a know a subject so well it’s very hard to work or think about anything else. When it came to down to it I wanted my label to speak about an issue we can all help. >

eco-issue How are your garments sustainable?

A majority of my production is done in New York City’s garment centre. I use only organic or sustainable textiles (organic cotton, hemp, tencel, recycled poly, linen and wild silk). I also work with fair trade and co-op based factories in Bolivia and India who pay fair wages and work to sustain traditional weaving and knitting techniques while providing income for indigenous populations.

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

There are very few people I DON’T want to collaborate with. I think I can still learn a lot from other company models and brand philosophies, and they can learn a lot from my methods. I would really like to work with a men’s collection, in particular DUSTY in Finland, can’t you see it? DUSTY vs. STUDY! Plus shoes! I love

The words ‘sustainability’ and ‘eco-friendly’, for some people, conjure up the image of hippies hugging trees and wanting to save the world. Do you think people have already made up their minds of what sustainability is about and are now not interested?

In my eyes the ‘movement’ needs a name, which people are going to understand. I use the word sustainable about 100 times a day. In emails, conversations with peers, interviews with press and discussions with friend, sustainable is a bulky and long word to keep using. Sometimes, often, I trip over it as I’m speaking!

And it doesn’t really encompass everything I need it to. Prior to 2008 we had the word eco, 2009 had green, 2010 saw the rise in popularity of sustainability, not necessarily as a concept, but as the new catch phrase for the movement. Businesses ethos’ haven’t changed much, but the neatly packaged all-encompassing little

“

London has heavily adopted the term ETHICAL DESIGN, which I like...

It’s REFLECTIVE... it ALLOWS EVERYONE to be under one title...

“

shoes so shoe designer Osborn would be a great match, I think.

What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/recyclable fashion companies?

Design comes first for me. I won’t compromise on sustainability, but my priority is always good design.

What is your definition of sustainability?

This is the definition I find to be the most accurate:

“Sustainable means using methods, systems and materials that won’t deplete resources or harm natural cycles” (Rosenbaum, 1993)

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

Yes, it is important in my personal life, I live by the words, reduce, reuse, recycle and therefore it is critical in my professional life. I’m a designer and business owner, so personal and professional are pretty much one and the same.

Why do you think ethical fashion is important?

Fashion is art in my opinion. But to some cultures clothing is just a means of protection from the elements. There is such a huge gap between how first and third world nations view clothing and design. Ethical fashion has the ability to bridge that gap by providing developing nations with a market for their traditional craft techniques and a sustainable business opportunity. >

word that tacks on to the front of a product does, as an attempt to stay up to date with the movement, but is the movement up to date with itself.

Let’s just discuss, sustainable fashion for now, as it’s what I know best and bringing in other industry might take a lifetime to examine. When I’m tired of calling myself an eco-designer, I hesitantly switched to being green. But it isn’t easy being green. For starters, using a colour to describe a design process is very disruptive for my little brain. I don’t particularly like the colour to begin with, nor do I think it is an adequate description of what I do. Sustainable has been the closest descriptive of the movement itself as we are all trying to keep the industry alive and allow it to maintain itself.

London has heavily adopted the term ethical design, which I like.

It’s reflective, it allows the inclusion of fair trade production that isn’t organic and it feels the most modern of all the descriptive words, for now. But if 2011 has claimed the word ethical, does that mean we’ll tire of it by December? More importantly, do we need one word to describe us all? Every designer I know that works within this very loose category has a drastically different approach to his or her design and production methods. Just like regular designers do and nobody’s grouping them together. Some designers create dresses. Some of those designers create them sustainably. Some make shirts. Some of them make shirts using >

eco-issue organic fabrics. Some designers produce in traditional factories in China. Others produce ethically using fair trade artisans in developing countries. And others are committed to sourcing heritage textiles within their countries of manufacture or to saving their local industry. So do we need a name at all? If so, do we need a new name? Or do we need to infiltrate traditional industry and allow this small segment that we inhabit to take over completely?

I know that was a lengthy answer, but I feel passionate about this subject and if people have come to the assumption that we are all hippies and hug trees then that’s not right. If a word is all it is that’s stopping people from learning and wanting to know about this subject then it’s about time to change the name into something people are going to take notice of. Sorry, Rant over!! But it all had to said. There’s too many thing’s we keep hush hush about.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

I see the sustainable design industry becoming more mainstream.

As young design students learn about the importance of ethical and sustainable design, I believe they will bring this belief into their jobs and future careers, and slowly sustainable choices will begin to trickle upward from them. That’s why I believe education is key to the future of sustainability. Also another simple solution, sustainable design needs to be as good or better than non-sustainable design in order to be noticed and accepted. It needs to promote itself. It needs to be something people are going to want to wear whether it’s ethically made or not. They should be surprised that something so amazing is eco friendly. Sustainable clothing is more expensive to make but it should be made available to those who want it. The consumers shouldn’t have to come and find the designer. The designer should already be there, on the rail saying ‘hello, buy me’!

What single ethical/sustainable product would most improve the quality of your life?

A green roof. I would love to grow my own kale!

For= contact details of Tara St James, Study NY go to the address book at the back.

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stamo- elisabeth ampatielo ...promoting sustainable fashion is what I do best...

Stamo-Elisabeth Ampatielo is a woman of many talents. Being part of a team of three people who run an eco design PR company, Ecoluxe London just isn’t enough. She also has her own high fashion sustainable design brand, By Stamo. Here we speak with the women in question and find out how she juggles her time within two large organisations, why ethical fashion means so much to her and how she is inspired by the world around us which we are normally too busy to notice!

When did Ecoluxe begin?

Ecoluxe London was launched in September 2010 by deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg’s wife Miriam Gonzalez. She is a follower of sustainable fashion and design and agreed to be part of our launch. I have been part of Ecoluxe from the very start. In my life I have two babies to contend with, Ecoluxe being one and my fashion label being another.

Can you explain what Ecoluxe London is about?

We are a non-profit platform that promotes fashion-related eco luxury brands by teaming up with charities, organisations, corporations and the media. Our aim is to show these incredible products in the right setting, to the right market. At the same time Ecoluxe London aims to raise awareness of ecological issues with the public by delivering tailor-made marketing projects.Ecoluxe London endeavours to help their designers and their businesses by providing them not only with exposure to the media and the trade industry, but also by giving their brands support in production and delivery of their orders, matching brands and stockists, thus ensuring that all aspects of promotional and business chain are covered.>

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Above & Below images from A/W10 collection.

Do you have a background in fashion?

I have been involved fashion for more than twenty years both in the design and technical aspect of clothing. I studied fashion design in Athens, Greece, where I also studied and researched into various traditional embroidery and weaving techniques, done a postgraduate course in pattern cutting in the London College of Fashion where I also did textiles design, shoes and hats. Besides By Stamo I also consult and train for the industry both in the UK and abroad on the technical-production side of garment making. I am currently studying for a Masters in Business Administration with the University of Liverpool.

It is very hard to determine exactly what makes ethical fashion ethical.

How do you determine it? What is ethical fashion to you?

The word ethical comes from the Greek word ‘ethos’, meaning a combination of moral characteristics such as honesty, justice sincerity, a very important idea of everyday life according to Aristotle. These are the principles I try to live my life by and apply them to my ‘craft’ as well. Ethical fashion to me means respecting the environment and the people involved, whether it is a seamstress or a customer.

What philosophy is your fashion label, By Stamo, based upon?

By Stamo uses ethically-sourced fabrics to produce whirlwind womenswear.

Each collection consists of top quality, timeless – with a twist – pieces. The collection itself is split into 2 ranges - a mainline collection and a diffusion line named “Confusion” due to its highly controversial mix and match effect and finishing. By Stamo produces their garments in the same region that are sold, the company strives to give back to the local community by rewarding its manufactures and merchants and respecting the environment and its local handcrafters.

Why did you go down the sustainable route?

It was more of a way of life than a decision. I collect antique fabrics, embroideries and textiles and one can see through the years that different cultures were sustainable as there was no other option of survival.

What makes By Stamo ethical?

By Stamo sources all their fabrics locally, manufactures in the UK, using mostly women that have young families who need to earn a living and can only work from home. The plan is that By Stamo will be produced where it is sold so that the local community will benefit in more than one ways. >

Is it easy being ethical?

It is a mindset that can easily be applied to our everyday life by following simple principles. At the end of the day a clear conscious is what counts.

How did you come up with the rosette as your logo?

Embroidery is a great passion of mine. That Rosette is a traditional type of embroidery that was made out of cactus threads in the Greek island where I come from: Kefallonia.

Do you think that consumers are slowly realising that one can be fashionable and ethical?

It is a very slow process but one that gains ground every day.

Do your customers buy your products because they are ethical or because they are fashionable?

Both!! The concept of By Stamo is ‘classical with a twist’. All collections interact and can be mixed with each other, creating pieces and looks that are above and beyond what is perceived as fashionable. In addition it is ethical!!

What inspires you?

The beauty that surrounds us but we are ‘too busy’ to notice What other designers or celebrities inspire you?

It is not as much certain people but certain periods in time that inspire me. Women throughout history never failed to look amazing even under the most difficult circumstances.

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

I am open to collaborations of any kind and any brand as long as it proves interesting for both parties.

What is your definition of sustainability?

A way of life that respects our resources.

How would you define sustainable fashion?

The opposite of fast fashion: a garment that will look good and make you feel wonderful wearing it for a long time.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

Society needs to be educated about a more ethical way of living and the impact the smallest action has on other people’s lives. I do not see it as a movement but as a natural progression and it is gaining more grounds as people realise its impact on our lives, our society and our environment.

For the contact details of Stamo, for either By Stamo or Ecoluxe go to the address book.

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‘The Life of HETTY ROSE’ ecoissue had the opportunity to talk to founder of sustainable shoe label HETTY ROSE,

Henrietta Rose Samuels and find out what happen’s in the life of her fashion label.

Hetty Rose was founded in 2007, launching our first collection in February. The press have been very kind to us and have enjoyed the collections so far with features in Italian Vogue, InStyle, The Telegraph and Grazia. Publications have helped to show people what we are doing and raise awareness which ultimately has led to the brand being more recognisable.

The initial set up of the business was hard work in terms of building the brand and gaining credibility in the fashion field. Day to day keeping up with everything can be stressful but I enjoy what I do and would never complain! I love what I do. Being chosen to exhibit at London Fashion Week in my first season was very flattering and it raised the profile of the brand significantly. Exhibitions since have done the same. We now have shoe parties and events to promote the shoes and more people are involved within the company.

How did you become interested in textiles and footwear?

My mother said on my first day of nursery school I was fascinated with my teacher’s red shiny shoes, so I think she knew from an early age I was interested in shoes and as I grew up, with my father’s engineering influences, I became increasingly more interested in the construction of footwear. These days I have a big collection of shoes, they include lots of vintage pairs from years ago which I collect to inspire or just surround me.

What inspired you to produce ethical shoes?

After an inspiring ethical based project during my studies I felt very strongly about issues beginning to become focused upon in the field of fashion. The first market to really impact from this shift in purchasing habits was the food market, now fashion, and looking to the future, almost everything will be affected by the consumer change in attitudes and buying habits.

Retailers need to be totally in control of where the products they sell come from, right down to the core materials and how these are made and by whom. It is possible to do this, however daunting it may seem. It has been proved by organisations like the Environmental Justice Foundation who can trace their organic cotton right back. It’s a really interesting concept. The more I find out and the more people I meet in the industry confirms my decision to create an ethical footwear brand. As a brand we try to encourage traditional methods and feel it is important to promote hand crafted products, made in Britain.

We up-cycle vintage kimono fabrics from Japan, vegetable tanned leather, recycled leather and vintage trims & trinkets. All products are hand made by myself in a workshop. The concept of the company has grown from research and development I conducted during my degree. I was travelling in Japan 7 years ago and came across some tiny shops selling vintage kimono fabrics. >

These fabrics have already been un-picked and are panels, which lend themselves to shoe patterns. Therefore, I left my clothes in Japan and filled up my case with kimono fabrics and started to experiment with them in my workshop. I love it when I find a really beautiful piece of fabric. As the fabrics are one-offs they cannot be re-produced, so when I find something gorgeous, I have to do it justice by making it into something really wonderful. I go back each year to source more fabrics and be inspired by the beauty of the country. I am interested in footwear construction and how you can make a design into reality, it’s like wearable sculpture. I like to experiment and be free with my creativity.

On your website you talk about kimono fabrics being “saturated in significance and hidden meanings. The colours and folds signify various seasons, occasion, status and personal taste of the wearer.” Can you let us into the secrets of some of these hidden meanings?

The patterns and designs have meanings and relevance to the wearer, for instance on a bridal kimono there are many large cherry blossom flowers – these are considered very lucky. Bamboo also is considered as a wild growing, strong and beautiful plant, many of these feature on kimono fabric. The sleeve lengths also signify the status of the wearer be it married or single. There are also hundreds of ways to secure the kimono as it has no fastenings, the ‘obi’ which is like a belt in a long length of material, is wrapped around the wearer in many different methods to achieve a beautiful shape, my favourite being a huge bow at the back.

What’s the creative process you go through when creating a new design?

I start with inspirational and design ideas, from these then ideas flow. I often tape up the last (the form I make the shoe on) and draw directly onto it, designing in 3-dimentailly makes the design easier to envision.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I am a hoarder. I keep everything that inspires me or that could be useful. The idea of wasting something which could be transformed into something functional and beautiful is the reason I do what I do. Objects, places, shapes, colours and dreamt-up ideas inspire me. My magpie tendencies often lead me inspired by little trinkets and found objects. Sustainability in the fashion field can be a challenge, so by having a concept which adheres to ethical and ecological sensitivities, I can be free with my designs. Objects, places, colours and dreamt-up ideas inspire me more than people or trends Describe your designs in three words...

Distinctive, Striking, Classic.

I think they sum up it pretty well. >

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What is the most challenging aspect of working in the ethical industry?

It can be difficult for small businesses who hand make their products to survive in a market where people are used to fast fashion. I think people will always want a quick fix fashion item, but I hope people will buy things with more of a conscience and interest in where it has come from and how it has been made. It has to be desirable and fashionable, the fact it is ecological/ethically sensitive, should just be a normal factor and it will be. It can be a challenge to source ethical alternatives to the norm. I make good relationships with all my supplier who hand craft many of the components I use.

Do you have a favourite textiles technique? If so, what is it and why?

I love the heavy embroidery you can find on some antique kimono fabrics, they make the fabric very difficult to work with although when I can ‘tame’ the threads I love to create a very special pair of shoes or bag.

Have you any tips or techniques that you abide by?

I rarely throw very much away, so I would say a top tip is to have a scraps box. I keep one of fabrics and one of leathers. I then rummage through these when I need to make something small or need inspiration for colours. They are useful when you need a burst of bright fabric, for instance when I hand make cards or baby shoes.

Describe a typical day for you. Do you have a routine, or do you just see where the day takes you?

Everyday is very different! But I suppose I would spend the first hour or two of the day replying to emails until about 10am. Then I would start work on shoes I have to make that week. I converse with suppliers, clients and the press throughout the day. I usually work in the studio until 8pm and then finish off any emails afterwards. Some days I have meetings in London with clients, buyers and press so I might be in London for a few hours a day.

I sometimes attend networking events and fashion events in the evenings too.

You can tell a lot about someone due to the way they work and what their studio space is like. What’s your studio like?

I have a studio by my home so I can work all hours if I need to.

It is full of shoes, materials, leather and lots of components. I have an industrial sewing machine inherited from my grandmother and a huge work table which is usually covered in whatever I’m working on that day. I make a point of tiding up everyday. I need a clear space to work on. I have inspiring images, ripped out of >

magazines, old photographs, swatches of fabric, vintage jewellery, all sorts – all pinned to the two large notice boards in the studio.

I like to be surrounded by these inspiring objects and images, it helps me when I’m developing design ideas and generally keep me happy.

What’s been the most rewarding moment in your life as a shoe designer/maker?

I could say featuring in high-end publications such as Italian Vogue and getting the top spot on the Grazia Fashion Charts and the Nokia advertisement was also an exciting moment. But I would have to say I love to make people happy and be able to create something they really cherish is very rewarding. When my clients tell me they have their shoes on display makes me smile, that’s more important to me.

What is it that makes having a bespoke pair of shoes so special?

Clients have a personal experience when they have shoes made

by Hetty Rose. I often meet the client in person, we talk about the kind of style they would like, they choose the fabric which I tell them where I found it and any significant meanings it has, we drink tea and discuss other elements such as the heel height and style. I also take measurements of the feet. I’ll then get started on the shoes, totally unique to the wearer. I keep the client updated with photos via email so they can see how the shoes are developing. We then meet for a fitting then I finish the shoes off. The whole process take around 6-8 weeks and prices are from £350 per pair. Clients often tell me they love the idea of having something make exclusively for them. They can choose lots of elements of the shoes, from the colour of the lining inside the shoes to the colour of the sole. Knowing no one else in the world has the same as you is a nice feeling, the shoes tell a story and the wearer had a say in how they were created.

Do you have a favourite designer?

Roger Vivier, fetish designers of the 1940s, Nicholas Kirkwood would be some of my favourites. To be honest I don’t really have a favourite. I like what particular designers do because they are known for that particular thing or design.

Have you fulfilled your lifelong ambition?

No, I continually develop my ambitions. If you have a dream of something whether it’s to do with your career or personal life, I find that even if that dream comes true your never satisfied. In our society we always want more. We are never happy with just being the way we are and living life to the full without moaning about something. Live life to the full, thats what I say.

For the contact details of Henrietta/ Hetty Rose go to the address book at the back.

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‘...i have a big collection of shoes, they include lots of vintage pairs from years ago, which I collect to inspire or just surround me...’

Henrietta’s studio space in the images above. Her studio is full of boxes and boxes of inspirational trinkets, buckles, heels, it was a total shoe obsessed workshop, which is obviously very good considering that’s what her fashion label consists of!!

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FRANK & FAITH -beautiful clothes ethically made in the UKHaving looked at so many fashion brands that are within the sustaianble fashion bracket I came across Frank & Faith, who were very happy to be interviewed about their online ethicsl fashion company. I spoke to Anya Pearson , co-founder of this amazing online company who agreed to answer so of my questions I collated while researching into this issue.

When and how did your brand start?

Frank & Faith is a Dorset based, socially conscious clothing label launched in Autumn 2006 by fashion designer and buyer, “Faith”, and her Chartered Accountant husband, “Frank”. Our founding philosophy is that our clothes look beautiful and fashionable but are manufactured in an ethical and sustainable way.

After working for many years for some of the biggest high street fashion retailers “Faith” decided there must be a more ethical and socially beneficial way of producing and manufacturing affordable fashion “savvy” clothing.

Frank & Faith clothes will always use organic, recycled or sustainable yarns and fabrics, be made ethically, and with equal importance – will always be fashionable.

What is Frank & Faith’s aim when it comes to sustainable fashion and design?

Our aim is to produce clothing ethically by manufacturing in Britain. The usage of our “Made in Britain” label further promotes locally produced goods and industries. This enables us to be sure our garments are made fairly, as all manufacturing falls under UK labour laws (including the minimum wage), EU labour directives and International Labour Organization conventions. In addition we can easily visit our factories to assess working conditions on a regular basis. This protects the Frank & Faith brand from “Sweat Shop” manufacturing. Frank & Faith support and nurture small factories and businesses in Britain, these are often in areas of deprived communities with high unemployment. Our aim is to retain specialist skills fast disappearing in the British Isles. >

eco-issue This also provides work for people who have trained to this skill set in the UK. A further benefit is the reduced environmental cost of transporting raw materials and clothing around the world. Our garments have significantly less “clothes miles” than many garments manufactured in the Far East.It would be easy for Frank & Faith to manufacture overseas. In a globalised economy, it may even make sound financial sense, but at what real cost.

There are approximately 40 million workers, mainly woman and children, in the global garment and textile trade that pay the price for our love of cheap clothing and fast fashion. They suffer long hours, poor wages, unsafe working conditions, no industrial representation, abuse, harassment and discrimination. This is the true cost of our need for cheap throwaway fashion. These sweatshop conditions are well documented and the only way Frank & Faith felt completely confident that their garments would be made fairly was to manufacture in our home market in the UK. This enables us to be sure our garments are made fairly, as all manufacturing falls under UK labour laws (including the minimum wage), EU labour directives and International Labour Organisation conventions. In addition it is easier for us to visit our factories to assess working conditions on a regular basis.

This is something that cannot be done with the use of overseas suppliers without great cost (both economic and environmental).

Our clothes have significantly less “clothes miles” than garments manufactured in the Far East. Frank & Faith does business with factories based not only on price and margin but also focuses on providing a deeper commitment by working with the factories to grow their capabilities so they are a viable resource for Frank & Faith as well as other brands.Because we use factories in the UK the amount of garments we can physically make at one time is small. Long gone are the huge clothing factories that use to be the heartland of the north, making thousands of garments a week. Now there are but a few left struggling to compete with the tidal wave of cheap clothing being imported from the Far East every day. This means that our collections are small, limited edition production runs. If you are wearing a Frank & Faith item you are very unlikely to find anyone else wearing the same thing.

What you do get is designer clothes at fair prices that you can wear without worrying your conscience.

What materials do you use to make Frank & Faith garments, in keeping with your environmental beliefs?

Frank & Faith will only ever use 100% organic cotton, sustainable and environmentally friendly yarns such as Hemp, bamboo, wool and Linen when designing and manufacturing their collections.We spent a long time searching out and finally finding a Merino wool we were totally happy with. There are many organic Merino wool’s on the market, but none that could 100% guarantee us that the barbaric act of mulesing wasn’t being performed by any of the farmers who were ultimately supplying us with the wool that would end up in our collection.

Mulesing, if we are honest, wasn’t something Frank & Faith had heard of up until about a few years ago, and we work in the fashion and manufacturing industry, so if like us you too have no idea what it’s all about you are in good company. The bare facts are this, that Merino lambs are forced onto their backs, have their legs restrained between metal bars, and without any painkillers whatsoever they have chunks of their wrinkled flesh sliced from around their tail area. This is done to cause smooth, scarred skin where hair will not grow and will not allow ‘flystrike’ to happen around the back end of the sheep. Just another quick fix people have adopted to exploit animals for our own greed, and one Frank & Faith do not and will not condone. The good news is that 50 years ago a farsighted farmer in South Africa >

brought the Merino over to his farm and began a breeding program that has virtually bred out the over wrinkling problem and hence bred out the need to worry about ‘flystrike’ in the South African Merinos. We work closely with a German mill that buys up all this wool and the finished yarn holds the prestigious Bluesign certification.

And remember wool is a natural fibre, unlike synthetics that are made from oil and never rots away. It does not need to be washed as often as synthetics because of its natural ability to resist odour and repel liquids. Luxuriously comfortable and friendly to the environment wool is nature’s wonder fibre.

In your eyes, what are the two materials we take for granted which are environmentally friendly and should be used more?

Bamboo is 100% naturally grown, without assistance from man. Completely sustainable, bamboo thrives naturally without using any pesticides or fertilizers. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years. It spreads rapidly across large areas.

Because of this, bamboo is known to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas of land. If we made bamboo as popular as cotton, it means more bamboo plantations, which means more photosynthesis and less greenhouse gas.

“The greatest challenge facing mankind” would get just a little easier if we switched over to this fantastic fibre.

Linen is the oldest know fibre ever used by man as it thrives with little assistance from us and makes an ecologically friendly substitute for cotton. Apart from that linen lasts up to 12 times longer than cotton, linen is thermo-regulating (insulating in wintertime, cool and breathable in summertime), non-allergenic and anti-bacterial and thus especially recommended for sensitive skin.

Do you re-use/ recycle any materials when producing your garments?

Factory surplus is excess fabric and yarns left over from another manufacturer’s production. Every year tons of yarns and fabrics are discarded or left to rot at the textile mills and factories because it is too small an amount for most companies to use.

When sourcing our blankets and throws, Frank & Faith uses only the best factory surplus fabrics and yarns as one aspect of our efforts to work towards sustainability. We purchase this perfectly good fabric or yarn because it’s ideal for our small, limited edition production runs. By using this existing surplus materials we reduce waste, save additional resources and consume less of the earth’s precious wealth. You can look at it this way too, when you buy one of our blankets or throws you get a one off bespoke item, one of a kind as the surplus colours are randomly selected and woven together at our factory in Scotland making it a one off work of art. >

eco-issue What other aspect of the environment is Frank & Faith part of?

Frank & Faith we feel passionately about animal welfare and we aim to ensure that wherever animals are used in the production of our clothes, that their welfare is protected at all times. We believe that it is not acceptable to harm animals in the manufacture of any of our products. Because of this we have developed an Animal Welfare Policy that covers all products sold by Frank & Faith Ltd. Australian Merino Wool Frank & Faith will not use Merino wool from Australia due to the widespread practice of mulesing in its production. All our organic Merino wool comes from South Africa where the breed has developed naturally over 50 years and has bred out the need for mulesing to eradicate ‘fly-strike’.

Cashmere Wool Cashmere wool is sourced from the thick fleece of the cashmere Pashmina goat from Northern China and Mongolia, but due to the high demand from the west for this fibre the farming practices have change from traditional sustainable methods to high volume production with little respect for the animal. Until a sustainable and cruelty free cashmere yarn can be sort, Frank & Faith will not use commercially obtain cashmere wool.

Angora Rabbit Hair Frank & Faith will never use Angora rabbit hair in any part of its manufacturing as all of this fibre is obtained from the Angora rabbit via factory farming methods, which is something Frank & Faith do not condone.

Animal Fur & Leather Products Frank & Faith will never use fur or leather in any part of our manufacturing, including fur and leather that are bi-products of the meat industry, and this also includes Mongolian lambs fur which is like sheep skin.

Live-Plucked Feather or Down Frank & Faith will never use feathers or down in the manufacturing of any of our garments due to the widespread practices of obtaining the down from the live plucking of birds.

Silk Commercial silk is made by boiling the intact cocoons and unwinding the single silk strand onto reels. Only a few moths are allowed to emerge to continue the population of silkworms. The rest are killed by being boiled in their cocoons.

This is done so the silk fibres are not broken and can be reeled off in a continuous strand. However, the silk can still be spun like other fibres if the moths are allowed to emerge. “Peace silk” (also known as “vegetarian silk”) is raised and processed differently. The moths are allowed to emerge from their cocoons to live out their full life cycle. The silk is degummed and spun like other fibre, instead of being reeled. The resulting yarn is soft, fluffy, and light like a cloud.>

Inspirational sketchbook images.

This is the best silk for warmth and therapeutic use. It is rare and not readily commercially available but Frank & Faith would only ever use Peace Silk when designing and manufacturing our collections.

Animal Testing Frank & Faith believe that animal testing for fashion purposes is not acceptable, and will never condone or implement any kind of animal testing on any of our products or clothing, or knowingly purchase products from suppliers that have conducted, commissioned or been party to animal testing.

Animal Derived Products Any animal derived products used or produced by Frank & Faith must be collected without harm to animals.

All our products are vegetarian.

Endangered Species Frank & Faith will not use any materials derived from species that appear on the CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) or IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) lists of endangered species.

What do you think needs to be done to make this aspect of society more talked about and more interesting to those who aren’t interested?

Make it the norm not the exception, look at free range eggs now and fair trade tea, it’s the norm now!

What single ethical/sustainable product would most improve the quality of your life?

Sustainable clean and free power for all!

For the contact details of Anya Person at Frank & Faith or Frank & Faith go to the address book at the back.

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...when you buy one of our blankets or throws you get a one off bespoke item, one of a kind as the surplus colours are randomly selected and woven together at our factory in Scotland making it a one off work of art...

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question &answer

WILFRIED PLETZINGER Wilfried Pletzinger’s collection’s are made of recycled sportswear.

It questions the conventions and changes the use of traditional clothing & sportswear. Each design is unique & uses materials from more than one recycled item and so allowing the wearer complete individual expression.

Wilfried Pletzinger’s work really fascinated me when I first came across it.

The idea of recycling sports wear isn’t something I had really come across while researching into this issue, but when I came across Pletzinger’s interesting pieces I just had to contact him. Unfortunately Pletzinger lives in Stockholm so I couldn’t meet with him personally, but from emailing and talking on Skype he agreed to answer a number of quick fire question’s on the aspect of fashion is so obviously loves...

When did your brand begin?

I started my brand in 2009.

Why did you go down the sustainable route?

I’ve been wearing vintage clothes for more than twenty years. Already as a teenager I was very conscious about the environment. Therefore it feels natural to up-cycle second hand clothes.

How are your pieces sustainable?

By up-cycling second hand clothes I turn them into something new. I give them a new life turning them into high fashion items. Beside sewing thread I don’t use new materials.

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

My favourite style to work with is sportswear. Therefore I would be interested in collaborating with Sports brands. But my goal is to run my own successful brand.

What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/ recyclable fashion companies?

All items in my collections are unique.

Any design does not exist more than once.

I specialize in sportswear and turn them into evening, party and daily wear. It questions the conventions and changes the use of traditional clothing & sportswear. My collections are allowing the wearer complete individual expression.

What is your definition of sustainability?

For me it means that I respect everything that exists. I’m very critical to the mentality of using and throwing away.

More than 90% of all clothes are not used until they are worn out.It is about finding a way to keep our earth alive.

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

Already as a little child I was taught by my mother not to throw eatable food.

Clothes were worn until they where definitely worn out and jeans for example where patched. I have always been aware of minimizing the use of energy and recourses. For about thirty years I’ve been recycling my waste.

Why do you think ethical fashion is important?

The population in the world is growing permanently. In “third world countries” the standard of life is improving which is positive. But this means we need more food, energy, clothes and industrial products. >

Our recourses are limited. Therefore ethical fashion is one way of showing responsibility to mother earth.

What do you think needs to be done to make this aspect of society more talked about and more interesting to those who aren’t interested?

We can read about ecological fashion in magazines, which are specialized in ecology and sustainability, but in other fashion magazines that have a huge influence and power, it is almost not a theme at all. We need more brave people in the media wearing sustainable fashion to show how beautiful it can be and thereby make society interested.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

Already in the last ten years it happened a lot. Before, ethical fashion was mostly basic and not very fashionable or trendy.

Now it is often difficult to see a difference between ethical and conventional clothes.

By a growing market it will become cheaper and more present in our daily life.

It is comparable with the establishment of ecological food, which is now available in almost any food store.

What single ethical/sustainable product would most improve the quality of your life?

Airplanes flying with sustainable energy!

For the contact details of Wilfried Pletzinger go to the address book at the back.-

Images of Womenswear 2011.

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BREAKFAST MEETING IN NOTTING HILL

The North Circular KATHERINE POULTON

‘The North Circular’ utilizes the talents of grandmothers and high fashion models to create directional fashion pieces over rich tea biscuits and local gossip When I got a reply to the email I had sent The North Circular a couple of days before I was so excited. Not quite sure why, maybe because not a lot of people were replying to my emails and phone calls, ecpessially the ones which I really wanted to be involved in my publication one being The North Circular. After responding and talking to Katherine via email a meeting was organised in Carluccio’s, Notting Hill. I was so nervous travelling to meet with her. I was constantly wondering what she was like and whether I would recognise her even though I look her up on The North Circular website.

Rushing down to Carluccio’s because according to my phone I was 5 minutes late, was an ordeal to say the least. At 9oclock all you have are screaming kids on their way to school getting in you way! But as soon as I sat down I ordered the most amazing hot chocolate I have ever tasted. It was rich, indulgent, oh my god it was yummy!!

Then the large clock above the door and ticked quarter past 9 and Katharine strolled through the door with her long blonde hair in a bun, not a scrap of make-up on and just looking amazing! No wonder she’s a model. I found that out by stalking her on the internet!!

So after a little bit of small talk it was time to get on with the job in hand. And here’s the conversation with Katherine about her brand, her vision for London Fashion Week and what her views are on the sustainable way of life.

Lauren Poacher: It’s so nice to finally meet with you and I really appreciate you taking your time out of your busy schedule to meet with. How is everything progressing with your space for London Fashion week?

Katherine Poulton: We are going be at Somerset House and we have a video that we are launching at fashion week, which is all about metamorphosis. It’s quite a surreal video of Lily in a ripping out of a cocoon! At the moment were sourcing used TV’s to play it, but we’ve got a week to find six retro TV’s so if you know anyone who has an old TV is me a bell! We’re looking for the ones which were before the black box TV, I looked and found one which was delivered to my house for free and now I can’t find any! At the moment it’s an installation of one telly!

L.P: Are you excited about setting up your space?

K.P: Yeah, you have to pay like a million pounds (over-reaction!) to get a ‘space’. Even though it is an expensive process you find that if you don’t go and show, then your buyers start asking questions and they think you aren’t doing a collection. It’s like everything; it’s part of the machine to pay huge amounts of money to show your work. It’s in the game of fashion. You either jump through the hoops or you don’t. >

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L.P: I suppose if you want your brand to get somewhere within this ‘machine’ you have to show in as many places as you can.

K.P: Yeah totally, it’s all about promotion. We are all about big chunky knits and we are thinking about skipping next season (S/ S12) because we showed S/S 11 that wasn’t particularly successful.

We were experimenting with fine things, we got some eco cotton in from Peru and did some things with that as well as working with cashmere. I don’t think we quite translate into that season that well yet.

L.P: Is there anything else you are looking or working on when it comes to fabric technology and knitwear?

K.P: This season (A/W11) we are going back to being 100% British, which I think for us is the key message. I think that’s what people really like about us. They like the fact that we are supporting important elements, the spinning, the dying, and the sheep.

There all important parts of the industry within England and were also using some British cashmere as well. I think people like our story and by getting cotton form Peru it ruined the whole point we’ve been trying to make. That kind of killed the story a little bit.

Future growth for us is all about taking the same business model to other countries. Instead of trying to ship to Japan we would go to Japan and set-up with the local animal sanctuaries, local craftsman and create the same sort of clothes circuit to sell to the local area.

L.P: I think this subject matter has so many components to it. It’s a huge subject to find a part of. Researching into this topic for my Final Major Project has been quite a task because I haven’t really taken and interest before. Finding out about The North Circular and reading your brands on personal story really gives you more of a platform in my eyes. You haven’t hidden anything way from the consumer and they appreciate the story you are telling. How long has the brand been running?

K.P: We launched September 2009, so nearly two years.

L.P: Are you happy that you’ve done it and took the risk?

K.P: Of course, the thing is this was something where the people involved really didn’t know what they were getting themselves into! We didn’t really grasp what was involved. People were like have you got this, you need to do this, have you produced a business plan. All of these things which we hadn’t really considered made us panic, but I learned on my feet of how to do knitwear and run a company. I think a lot of the time you spend doing really boring things you never thought you would do. But it’s all part of a brand. At the moment we probably spend 8 hours doing spreadsheets and then were like maybe we should design for half an hour!

L.P: What’s your typical day? Have you got a routine?

K.P: Well, because were still really small and there’s not much money involved we all still work. My partner Alice and I are the ones who work full time on this. We don’t really have an average day. It’s definitely not a 9-5 scenario. A lot of it is paper work, the sort of stuff you would pay a company to do. These all the small things you have to consider. The North Circular is run like a cottage industry. We send our wool to the knitter and she knits our creation and sends it back so it’s all very postal so there’s a lot of delivery posting and package collecting. >

L.P: Do you like the fact that you know the people making it, instead of it going to a factory abroad and going backwards and forwards over seas for manufacturing?

K.P: Yeah definitely because you put a piece of knitwear to a face.

Each one has its own uniqueness. We’ve had them delivered back to us and as soon we opened the envelope were like, ‘ok this one smokes!’ or ‘this ones got a dog!’ People like the fact that they will buy one of our items and it will have who has made it. It’s more personal. It’s also nice for the knitter because they know their work is appreciated by someone.

L.P: I think that personal touch is really nice. I especially like the tags that come with your pieces indicating who made it and how many sheep have been saved from using there wool for the scarf they have just purchased. You’re getting a little bit of history about what your money has just bought you. How did this idea come about?

K.P: Well, being a model since I was fourteen I grew up within the fashion industry. I left school and entered the fashion industry and ten years later I was still in it. I desperately wanted to move out the fashion machine, as I’ve always been really interested in the whole sustainable way of life and the green movement. I studied horticulture and worked within different organisations.

I went to New York and worked with different companies on amazing campaigns. I wanted to get as far away from fashion as I could. Through my involvement with all these green brands I met one of the partners, Izzy Lane who owns the sheep sanctuary. She wanted to really support them through their wool so they would never have to go to slaughter and so from meeting her and joking around with Lily (Cole, model and ambassador) and then talking to my grandmother who is an amazing knitter and can knit anything you put in front of her it all escalated and here we are today.

Obviously it wasn’t that easy but that’s where the initial idea came from. We just thought of creating our own little empire where millions of grannies are knitting our scarves!

K.P: Even though it was the three of us that came up with the idea I’m the main one running the show. Obviously Izzy has two other companies and Lily has her modelling, university and celebrity status to contend with that myself and Alice are the ones picking up the pieces. We all have a meeting once a month to go over new ideas and all keeping in touch via email, but it definitely Alice and I the fort. The North Circular has definitely expanded quite rapidly and a lot quicker than I’d imagined. I was more about making something green fashionable instead of just having the title.

L.P: It’s very difficult to get your head around the idea of something being ethical, sustainable, green, organic, eco-friendly.

There are so many terms that people use, but are there whole company eco-friendly of just one aspect. With some company’s you have to read between the lines.

K.P: I totally understand where you are coming from. They call it ‘green washing’. When you walk around Estethica, there are so many people doing totally different things but they are all sustainable in their own right. You do have to read between the lines with some companies and if asked they should know what parts of their company is helping the environment. The whole aspect of a garment being tracable is also being talked about at the moment I don’t know whethere people are bothered. >

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L.P: Talking about Estethica have you been happy with the spaces you are given or would you like to see your item going down a catwalk instead of being in a static show?

K.P: That’s something we are interested in doing but I know what goes into making a show and we are no were near that point. Our collections are too small and from working with Roland Mouret for a long time I see the whole behind the scenes and the amount of money it would cost. It’s just too expensive. It would be nice to collaborate with a designer and show our pieces that way. It would be good to have a partnership with a designer who wants more chunky knits and beanies within their collection.

K.P: Going back to Estethica though, it could definitely do with re-vamp. It is not in a brilliant space and there are designers who are truly flamboyant and crazy where as compared to us we are simple! But that’s the way we wanted it. Our pieces are functional, practical, you buy them and you can wear it home plus its knitted by a grannie! We spend £2000 on our space and you don’t want to have to spend anoth£1000 making it look amazing. The spaces should be much more considered and throughout. There’s nothing exciting or unique about the Estethica area. People just have stroll through assuming its still part of the main exhibition space.

The British Fashion Council definitely need to get there thinking caps on and make some improvements.

L.P: Before you set-up The North Circular where there any designers whose work you admired within the sustainable topic?

K.P: No not really. I was a bit blind to it all. I’ve always loved Stella (McCartney) as she doesn’t use any animal products which is really great and obviously Izzy Lane. She’s always been really cool and I put on a show for her for free in connection with a charity I worked with. I‘ve always been in to vintage. I was a vintage buyer for quite lot of designers. For me it’s more about the ideas than the specific companies. I don’t really look through magazines or read up about new trends because I think it takes you away from what really inspires you. As soon as you read up on what’s going on in the fashion industry you sub consciously absorb it. Looking in museums and at nature you are getting unique reaction or inspiration. When you’re looking at Vogue you find yourself following what has already been done.

L.P: If you’re in the fashion industry do you think there’s a pressure to always be on trend? I’m happiest in my jeans. I’m so casual when it comes down to clothing so I don’t feel I have to buy something because it’s in season and then not wear it again because its not on trend.

K.P: Personally, I think, I hope the ‘throw away dress’ trend is coming to an end and people have more important things to worry about than making sure you haven’t worn something twice. To me that’s the greatest crime. We have encouraged this whole stay on trend aspect within our magazines without taking a thought for what it’s doing to the environment. That dress may have been cheap but what it cost the earth to make it. Hopefully people will start thinking I’ll buy something which will last me a year instead of a day. Shops like Primark don’t make clothes that cost £1 without someone or something suffering. >

L.P: When you shop do you look for quality, clothes which will last.

K.P: There’s this whole thing of ‘cradle to cradle’ when we make/ buy a product it should last a life and be made into something else. You buy one of our beanie hats and when it’s falling apart you can unravel it and buy something else. Or you can through it in the garden and put it on your compost heap and it will degrade. It will go back to where it came from. Like a cycle of life.

It’s the concept of a life after the product which the manufacturer should be taking into consideration.

L.P: Why don’t you think there are more high fashion designers helping this cause? Why are they not onboard considering there in the limelight and looked up to?

K.P: Money!

K.P: The thing is fashion is so fast. There’s a ridiculous cycle of make, make, make. Even if you have a huge fashion house and you have a 100 people working for you you’re working at such speed they haven’t got time to read a newspaper, so there not going to research into sustainable fashion. These people are so consumed by what they are doing their values are the aesthetic, how much there going to sell and how good it’s going to look on the catwalk. If a customer comes in and buys it, whatever its made of whether it’s an endangered animal or children are being exploited by making it the fashion designer isn’t going to care.

They are selling their garments. They are making money. They never cared in the first place. End of story. It will only change if consumers don’t buy.

L.P: How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

K.P: It’s really going to depend on how fast the world changes. If we have a decline in our oil levels, which is on the horizon people are going to have to change. How long can we carry on shipping tonnes of clothing day to day from different countries. It’s so expensive to get it to these places who make it and then send it back, I think things like that are going to have an impact generally. Hopefully the government will put money into the people who want to use the craftsmanship in our country which help the employment percentages as well as the environment. I really think the future of sustainable fashion will be responding to the environment.

L.P: Is there a product/material who would love to see disappear?

K.P: Plastic! I absolutely hate the stuff. I’ve been trying to think of ideas for people to stop using plastic. I want them to go a ‘plastic diet’. I want people to either recycle their plastic, or just try not to buy anything that use it, which is obviously a very hard task.

People have got start learning what plastic actually is and to stop using it when possible. Plastic is clogging up our Earth. I’m obsessed about plastic and packaging! >

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L.P: Puma are doing some really interesting things at the moment with packaging. They’ve got new plastic packaging that dissolves within hot water. It’s amazing not to sure how it works mind you!

K.P: It’s all still really experimental. There’s so many elements involved within everything whether its plastics or clothing.

L.P: Is there any innovative ideas your looking at for your brand?

K.P: Well we are looking into natural dyes and natural ingredients, which can be used to dye our wool. That’s one thing were looking at. I’m always looking at new things that don’t involve chemicals. You have to keep your ideas fresh and inventive so people still have faith in your brand, especially those like ours who are trying to prove a point.

L.P: What other brands do you like?

K.P: It depends what part of fashion you are talking about. I must admit I do love mulberry bags. I try to limit the amount of leather I buy, but with leather it will last. I’ve had my ‘alexa’ mulberry forever, but I won’t buy another bag until this is not recognisable!

In terms of The North Circular working with a company on a collection, Mulberry would be goo to collaborate with if they were looking into ethical leather, which I don’t think they are! I think all big company’s can become more sustainable, but there only changes if their CEO thinks it’s profitable, which is the reason more people aren’t doing it. It comes back to the whole consumer power. The company’s I work with desperately want to make a change. You can see that.

L.P: What places stock The North Circular?

K.P: We’re stocked in Harvey Nichols menswear, a boutique in North London in Hoxton, net-aporter Uk and Us, Dover Street Market, Collate in Paris.

L.P: You were talking about packaging earlier.

How do you package your pieces?

K.P: We wrap it in recycled paper, usually the brown parcel paper. Then we have our own stamps we stamp it with and our unique tags which display how many sheep have been saved and are living at Izzy’s sanctuary. We tie it all together with parcel string. They look amazing when they leave us, but I’m not sure what there like when they get to the other end!! >

L.P: Do you enjoy getting up and running your own label?

K.P: Totally, everyday is totally different. I really enjoy designing and being creative. I love writing the press releases, I generally like being creative and making new things. I love being round young people, even though I’m only 30, I consider myself compared to some of the interns we have in. I like the fact that I could sit in, PJ’s in the office if I want to. I love not answering to somebody. I never really have answered to anyone, but it’s nice that you’re the one who has the last say. I like to create an enjoyable and calming working environment. If someone’s not well I tell him or her to go home or lay down on the couch. I’ve worked for monsters and I didn’t want my company to be run by a dragon!!

Fashion isn’t brain surgery; we are not saving lives so I don’t see there’s so much pressure. Definitely before London Fashion Week is a pressure point, but the other 348 days of the years are happy and calm!!!

L.P: Well thank you for meeting with me. I really appreciate you taking your time out of your busy schedule to meet up with me. You’ve really helped and once I’ve put my magazine together your more than welcome to request a copy if your would like one.

K.P: No worry’s at all. It was nice talking to someone about a different project because at the moment it’s just London Fashion Week talk, actually if you need a pass your more than welcome to come by and have one of ours if you would like to have a look around for your project L.P.: Oh thank you. I really appreciate that. I f you need any help of that period just let me know as I’ll be about and it will be nice to put that within my magazine.

For the contact details of The North Circular and Katherine Poulton go to the address book at the back.

Previous page & above images supplied by The North Circular.

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diary of london fashion week

London Fashion week is always an exciting place to be. Situated within Somerset House the exhibition is within the rooms of the famous square building.

From meeting with Katherine Poulton from The North Circular I was given the opportunity to work alongside her and her team. As I was given a pass into the exhibition, which is home to designers showcasing their new collections. It is also home for Estethica, which deals with designers who work within the sustainable and ethical areas as well as Newgen Designers where new talented designers are chosen to exhibit, one of being Christopher Raeburn, who uses parachutes to make waterproof jackets macs. He has also been experimenting with using the same material and making inflatable animals, which were situated around the building within different alcoves. It was really nice to see something that was eyecathcing, interesting and inventive. I have previously worked at London Fashion Week alongside accessory designer Kate Sheridan where I was able to experience London Fashion Week for the first time. I feel that the whole exhibition space is definitely lacking some character and uniqueness, especially within the Estethica sector.

Sustainable fashion is met to up-and-coming, showcasing new talent’s who are going to paving the way for how we design in the future, but from looking at the dark cramp space which had no real life you start to wonder do they think about the spaces they are giving people.

As part of a project I am hopefully going to work I would really like to re-invent the Estethica space, so it’s dramatic, gripping and action-packed.

Change is good in some circumstances and this is definitely one of them.

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diary of london fashion week

THE NORTH CIRCULAR estethica exhibition space Meeting Katherine Poulton from The North Circular was really nice and casual. We ended up sitting for an hour and half chatting about all sorts of things.

From meeting her I was able to work alongside her for London Fashion Week. I had already seen The North Circular space within the Estethica area due to having a meeting with Anna Orsini who is curator of the Estethica area. To be honest walking around the space while it was empty was really funny because it still felt empty being within the space when the designer’s collection had been finally presented. The space seemed very cold and was inviting, striking or imaginative. It was dull, dark, cold and boring. Due to the Estethica space being situated on the upper level within the Lower Embankment galleries it is a space, which is hidden away apart from two sets of stairs hidden at each end. The space didn’t seem to be thought out and because the space is separated into different rooms it always felt so empty. I walked around he different stalls while I was on a break and as soon as you show some interet or you move to take a business card their on you.

The designer’s reminded me of the people you get on holiday, ‘lookey lookey men’ or haggler’. The designers want to know where you are from what you want. I t’s not a nice environment to be in because all you want to do is have a look without getting harassed. >

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...It was a worthwhile event as The North Circular were approached by department store Selfridges, Amazing!...

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Anyway instead of moaning about what was and wasn’t there as in atmosphere, the one designer/ brand that did stand out was The North Circular and it just so happens that I was working for them! The space the production company they used put together was amazing. The North Circular was situated in a room with four other designers and they stood out by a mile. They had an extra big space because the designer next door to them pulled out so they took it to add to their original stall. As you can see from the images it was absolutely amazing. As you walked into the room The North Circular was just round the corner so people would have a peep round the corner, see their amazing installation and be totally blow away and intrigued. The retro TV’s showed a film starring co-founder Lily Cole.

There was clip it’s of the film as the main screening is in May as part of a private exhibition. The mounds of wool that covered the entire space had t been sheered from the sheep at co-founder Izzy Lane’s sheep sanctuary and sent down in large bags. Once London Fashion Week comes to an end the wool will be sent back to the sanctuary to be spun into wool ready for the scarves, etc to be made. The space really caught a lot of attention and people were asking a lot of question. That is exactly what you want; one because it’s London Fashion Week, the stall would have cost around £2000 and you want people to buy your stock, and 2 because you are representing a aspect of society that should be promoted and by making something so obvious and eye catching people will be interested, no doubt about it. Having an installation that blew everyone else’s stall out of the water was a very good call because the Selfridges visual merchandising team was doing the rounds and they picked p on The North Circular straight away. For the Christmas windows they are planning on having a completely white theme, which from seeing The North Circular Installation space is absolutely perfect.

To get an amount of wool to cover a window would cost nothing and it could be re-used. There window wouldn’t need much of a budget and Katherine said, as soon as they left, ‘that is the one department I dream of getting into’. Well that might just happen.

For the details of London Fashion Week and contacts to the the address book at the back.

eco-issue ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION LARISSA CLARK PR &MARKETING The Environmental Justice Foundation or EJF for short is an organisation I noticed while looking around within the Estethica exhibition at London Fashion Week, Somerset House.

It’s an organisation that is very well known within, not just the ethical and sustainable circles, but within our society due to how much work they do for our environment. I was lucky enough to interview Larissa Clark who is head of the PR and marketing for the cotton campaign as well as the other projects they are working on.

I already knew to a certain extent that the EJF had introduced a cotton campaign to the fashion industry five years ago. It is a campaign were well known designers illustrate the front of a 100% certified organic t-shirt supplied by EJF and a supermodel at the time is photographed in it. It is a campaign, which has grown from strength to strength and is now coming up to it’s tenth season, which means it’s time to celebrate.

I had the opportunity to not only speak to the main woman in charge, but to also work within the EJF office for the day to experience what it takes to maintain such a high profile campaign. Working with the team of EJF was a real eye opener to what they are doing and the fact that they want to help the environment and get everybody on-board.

After spending the day in the office and soaking every little bit up I was able to speak to Larissa or ‘Riss’ for short! And find out what she thinks needs to happen in the future, why the cotton campaign started and what are the problems we should be changing for a better way of life…

How did the cotton campaign come about?

The Cotton Campaign launched in 2005 when EJF produced a report called ‘white gold’. That was produced to expose the serious environmental and associated human rights abuses in the cotton industry focusing in East Pakistan, which acted as a case study to show the really bad practice within cotton production. Cotton production is unsustainable in a lot of country’s but in East Pakistan it’s a really dyer situation and the reason it was relevant to produce something was to educate what was going on.

There was no media when it comes to this subject, it is all kept very ‘hush, hush’ and at the time Europe was buying a 1/3 of all East Pakistan cotton. So as a group of nations we were contributing to this brutal dictator ship directly and a billion dollars a year was being earn’t through cotton exports.

We needed to direct the spotlight from factories back to the stage before. We wanted to go back to the beginning of the chain, which is usually in the cotton fields and this is where there is the most abuse.

So the t-shirt project side of it was launched because it was taking a fashion item, a universal piece of clothing and helping to communicate the campaigns message through that garment. But also producing a garment which was the perfect garment which we could make, so we could demonstrate that it wasn’t only a campaigning tool but it’s practicing what we preach and want others to follow suit in.

Katherine Hamnett designed the original t-shirt and then there’s been like a snowball effect over four years >

of every year adding new designers to the collection and taking it a step forward. Using the t-shirts as a means to leverage the campaign into critical fashion events like fashion weeks around the world, where we can present a positive solution and talk to buyers, media, students and interested co-operations about the gritty reality of why we are doing this.

It’s good that newspapers and the large broadsheets are writing about this issue but there not necessarily what people from the fashion industry reads. Major lifestyle press drives thoughts, attitudes and opinions, so if you can change the attitudes and opinions of magazines like Vogue or Elle into realising that there is a problem in cotton, but there are solutions and there’s great solutions, they can educate their readers about it.

So for that reason we got celebrity involvement. It’s easier to get media coverage in magazines like lifestyle press because these are people they are interested in. It has now turned into a t-shirt brand, which I don’t think was ever the original idea, but it has now turned into a critical fundraiser that pays for the campaign to progress.

Out of all of the t-shirt designs, which one has been the most popular?

It’s hard to judge it on which one has raised the most money because some have been around much longer than others. There have definitely been real peaks when it comes to profile and awareness. The campaign definitely hit the fashion industry like a storm in 2007 when Lily Cole fronted the campaign and Katherine Hamnett illustrated the t-shirt. >

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It went round the world, so we obviously sold a lot of them. Our t-shirts have also been promoted by people from all the various industries, one in particular being Kate Tunstall when she wore the t-shirt at the Live Earth Concert in New York. Millions of people were watching that programme and it helped that people went and googled it. They were just seeing the story and being blown away about the fact that they didn’t know what was going on.

Luella was a huge success in 2008 as well as Giles Deacon. They have all had their own markets. There own story’s. Some are just consistently popular. John Rocha is one of them.

It is very stylish. It’s simple, but to the point. It’s not in your face. It has the illustration of the cotton round the neck and people say ‘wow, what is that’ and we say ‘it’s cotton’. It’s amazing that people don’t know what cotton looks like. They just think that cotton looks like a t-shirt. You show them a raw piece of cotton and they are in awe. All of the t-shirts are magic in their own little ways.

What is your definition of sustainable?

I look at sustainable with a very traditional approach. They call it the three legged stall, where there’s a leg about the environment, there’s a leg about social justice or community and there’s a leg about economics. The three of them have to work together, in harmony, because if you pull one of them away the stall collapses. So anything, whether you are talking about food production, housing, business, clothing whatever it is they have to have a respect in their production for the environment and the community’ >

that surround the project.

Translating that into fashion, I like to think about the inputs. A lot of it is about what it takes to produce something. Has it involved chemical pesticides, cheap labour, have people been exploited. When looking at the cotton industry has the production been fair, has the factory dumped all of its waste in a nearby river. It’s all these things that should be considered. And then looking at the output, what happens to the product afterwards. Is it designed to last once and then to be chucked into a landfill site or can it be up-cycled into another product.

What do you think about high street clothing stores, such as Primark?

Primark symbolises fast fashion. We are talking about a store that changes their collections every fortnight. It’s totally nuts. Have they driven that craze by providing it or are they responding to what people want, in which case are the media to blame by advertising these stores. At the end of the day the stores are filling the need for new fashion every day.

It’s clear to see that there is exploitation somewhere, because you can’t be able to produce things at that cost without somebody not suffering or paying the price. They are producing in such volume they have got an opportunity to really price crunch on supply, but at what risk.

People in business say it’s good business sense and that people in social justice would say they are bullies.

They are definitely driving the whole issue of waste clothing. People have left whole suitcases of clothes on holiday because they can’t be bothered to bring them back because it’s >

so cheap by new stuff. That kind of wasteful consumerism is completely short sited and it cannot continue and to be honest they are going to suffer because cotton prices are higher than they have been in years. The price for cotton is just going up.

How expensive are the EJF t-shirts to produce?

Not especially. To start with the tshirts were donated to help us start the campaign, but now we buy them and sell them on as they are. There definitely not as cheap as they could be, you can get cheaper t-shirts, but what were happy with is that we’re so confident in the supply chain that we haven’t wanted to use anything else.

The company who supply us have broken down barriers when it comes to the supply chain being blank due to not knowing where pieces of fabric come from. They have made sure that every part of the t-shirt is traceable.

They even made six million t-shirts to show that they can be made in vast amounts for large high street stores.

It was to show the likes of Tesco, Gap and Levi that it can be done so why aren’t you doing it. And now they supply to forty large companies.

The t-shirt was also the first garment to be certified by the carbon trust, which look at the carbon footprint on products, so they are not only organic but they reduce the carbon footprint by 90%. It’s incredible.

The t-shirts range in price. At trade there about £2 or £3 to buy, it’s the printing that costs money. We get them printed with a company called T-shirt & Sons in Wiltshire. There the only company in Europe to be certified by the Soil Association for organic certified printing. So it means >

eco-issue been considered in their supply chain.

The company’s who don’t give much away, but give themselves the title of organic or sustainable are usually using it as a marketing tool. You have to read between the lines to find out what they are doing to help the environment. At the end of the day doing something is better than doing nothing. Every little bit helps!

be a trade off between style and ethics. I wouldn’t necessarily point that at fashion because fashion works at such a fast pace it is always changing, but there are designers out there who are chomping at the bite for people to know about these issues and that they are trying to help. There incredible collections within our fashion industry who have really solid

What needs to be done to make this issue more talked about and more mainstream?

It’s all about awareness. People have a perception of what sustainable fashion is but they don’t know or won’t take the time to find out the real facts. People still do not know what organic cotton is. People don’t even know that t-shirts are made of cotton a lot of time. It’s about awareness, awareness, awareness! We have got to educate people so they can make their own decisions. People have to know what is going on in the present day to make a decision about their future. It’s not about making people feel depressed about what is happening, it’s about explaining there are problems here, here and here and the solutions are 1, 2, 3. People have so much power when it comes to money, particularly the younger generation who literally vote with their money. If they understand this problem they can make such a difference for their future, as well as other countries. I will point out is there shouldn’t >

ethics behind their brand. That’s how it should be really, that should be the norm.

Shopping wise, consumers should have the choice to buy ethical clothing. It shouldn’t be in a different section it should integrate with everything else. At the moment it is a good unique selling point for a company to have ‘eco’ or ‘ethical’ or ‘sustainable’ or ‘organic’ within their brands title.

Some our t-shirts are being sold through Tesco, one of the reasons for that was to demonstrate that ethical production could be mass-produced.

It doesn’t have to be in a boutique or tucked away. If we are going to change how our nation perceives ethical clothing they have to produce on a mass level because there’s a lot of people who need clothes. The reason our suppliers have been so clever is because they have made the effort to research and find a solution. There whole factory is supplied by wind turbines and solar power, it isn’t rocket science. T-shirt & Sons who print our t-shirts have been recycling their >

that from the cotton seed that they put in the round to the final product hanging on that rail is certified by the Soil Association as organic, the whole process.

There are so many companies who say they are eco- friendly or producing sustainable fashion, but you have to read between the lines to know what elements are ethically correct. What are your thoughts on this point?

My Sustainable T-shirt is an amazing report which you should read.

It’s produced by the Pesticide Action Network and it will really help clear up the questions people have about what makes something organic or a company fair-trade certified, to be honest it will answer a lot of questions people have when it comes down to the fact of how they can call themselves organic, etc.

People sometimes say this is an organic cotton t-shirt which literally means that the cotton that was grown was certified organic and then it can have anything done to it. You could spray bleach all over it, but at the end of the day it was made with organic cotton. Obviously you wouldn’t do that if you cared about the environment, but the point I’m trying to make is even though it’s been made of organic cotton the other processes involved may not have been completely ethically friendly.

Having garments made from organic cotton ticks the box for helping the farmers, so they are helping in that way but what about the rest of the supply chain. With the EJF t-shirts they are completely organic and ecofriendly. It’s the same when something is given the title Fair-trade Certified, everybody and everything has >

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Environmental Justice Foundation

has been working on issues of sustainability in the fashion industry since 2005 in particular focusing in the cotton industry.

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water for the last 12 years; it goes through an eight-stage process and comes out perfect. I’ve tried it, it’s amazing! That’s mass, these factories exist.

What’s the plan for the future?

As an organisation I don’t know when we would be happy. There’s so much to find solutions for that’s why our main focus is cotton. There are so many issues which are kept under wraps and it is our job to expose them and find solutions for them. Our job is never done. Some people say your never make a change which is totally noticeable, but we can try.

How did you find your way within the EJF bubble?

I did a business management degree at the University of Manchester. I was running a business with my friend through University in events and promotion. I suppose you would describe now as social networking. I really enjoyed it and I just naturally fell into marketing and PR when I left University. In 2006 I really fancied a >

change and my passion was sustainability. For my final year dissertation I wrote about whether the University was sustainable within its own actions.

They were teaching people about how to be sustainable, but I wanted to prove whether they practiced what they preached. I just found it fascinating.

So after four years of working in a little bubble with my ‘family’ I decided I wanted to do something I considered a challenge and I had a true interest in, so I left and got a job with the Environmental Justice Foundation taking care of the marketing and PR. At that point EJF’s report’s had only been out a year, so it was all very fresh and new. Now four and a half years down the line I oversee over all of the sectors EJF are working on and it’s totally exciting. It’s a great organisation to work for. There forward thinking and everyday is different.

For the contact details of Larissa clark and her team at EJF got to the address book at the back.

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davide grazioli

BANUQ

Banuq is a sustainable menswear fashion label founded in Berlin in 2007 by two Italians, Davide Grazioli and Mauro Pavesi.

Since the very beginning the two friends shared a passion and a vision: they wanted to create a project with a positive impact on the environment and on society with no compromises. So they took the rough road: they decided to produce fully organic garments starting from Africa. After a long search they ended up using biodynamic organic fabrics coming from Egypt and transforming them into high quality garments in Ethiopia. In this way they chose two poor countries in need of new chances and development.

In Cairo and Addis Ababa, Davide and Mauro started working with small factories providing good working conditions.

By visiting the factories often, sometimes on a daily basis for months, they could personally check the overall working conditions. Thanks to their tenacity Davide and Mauro managed, even though on a small scale, to help these factories achieving better capabilities and raising their productive standards. It all resulted in new business opportunities as most of them used to manufacture only work or military uniforms.

While providing a modernisation of the know-how and new job opportunities on an industrial level, Banuq struggled to support and protect regional heritage on an

artisanal level. Thus Banuq promoted the production of accessories such as handwoven and vegetable-dyed silk and cotton scarves made in partnership with a little Ethiopian farm whose goal is to sustain human rights and the work of underprivileged local women.

Since the very first exploratory trips to Africa in 2007, Banuq managed to achieve its first goal: to create the first fully African, organic and fair supply chain, which fabrics are now dyed with GOTS certified colours. In 2011 Banuq presents a new project: a new limited edition collection produced in Italy using organic Italian fabrics and GOTS and vegetable dyes.

In 2010 Banuq became a member of MADE BY, the Dutch organisation that groups some of the most relevant sustainable fashion labels.

Banuq men collection is based on the concept of classic and timeless garments.

Inspired by contemporary explorers of new cultures and people on the move, each garment reflects a relaxed yet elegant approach to fashion. Banuq style mirrors not only the dense aesthetic background of the artist and designer Davide Grazioli, but also the variety of influences gathered during his trips around the globe, from Japan to Africa. The story of Banuq’s beginnings

isn’t just the writing of a business plan. It includes long journeys in Africa in search of the right partners, being them a remote cotton mill or a garment factory. During the hours spent travelling through the African sand and heat one thing was constantly accompanying Davide and Mauro: loud rock music, which became the soundtrack of the genesis of Banuq.

This is why each garment carries the title of one of these many songs and why the whole collection is called “Living on the Edge”. This is not only the title of a famous song by Aerosmith, but it also refers to the imperilled environment balance.

The designer’s behind the brand are, Mauro Pavesi, founder and managing director, born in Milan, holds a Master in Marketing and Communication from Italy and a Master in Development and International Relations from Denmark, where he had lived for seven years. He gathered experience within marketing, advertising and public relations at an international level by working for brands such as Lego, Reebok, McDonalds and Bestseller, the third largest European clothing group. More recently he worked in Africa for the United Nations.

He now lives and works between Addis Abeba, Milan and Berlin.

Davide Grazioli, founder and designer >

eco-issue born in Milan, has a Master in Marketing and Communication from Italy. He is a visual artist and designer known for his ever changing conceptual work that uses the most diverse media, including painting, sculpture, photography, video and embroidery. His work was exhibited internationally from India to Germany. Since 2000 the environmental issue has become the centre of his art, leading him to engage with different organic and recycled materials, from incense to cotton. He gradually got closer to fashion by designing his first organic collection in India in 2003. He now lives and works in Berlin.

Davide Grazioli found the time to participate in talking about an aspect of the

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designed one myself. Some time it’s very difficult to do the right thing and we are far from perfect, but we’re trying our best.

Are there new innovative ideas your brand is working on at the moment?

We’re working on many ideas at the same time, as that’s the approach of constant

I have always worked as an artist concentrating my work on environment.

Banuq is for me a way to have a higher and concrete

(positive) impact on environment with my work, rather

“

than limiting myself exclusively to the intellectual level.

fashion industry, which seems to be close to so many people’s hearts....

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

I’d like to design a man’s jacket in cooperation with Mayer-Berlin I hope I’ll manage some time, but realistically I’m actually a bit too busy to co-operate with other designers at the moment. Designing the Banuq collection absorbs all my energies.

What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/ recyclable fashion companies?

First of all Banuq is practically the only menswear collection out there at the moment, when it comes to styles that are not jeans or street wear. Secondly it was completely built on the criteria of being environmentally and socially sustainable with no compromises. I haven’t seen a sustainable man suite jacket before I >

experimentation that we chose to have.

Each garment demonstrates a relaxed yet elegant approach to fashion with a particular attention to detail and craftsmanship. We are active in the many different dimensions of sustainability ranging from creating the first fully African ethical and organic supply-chain, all the way through the low mileage limited editions, like the Made in Italy heritage part of the collection. We always have our eyes open and ears pinned back to hear about any new things that going on which can bring into our design process.

What is your definition of sustainability?

Living in abundance beauty with no sacrifice! My idea of sustainability was deeply inspired by the book “cradle to cradle” -remaking the way we make things.

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

DEFINITELY! Why now for sustainable fashion?

Because it’s now or never! >

eco-issue The words sustainability and ecofriendly, for some people, conjure up the image of hippies hugging trees and wanting to save the world.

True. But only good design and quality can show them what the truth is today: that is if it is possible to make incredibly nice things in the right way. Banuq is a proof for this; we have clients who buy from us for the style and feel of our garments without really knowing what organic means.

Do you think people have already made up their minds of what sustainability is about and are now not interested?

take a stand and say clearly that this is wrong and if you keep buying these products you will see the consequences.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

It’s a sociological process and it’s linked to the whole production world, so it’s a matter of time. The evident environmental disastrous situation should at least speed up the process, but good results cannot be achieved without good design and constant search for better solutions. I’m positive!

Not the awake ones!

What do you think needs to be done to make this aspect of society aim towards the less interested and non-believers?

Well, one thing that should be done is showing the people what is chemically contained in the conventional garments and show them that that stuff is inevitably entering the human food chain sooner or later, mostly In the form of water, gas or many others. They should be told more times, that over a million people per year die due to pesticides contained in conventional cotton. Not to mention the malformed children who have suffered due to Endosulfan, it is only one out of the hundreds of chemicals used, but it has effects on the human body that no one can comprehend. People have to start considering what it going into there clothing.

The world is full of companies that send thousands of containers across the globe everyday to produce things that could be done around the corner or with a much shorter mileage and impact. It’s time to >

What do you think needs to be done to make it more mainstream?

We all have to challenge old surpassed lifestyles, habits and production methods whenever they have proven to be inefficient. Treasuring local craftsmanship is a must as they are the ones that taught us, plus combine old with new to get more solutions. Sustainable fashion and design has to be made available, so I feel we have to get everyone on board. Good luck!

For the contact details of Banuq and Davide Grazioli go to the address book at the back.

All Images from Banuq Lookbook on website.

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DAWNE STUBBS

john smedley, designer knitwear fashion label

you explain how the JOHN SMEDLEY brand started question :can and what sustainability means to your company?

answer :

The John Smedley story began 225 years ago when Peter Nightingale and the first John Smedley set up shop at our mill in Lea Mills, Derbyshire, England. I’ll give you a brief timeline of events. In 1784, just 13 years after Richard Arkwright develops the first water-powered spinning mill. Peter Nightingale and associate John Smedley established John Smedley as an enterprise at the original Lea Mills. In 1825, after a seven year apprenticeship the second John Smedley takes over and sets out his vision for the company, where spinning, knitting and manufacturing take place under one roof using only the finest raw materials. In 1922, John Smedley’s Sea Island cotton is first used to knit John Smedley underwear, unique for its fineness, luxurious staple length and high tensile strength. In the 1960’s, underwear sales continue to bring success and cement John Smedley’s reputation, but outerwear increasingly becomes the main focus and starts to be exported all over the world. In the 1980’s, John Smedley collaborated with a number of high fashion designers, knitting collections for Vivienne Westwood, Margaret Howell, Paul Smith, Comme des Garcon, Nicole Farhi and Katherine Hamnett. In 1995, extra-fine New Zealand Merino wool is introduced from traceable sources, bred by specially selected Merino wool farmers in New Zealand.

In 2000, the flagship John Smedley retail store opens the doors in a prime location in London on Brook Street, just off Bond Street. In 2009, Exclusive John Smedley 13.5 Micron garments are launched using rare yarn that can only be produced using 0.0013% of the world’s sheep population. John Smedley also launched a limited edition lingerie collection to celebrate its roots and 225 years of the brand. We take our long-standing values and apply them to a contemporary fashion industry. We strive to make all or garments at our mill in Derbyshire, which keep us true to our roots, but equally important, it means we manage our traceability. We’re in control of what we create.

How did you become involved with the John Smedley brand?

I was recruited as Head of Design in 1992. I find the job exciting and totally worthwhile. It’s a real accomplish to think that you are helping the environment in some way, while producing beautiful clothing.

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

Yes, but I am always on the lookout for unusual or interesting collaborations, not just ‘designer’ label tie ups as this has been so popularized by the high street retailers. I’m always on the hunt for designers and brands which are like a ‘diamond in the rough’. I want someone who has innovation and a broad mind. At the end of the day it’s the young designers who are going to have to follow in our foot steps What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/recyclable fashion companies?

John Smedley clothing is described as ‘fine, quality knitwear, which looks good and lasts well’. We also have timeless style. What ever is in the fashion trend of that particular point in time, John Smedley can always be worn.

Are there new innovative ideas your brand is working on at the moment?

Yes, we have a new capsule collection for AW11 which is knitted without seams in sculptural shapes and we will launch a marketing campaign in June called Twenty Truths, which lists the true provenance behind a John Smedley garment.

What is your definition of sustainability?

Something, which can be continually produced over a long period of time, delivering a timeless, long lasting product and a business return.

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

Yes, the whole idea of being made close to home has interested me for some time and I really struggle with the fast, throw away trend in clothes, furniture etc. I use the phrase ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ often and for many years. Though I cannot say I am a purist at all, it is hard to be!

Why now for sustainable fashion?

Too much choice, clothes and trend overload has the reverse effect on sustainable junkies, they seek out products with meaning and difference, things to enjoy and treasure.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

More accessible, on the main catwalks and in major department stores, to be applauded and purchased, not segregated. We also need more knowledge on the brands that are out there.

For the contact details of Dawne Stubbs or John Smedley go to the address book at the back.

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pssst!

sneaky peek Ada Zanditon.

A/W 11 Collection.

Photographs by Caroline Alice Allen Words by Lauren Poacher

As part of London Fashion Week Ada Zanditon was funded to show her work within PR company, ON/OFF’s presecence.

Zanditon’s presentation showcase in Victoria House, Bloomsbury projected a catwalk show in film form, followed by time for the crowd to examine the clothes up close on static dummies.

In the absence of live models to shoot, photographer’s eye were drawn to those in attendance, which was the case for Caroline Alice Allen who was present within this event and took these amazing photographs as part of a film about Ada. It’s amazing to have the privilege to see garments, which aren’t going to be in stores untill September.

So as I got a sneaky peak at the amazing pieces she showcased I thought it would only be fair if I would show you too.

On the following page photographer and film maker Caroline also interviewed Zanditon were she spoke about her inspiration for her recent collection, her love of fashion and why sustainable fashion important to her...

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ADA ZANDITON

photography: CAROLINE ALICE ALLEN words: LAUREN POACHER From seeing Ada Zanditon’s garments at the ON/OFF Showcase within London Fashion Week at Victoria House. Photographer and film maker, Caroline Alice Allen set-up a short interview to find out what Zanditon’s inspirations for her A/W 2011 collection were, why sustaianble fashion is so important to her and what she thinks the up-and-coming of today should do when it comes to breaking onto the fashion circuit...

Where was your first show held?

My first show was held at Vauxhall Fashion Scouts in the freemason’s hall and that was for the S/S 10 collection. I was part of their ‘Ones To Watch Show’, which included myself, Dean Quinn and two other designers.

What was the idea behind your A/W 11, Cryoflux collection?

The concept behind Cryoflux is the idea that on Europa, which is one of Jupiter’s moons, it has a completely frozen surface. I imagined this woman evolves there and she was put into truly extreme conditions, where we wouldn’t normally think life would exist. That was the kind of story behind it. I’m really into sci-fi and marrying ideas from the future with our present day. I like the whole futuristic element.

Why did you choose ON/OFF to present your A/W 11 collection?

I worked with ON/OFF for my S/S 11, so it was just a natural progression for me to work with them again as I enjoyed it so much last time.

For my brand and the way I want to present my work I feel that ON/OFF are aesthetically and professionally representing what I am trying to show as a brand. They work in really creative ways and within spaces that I think are appropriate for my garments.

You showed your A/W 11 collection within a presentation/mini exhibition space. Why did you decide to do that?

For me, a very important part of what I’m trying to do at this stage of being a young and immerging brand is to show the concept and also the tailoring and fit within a collection. I felt previously that budget wise a catwalk show was very difficult to do, but I wanted people to be up close to my garments and let them touch the material, let me see how neat the garment has been put together. I think this is very important when its comes to buyers who are interested in your collection. In this manner, a presentation where the clothes are displayed on mannequins within an open space, the consumer doesn’t feel pressured or looked upon. They can easily walk through the clothes at their own pace. The only reason I am able to show within this format is due >

to being sponsored by a number of companies, one being Ecover. They help make it possible for me to show, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to show at London Fashion Week, and so I am truly grateful for that. For me it’s about using the sponsor I get effectively and by putting on a presentation people can be a part really helps to get the concept of my collection across. Within the presentation I wanted there to be an interactive element, so I produced a film. Instead of working with ten different models, which you would do at a catwalk show I just chose two. Having two models, who had a similar appearance and body type was much an easier option as they could really become the characters of the story I was trying to put across, as well as every garment being made to fit hem to a certain extent. This showed the fit, the tailoring, the construction involved.

What is the philosophy behind your brand?

The philosophy behind my brand is to create unique, sculptural, desirable clothing. It’s very much about the fit; it’s intelligence and sexiness. I think within all of my clothes there’s a sense of simplicity; even if the cut is complicated I try to create a sense of space. I’m not a maximunist. I like to create something which has an elegance and simplicity to it so it leaves a space for the person who wears it to make their own. At the core of it, which is truly important to my brand is to always use sustainable materials and manufacturing.

Why do you think sustainable fashion is important?

Sustainability is very important to me. I was at the House of Lord’s recently where I was involved in a meeting on Sustainable fashion, where myself, Christopher Raeburn, the Centre of Sustainable Fashion and a number of other organisation’s spoke about what they are doing when it comes down to their company, but also discussing what can and should be done. We were told that we only had 69 months left until we get to the point where we have a limited supply of carbon dioxide within our air and that is the point where we can’t go back in time to change it. Our atmosphere is essential. If a bank crashes we could re-build, it would take a while but it can be done. When it comes down to the environment we live in it is that simple. We can’t go back in time to change it, so we need to help change it now. Talking about the fashion and design element, I think it’s amazing what we can now do within sustaining clothing.

There are companies who have taken their time research into the way we can manufacture clothes in a better and healthier way. It’s a shame that not everyone is listening yet.

Those who are involved, I applaud you. They are making a difference. It may not be >

eco-issue huge, but it’s a start. The trouble is our fashion industry works at such a fast pace the consumer has been accustom to buying what they want, when they want, not thinking about the consequences. I don’t think the media helps to be honest, so I think it is really important that YOU put your opinions across and fight for what you believe. This subject is not considered cool, but at the end day it’s much cooler than our world ending because no one was educated about this subject.

When did you realise you wanted to be a fashion designer?

I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer. I think I knew for sure when I was five or six. I’ve always wanted to do that pretty much. I loved looking at magazines like Vogue as a child, which every designer will probably tell you. Even when I was very young I was always inspired and had an opinion at

Images taken by Caroline Alice Allen at Victoria House, ON/OFF.

about different subjects. Fashion design is the way I wanted to express my creativity. The idea of producing something for someone else to wear is really exciting.

I really enjoy making a garment which has a purpose, but the consumer ultimately decides what they would wear that garment for.

Who/what inspires your designs?

David Attenborough! I love nature!

What advice would you give to a young and aspiring designer?

Well this subject was discussed while I was at the House of Lords. We was discussing how there’s a vast amount of skills involved within this industry and the fact that fashion is a very wide industry and there isn’t just design roles. There’s also pattern cutters, garment technologists, there’s all sorts of different roles within the world of fashion and there’s a real need for all these roles and skills. I think that a lot of people get pushed into the fashion design pathway. I would be really interested in seeing a re-surfacing and re-invigorating the British fashion industry. There so many people working within that realm. For the real makers fashion isn’t necessarily money making scheme for them. Your not going to become a millionaire overnight, but if you love design then that’s your reason for doing it instead of money. If you really want to work within fashion long term I think you have to love the process of fashion and connect to the meaning of each garment you produce.

Don’t just enter into the huge machine of fashion and end up creating more garments than don’t give across your ideas. For a fashion designer, your garments are your works of art. They should all be considered.

For the contact details of Ada Zanditon or photographer and film maker Caroline Alice Allen go to the address book at the back.

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COMPANY PROFILE

JOCELYN WHIPPLE, element 23 PR company. representing the leading brands within eco and sustainable fashion.

How did you find yourself within the Sustainable ‘bubble’?

I started working with sustainable and ethical fashion about 1996 when I was a student studying a design degree in Textiles and Metal Smithing at Liverpool University. It was just a really straightforward path, as I wanted to understand the materials I was using and the sustainable aesthetic behind them. At the time it was very early days for the ethical and organic movement within textiles, but there were some up and coming companies who where using newly certified cotton and hemp. There where some innovative they I came across and one that I started engage in. It just became more and more obvious of how important it was to have an understanding about the impacts of materials environmentally and socially that we use as designers.

What brands/companies and designers really stick out above the rest when it comes to doing something interesting and inspirational within this subject?

I think now where ten years on or even longer and I think really there’s a full spectrum of products available. Within fashion there’s so many different ways of thinking about it and each brand tends to take on certain aspects of it. For example who have People Tree who are very affordable, very high street when it comes to there styling and there main focus is fair-trade. But then you have a brand like From Somewhere who are much more innovative in there approach. There collaboration there doing at the moment with Speedo is really exciting. There taking all the waste, end of line swimsuits from Speedo and then there transforming them into little cocktail dresses. So style wise it has a narrower appeal and from a price point they are much higher, but they concentrate on recycling.

In London there’s a whole array of different designers who are working towards sustainability within there collections.

There’s definitely something for everyone now. >

What is your definition of sustainability?

For me, it starts with the design process and the in depth consideration of every aspect of the making and manufacturing. Firstly starting with were you source your fibre to how you recycle, re-invent that product in to something exciting and considered. It’s a design and manufacturing process which takes responsibility for the social and environmental impact throughout the whole supply chain and also considers the products end life.

Element 23 are responsible for Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge and other networking campaign to make this subject more discussed. Can you tell us a bit more about these strategies?

The NOI Collective, which means ‘us’ in Italian is a very loose alliance between myself, Orsola de Castro who is the designer of From Somewhere and the co-founder of Estethica, Lucy Siegle who is a journalist, broadcaster and ethical expert and Livia Firth who is Colin Firth’s wife who is an environmental activist and she owns a eco store in Chiswick. The fours us decided that with each of our different levels of expertise in and around fashion we wanted to try and promote some of the ideas that are most relevant when it comes to what’s available in terms of ethical fashion.

The Green Carpet Challenge has been NOI’s latest project, obviously with Livia being in the limelight due to Colin’s career we already had a platform. Livia is the face of this campaign due to her status and Lucy and I have been supporting her in terms of sourcing the designers, helping to convey some of the stories and also researching into the authenticity of the brands involved. It’s an ongoing project.

With Livia, it’s not just I want to be green and have ago, she is very environmentally conscious in here day-to-day life. So in a way it would be odd if she weren’t wearing sustainable fashion on the red carpet.

What response have you had from the red carpet press?

Well we first started we wasn’t even sure>

if we were going to be able to find that level of design that we needed. We didn’t want her to stand out as not being up to standard on the red carpet, but it has been relevatively easy. It has had an amazing response. Lots of people are interested in joining when it comes to celebrity’s joining in and designer submitting there garments. The press coverage has all been really positve and it’s really exciting.

Has there been a particular outfit which you are very fond of?

Each one is unique within it’s self, but the Oscar dress is the one which we built up. We had to get that right and she looked amazing. It was a Gary Harvey creation who makes couture dresses out of recycled clothing. Livia’s dress was made from seven Victorian wedding dresses and it looked gorgeous. We was given a double spread in Grazia where they were looking into what makes the Oscar dress and Livia had a double spread interview explaining her dress and the sustainable philosophy she believes in.

You were also involved in organising the event ‘A Garden Party to Make a Difference’ in connection with The Prince’s Trust at Clarence House? Is this something you are planning on arranging again?

It’s definitely something we would be a part of, but we haven’t heard anything from the organisers to whether they will putting on that event again this summer.

Obviously if they do it again and they contact us it is more than likely we would, whether it would be the same concept we would probably put something slightly different for the second time around.

What do you thinks needs to be done to make Sustainable fashion and design more mainstream?

I think it’s a combination of things. There needs to be more done at the education levels, so designers coming out of university and going into jobs are more informed about the issues. I think the high street and the big manufacturers, of many of whom are, but there’s a lot more that can do be done in terms of their structure and their accountability throughout their supply chain. The government initiatives that could be looked at, there’s actually something’s starting to happen in the UK regarding the government initiatives that will support more practices and trades. As consumers we need to slow down a little and think a little bit more before we carry on coming at the rate that we are without understanding where all this stuff is coming from.

For the contact details of Jocelyn Whipple and Elemenrt 23 then go to the address book at the back.

When did Made become an established sustainable fashion company?

Founded in 2005 by Italian fashionista, Cristina Cisilino, Made creates stunning designer accessories that are fair-trade. Dramatically unique, Made’s gorgeous products are designed by influential designers as well as hot guest celebrities. The products are handcrafted within Made’s Nairobi workshop and following the principles of fair-trade, Made trains local artisans in new skills, providing fair wages and support at every level.

Via this ‘trade not aid’ ethos, Made is helping to break the cycle of poverty and empower the people who make its products.

Made have collaborated with an array of high-profile brands including Louis Vuitton, Matches, Whistles, Nicole Farhi, Stefanel, Urban Outfitters, Kate Moss for Topshop and John Lewis to name but a few. In addition, highly successful celebrity collaborations have included Alexa Chung, Laura Bailey, Livia Firth and Peaches Geldoff and top designer collaborations have included Pippa Small, Bex Rox, Natalie Dissel and Hattie Rickards.

Are there any designers/brands on your wish list for Made to collaborate with?

We have designers and brands approaching us all the time and we have been incredibly fortunate to be able to work with such renowned brands, designers and celebrities.

New collaborations coming up include stunning collections for Stefanel, Matches, Orelia Boutique and Mimco and after the success of their first collections we are delighted to welcome back Livia Firth and Laura Bailey as guest designers. In addition we are thrilled to have just launched our inaugural collection with Hattie Rickards who is being hailed as one of London’s hottest new jewellery designers. Looking to the future we have many exciting collaborations in the pipeline and we would love to work with a celebrated British fashion house such as Matthew Williamson or Chloe.

How did you become involved in the whole idea of sustainable fashion?

Italian by birth Cristina came to the UK to study Buying & Merchandising at the London School of Fashion. Following this Cristina spanned a long and very successful career sourcing clothing in Italy for Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Cristina then went and moved onto sourcing leather shoes and accessories for major leading department stores in the UK. Around 2004 Cristina started to become very disillusioned with the fashion industry following the rise of disposable fashion and the mass move of the clothing market to China. Following various trips to Africa Cristina fell in love with the people and saw the potential in the craftsmanship of

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COMPANY PROFILE

FLORENCE HILL, PR & MARKETING FOR made- by the people for the people.

jewellery being made in the slums of Kibera in Nairobi. It was clear to Cristina that the workmanship of the products that were being produced for tourists could easily be transferred into ideas for jewellery that could be marketed on the UK high street and this would give the artisans a whole new retail outlet with a regular income.

Made started as a small collection of jewellery but the potential was quickly realised and 5 years later the company now boasts it’s own beautiful workshop with 100 full time workers producing stunning collections and collaborations.

What is Made’s unique selling point compared to other eco fashion brands?

Made’s unique selling point is the breath and versatility of our collections. We are constantly working with new designers and new brands meaning that every collection is fresh and totally unique.

Made’s continual success and growth can be massively attributed to the fact that we have kept our product at the forefront of everything – we want people to buy our products because they love them not just because we are fair-trade.

What is your definition of sustainability?

Conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.

Do you think people have already made up their minds of what sustainability is about and are now not interested?

Brands like Made dispel the image you described because they produce on-trend fashion-savvy products that are at the cutting edge of fashion – to re-emphasize - people buy our products because they love them not just because they’re fair-trade. In general we are all a lot better informed about how and where are products are sourced which has had a huge impact on the consumer and the decisions we make when shopping. The consumer is now interested about the origins of the product and aware that by buying the product they are endorsing the ‘trade not aid’ ethos behind the brand. ‘Sustainability’ and ‘eco-friendly’ now play a big role in our every day lives and now feature heavily in national education which means that they no longer conjure up old ideas of hippies etc but a future for generations to come where ethical and eco standards are a normality.

What do you think needs to be done to make this aspect of society more talked about and more interesting to those who aren’t interested?

At the end of the day if you make a good product people will be interested in it and buy it. The product speaks for itself.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

Well hopefully it won’t be labelled ‘ethical fashion movement’ it will just simply become fashion – i.e all fashion will become ethical….

What do you think needs to be done to make it more mainstream?

If the products are good then they will become mainstream, It’s all about demand.

For the contact details of Florence Hill and Made UK go to the address book at the the back.

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It’s all about

fashion’s NEW generation The future of our fashion industry is within the people who are being taught right this second. It’s funny to think that there’s a group of people who are being taught right now and they could be one’s who bringing something extra special to this ‘machine’ of an industry.

When it comes down to what is happening within the sustainable element of the fashion industry at the moment there are a number of people within this ‘future’ section who are either still in university, have just left or are a company whose bringing something new to the sustainable equation.

Fashion never rests and neither do the people who live and breathe it.

A fresh generation of talent is on the horizon and let’s hope they are being taught the right things when it comes to how our world is evolving.

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FENG HO Award winning ethical designer , Feng Ho uses a range of sustainable textiles such as bamboo, soy, organic cotton and hemp.

End-of-line textiles from British fabric merchants are also utilised in her creations.

Feng Ho’’s bespoke range of inspiring womenswear is hand-crafted in her Oxford based studio.

Winner of the Ethical Fashion Forum Innovation Award 2010,Feng Ho creates harmony between architecture and nature through the use of clean lines and natural form in her designs. Beautiful skirts with folds and drapes are teamed up with sleek effortless pieces to create a sophisticated and modern look. Stand out jersey dresses are skillfully, yet sensually, tailored. Feng Ho adds a feminine twist to her sports inspired paneling. Silk-screen printed designs add to the unique qualities of her design.

Born of Malaysian and Singaporean parents and brought up in Oxford, Feng brings to her designs elements of both east and west. She graduated from the renowned Royal College of Art (2005) and has worked with cutting edge London-based designers such as Preen, Robert-Cary Williams & Jens Largesse. With the support from the Princes Trust, she launched her label in 2006, designing & making her readyto-wear line and providing a bespoke fashion service. The plight of workers in the cotton industry in Uzbekistan convinced Feng to incorporate a strong ethical dimension in her business.

I was lucky enough to meet with Feng Ho, who explained about her involvement within Oxford Fashion Week, why sustainable fashion is so close to her heart and what she thinks needs to done for future progression...

Thank you for meeting with me and sharing your story. Firstly, I’d really love to know more about your involvement with Oxford Fashion Week.

“This year I took on the role of the Creative Director of the inaugural Ethical Fashion Show at Oxford Fashion Week 2011 (OFW). I worked with the O3 Gallery in putting on a series of events – Swishing party, ethical discussion featuring Elizabeth Lascar. An Ethical Fashion show, Ethical Fashion Market, and finally an Ethical Fashion Gig.” “The O3 Gallery Ethical Fashion Show will showcase a range of innovative, creative and inspiring ethical fashion & accessories designers. Styles include quirky daywear, sophisticated eveningwear, eye-catching jewellery and fantastical millinery. The O3 Gallery Ethical Fashion Show aims to promote the idea that ethical fashion is a serious business – the products are desirable, edgy and high fashion, whilst also taking responsibility for its actions & consequences.”

“I don’t intend to name-and-shame and ram ethical issues down people’s throats, I just want people to have a greater awareness of designers who are working to make a difference. If people make lifestyle changes in response to the ethical issues raised, then I have achieved my goal.”

“As we were a very small team of two, myself and Helen, the O3 Gallery Manager we ended up doing almost everything ourselves – a LOT of hard work! The Ethical Fashion show was really successful, we’re planning next year’s already!”

Have you ever considered being a part of Estethica at London Fashion Week?

“Yes, but it’s not easy to get in. As there is limited space & lots of designers, competition is tough. There are other ethical fashion trade events, such as EcoLuxe in London and the Ethical Fashion show in Paris which are also good platforms for sustainable design.”

When did your brand begin?

“Well, it all started 5 years ago. I had just graduated from my Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art and I wasn’t too sure what to do with my life. I spent a few months working for London designers before deciding to take the plunge and start up my own business. With a loan from the Prince’s Trust, Feng Ho Fashion Design was launched in 2006.’”

Why did you decide to go down the sustainable route?

“Interestingly I never set out to be an ethical designer. It was after visiting London Fashion Week in 2007 when I came across a stand by the Environmental Justice Foundation which was a life changing experience. I read their ‘White Gold’ report on cotton farming in Uzbekistan.

It was so shocking! The report exposed the hidden human exploitation & environmental impact of the cotton industry.

This led me to research into fashion’s dirty deeds. From then on I vowed that my business would be one that benefits disadvantaged communities and reduces environmental damage. I would use my business as a vehicle for change.”

How are your pieces sustainable?

“When it comes to sustainability, I take into consideration my fabric use & manufacturing. I use sustainable textiles such as bamboo & soy, and fabrics that have a lower impact on the environment such as organic cotton. I also utilize dead-stock textiles from UK based textile merchants.

Sourcing ethical manufacturers is an ongoing challenge for me. It’s incredibly difficult to know where to start! For garment sampling, I’ve been working with a London based CMT unit who embrace social and environmental issues, such as paying their workers fairly, recycling where possible and using renewable energy. I’ve made contact with a Fair Trade garment factory in India and I am hoping to proceed to manufacturing soon.” >

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Oxford Fashion Week. “ I really enjoy organising events and being part of Oxford Fashion Week was such an eye opener when it came down to what people knew. Two things I would like to point is people need to be educated when it comes ethical issues, but the people who are out there and giving something back to the country should be applauded.”

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

I have recently collaborated with Milliner Harvy Santos. This was really exciting for me as he designs ethical but fantastically beautiful millinery. I sent him some offcuts of my fabrics which he incorporated into his creations. I would be interested to collaborate with Harvy in the future.

What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/ recyclable fashion companies?

I love to work with fabrics that are comfortable to wear, hence the abundance of jersey in my collections. I am also aware of designs that flatter the female figure, regardless of their shape or size. I want women to feel confident, sophisticated and glamorous whilst feeling good about supporting moral causes.

What is your definition of sustainable?

I like to keep a list of reasons of what this subject means so I can explain it to people I meet easily. There bullet points of my life really. So here’s my list, countering fast, cheap fashion and damaging patterns of fashion consumption, defending fair wages, working conditions and workers’ rights, supporting sustainable livelihoods, addressing toxic pesticide and chemical use, using and / or developing eco- friendly fabrics and components, minimizing water use, recycling and addressing energy efficiency and waste, developing or

promoting sustainability standards for fashion, resources, training and/ or awareness raising initiatives. My own personal definition is, fashion that works towards positive outcomes – enhancing the lives of the people & the planet.

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

I was brought up with the waste-not want-not mentality of my parents; this attitude stands in stark contrast to western consumerism. My Mum & Dad would always be reusing & reinventing waste into useful objects, my mum is particularly proud of the dust-pan that she made from an empty tofu container! I always thought they were obsessed with hoarding, but as I grew older it all made sense.

Why do you think ethical fashion is important?

In today’s world, there is a growing movement to address the inequality between the rich western world and developing world. This movement is effecting all elements of life and has been given it’s most recent manifesto in the Arab world, whilst globalization has undeniably given prosperity to some people, it has unfortunately led to exploitation of many. I believe that the mechanisms of globalization can work towards the benefit of all parties; textiles workers in Bangladesh and other developing countries can be paid a decent wage whilst not eating significantly into the profits of the garment industry.

Cubist Dream. “ It was inspired by shapes in everyday life. I use public transportation alot and noticied alot of shapes while looking around at our environement. The dresses are made from ORGANIC COTTON, SOY and ENDOF-LINE VISCOSE JERSEY.”

eco-issue What do you think needs to be done to make this aspect of society more talked about and more interesting to those who aren’t interested?

People should be educated which will change consumer attitudes towards the environment. This should start at a young age so these ideas & behaviour will become ingrained. It’s like the ban on smoking in public which has become accepted.

Government should tax the use of unethical & environmentally damaging practice, and give funding/grants to businesses who work towards a better future. There needs to be more boutiques stocking ethical brands. It would be wonderful for a department store like Selfridges to have an ethical section to their store – this would make buying ethically easier.

I think the big retailers have a lot of power when it comes to influencing the consumer. I know that M&S are at the forefront of responsible fashion, and H&M have started to include recycled & sustainable fabrics into their ranges. This is fantastic, but more needs to be done.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

Retailers and designers who ignore the problems they are causing on the environment will have to adopt an environmental position. It will be very difficult to ignore.

Customers are getting increasingly ecosavvy. Sourcing sustainable fabrics is so much easier now than it was 5 years ago, and with the insurgence of the ethical trend, designers really don’t have any excuse not to use eco-textiles.

What do you think needs to be done to make it more mainstream?

Ethical fashion has been around for years but its emergence into mainstream fashion has been recent. I’ve had the challenge to battle traditional stereotypes of ethical fashion as being unattractive or lacking style. The quality of design shouldn’t be put second to ethical issues; we all want to desire gorgeous clothing that makes us look and feel good. I’m afraid to say this, but celebrities are a useful tool! We need more celebrities like Miriam González Durántez and Livia Giuggioli to lead the ethical fashion trend.

What single ethical/sustainable product would most improve the quality of your life?

My lady-bird shaped wind-up torch. The lights in my studio are in all the wrong places so I often end up walking into plinths & easels when locking-up. My legs would be black & blue without this nifty gadget!

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WHO’S GOT THE TALENT?

Student, artist, maker, pioneer of the FUTURE is how you would describe up-and-coming talent HANNAH WELLHAM she explains WHY...

Making something new out of something old is a quote which STUDENT, COLLECTOR, BAG MAKER AND RECYCLER, Hannah Wellham abides to. Currently studying an Applied Arts degree at Rochester University in Kent, Hannah Wellham is a person who is coming up in the world of Art and Design. It is exciting to think that even though Wellham is only 21 years of age, she has already grasped on the fact that in the FUTURE the whole ‘MAKE DO AND MEND’ aspect of life may come back and she has taken it upon herself to show others how exciting you can make things from reusing materials.

In this interview, Wellham explains her love for everything ‘pretty’, her obsession in collecting everything she sees, her inspirations and what the future may hold for her when it comes to bag making and re-purposing...

‘I have always had an interest into bags.

As children you usually carry something round with you that you feel secure with, a teddy, a blanket or a toy. Well mine was a bag which I had been given as a present by my grandmother. As soon as I had that bag in my hand I never let it go. I think deep down this may have been where my fascination and obsession with bags begun, even though I was only three and I probably didn’t know it!’

‘Bag making is an element which found me. Even though I have an obsession of buying new bags, whether it is from a charity shop, boot fair or an expensive boutique. I don’t think I ever thought I would be making them. It is very ironic how your life leads you into different paths and I find it even more ironic that my uncle is a bag maker himself.’

‘My Uncle is now a person who I truly admire and I now realise what work it takes to produce a beautiful bag. Before, I was never interested in the work my Uncle did even though it is practical and artistic in its self. Now I have been lead down the garden path of bag design I find my Uncle a real inspiration and who has now become my own personal mentor.’

‘I have always loved Art. At school it was favourite subject. I loved making and being practical. To be honest I think I loved every element of Art, whether it is making, drawing, cutting pictures out to go in my sketchbooks, etc. I enjoyed the whole process of researching and seeing my ideas evolve. I think this is one of elements I enjoy about making my bags. I like putting different ideas and materials together and never quite knowing whether it’s going to work or come out as you expected.’ >

eco-issue ‘Starting University and being given my first brief was an experience because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I didn’t know what I liked. I didn’t know what to look at first. But one thing which has been clear is that I have always been a collector.

I love to collect beautiful and inspirational pieces. I love walking into a second hand store and picking out random items I may never use but I just want. Beautiful trinkets, old suitcases and trunks are my main obsessions, anything pretty, inspirational and has a story behind it will make me want to part with my money. I think this is why I love recycling and re-using to make

‘One of my favourite pieces I have recently produced is a beach bag using found fabrics from second hand stores as well as old wooden boards. The wood really reminded me of an old beach hut where the boards had been washed up on the beach for some time. They had been

‘... i have always been a COLLECTOR... i LOVE to collect BEAUTIFUL, INSPIRATIONAL things...’ something else. The idea of an item having a story and then parts of it being taken and put with other found material, which gives it a story of it own. I like the fact that different eras collide when it comes to design.

You could have a 1960’s leather bag, which has be used until parts are falling off and an 1980’s scarf, which has seen better days, but by producing an item using both of these pieces makes their stories collide and produces a whole another story of its own.’

‘I really enjoyed the recycling project in my 1st year at University. I think this is where I found my love of re-using, recycling and making something new out of something old. I created a sports bag out of old tennis equipment. Recycling objects and changing them into a bag is defiantly an idea and path that I enjoyed taking and it has now inspired me to carry on. I find it really interesting working with a mixture of materials. . I came across a number of old tennis rackets in their original bags at a boot fair, which I thought would be a really good product to use. The tennis rackets were a good place to start. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the actual rackets, but because they are so interesting and have so much detail I wanted to make sure they were seen and where the main part of the bag. They ended up being the bottom of my sports bag. People can quickly recognise the product and associate them with sport so the bag speaks for its self.’

‘I also used the tennis racket covering/bag and made a fabric and leather strap, so that could then become a bag also. I wanted to make sure I used all of the pieces, so nothing was thrown away. I don’t agree in throwing things away when you can reuse them and make them into something beautiful or useful.’

weathered and taken on totally different colours from being on the beach for so long. I wanted them to be a main feature so I used them as two of the main sides of my bag. To bring the whole bag together I found fabric that had the whole nautical theme running through it. I like to produce bags that have a purpose. By producing a beach bag using beach materials and a sports bag using sports equipment, the consumer already knows what the purpose of the bag is. I hate the fact that we buy bags, but never quite know what we are going to use them for. In this instance it has been decided for you.’

‘A more recent piece I have been working on involves old books from a vintage store that are gathering dust on the top shelf, as well as some found leather strips and straps. I was set a brief at university to produce a design piece which could be duplicated easily if it where to go on sale. This project was one which I found particularly difficult because the items I find at boot fairs and in charity shops are usually one off ’s, so I needed a product which was easy to get hold of. I still wanted to carry on re-using products and making something interesting out if them. While I was researching in a library a light bulb came on and I had found the product I was going to use. Books, they are everywhere.’

‘Having found my product I decided that I didn’t want to rip the entire book up, but for it to still be readable. Even though the story inside the book is considered the most interesting, I have always liked the front covers, so I cut away the front cover, which then became the main element of my bag. Using found stripes of leather for the strap and other cut offs for the inside, my ‘Book Bag’ had now been born.’

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‘You may be reading this and be absolutely disgusted because I’m ripping up a book, but I can a sure you that the story inside is entirely in tack. I wanted to produce an item with two functions. You have a book without a cover, but at the end of the day you still have the story inside and the cover has been made into a durable and useful item.’

‘In my eyes, a bag is what makes an outfit. It brings the outfit together. You don’t see many women without a bag in their hand, on their shoulder or on their arm.

When I’ve asked women what they have in their handbags a lot of them say the same answer, ‘their life’. Everything important to them, when it comes to daily things are carried around with them. When you take a bag away from a women you see an immediate change in the way they stand, their whole posture, where they put their hands. A bag is definitely an accessory, which women cannot live without and now men are also getting in on the act.

Due to a bag being so important, it is a money making scheme that needs no promotion or advertising because you know you will sell.’

‘In the future I think bag design will always be at the forefront of my life, but I will definitely be keeping the recycling and re-using element. I think it gives my bags a unique selling point. It makes them different to others and sometimes more interesting. Even though I use found material, I still look at famous bag designers, such as Ally Capelino, Mulberry and Bill Amberg for inspirational ideas. I don’t agree with spending £1000 on a bag when you can make an amazing bag for a £1.’

‘ i wanted to produce an ITEM with two FUNCTIONS... a BAG is -an accessory most WOMEN can’t LIVE WITHOUT...’

‘When you consider the future of our planet and think about the fact that elements are running out you have to start looking at ways of making changes and by re-using products which are hard to dispose of you may as well make something out of them.’

For more information on Hannah Wellham’s work and contact details go to the address book at the back.

‘Books fall apart and people throw them away. By making something functional and use able, like a bag there is no reason for them to be thrown away. Trees have been cut down to make books and throwing them in a bin without a thought doesn’t seem fair.’

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question &answer

KIRSTIE WILLIAMS

A london based textile designer, maker and freelance tutor.

She recently graduated from Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London.

Contacting so many designers, brands and companies I got a lot of responses from student’s interning within these establishments. I was very pleased when Kirstie Williams contacted me. She works at eco shop Ganesha based in Covent Garden, London.

Kirstie Williams is a London based textile designer, maker and freelance tutor. She recently graduated from Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London. She specialises in the traditional resist dyeing methods, batik and shibori and is exploring their identity in Western society.

Sustainability plays a strong role in her design process and she explores Slow Design philosophies through making, emphasizing slowness in the creation and consumption of products to instil quality and foster traditions.

Slow Design is encouraging traditional crafts as a valuable, sustainable alternative to fast consumerism.

Kirstie aims to challenge people’s perceptions of shibori and batik by reinventing their use in a contemporary way. She is developing an on-going project in this area of textiles with an approach to fabrics for use in interior settings.

I had the opportunity to meet with Kirstie in person and interview her about what makes her pieces sustainable, why she thinks ethical fashion is important and how it can be made more mainstream instead of a ‘niche’ within the fashion industry…

When did sustainability within fashion and design interest you?

Whilst studying for my MA in Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art and Design I was encouraged to consider sustainability issues in my design process. Concern and debate regarding the roles and responsibilities of the designer towards environmental issues was key to the course Why did you go down the sustainable route?

As a crafts person I enjoy a connection with the cloth through hand processes and think that the current fashion industry is working too fast, encouraging excessive consumption.

I began researching the philosophies surrounding Slow Design and began to put an emphasis on slowness in the creation and consumption of products to instil quality and foster tradition.

How are your pieces sustainable?

I design and make adaptable wearable throws using traditional resist dyeing techniques and shibori.

Through an emphasis on Slow Design philosophies I hope to encourage attachments between the product and the consumer, extending the life of the textile and reducing the speed at which we consume fashion and textiles. I also use low toxicity processes such as natural dyes to reduce the impact the making has on the environment.

Are there any designers/brands you would like your brand to collaborate with?

I am very inspired by the work that

People Tree has done in bringing sustainability issues in the fashion industry to our attention and continue to be encouraged by their involvement in fair trade fashion production.

Some designers who are in the forefront of textile research surrounding environmental issues also inspire me.

Designers such as Emma Neuberg and Becky Earley have sought to develop strategies for the designer to employ in seeking to reduce the environmental impact of textile production, consumption and disposal.

What do you think your brands unique selling point is compared to other eco/recyclable fashion companies?

My products are adaptable and designed to have more than one function. Each stage of their development has been carefully thought through.

Each piece I create is completely unique and I consider comfort and luxury within the selection of materials. Commissioned pieces can also be developed to a client’s brief and therefore offering a service above and beyond many brands within the fashion industry.

What is your definition of sustainability?

Sustainability is providing the best for people, now and in the indefinite future. It is the planning and acting to maintain social, economic and environmental ideals. In terms of the fashion industry, sustainability is about developing a system to reduce the environmental and social impact of >

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production, as well as in a products entire lifespan.

Is it an element of our society, which you have always been interested in?

I have always been interested in sustainability in terms of the environment and ecology but developed a

Previous page and facing page, final photoshoot image’s of garment for final degree show.

further interest in sustainability within design throughout my education in textile design.

Why do you think ethical fashion is important?

The fashion industry is such a huge industry and this makes it even more important to work ethically. In terms of the effects the fashion industry can create socially and environmentally it is incredibly important to consider ways to reduce the impact in order to maintain a good quality of life for future generations.

How do you see the ethical fashion movement progressing in the future?

It has been suggested that the ethical fashion movement is just another ‘throw-away’ trend adopted by the fashion industry but I beg to differ.

Ethical and fair trade fashion have paved the way for a sustainable future in the industry.

What do you think needs to be done to make it more mainstream?

Small designers like myself cannot make the changes alone. The big names in fashion need to adopt fair

trade and ethical policies across their whole range of products, and not just have separate eco ranges. Some companies such as People Tree are already doing this and are gaining support from well-known celebrities.

However much more needs to be done by the big names in order for every consumer to shop ethically.

What single ethical/sustainable product would most improve the quality of your life?

I don’t feel that I need to improve my quality of life, when I think about those in other countries who are overworked and underpaid all for the sake of our obsession with fast fashion. Concern for our consumer habits, and fair trade production would most improve their quality of life.

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‘Each piece I create is completely

UNIQUE... I consider COMFORT & LUXURY in every design...’

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ADDRESS BOOK

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ADA ZANDITON www.adaz.co.uk sales@adazanditon.com

FENG HO Magdalen Road Studios, 74 Magdalen Road Oxford OX4 1RE +44(0)7963 343465 www.fengho.co.uk sales@fengho.co.uk

JOCELYN WHIPPLE Element23 5/6 Kendrick Mews South Kensington London SW7 3HG www.element23.co.uk jocelynwhipple@yahoo.com

AMELIA GREGORY Amelia’s Magazine www.ameliasmagazine.com info@ameliasmagazine.com

B BANUQ Davide Grazioli Stargarder Strasse 10 10437 Berlin Germany www.banuq.com davide@banuq.com +49 173 6265528

C CAROLINE ALLEN www.carolinealiceallen.tumblr.com www.carolinealiceallen.blogspot.com

D DAWNE STUBBS John Smedley www.johnsmedley.com dawnestubbs@johnsmedley.com enquiries@johnsmedley.com +44 (0)1629 534 571

E EJF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION 1 Amwell Street, London EC1R 1UL, UK tel: +44 (0)207 239 3310 info@ejfoundation.org www.ejfoundation.com larissa.clark@ejfoundation.org katharine.ross@ejfoundation.org ECO AGE 213 Chiswick High Road Chiswick London W4 2DW +44 (0)20 8995 7611

FLORENCE HILL Made by the People for the People Ltd. Basement 117 George Street London W1H 7HF 020 7258 9690 www.made.uk.com flo@made.uk.com FRANK & FAITH www.frankandfaith.co.uk info@frankandfaith.com

G GREEN BABY 345 Upper Street Islington London N1 0PD +44 (0)20 7226 4345

H HANNAH WELLHAM han_wellham@hotmail.co.uk HETTY ROSE Hetty Rose Studio, 129 Swiss Avenue, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 2AF, UK + 44 (0)7905 083745 www.hettyrose.co.uk twitter.com/hettyroseshoes info@hettyrose.co.uk

I IVANA BASILOTTA Notting Hill, London +44 (0)72293827 www.ivanabasilotta.co.uk ivana@ivanabasilotta.com

JOANNA CAVE www.joannacave.com jc@joannacave.com info@joannacave.com

K

KIRSTIE WILLIAMS 07818464285 www.kirstiewilliams.com www.kirstiewilliams.blogspot.com williams_kirstie@hotmail.com

L LITTLE GLASS CLEMENTINE Clementine James Lighthouse Space Studios 73-75 Shacklewell Lane Dalston London E8 2ER 07966 482306 www.littleglassclementine.co.uk littleglasscelementine@yahoo.co.uk LONDON FASHION WEEK Estethica Exhibition Somerset House, London anna.orsini@britishfashioncouncil.com

M MADE.UK Made by the People for the People Ltd. Basement 117 George Street London W1H 7HF 020 7258 9690 infouk@made-by.org

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SHOP PROFILE

123

123 Bethnal Green Road Shoreditch London E2 7DG

Situated in the heart of London’s East End, 123 Bethnal Green Road is home to 123, an exciting new concept store offering beautifully-crafted British goods.

Alongside their own locally-made 123 Collection they stock a stunning selection of British designers, gorgeous gifts, vintage clothes and delightful wares for your home - all made on this island of ours.

123 is no ordinary company. Run by brother and sister Ross and Michelle they draw on over 30 years family experience in textiles recycling, following in the footsteps of their proud father and grandfather.

Utilising a unique archive of vintage fabrics collected at the recycling HQ in East London 123 brings these unloved materials back to life. Everything that goes into a 123 piece is local and sustainable. All garments are made from clothes and fabrics that would end up in landfill if it weren’t for the talents of their dedicated design team.

Unlike regular clothes makers 123’s production process means that every garment they produce is unique, expertly made in London and a delight to wear.

123’s shop is a Grade II-listed Victorian building. Having undergone a transformation that would make Grand Designs proud, they have turned it from a run-down gangster’s den into three glorious floors of retail space. This includes a bustling Bazaar on the ground floor, 123 Boutique on the first and Dr Noki’s sustainable fashion surgery on second.

Rumbling away in the basement we have the Bunker Café. Bar by night and Victorian tea room by day, it stocks locally-sourced organic cakes, lakes of tea and coffee, groceries and kitchen bits and bobs. At the rear of the shop, they have a space know to the owners as ‘The Scout Hut’, perfect for throwing the odd party, as well as more serious artistic and cultural pursuits.

123 opened in July 2010 and were voted Time Out’s best new shop of 2010!

It’s shop that prides it self in bringing new, sustainable fashion to the fore front of the fashion industry. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Telephone - 020 7729 8050 Email - info@123bethnalgreenroad.co.uk

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ADDRESS BOOK

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NANCY DEE Tamsin & Seraphina Davis 50 Melgund Rd, London N5 1PT UK 02071833658 tamsin@nancydee.co.uk

TARA STARLET Joanne Scott London Limited, 5a Gransden Avenue, London E8 3QA www.tarastarlet.com info@tarastarlet.com tara@tarastarlet.com

WILFRIED PLETZINGER Wilfried Pletzinger Alnäsvägen 3B 17078 Solna Sweden Tel: +46 (0)70 23 18 266 www.w-pletzinger.se wilfried@w-pletzinger.se

O ON/OFF doll creative events 9 Newburgh Street London W1F 7RL T: +44 (0) 207 287 2327 T: +44 (0) 207 287 6627 www.thedoll.org info@thedoll.org

P PEOPLE TREE People Tree Ltd 5 Huguenot Place 17a Heneage Street London E1 5LN 0845 450 4595 www.peopletree.co.uk people@peopletree.co.uk

R RAMESSES OUR RECYCLED WORLD www.ourworldrecycled.com rassa@ourworldrecycled.com

S STAMO-ELISABETH AMPATIELO

By Stamo www.stamo.co.uk stamo@stamo.co.uk EcoLuxe London stamo@ecouxelondon.org

TARA ST.JAMES STUDY NY New York 4equalsides@gmail.com THE NORTH CIRCULAR Katherine Poulton www.thenorthcircular.com info@thenorthcircular.com thenorthcircular@katherinepoulton.com

U USCHA POHL VERY MAGAZINE 67 B Queen’s Gardens London W2 3AH Bayswater / Paddington +44 (0) 20 7262 0612 www.veryupandco.com uscha@verystyleguide.com

V VIVIEN JOHNSTON FIFI BOUJOUX Fifi Bijoux Head Office, First Floor, George House, 36 North Hanover St., George Square, Glasgow, G1 2AD www.fifibijoux.com vivien@fifibijoux.com

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ONLINE STORE

see it.wear it. do it.

DIYcouture www.diycouture.co.uk

DIY Couture envisions home sewing as an alternative to sweatshop produced garments. Making a garment requires some planning and some patience - it meets none of the desires that seek satisfaction through ‘retail therapy.’ DIY couture hopes in a small way to slow down the process of consumption, helping people to produce long-lasting garments that are precious, rather than disposable.

Fashion implicitly retains its obsession with what is new and what is next. As time does pass, an obsession with the new inevitably creates the unfashionable, which becomes waste. DIY couture hopes to help build a physical antithesis of fast-fashion.

DIY Couture is a brand intent on physically intervening to help the high call the low end of fashion into question, and vice versa. The London-based label was founded by Rosie Martin in 2009.

The DIY Couture collection functions differently from all others. Rather than purchasing a garment, the DIY Couture customer purchases a set of instructions that enable them to make the garment themselves. All the garments in the collection are simple, classic pieces that can be made in an almost endless number of ways, depending upon the individual’s desires. The books are very easy to use.

They employ uncomplicated language alongside colourful diagrams and photographs so that putting clothes together is simpler than folding origami.

DIY Couture aims to help people unleash their creativity, building one-off garments that break the mould. It is the antithesis of fast-fashion, helping people to produce garments that are precious, rather than disposable.

DIY Couture hopes that when a garment is made from scratch, with a textile that has been chosen from the roll, it will become something that is loved and treasured forever, rather than joining the worlds growing piles of landfill.

The DIY Couture books allow people to access personally tailored clothing that is affordable, and affordable clothing that is none-exploitative.

Telephone-07734 347 491 Email-diycouture@googlemail.com

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