O L I V E THE BRANCH INSTORE
ZINE
Spring and Summer 2019
GET
10%
OFF INSTORE WHEN YOU SPEND £50 OR MORE. SEE VOUCHER AT BACK OF ZINE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Pattern Design by Natalie Evans
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GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK. A T T A C H E D I N E V E RY I S S U E I S Y O U R O W N P E R S O N A L S E E D PAC K ET . W E T H I N K IT ’ S I M PO RTA NT O U R C U STO M E R S G IV E A L ITT L E BAC K TO T H E E NV I RO N M E NT , SO G ET P LA NT I NG , S IT BAC K A N D WATC H YO U R S E E D S G ROW . W E H A V E W O R K E D R E A L LY H A R D T O M A K E T H I S Z I N E S U S T A I N A B L E . F E E L I T S R E CY C L E D , B I O D E G R A D A B L E PA P E R A S YO U F L IC K T H RO UG H A N D A P P R EC IAT E IT S LAC K O F P LA ST IC PAC KAG I NG . JO I N U S A N D GO G R E E N .
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CO NT E NT S FAUX FUR OR FAUX PAS? 08-09 WHITE 12-13 SPOTLIGHT: LONG SLEEVE BABYDOLL DRESS 14-15 AN INTERVIEW WITH REBECCA AND KARL MAGUIRE 18-19 ON THE COVER... KAVI WEARS OUR WILD MEADOW LINEN SHIRT AND TOMOSHDA SUNGLASSES. KELSEY WEARS THE LONG SLEEVE BABYDOLL DRESS, A FAVOURITE FOR THIS SEASON.
CO NT R I B UTO R S EDITOR: NATALIE EVANS WRITTEN CONTENT: NATALIE EVANS PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTENT: JOSEF T-D SPECIAL THANKS TO: KELSEY HARBOUR, KAVI MISTRY, REBECCA MAGUIRE, KARL MAGUIRE
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A NOT E F RO M T H E MA NAG I NG D I R ECTO R . . . Hello there and welcome to the first issue of our very own Olive magazine. For those that don’t know, Olive is a British contemporary clothing brand with its operational headquarters and flagship womenswear store in Regency Cheltenham. I started it with my wife, Ji Seon, in 2015. Our large choice of styles, conceived in collaboration with our network of independent designers, combines heritage with modernity, simplicity with playfulness, and street style with understated elegance. We enjoy a vibrant, international customer community, and ship to every country in the world. We’re conscious that we are a part of a chain that begins with farming and yarn production, and ends with style; we take our own responsibilities within that chain seriously, and are forging forward sensitive to the ethical considerations that preoccupy us and many of our customers alike. We hope that with the production of ‘The Branch’ zine, our customers will be entertained, educated and encouraged to share the same passions that we do in terms of fashioning a better future for the industry. What an exciting adventure I’m sure this is going to be. I hope to see you again in the next issue.
Best wishes,
ROHAN MOORE, MANAGING DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER
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HERE KELSEY WEARS THE MID LENGTH CORDUROY DUNGAREE DRESS IN BLUSH.
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7 IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS... HERE, OUR SAILOR EMBROIDERED BLOUSE IN CREAM ADDS AN UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE.
FAUX FUR OR FAUX PAS? Fashion not only contributes massively to climate change, but is also wasteful in other areas of the industry. 50 million animals die for the sake of fashion each year, and the use of fur and exotic animal skin has recently been re-introduced to catwalks, strolling right back into our fashion culture. There are currently no animal welfare certification schemes to contest this – it is still legal to import animal furs into the UK – and the creation of synthetic fibres, which are intended to improve welfare, have created more wrongs than rights. These fibres are not only energy-intensive in production, but are generally made from non-renewable by-products from the oil industry. Polyester is a popular example and signposts how ingrained they have not only become in our culture, but also in our landfills. For nylon to biodegrade, as an example, it would take 30-40 years, which is shocking, compared to cotton’s few months. This is an increasingly worrying figure, considering fur has now been prohibited from big, fashion trailblazers such as Fendi, Coach, Miu Miu, Gucci and Burberry. Although on the face of it, this seems like a positive change to our shopping habits, it has conversely energised the need for faux substitutions.
The RSPCA’s annual ‘Fashion Awards’ celebrates companies who are making efforts to reduce the use of animals and so, once again, a 21st century cultural shift is snowballing. We like to think at Olive we are reflective of this trend. As a brand, we market neither fur, nor faux fur or synthetic materials, and we try to work as closely as possible with our textile providers to ensure transparency in the supply chain. It is equally important that our customer feels this excitement towards sustainable fashion – something that is usually ruled out as being unfashionable and undesirable. Designers outwardly showing such support shines a spotlight on the grey areas of the industry, including animal welfare, recycling and reusing, and paves the way to blossoming our covetous culture into a cognisant one.
The abundant headlines surrounding David Attenborough’s ‘Blue Planet II’ documentary have been inescapable. Images of oceans overflowing with plastic are now unblocking our judgement when it comes to buying packaged food in supermarkets, purchasing one-use water bottles and using some beauty products… but how much do we think about fake fur which, although looks appealing, is made almost entirely of plastic? This is really where the debate lies. Do we, as consumers, prioritise our ethical morality or our environmental integrity? Real animal furs and skins are natural materials that have been used to clothe humans since the Stone Age, and correspondingly degrade naturally, unlike their faux counterparts. Yes, they’re better for the environment, but at what cost? Nevertheless, with the innovations of orange fibre and apple leather, there is promise for the industry’s chemistry. Apple leather for one, takes waste from the apple juice and marmalade industries and is mixed with polyurethane (a renewable material). This new invention of ‘citrus fabrics’ has provided steps towards a better solution and, whilst being biodegradable, can also be recycled and reused into new and exciting fashions, arguably paving the way for the material future of our fashion industry.
WORDS BY: NATALIE EVANS. OPPOSITE: KELSEY WEARS OUR LONG SLEEVE BABYDOLL DRESS IN MINT. ACCESSORISED WITH A LARA WICKER BUCKET BAG.
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KAVI WEARS A BLOCK STRIPE TEE IN IVORY BENEATH OUR DAIKU BOX JACKET, IN THE SHADE NDIGO.
HERE, KAVI IS WEARING OUR SUPER COMFY AND SLOUCHY LONG SLEEVE TEE IN ROSE. THE PERFECT ADDITION TO A SPRING SUMMER WARDROBE.
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CAPTION!!!
W H IT E WHITE. IT’S A COLOUR WE SHY AWAY FROM, PROBABLY UNKNOWINGLY. DAZZLING AND BRILLIANT, IT IS QUITE COMFORTABLY USED AS A LAYER BENEATH OR AN ACCESSORY FOR ANOTHER COLOUR; THINK CRISP EGGSHELL SHIRT BENEATH A PATTERNED PINAFORE FOR THE OFFICE. WHY IS IT THAT WE DON’T ALLOW WHITE TO HAVE ITS DAY IN THE SUN WHEN IT SHINES THE BRIGHTEST?
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The white clothing piece has been an important part of our fashion wardrobes for centuries. It has much significance in cultural terms, usually taking on a symbolic meaning for its wearer. In the religion of Islam, men are encouraged to wear the shade as it portrays a sense of purity and simplicity, and in Christianity, garments worn at baptisms are traditionally white, as well as those worn by members of the clergy. Interestingly, in Sikhism, white is worn by Kundalini yogis to expand their auras and practise mindfulness, highlighting its spiritual importance to many. Until more recent centuries, ivory was the colour of the tunic worn by the Queen’s men and knights of the realm, which was there to show how willing they were to give their blood for the monarch or church. In historic literature, wearing white depicts many things including innocence, new beginnings and cleanliness. OPPOSITE: KELSEY WEARS OUR GORGEOUSLY LIGHT-WEIGHT TWIN POCKET ROMPER, IN CREAM. WE’VE ACCESSORISED IT WITH OUR FUNCTIONAL ARECA TOTE. KAVI WEARS OUR POPULAR IVORY BALLOON CANVAS PANTS.
From the 18th and 19th Centuries, however, the colour white started to become less of a symbolic piece, and more of a fashionable declaration. It was a colour that alluded to wealth and luxury; members of the upper class wore white stockings and elaborate gowns alongside powdered wigs and makeup. Queen Victoria truly cemented white as a fashionable shade when she was married in snowy lace in 1840, which has been a lasting tradition to the present day.
LEFT: KAVI WEARS A BLACK RAGNU RUCKSACK ON TOP OF A SLOUCH LONG SLEEVE TEE, IN ROSE.
It’s true that we no longer need to stand head-totoe in white to show off our purity, but surely, we shouldn’t shy away from the idea entirely. This season, monochromatic looks are a must have – whether that be by meticulously layering a tone, or throwing on an all-in-one. For Spring/Summer 2019, washed-out pastel shades and natural, raw fabrics are on trend, stressing how now is the time to bring out the white. It is no longer a colour we should fear for being unflattering and impractical, but something we should wear on mass and with confidence. Coming in so many accessible tints and intensities, it is easy to find the ‘right white’ for you. So this summer, why don’t you give Sea Foam, Stone or Vanilla an opportunity? Try a monochromatic look, or work with a theme; white compliments a nautical navy stripe and it also brings out the elegance in a khaki utility ensemble. A versatile colour that shouldn’t be missed out on, make sure in the coming months, you’re a sight (to behold!) in white.
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FROM SKETCH TO SHOP, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND SEE WHY IT’S A SPRING SUMMER FAVOURITE HERE AT OLIVE HQ...
SHIMMERING HIGHLIGHTS AND SOFT SHADOWS FORMING IN HAZY SUNSHINE
Our classic Long Sleeve Babydoll Dress has returned to our collection for summer. Featuring a round neckline, full button-down front, and a ruched waistline with no defined structure - for a slouchy and relaxed fit, available in four colours. Identifying a palette which could transit from Spring into the warmer Summer months with ease was extremely important. Here, at Olive, we want longevity and quality for our products. We kept it super simple; a button-down front with matching covered buttons and scoop neckline are the key features. Shimmering highlights & soft shadows formed in hazy sunshine was the inspiration. The linen & cotton mix fabric we’ve used keeps the dress lightweight and cool - perfect for hot Summer days ahead. Our favourite, classic baby doll dress has no defined structure for a slouchy and relaxed fit. Falling just above the knee, S/M will have a loose fit on a UK size 6 whilst having a more fitted silhouette on a UK size 10. A M/L will have a relaxed fit on a UK size 10 whilst having a more fitted silhouette on a UK size 12. Available to purchase online and instore.
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S POT L IG HT : L O N G S L E E V E B A BY D O L L D R E S S
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SMILE AND TAKE A BREATH... AN EMBROIDERED BLOUSE BENEATH A PINAFORE IS THE PERFECT ENSEMBLE FOR AN ADVENTURE.
CAPTION!!!
Porcelain clouds swirled across a cornflower sky; Fresh linen hung out to dry; A silk dressing gown, neatly tied; And the stars across a midnight ocean, specks of rice. There is the moon, oh my; Daisies appear across a carpet of grass spikes; In my palms, a butterfly; I touch its tissue-paper wings and secretly sigh. These are the things that make me. These are the things that make me contented, blissful, alive.
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A N I NT E RV I EW W IT H R E B ECCA A N D KA R L MAGU I R E OWNERS OF WILDFLOWER ILLUSTRATIONS If you’ve recently visited our Cheltenham store, you will have without doubt seen the beautifully-intricate works of Rebecca and Karl Maguire. They are Olive’s current artist collaboration that we exhibit and sell alongside our inhouse artist’s, Rikki Hewitt, work. Wildflower Illustrations produces designs on a variety of media, including not only purchasable prints, but also cards, notecards and other stationary, which can be bought instore and on their website. We decided to chat with them about what it is they do so well… Q: Tell us a little bit about yourselves. Karl: We are a husband and wife team based in the heart of the Cotswolds. We started Wildflower Illustration Co back in 2015 because we believe in the power of a handwritten note to brighten someone’s day or capture a shared memory. Q: How did you start Wildflower Illustrations? Karl: Rebecca began painting and illustrating back in 2010, starting by designing cards and stationery for friends and family from her watercolour and ink illustrations. The business began life as ‘Rebecca McMillan Illustration’ originally… Rebecca: Karl officially joined the team in 2015 as designer and operations manager, and has supported and guided me right from the business’ humble beginnings. Now he is in charge of almost everything other than the painting itself. Q: What kind of work have you produced as Wildflower Illustrations? Rebecca: As the business has blossomed into Wildflower Illustrations and what it is today, I have created bespoke artwork, house portraits, marketing material, wedding stationery and greetings cards. Q: What inspires your work Rebecca? Rebecca: I draw a lot of inspiration from nature and travel, and like to paint to capture the beauty of the world around me. My designs are inspired by a love for all things wild and free. Q: What is your preferred medium to work in? Rebecca: I begin any design by painting and illustrating in watercolour and ink. I then convert this into a digital image which can be reproduced onto invitations, art prints or cards. Karl is the one that – Karl: I don’t do any of the important work! Rebecca: – he designs, prints and packages all of my products and ensures the highest quality throughout, as well as conducting the administrative operations of the business. Which is kind of important. Q: Lastly, what is the most important thing about running Wildflower Illustrations? Karl: In an increasingly digital world, we hope our cards and stationery will spread a little joy on doormats around the world. Rebecca: I agree. It’s all about brightening someone’s day, old-school style.
You can visit Rebecca and Karl’s website at www.wildflowerillustrationco.com, or have a look at their designs on their Instagram page, @wildflowerillustrationco.
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SERIAL NUMBER
0002329
GET
10%
OFF INSTORE
WHEN YOU SPEND £50 OR MORE.
VA L I D U NT I L 3 1 ST A UGU S T 2 0 1 9 F O R A O N E - U S E D I S C O U N T O N LY .
Spring and Summer 2019
7 PITTVILLE STREET, CHELTENHAM, GL52 2LN