The man behind the brand

In an era of cheap fastfashion brands and increasing environmental concerns, sustainability is more important now than ever before. We spoke to fashion designer Christopher Raeburn about how a few small steps can make a big impact.

Asilk map anorak, a tote bag made of parachutes and a bucket hat created using only pre-flown kites - these are just a few items from Christopher Raeburn’s collections. They’re all remade, all recycled and most importantly, all gradually transforming the fashion industry’s impact on the environment one piece at a time.

And sustainability has always been a fascination of Christopher’s, having already established his eco-friendly ideas during his studies at London’s Royal College of Art, where he graduated back in 2006.

“Even going all the way back to my degree, I worked around the idea called Remade in England. It was about the deconstruction and reuse of original military materials which I made into useful contemporary pieces.”

“The first collection I ever showed at London Fashion Week was just eight garments made from one parachute which I bought very affordably. It’s creativity that’s helped to build my business rather than spending loads of money. There’s definitely ways to build businesses through creativity.”

“It’s already been 12 years since I left and I’ve been running my own business for nearly 10 years, which I’ve grown very organically. Our whole business focuses around responsible design, so lots of remaking and recycling.”

Whilst he still maintains the same outlook when designing menswear, womenswear and accessories collections, he’s certainly come a long way since his student days, with his constantly developing concepts allowing his work to remain relevant in an everchanging and evolving society.

“We actually still use a lot of parachutes, it’s really one of the most iconic fabrics we work with but over the years we’ve developed this. We’ve worked with everything from 1950s maps and blankets to life rafts. You name it, we’ll deconstruct it and make it into something new.”

“You name it, we’ll deconstruct it and make it into something new.”

“The very nature of fashion is that it’s always changing. We’ve never been too worried about trends or the way things can shift rapidly. It’s about making sure our clothes are relevant, useful and, where possible, making things that are timeless.”

If we applied this attitude to the way we buy clothes and invested in quality key pieces that transcend a faddish trend, we’d all be contributing to a healthier planet. But, for a lot of people, this is easier said than done and only in the last few years have we seen high street shops offer more environmentally-friendly collections, such as H&M’s Concious, Zara’s Join Life and Mango’s Committed Sustainable. Now, more than ever, it’s all too easy to browse the internet and get a whole outfit for under £30 delivered to your doorstep in less than 24 hours.

“Having the chance to speak about the incredible work the graduates are doing around the world is a real honour and something that I’m really looking forward to getting my teeth into.”

When asked about whether it’s possible to get the balance right between living a more sustainable life and not spending too much money, Christopher makes the point that, a lot of the time, reusing and recycling is actually often cheaper than buying.

“It’s all about balance. As a business we don’t for a minute pretend to be perfect or to do everything completely responsibly, but it’s about transparency and balancing what you’re able to do.”

And for sourcing his own materials, Christopher also adopts a hands-on approach.

“It’s so important for me to physically go to destinations around the world, whether it be flea markets or warehouses, to find all this amazing stuff. I’ve always felt that it’s a lot like archaeology because you’re going out and seeing things with your own eyes. You also have to consider early on what that original item might be able to become in the future.”

“This is a business that has always been looking outwards; we want to be connected with what’s happening in society and what’s happening in communities. All of that is influenced through politics and economics. We’re hoping to inspire and educate in our own way without preaching with the work that we’re doing every day.”

Unlike a lot of fashion designers, Christopher regularly opens the doors of his REMADE studio in Hackney to the public. As a working environment for his team in the day, the creative space which used to be home to the the old Burberry textile factory, hosts workshops, events and even Table Tennis Tuesdays.

His inclusive attitude and down-to-earth nature is what sets him apart from the rest. He may be offering advice and words of wisdom to graduates across the country, but he still holds opinions from those around him in high regard.

“Over the years I’ve taken little bits of advice from lots of people to grow the business.

It’s important be as sponge-like as you can. Respectfully listen to experiences from whichever mentor or advisor you might be talking to and then make your own decision once you’ve spoken to a few people. That’s the key to any business really.”

It’s these innovative, forward-thinking ideas that have resulted in Christopher taking on a huge role as Global Ambassador for Graduate Fashion Week this year, joining the likes of Julien McDonald, Holly Fulton and Henry Holland who also support the event. Founded in 1991, the charity organisation celebrates and showcases students and graduates, helping them build contacts, gain experience and get a taste of life after university in the fast-paced, and sometimes intimidating, world of fashion.

“I think it’s a perfect platform for change, and one that’s grown steadily over the years. As a result, companies are looking to Graduate Fashion Week every year with a trust of new ideas and sense of excitement.”

“Having the chance to speak about the incredible work the graduates are doing around the world is a real honour and something that I’m really looking forward to getting my teeth into.”

This year, Graduate Fashion Week will be taking place from Sunday 3 June to Wednesday 6 June, with a jam-packed schedule of shows featuring some of the finest talent across the country.

“I’m very fortunate to be able to review a lot of different portfolios, whether that be through applicants at my own company or through Graduate Fashion Week and I’ve certainly been impressed by the all round package that graduates need to increase their opportunities for employment.”

Whilst the final catwalk shows are important, Christopher highlights how the process both beforehand and behind the scenes is integral to the final outcome of the graduates, and something a lot of people don’t see.

“It’s not just about the creative side any more. There’s a lot more going on in terms of understanding the mechanics behind the industry and it’s definitely about bringing together the business and marketing all of the different key elements that really need to work together to make somebody a success. From my own experience, I’ve found that nowadays a lot of the graduates are actually a lot better prepared for life in the real world and employment.”

And it’s definitely a stark contrast to his own time at university, where social media channels that are part of our everyday lives today didn’t even exist.

“Ten years ago, we didn’t have Instagram and people couldn’t make their own web shops, they couldn’t make the items essentially for sale to the whole world. Now there are fantastic businesses that have been started very recently and actually do everything online. If that’s underpinned by responsible thinking, sourcing and a really structured plan for growth, then it’s really exciting.”

“I’m glad to have lived through the period that I have with the business, but the world that graduates are going into is fantastic, there are so many ways for them to play within the industry”

In fact, what really catapulted his brand was when Blake Lively wore a Christopher Raeburn parka coat on a full page of US Vogue in 2011.

“It was like an analogue way of things going viral, because we had people seeing that and walking in with the magazine to Barney’s in the US saying ‘I want to buy that coat.”

“I’m really grateful to have gone through that period. I’d still really urge young designers to go about things incredibly professionally. If you make life easy for journalists, you’ll find a lot of people want to help you.”

With a career built on absorbing knowledge from those around him, alongside a determination to really make a change, Christopher is proof that living a more sustainable life doesn’t necessarily mean changing your whole lifestyle. It can just mean reconsidering the smaller decisions we make every single day and, where possible, making choices that benefit the world around us.

Like the cyclical nature of fashion, where trends inevitably come back around after a few years, before you throw something away it might be worth considering that “as opposed to thinking about one moment in time where once it’s gone and everything around it is redundant”, you could actually reuse it in a different way to give it a new lease of life. You never know, this attitude might end up giving you a new lease of life as well.