noir

Amelia’s Magazine | Rous Iland and the Sestra Moja collection

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A few days ago I had my very own Alice in Wonderland moment when I escaped the busy, information pills crowded streets of London and went through a little door in the heart of Mayfair. I was greeted by an exquisite range of womenswear, visit plenty of spring/summer colours to contrast the weather nicely, look and a lovely cup of tea. Sitting on their plush sofa, and having a chat about their current collections definitely brightened my dreary (when we will we see the sun!?) weekend…

Established by ex city lawyers Kara Iland and Clare Rous, Rous Iland is a personal shopping service providing private consultations and viewings for women who find it hard to spare the time to shop. Catering to a wide range of women it’s easy to see why the enterprise is proving so successful. Bright, inviting, and friendly, the showroom ticks all the boxes after only 3 years of trading.

As one of the only UK stockists of Sestra Moja, their talents in sourcing quality labels are well represented. The label, by Slovakian born Antonia Widdowson, has grown from her love of customising vintage pieces into a full blown collection. Using her flair for vintage as a template for the designs, the result is a timeless array of floaty dresses, tunics, slips and tops using muted tones.


Sestra Moja Angel Dress

‘The designs are unique with intricate lace and crochet pieces, combined with chiffon and muslin. They are timeless, feminine and elegant with a distinctly vintage feel’, said Kara and Clare of the collection.

The range has a feminine, delicate look throughout; bearing in mind that lace and underwear as outerwear are to be big trends for S/S 10, it will definitely be one to watch this season. Tapping into the boho trend (Sienna Miller circa 2003 will be pleased), yet also managing to exude elegance and sophistication at the same time, it blends together two distinct styles. Using muslin, crochet, and lace to create her pieces, the beautiful creations are irresistible and sure to outlive faddy summer trends. The current necessity to invest in long lasting clothes, and banish throwaway fast fashion buying, is expressed by the owners…

“We are very interested in the origin of the fabrics and pieces we select. Ethically made design is one of the criteria we look for. In an age when we tend to buy frivolously without regard to the environment and the communities affected we believe ethical fashion is a positive sign. We encourage people to buy fewer pieces they will treasure forever, rather than buy lots of things they will ultimately only use for one season.” 


Sestra Moja Bibiana Dress

All the pieces use summer neutrals and pretty, lightweight fabrics, making it difficult for us to find a favourite. I fell for the Angel Dress imagining its suitability on lazy summer days, whereas Karen and Ilana went for the Bibiana maxi dress, owing to the beautiful pistachio colour – perfect for spring! 

Prices for the collection start at £65. Rous Iland also stock eco-friendly labels Noir and Good One.

Find them here.

Written by Florence Massey on Friday March 26th, 2010 6:23 pm

Categories ,Boho chic, ,Ethical Fashion, ,fashion, ,london, ,Mayfair, ,noir, ,Rous Iland, ,Sestra Moja, ,Sienna Miller

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Amelia’s Magazine | Rous Iland and the Sestra Moja collection

by

A few days ago I had my very own Alice in Wonderland moment when I escaped the busy, information pills crowded streets of London and went through a little door in the heart of Mayfair. I was greeted by an exquisite range of womenswear, visit plenty of spring/summer colours to contrast the weather nicely, look and a lovely cup of tea. Sitting on their plush sofa, and having a chat about their current collections definitely brightened my dreary (when we will we see the sun!?) weekend…

Established by ex city lawyers Kara Iland and Clare Rous, Rous Iland is a personal shopping service providing private consultations and viewings for women who find it hard to spare the time to shop. Catering to a wide range of women it’s easy to see why the enterprise is proving so successful. Bright, inviting, and friendly, the showroom ticks all the boxes after only 3 years of trading.

As one of the only UK stockists of Sestra Moja, their talents in sourcing quality labels are well represented. The label, by Slovakian born Antonia Widdowson, has grown from her love of customising vintage pieces into a full blown collection. Using her flair for vintage as a template for the designs, the result is a timeless array of floaty dresses, tunics, slips and tops using muted tones.


Sestra Moja Angel Dress

‘The designs are unique with intricate lace and crochet pieces, combined with chiffon and muslin. They are timeless, feminine and elegant with a distinctly vintage feel’, said Kara and Clare of the collection.

The range has a feminine, delicate look throughout; bearing in mind that lace and underwear as outerwear are to be big trends for S/S 10, it will definitely be one to watch this season. Tapping into the boho trend (Sienna Miller circa 2003 will be pleased), yet also managing to exude elegance and sophistication at the same time, it blends together two distinct styles. Using muslin, crochet, and lace to create her pieces, the beautiful creations are irresistible and sure to outlive faddy summer trends. The current necessity to invest in long lasting clothes, and banish throwaway fast fashion buying, is expressed by the owners…

“We are very interested in the origin of the fabrics and pieces we select. Ethically made design is one of the criteria we look for. In an age when we tend to buy frivolously without regard to the environment and the communities affected we believe ethical fashion is a positive sign. We encourage people to buy fewer pieces they will treasure forever, rather than buy lots of things they will ultimately only use for one season.” 


Sestra Moja Bibiana Dress

All the pieces use summer neutrals and pretty, lightweight fabrics, making it difficult for us to find a favourite. I fell for the Angel Dress imagining its suitability on lazy summer days, whereas Karen and Ilana went for the Bibiana maxi dress, owing to the beautiful pistachio colour – perfect for spring! 

Prices for the collection start at £65. Rous Iland also stock eco-friendly labels Noir and Good One.

Find them here.

Written by Florence Massey on Friday March 26th, 2010 6:23 pm

Categories ,Boho chic, ,Ethical Fashion, ,fashion, ,london, ,Mayfair, ,noir, ,Rous Iland, ,Sestra Moja, ,Sienna Miller

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Amelia’s Magazine | January Sales – Ethical Style

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Monday 5th January

Bird.jpg
An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump, ed salve Durrr at The End

Think 80s influenced punk-grunge from this girl trio with smatterings of riot and New York No-Wave. The girlgroup brought kicking and screaming into 2009 with some short film strings to their bow too.

Derek Meins, My Tiger My Timing, The ABC Club, The Molotovs, Old Blue Last, London

Calling himself a ‘famous poet’, Derek Meins’ headline slot should consist of humorous fun songs. Support comes in super-zeitgeist form from My Tiger My Timing with their African indie pop.

Derek Meins, My Tiger My Timing, The ABC Club, The Molotovs, Old Blue Last, London

Calling himself a ‘famous poet’, Derek Meins’ headline slot should consist of humorous fun songs. Support comes in super-zeitgeist form from My Tiger My Timing with their African indie pop.

Tuesday 6th January

Paul Hawkins and Thee Awkward Silences, The Windmill, London

With a name like that surely taking some cues from Billy Childish with their slightly bonkers indie-pop. Definitely worth checking out as they are featured in the current issue of Amelia’s Magazine and on the Last FM compilation. You saw them here first.

paul-hawkins-thee-awkward-silences.jpg

The Broken Family Band, The Luminaire, London

Sorta indie, sorta country, sorta rock from this clever-Trevor Cambridge band who should provide a wittily intelligent, well worn set at this Track and Field ‘Winter Sprinter’.

Wednesday 7th January

Darren Hayman, The Wave Pictures, The Luminaire, London

Another outing for the Track and Field folks who present former Hefner member Darren Hayman performing his off-kilter whisky and heartache numbers with anti-folk support.

darren1.gif

Vile Imbeciles, Windmill, London

With a frontman fresh from Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, you can be sure that these boys, who set themselves in dark opposition to most modern music, will provide some excellently scary psych-horror.

Thursday 8th January

Hatcham Social, Kasms, Borderline, London

Angular Records favourites with a definite 80s indie sound and no small debt to The Smiths although they are certainly no retro rip-off merchants. More 80s influence from Kasms although in a more goth-pop vein.

hatchamsocialpress_01.jpg

Friday 9th January

Tonight Twee as Fuck hosts an altogether shouty and girlie affair with the launch of the new Shrag album at the Buffalo Bar on Upper Street. Support comes from The Duloks and Betty & The Werewolves and Patrick and Roxanne from Sexy Kids will join us on the decks.

Saturday 10th January
lee%20scratch%20perry.jpg
Lee Scratch Perry holds status as one of the most enduring and original reggae producers of all time. He will be performing at the Jazz Cafe tonight, featuring tracks from his new album, “The Mighty Upsetter” and timeless classics to pull at our nostalgia strings. The Reggae Roast Team will be running things after the live show, providing 4-hours of sound system vibes from EXEL & MOODIE featuring live vocals from RAMON JUDAH & ISHU with horns from TROMOBONE JEROME.

Sunday 11th January

Ukulele Sunday at The Amersham Arms, 388 New Cross Road, SE14

One of 2008′s most popular Christmas present apparently. This teeny-weeny instrument will certainly cure anyone of Sunday-night-itas. Led by the Brockley Ukulele Group a chirpy and unpretentious evening.

After the Christmas season of gluttony and excess spending, information pills let’s turn our thoughts to the more planet and pocket friendly method of making our own accessories – Blue Peter style. With just a little thought and time you can be wearing the most unique pieces that will only cost you the price of glue and a chain perhaps, and who knows, you might discover you have a talent for this sort of thing and create another career avenue for yourself…

US native – but now based in Brussels – Nancy Minsky shows us how to do it. She has rounded up all the old plastic bottles and containers in her house and created her ‘sunburst charm’. Follow her easy instructions and you too can be the proud owner of one!

sunburst%20necklace.jpg

Nancy explains, “ To make my DIY Sunburst charm, the plastic ovals are slipped onto a karabiner to form a contemporary sunburst of colour and shape, creating visual delight and practical use out of what would be put into the recycle bin. I dazzled on New Year’s Eve wearing it hung on a lush lavender satin ribbon but it can also be clipped on a snap bolt and hung as a charm.” (pictured above)

Making Time: Around 15 mins.

Materials:

• Scissors?
• Hole punch
• Assortment of emptied different coloured plastic containers – I used orange, turquoise, white and transparent yogurt, water and kitchen soap containers.
• Blue 2 – 2 ½ inches (5-6.5 cm) karabiner?
• Ribbon or chain

How to Make it:?

1. Using sharp scissors, cut oval shapes out of your plastic containers, ranging in length from about 2 inches to 3 inches (5-7.5 cm)
2. Punch a hole at one end of each oval shape
3. Slip the ovals, in an assorted range of colours and shapes, on the karabiner until it’s full and plump.
4. Attach a ribbon, a snap bolt or a chain through your karabiner and wear as a necklace or hang as a charm.

Et voila, you have your very own sunburst charm!

Nancy’s not alone in her recycling of seemingly useless or done with things into pretty jewellery, Jane Eldershaw is a self proclaimed junk jeweller and uses everything from pencils to clothes pegs to make eye-catching necklaces.

There are lots of sites out there dedicated to this craft, we’ve had a look through and are bringing you the best, weirdest and most wonderful – so you too can be inspired – and see that you can use literally anything to make your own fabulous pieces! Here’s our pick:

Dee and Ricky make brooches and belt buckles from…. Lego! – brilliant. (below left)

lego-typewriter%20jewellery.jpg

These creative kids had (seemingly) thousands of old typewriter keys lying around and thought they would brighten up our outfits by making retro-esque pieces. I really want a letter necklace.(above right)

Now this one borders on creepy but it’s inventive none the less – take your old Barbie dolls of your youth, cut them into pieces and you have, erm, interesting trinkets – earrings made of Barbie’s ears anyone?

barbie%20jewellery.jpg

We told you you could use anything – Caroline Bäckman has made edible jewellery – no, not those sweetie bracelets and necklaces of your youth (although they are brilliant) she has taken it a whole step further, creativity beating practicality hands down in this instance. (pictured below, shrimp necklace on the left, parma ham and haricots on the right.)

food%20necklace.jpg

So now there really is no excuse, look at everything just lying around your house in a new way – as a potential accessory! – and let the new year and new crafty you begin!
So if you’ve decided you’re not a dab hand with the glue and scissors, generic and are not up to the task of making your own jewellery, side effects then embrace the great January tradition of going to the sales! They are especially good this year due to the financial climate, here but rather than heading to the high street, here’s a round up of the best ethically sound but still fabulous bargains out there:

The ethicalsuperstore.com is brilliant as it has gadgets, gizmos and everything in between, you can pick up discounted Katharine Hamnett and People Tree (they have good little bargains on their own site too) pieces and even do your weekly food shop here. It truly does encompass all your ethical needs and has an amazing up to 60% off sale on at the moment.

Oxfam has gone way up in the world since it’s days of merely being a charity shop, it now sells its own brand label, where you can pick your size and everything. It has many 50% off bargains in its sale.

ehical-sale.jpg

Fashion-conscience.com is a brilliant site that houses some of the most contemporary ethically conscious designers around at the moment including Ciel, Noir and Beyond Skin – it even has a section dedicated to the current trends, showing you that you can be on the fashion forefront and environmentally savvy.

In a similar vein, Devidoll also has some really nice clothing, even though there’s an up to 60% off sale, it’s still pricey but if you want to invest in some staple, key yet eco-friendly pieces for your wardrobe, this is the place to go.

Adili.com has a range of prices and styles, my favourite being this (pictured below) Bora Aksu blouse, which is a truly classic investment piece and now half price – bargainous!

bora-aksu.jpg

And if you’re still tempted by those non-ethical labels in the sales – ease your conscience by at least checking if the store of your choice operates an ethical trading policy by asking these ten questions, as suggested by the ethical pests.

Happy shopping!

Written by Jennifer McNulty on Tuesday January 6th, 2009 3:38 pm

Categories ,Beyond Skin, ,Bora Aksu, ,Ciel, ,Devidoll, ,Ethical, ,Fashion, ,Katherine Hamnett, ,Noir, ,Oxfam, ,People Tree

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with ethical designer Charlie Boots

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Detail of Interrogator/guard’s call button in Camp Five courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph by Valerie Pezeron

Where is the fire in Edmund Clark’s exhibition? Guantanamo: If the Light goes out is a photography exhibition now showing at Flowers galleries in the East End next to all those yummy Vietnamese restaurants. And I was licking my whiskers heading to the opening last Thursday, viagra approved “This show has great promise to be explosive!”
Edmund Clark’s commercial work for people like Adidas is widely known. He balances advertising assignments with smaller more prestigious gallery projects that garner critical acclaim and his first book was a well-lauded affair. His specialty? Private and personal portraits conveyed through domestic settings and people’s objects.

Ex-detainee’s sitting room and original handwritten child’s letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

It’s a pity those small vignettes of everyday life were not so successful this time around. What went wrong? For one thing the large scale of the photographs did not serve what should be a highly charged narrative in intimacy. The gallery had a hand in it too with crude choices such as similar frames to tie together the upstairs Clarke exhibition and Nadav Kander’s Yangtzee show downstairs.

Detail of Administrative Review Board Letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Original, malady handwritten and hand-censored letter to a detainee from his daughter. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

I learned of ex-inmates trying to cope with life after Guantanamo while talking to Clarke. These folks had no anger but seemed resigned to their fate and had formed an ex-Guantanamo old-timers community thus a support system. Very touching stuff indeed and the letters brought tears to my eyes. But I struggled to find a sense of broken domesticity in the Clark’s own pictures on display and some are more suggestive than others.

Camp One, store exercise cage. Camp One, Isolation Unit. Camp Six, mobile force feeding chair. Ex-detainee’s sitting room. All Photographs courtesy of Edmund Clarke.

The irony in all of this is, as my fire was never lit Nadav Kander’s sweeping evocative Chinese landscapes gradually pulled me downstairs. Those beautiful pictures of Yangtzee- The Long River merge the great beauty of China with the Chinese government’s attempt at taming it.

Of the two private views at Flowers downstairs was the place to be at. Photographs courtesy of Valerie Pezeron.

This great battle I witnessed first hand when I visited Shenzhen a few years ago and saw for myself the damages on nature and the people living off the land. There the large format suits the visual conflict between the fragility of the daily domestic scenes and the imposing totems of China’s economic success. Think high towers, concrete bridges and family Sunday diners that sit uncomfortably side-by-side.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Detail of Interrogator/guard’s call button in Camp Five courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph by Valerie Pezeron

Where is the fire in Edmund Clark’s exhibition? Guantanamo: If the Light goes out is a photography exhibition now showing at Flowers galleries in the East End next to all those yummy Vietnamese restaurants. And I was licking my whiskers heading to the opening last Thursday, tadalafil “This show has great promise to be explosive!”
Edmund Clark’s commercial work for people like Adidas is widely known. He balances advertising assignments with smaller more prestigious gallery projects that garner critical acclaim and his first book was a well-lauded affair. His specialty? Private and personal portraits conveyed through domestic settings and people’s objects.

Ex-detainee’s sitting room and original handwritten child’s letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

It’s a pity those small vignettes of everyday life were not so successful this time around. What went wrong? For one thing the large scale of the photographs did not serve what should be a highly charged narrative in intimacy. The gallery had a hand in it too with crude choices such as similar frames to tie together the upstairs Clarke exhibition and Nadav Kander’s Yangtzee show downstairs.

Detail of Administrative Review Board Letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Original, sick handwritten and hand-censored letter to a detainee from his daughter. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

I learned of ex-inmates trying to cope with life after Guantanamo while talking to Clarke. These folks had no anger but seemed resigned to their fate and had formed an ex-Guantanamo old-timers community thus a support system. Very touching stuff indeed and the letters brought tears to my eyes. But I struggled to find a sense of broken domesticity in the Clark’s own pictures on display and some are more suggestive than others.

Camp One, exercise cage. Camp One, Isolation Unit. Camp Six, mobile force feeding chair. Ex-detainee’s sitting room. All Photographs courtesy of Edmund Clarke.

The irony in all of this is, as my fire was never lit Nadav Kander’s sweeping evocative Chinese landscapes gradually pulled me downstairs. Those beautiful pictures of Yangtzee- The Long River merge the great beauty of China with the Chinese government’s attempt at taming it.

Of the two private views at Flowers downstairs was the place to be at. Photographs courtesy of Valerie Pezeron.

This great battle I witnessed first hand when I visited Shenzhen a few years ago and saw for myself the damages on nature and the people living off the land. There the large format suits the visual conflict between the fragility of the daily domestic scenes and the imposing totems of China’s economic success. Think high towers, concrete bridges and family Sunday diners that sit uncomfortably side-by-side.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Detail of Interrogator/guard’s call button in Camp Five courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph by Valerie Pezeron

Where is the fire in Edmund Clark’s exhibition? Guantanamo: If the Light goes out is a photography exhibition now showing at Flowers galleries in the East End next to all those yummy Vietnamese restaurants. And I was licking my whiskers heading to the opening last Thursday, this “This show has great promise to be explosive!”
Edmund Clark’s commercial work for people like Adidas is widely known. He balances advertising assignments with smaller more prestigious gallery projects that garner critical acclaim and his first book was a well-lauded affair. His specialty? Private and personal portraits conveyed through domestic settings and people’s objects.

Ex-detainee’s sitting room and original handwritten child’s letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

It’s a pity those small vignettes of everyday life were not so successful this time around. What went wrong? For one thing the large scale of the photographs did not serve what should be a highly charged narrative in intimacy. The gallery had a hand in it too with crude choices such as similar frames to tie together the upstairs Clarke exhibition and Nadav Kander’s Yangtzee show downstairs.

Detail of Administrative Review Board Letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Original, stomach handwritten and hand-censored letter to a detainee from his daughter. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

I learned of ex-inmates trying to cope with life after Guantanamo while talking to Clarke. These folks had no anger but seemed resigned to their fate and had formed an ex-Guantanamo old-timers community thus a support system. Very touching stuff indeed and the letters brought tears to my eyes. But I struggled to find a sense of broken domesticity in the Clark’s own pictures on display and some are more suggestive than others.

Camp One, exercise cage. Camp One, Isolation Unit. Camp Six, mobile force feeding chair. Ex-detainee’s sitting room. All Photographs courtesy of Edmund Clarke.

The irony in all of this is, as my fire was never lit Nadav Kander’s sweeping evocative Chinese landscapes gradually pulled me downstairs. Those beautiful pictures of Yangtzee- The Long River merge the great beauty of China with the Chinese government’s attempt at taming it.

Of the two private views at Flowers downstairs was the place to be at. Photographs courtesy of Valerie Pezeron.

This great battle I witnessed first hand when I visited Shenzhen a few years ago and saw for myself the damages on nature and the people living off the land. There the large format suits the visual conflict between the fragility of the daily domestic scenes and the imposing totems of China’s economic success. Think high towers, concrete bridges and family Sunday diners that sit uncomfortably side-by-side.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Detail of Interrogator/guard’s call button in Camp Five courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph by Valerie Pezeron

Where is the fire in Edmund Clark’s exhibition? Guantanamo: If the Light goes out is a photography exhibition now showing at Flowers galleries in the East End next to all those yummy Vietnamese restaurants. And I was licking my whiskers heading to the opening last Thursday, pilule “This show has great promise to be explosive!”
Edmund Clark’s commercial work for people like Adidas is widely known. He balances advertising assignments with smaller more prestigious gallery projects that garner critical acclaim and his first book was a well-lauded affair. His specialty? Private and personal portraits conveyed through domestic settings and people’s objects.

Ex-detainee’s sitting room and original handwritten child’s letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

It’s a pity those small vignettes of everyday life were not so successful this time around. What went wrong? For one thing the large scale of the photographs did not serve what should be a highly charged narrative in intimacy. The gallery had a hand in it too with crude choices such as similar frames to tie together the upstairs Clarke exhibition and Nadav Kander’s Yangtzee show downstairs.

Detail of Administrative Review Board Letter courtesy of Edmund Clarke. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Original, pill handwritten and hand-censored letter to a detainee from his daughter. Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

I learned of ex-inmates trying to cope with life after Guantanamo while talking to Clarke. These folks had no anger but seemed resigned to their fate and had formed an ex-Guantanamo old-timers community thus a support system. Very touching stuff indeed and the letters brought tears to my eyes. But I struggled to find a sense of broken domesticity in the Clark’s own pictures on display and some are more suggestive than others.

Camp One, ed exercise cage. Camp One, Isolation Unit. Camp Six, mobile force feeding chair. Ex-detainee’s sitting room. All Photographs courtesy of Edmund Clarke.

The irony in all of this is, as my fire was never lit Nadav Kander’s sweeping evocative Chinese landscapes gradually pulled me downstairs. Those beautiful pictures of Yangtzee- The Long River merge the great beauty of China with the Chinese government’s attempt at taming it.

Of the two private views at Flowers downstairs was the place to be at. Photographs courtesy of Valerie Pezeron.

This great battle I witnessed first hand when I visited Shenzhen a few years ago and saw for myself the damages on nature and the people living off the land. There the large format suits the visual conflict between the fragility of the daily domestic scenes and the imposing totems of China’s economic success. Think high towers, concrete bridges and family Sunday diners that sit uncomfortably side-by-side by the banks of the Yangtze river.


Photograph courtesy of Valerie Pezeron


Illustration by Jenny Costello

Charlie Boots’ hand-made, sildenafil one-of-a-kind pieces, website like this made from reclaimed and vintage fabrics, discount are an antidote to fast fashion and the over-hyped high street. And they’re reversible! I had a chat with Charlie about staying sustainable (but stylish), her love of vintage and fashion’s green credentials…

How did you end up as an ethical clothing designer – had you always planned to go down the ethical route?
I became a fashion designer at the age of 28, after wanting to do it since I was 10! I lived in Bangkok in my early twenties and would take my designs to the tailors to be made. This could be hugely frustrating, as a person’s interpretation of a design often does not match the idea (not to mention the language barrier). I realised I needed to learn to pattern cut myself, and so then went on to do a fashion degree at Bath Spa University. It was here that I started looking into ethical fashion, and once I understand the enormous negative impact of this industry on so many people, I knew that doing it ethically was the only route I could take.


Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

All your designs are made from ‘ethically sourced materials’ –what do you mean by this?
I use organic, fair-trade, vintage, re-claimed and sustainable fabrics. Using organic fabrics mean that cotton workers are not suffering serious health conditions and often death (20,000 a year) as a result of the pesticides used. Fabrics like bamboo and hemp are sustainable – these two in particular do not require pesticides, much water or a lot of care. 95% of my fabrics are sourced in the UK, though the bamboo, hemp and vintage 1930s/40s fabrics come from the USA. The kimono fabrics are from Japan, of course!

A lot of your designs are reversible – which I love! Is this another way to make your clothing more sustainable?
Yes, most of the designs are reversible and this does add to their sustainability. I finish almost all of the garments with couture ‘bound’ seams. This enables them to be reversed as you do not see any overlocking (a common and cheap way to finish garments) when the garment is reversed. This gives the garment a subtly different look. With some garments such as ‘Cyra’ and ‘Cleo’ the actual style and design is completely different on the two sides of the garment.

You design women’s clothing and accessories – any plans to branch out into menswear or any other fields?
I love designing and pattern cutting but only have time to do so much! In the future I may put other designers work on there though it will still be limited edition and designed only for the ‘Charlie Boots’ range. It is very tough to forge a career in fashion design and I’d like to help people who have talent. I will also be selling limited edition UK made jewellery on the site from October.

How are reclaimed fabrics different from vintage materials?
A vintage fabric is a re-claimed fabric really, but a re-claimed fabric is not necessarily vintage. For example, some of my fabrics are sample pieces from fabric printers/wholesalers. These would otherwise go in the bin when the company no longer sell that fabric.

Is everything on each of your garments ‘ethical’ – right down to the zips?
At the moment all the zips and most of the buttons are re-claimed. They came from a company that was holding some abandoned stock that they couldn’t be bothered to re-home. It was about to head for landfill and I came upon them by chance.


Illustration by Antonia Parker

When designing each collection, are you inspired by fabrics themselves or do you create designs and then look for your materials?
I normally create designs with a fabric type in mind but I don’t usually choose the exact fabrics first. Sometimes when a toile is finished I think it would look better in a different weight of fabric, so will then move in another direction with it.

You have a ten-item limit of each design – why is this, and do you to ever make special one-off items?
Some of the items I have made are actually one-offs. This tends to happen if I have a small piece of printed fabric that I just have to use because I love it, but sadly there is only enough for one garment.
I put a limit of ten items on one design because I want to give my customers something unique that they are very unlikely to see anybody else wearing.

At the moment your designs are only available online – why is this? Any plans to expand to selling your product in other shops in the future?
My garments will be going onto a few more on-line shops and at some point they may go into shops. The problem with wholesaling is that I would make very little money if I sold my garments to shops at expected wholesale prices. Everything is UK-made so this adds a lot to the cost of a garment.


Illustration by Aniela Murphy

Do you think the fad for fast, throwaway fashion is coming to an end, and being replaced by a need for wearable, ‘investment pieces’?
I hope so! But it won’t happen overnight. Fast fashion is still a huge part of Western culture. Primark makes more money than any other high street clothes shop. Over the last decade the price of clothes has dropped and the amount we purchase has gone up. Shops can have up to ten ‘seasons’ where there was once only two. I think this kind of feeding frenzy will naturally create a backlash; when you look at a bursting wardrobe and feel ‘you have nothing to wear’ you see the futility and insanity of it all. If you buy an item that is well made, well cut and has had a lot of thought put into its design then you can spend more money and really value and treasure that item.

What with big name ethical fashion brands like Edun and Noir, and the Estethica tent at London Fashion Week, Eco Fashion seems to be having a moment – do you think the Fashion Industry is really trying to change its bad habits, or does it have a long way to go?
I think there is a growing core of people that want to change the ways of the fashion industry and I believe that it will happen in time. Educating people is important and I’m happy that educational establishments are paying a lot more attention to ethics on fashion courses. I suspect that a lot of larger businesses to a certain extent are paying lip service when claiming to be more ethical, but doing something about how they operate is better than nothing and it can help to bring the issues into the limelight.

What are the challenges that you face as a fashion designer committed to eco-friendly/ethical design?
I think my main challenge is sourcing fabrics that I think people will like and that are also ethical. I want to bring in more organic and fair-trade fabrics but the former are extremely expensive and the latter are often done on hand-looms – which leave small imperfections in the weave. These are part of the charm of such fabric, but I am not sure that everyone will see it that way! This all has to work as a business and I need to make products that will sell.

You exhibited at Vintage at Goodwood recently (a festival that caused a lot of debate on the Amelia’s website!) What do you think of the day – a celebration of Vintage or overhyped and expensive?
I had the best time! Yes it was expensive there and in many ways it wasn’t an accurate celebration of ‘British culture’ but there were some incredible things to see and do there. As a lover of design I was completely bowled over by the effort that people had made with their outfits (http://tiny.cc/qsoqh)! I had a fantastic time and I will definitely go back next year.

Any more pop-ups or exhibitions in the pipeline?
Yes. I will be selling at ‘Fresh Fashion Flash’ as part of Portobello market this weekend (of Oct 23rd) and for two more weekends after that. It is essentially a part of the market that is dedicated to fashion students and graduates as well as new designers.There is a little more information about it here!

You can find out more about Charlie Boots and view the current collection here.

Written by Lauren Smith on Wednesday October 20th, 2010 12:54 pm

Categories ,Aniela Murphy, ,Antonia Parker, ,Charlie Boots, ,E-commerce, ,Edun, ,estethica, ,ethical, ,Fabrics, ,fashion, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Hand-made, ,Jenny Costello, ,jewellery, ,noir, ,Re-claimed, ,Reversible, ,sustainable, ,Vintage at Goodwood, ,Zips

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with ethical designer Charlie Boots

by


Illustration by Jenny Costello

Charlie Boots’ hand-made, one-of-a-kind pieces, made from reclaimed and vintage fabrics, are an antidote to fast fashion and the over-hyped high street. And they’re reversible! I had a chat with Charlie about staying sustainable (but stylish), her love of vintage and fashion’s green credentials…

How did you end up as an ethical clothing designer – had you always planned to go down the ethical route?
I became a fashion designer at the age of 28, after wanting to do it since I was 10! I lived in Bangkok in my early twenties and would take my designs to the tailors to be made. This could be hugely frustrating, as a person’s interpretation of a design often does not match the idea (not to mention the language barrier). I realised I needed to learn to pattern cut myself, and so then went on to do a fashion degree at Bath Spa University. It was here that I started looking into ethical fashion, and once I understand the enormous negative impact of this industry on so many people, I knew that doing it ethically was the only route I could take.


Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins

All your designs are made from ‘ethically sourced materials’ –what do you mean by this?
I use organic, fair-trade, vintage, re-claimed and sustainable fabrics. Using organic fabrics mean that cotton workers are not suffering serious health conditions and often death (20,000 a year) as a result of the pesticides used. Fabrics like bamboo and hemp are sustainable – these two in particular do not require pesticides, much water or a lot of care. 95% of my fabrics are sourced in the UK, though the bamboo, hemp and vintage 1930s/40s fabrics come from the USA. The kimono fabrics are from Japan, of course!

A lot of your designs are reversible – which I love! Is this another way to make your clothing more sustainable?
Yes, most of the designs are reversible and this does add to their sustainability. I finish almost all of the garments with couture ‘bound’ seams. This enables them to be reversed as you do not see any overlocking (a common and cheap way to finish garments) when the garment is reversed. This gives the garment a subtly different look. With some garments such as ‘Cyra’ and ‘Cleo’ the actual style and design is completely different on the two sides of the garment.

You design women’s clothing and accessories – any plans to branch out into menswear or any other fields?
I love designing and pattern cutting but only have time to do so much! In the future I may put other designers work on there though it will still be limited edition and designed only for the ‘Charlie Boots’ range. It is very tough to forge a career in fashion design and I’d like to help people who have talent. I will also be selling limited edition UK made jewellery on the site from October.

How are reclaimed fabrics different from vintage materials?
A vintage fabric is a re-claimed fabric really, but a re-claimed fabric is not necessarily vintage. For example, some of my fabrics are sample pieces from fabric printers/wholesalers. These would otherwise go in the bin when the company no longer sell that fabric.

Is everything on each of your garments ‘ethical’ – right down to the zips?
At the moment all the zips and most of the buttons are re-claimed. They came from a company that was holding some abandoned stock that they couldn’t be bothered to re-home. It was about to head for landfill and I came upon them by chance.


Illustration by Antonia Parker

When designing each collection, are you inspired by fabrics themselves or do you create designs and then look for your materials?
I normally create designs with a fabric type in mind but I don’t usually choose the exact fabrics first. Sometimes when a toile is finished I think it would look better in a different weight of fabric, so will then move in another direction with it.

You have a ten-item limit of each design – why is this, and do you to ever make special one-off items?
Some of the items I have made are actually one-offs. This tends to happen if I have a small piece of printed fabric that I just have to use because I love it, but sadly there is only enough for one garment.
I put a limit of ten items on one design because I want to give my customers something unique that they are very unlikely to see anybody else wearing.

At the moment your designs are only available online – why is this? Any plans to expand to selling your product in other shops in the future?
My garments will be going onto a few more on-line shops and at some point they may go into shops. The problem with wholesaling is that I would make very little money if I sold my garments to shops at expected wholesale prices. Everything is UK-made so this adds a lot to the cost of a garment.


Illustration by Aniela Murphy

Do you think the fad for fast, throwaway fashion is coming to an end, and being replaced by a need for wearable, ‘investment pieces’?
I hope so! But it won’t happen overnight. Fast fashion is still a huge part of Western culture. Primark makes more money than any other high street clothes shop. Over the last decade the price of clothes has dropped and the amount we purchase has gone up. Shops can have up to ten ‘seasons’ where there was once only two. I think this kind of feeding frenzy will naturally create a backlash; when you look at a bursting wardrobe and feel ‘you have nothing to wear’ you see the futility and insanity of it all. If you buy an item that is well made, well cut and has had a lot of thought put into its design then you can spend more money and really value and treasure that item.

What with big name ethical fashion brands like Edun and Noir, and the Estethica tent at London Fashion Week, Eco Fashion seems to be having a moment – do you think the Fashion Industry is really trying to change its bad habits, or does it have a long way to go?
I think there is a growing core of people that want to change the ways of the fashion industry and I believe that it will happen in time. Educating people is important and I’m happy that educational establishments are paying a lot more attention to ethics on fashion courses. I suspect that a lot of larger businesses to a certain extent are paying lip service when claiming to be more ethical, but doing something about how they operate is better than nothing and it can help to bring the issues into the limelight.

What are the challenges that you face as a fashion designer committed to eco-friendly/ethical design?
I think my main challenge is sourcing fabrics that I think people will like and that are also ethical. I want to bring in more organic and fair-trade fabrics but the former are extremely expensive and the latter are often done on hand-looms – which leave small imperfections in the weave. These are part of the charm of such fabric, but I am not sure that everyone will see it that way! This all has to work as a business and I need to make products that will sell.

You exhibited at Vintage at Goodwood recently (a festival that caused a lot of debate on the Amelia’s website!) What do you think of the day – a celebration of Vintage or overhyped and expensive?
I had the best time! Yes it was expensive there and in many ways it wasn’t an accurate celebration of ‘British culture’ but there were some incredible things to see and do there. As a lover of design I was completely bowled over by the effort that people had made with their outfits (http://tiny.cc/qsoqh)! I had a fantastic time and I will definitely go back next year.

Any more pop-ups or exhibitions in the pipeline?
Yes. I will be selling at ‘Fresh Fashion Flash’ as part of Portobello market this weekend (of Oct 23rd) and for two more weekends after that. It is essentially a part of the market that is dedicated to fashion students and graduates as well as new designers.There is a little more information about it here!

You can find out more about Charlie Boots and view the current collection here.



Written by Lauren Smith on Wednesday October 20th, 2010 12:54 pm


Categories ,Aniela Murphy, ,Antonia Parker, ,Charlie Boots, ,E-commerce, ,Edun, ,estethica, ,ethical, ,Fabrics, ,fashion, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Hand-made, ,Jenny Costello, ,jewellery, ,noir, ,Re-claimed, ,Reversible, ,sustainable, ,Vintage at Goodwood, ,Zips

Similar Posts:

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Amelia’s Magazine | Little Dragon – ‘Test’

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A friend of mine recently asked me, stomach story “What is it with Swedish bands and ‘heartbeat’? Both Annie and Robyn have tracks called ‘Heartbeat’, stuff while The Knife wanted to be different and called a track ‘Heartbeats’.” Now, obviously the track I’m about to review is not called ‘Heartbeat’ or even ‘Heartbeats’, but the fact that my British friend could not only name three contemporary Swedish groups but also three of their songs without feeling as if he was exposing a guilty pleasure indicates how much our opinion Swedish music has changed (Ace of Base, anyone?).

Little Dragon are more Dance-orientated and a good deal less retro than the ‘Heartbeat-ers’, but still know how to craft a Pop song you can be proud to love. ‘Test’ opens with a clanging not dissimilar to the 1950s musique concrete of Stockhausen, as if to remind the listener of electronica’s avant-garde origins, before immediately introducing today’s most irreverent application of such Classical techniques: the 4/4 Dance beat. Punctuated by the most minimal Ska-styled guitar/keyboard I’ve ever encountered (is that just one note?), driven by a Dub-bassline that becomes beautifully indistiguishable from the kick drum and featuring a Jazz interlude, like all great Pop songs ‘Test’ shamelessly steals from the best.

However, the undeniable highlight of the track is singer Yukimi. Recalling Matthew Herbert’s work with Dani Siciliano, her multitracked laidback delivery effortlessly transports the listener to the centre of a dancefloor at an indeterminate post-midnight hour. Soulful without forced vocal gymnastics and Bluesy without being cliched, much like the music itself, her voice is able to take in all that 20th century music had to offer and exhale something cohesive, contemporary and copious.

A chic dancefloor-filler.

Written by Joseph Scott on Thursday May 8th, 2008 3:05 pm

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with singer songwriter Kyla La Grange

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Eco Luxe Showroom Hipstamatic

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, sickness just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, generic I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw what waited for me.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I quickly got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

Hemyca Dress.

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, doctor just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, page I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw what waited for me.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I quickly got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW2011 preview Hemyca .

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, recipe just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw what waited for me.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW 2011 preview. Hemyca

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, viagra just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw what waited for me.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW 2011 preview. Hemyca

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, sildenafil just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw what waited for me.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW 2011 preview. Hemyca

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, order just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, viagra approved I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw what waited for me.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW 2011 preview. Hemyca

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, cost just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw the stalls.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW 2011 preview. Hemyca

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.

Fair+True and Reluxe illustration by Andrea Kearney

The EcoLuxe exhibition was held at the ultra chic One Aldwych Hotel, sickness just across the road from Somerset House. Fresh from Esthetica, I wondered if the designers holed up over at One Aldwych would be able to compete with the level of talent I’d witnessed over at Somerset House, but my questions were quickly forgotten as I descended the staircase at the hotel and saw the stalls.

Inevitably, there were a few brands and designers showcasing work that didn’t really float my boat, but I also saw some beautifully crafted clothes that really excited me. Here are just a few of my favourites.

I was excited to see that Fashion Conscience, my favourite ethical online retailer, had a stand. I got chatting to their PR rep about how to encourage more mainstream use of ethical design principals and how to close the gap between the high end ethical and the affordable everyday ethical. Fashion Conscience, in my humble opinion, are beginning to fill this gap, but there is still some way to go. The Fashion Conscience stall was showcasing the work of two of my favourite labels, ReLuxe and Fair+True:

Reluxe oozes cool. The designs are fresh, colourful, relaxed and crucially AFFORDABLE. They use recycled fabrics which means many garments are completely unique, or in limited supply due to the limitations of the fabric. I have fallen in love with this slightly bonkers neon striped skirt and am just waiting for pay day to purchase it (don’t beat me to it!) Brands like Reluxe and Fair+True (below) make me excited and hopeful that ethical businesses CAN make it in to the middle market mainstream, can be affordable and can have mass appeal. YES.

Knitted Skirt by Reluxe. Photo via Fashion Conscience.

Fair+True are a brand new Fairtrade company that also make lovely, brightly coloured sporty brights that I would love to wear. All pieces are fairly made in the UK or Africa or created from sustainable and organic fabrics. LOVE.

Fair + True illustration by Fritha Strickland

I hadn’t  heard of Lowie and I’m most disappointed by this because I  loved their stuff. Their AW 2011  clothing and hand knitted accessories were brightly coloured and gorgeous. I adored their Turkish socks, ear muffs, cloche hats and cardigans. Their SS 2011 collection was also beautiful with some really interesting shapes and details.


Turkish socks by Lowie. Illustration by Faye West

I liked the moody colours, tailoring and detailing of HEMYCA‘s clothes. Their focus is on fine tailoring, with an emphasis on the waist, which I always love. Ethically, HEMYCA has an ‘Organic Tailoring’ range and manufactures all their garments in London, promoting local businesses and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions.

AW 2011 preview. Hemyca

I briefly saw Sanyukta Shrestha’s wedding accessories and dresses. However, it wasn’t until I saw models wearing the dresses online after the event that I truly appreciated their beauty. In fact I had a mouth a-gape, heart a-flutter moment when I saw this floor length, pleated dress with low cut back. It’s made from 100% organic silk and organic fair traded cotton sateen. If I could get married again (to the same man, I hasten to add!) it would be in this dress. Oh my. Head. Over. Heels.

Sanyukta Shrestha Wedding Dress illustration by Fritha Strickland

I always expected to be impressed by Esthetica and Eco Luxe, but I didn’t expect to be blown away, but I was.  I left both the show rooms with my brain whirring, a bag stuffed full of promo material, a camera full of more images than I knew what to do with and having talked at a million miles an hour to so many interesting and inspiring people. Eco Luxe has doubled in size since last year in what I assume  is a reflection of the increasing acceptance and awareness of ethical design. As ethical design and shopping with conscience become more mainstream,  I hope that ethical clothing designers wont be sectioned off in their own separate rooms. Instead they will be showcasing alongside all the other  London Fashion Week designers; proving that fashion with a conscience is not the exception, but the norm. One day indeed.
Kyla La Grange by Anna Casey
Kyla La Grange by Anna Casey.

A couple of weeks ago I met with angsty new folk popstrel Kyla La Grange at her management offices in central London. Her slight figure was easily missed as I walked through to the glass walled meeting room, dosage but I greeted her warmly when she came through to join me. Kyla la Grange performed on my hastily assembled Climate Camp (RIP) stage at Glastonbury last summer, gamely playing a beautiful semi-acoustic set in the sweltering summer heat. Today she releases her first official single – the anthemic Walk Through Walls – so let’s find out a bit more about this intriguing new musician…

Kyla La Grange at Glastonbury 2010 on the Climate Camp stage
Kyla La Grange at Glastonbury 2010 on the Climate Camp stage. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

Kyla La Grange by Rukmunal Hakim
Kyla La Grange by Rukmunal Hakim/YesGo Illustration.

She may look very young but don’t be fooled by Kyla’s youthful exterior – she’s actually a 24 year old Cambridge University graduate. It wasn’t until her uni years that she finally found the guts to make music, performing at an open mic acoustic night called Songs in the Dark. “It was a good place to cut my teeth.” The process was very organic. She met other musicians, formed a few bands and played in some Battle of the Bands competitions. “Basically it was all very low pressure.” She loved studying philosophy, and admits that she misses the academic stimulation. “Being at Cambridge was like living in a magical piece of history… but I am incredibly grateful to be making music now.”

Kyla La Grange by Rebecca Strickson
Kyla La Grange by Rebecca Strickson.

When the outside world of work beckoned she found herself working long hours in a high end bar, making it hard to go into the studio every morning and be creative. That and the odd bit of secretarial work kept her afloat until she was discovered by management company ATC via Rollo of Faithless fame, who discovered her songs on Myspace. She is eager to emulate the likes of Mumford and Sons and do things her own way, without the controlling hand of a label. “ATC let their artists go away and get on with it. They don’t view me purely as a money making machine; they are in it for the long haul. But I don’t anticipate selling a lot of records, ever,” she blithely tells me.

Kyla La Grange at Glastonbury 2010 on the Climate Camp stage
Kyla La Grange at Glastonbury 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

The last year has been devoted to the creation of her debut album which so far hosts “too many songs” including the luscious Vampire Smile, a darkly beautiful blast of longing. But she’s in no rush. “The album will come out as and when it’s finished; the worst thing I could do would be to rush its release.” She expects it will finally see the light of day in early 2012.

YouTube Preview Image
Vampire Smile.

All Kyla’s influences come from “sad music”. Having been introduced to Cat Power by a former boyfriend, You Are Free is a constant presence in her life alongside Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. But she also likes a lot of modern bands – Elliott Smith, Bright Eyes, Yeasayer, Matthew And The Atlas, Marcus Foster, Alex Winston and Band of Horses. “I only write because I’m often quite sad…” she tells me. “I don’t think I’d write if I was a genuinely happy person.” In the age old tradition of the angst-ridden artist, writing music has become Kyla’s best form of catharsis, “like running into a big open field and screaming until you feel better.” It’s as if she feels an unstoppable need to release her feelings out into the open.

Kyla la Grange by Gemma Smith
Kyla la Grange by Gemma Smith.

I wonder what has prompted such a downbeat personality. “Some people just have a default mode,” she explains. “They wake up and feel a bit black inside.” She admits that this is something she has battled for a long time but insists that her mood is not affected by the outside world… she just tends to feel down most of the time. “Most people fall into one of two camps – they are either upbeat or see life from behind a big grey cloud. Everyone is a product of their genes and their experiences when they are young.” But she is absolutely clear that she doesn’t blame her parents for the way she has turned out. “Even though I wasn’t a very happy child my parents were both fantastic.” Her parents had been involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa before settling in Watford, and she felt very different from everyone else at her school. “Kids can be vicious.” They were massive music fans, between them inspiring her to listen to many different genres. “Dad loved folk, blues and country. Mum loved classical, rock and indie.” She now lives between Stockwell and Vauxhall. “I like the mix of people and place, the beautiful old squares next to housing estates… it’s unpretentious.”


Just click here to hear Walk Through Walls.

I wonder if such a sensitive personality will still be able to write songs from the heart if she becomes famous. She has thought about this. “I don’t think the drive to write songs will be lessened just because people like them,” she says, “it’s not the only reason I write. I think all the best artists write primarily to get something out of the experience and I want to convey raw honest emotion because that makes the most meaningful music.”

Kyla La Grange in February 2011
Kyla La Grange in February 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

It comes as no surprise that lyrics are hugely important to Kyla, although she likes the odd “non-sensical song by The Beatles.” She can’t really describe her writing process, although it is the part she loves the most. “It’s such a strange, solitary thing. You get so swept up in what you’re feeling, engrossed in emotion.” She can’t tell me what comes first, melody or lyric. “They tend to come together.”

Kyla doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed into any musical movement, so it’s no surprise to find that she lists herself as Black Metal/Children/Grindcore on Myspace. “There have been so many genres flung at me but I never think about what I belong to – the songs just come out.” I think she has a kind of dark indie pop sensibility that is all her own, and not fitting in to any musical clique suits her well. “I suppose my music is a bit all over the place, like me.” She gets thoroughly annoyed by the suggestion that women must fit into any type of separate musical category. “Music is not a sport so why do there need to be different categories and awards?”


Kyla La Grange performing on the Climate Camp stage at Glastonbury.

I ask her whether she is in general quite a solitary person, although I think I already know the answer. “Definitely. I’m not terribly good with people and I much prefer talking one to one. Groups of people are scary.” But she has grown accustomed to working with her band of four and she’s easy and down to earth when talking to me, even if an overwhelming undertow of sadness never quite leaves the room.

You can access a free download for Walk Through Walls from SoundCloud right here. The official launch party is at Notting Hill Arts Club tomorrow night, Tuesday 8th March, with the brilliant Daughter providing a support set and DJing from the Maccabees. After that she’s off to SXSW in Austin, Texas to play the Neon Gold show and she’s sure to be playing some festivals in the UK this summer. Make sure you catch Kyla La Grange soon, before she hits the big time.

You can read my review of Kyla’s performance at Glastonbury last summer here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday March 7th, 2011 6:33 pm

Categories ,Alex Winston, ,Anna Casey, ,ATC, ,austin, ,Band of Horses, ,Bright Eyes, ,Cambridge University, ,Cat Power, ,Climate Camp, ,Daughter, ,elliott smith, ,Faithless, ,Gemma Smith, ,glastonbury, ,Indie, ,Joni Mitchell, ,Kyla la Grange, ,leonard cohen, ,Maccabees, ,Marcus Foster, ,Matthew And The Atlas, ,Mumford and Sons, ,Neon Gold, ,noir, ,notting hill arts club, ,pop, ,Rebecca Strickson, ,Rollo, ,Rukmunal Hakim, ,Songs in the Dark, ,SoundCloud, ,South Africa, ,Stockwell, ,sxsw, ,texas, ,Vampire Smile, ,vauxhall, ,Walk Through Walls, ,Watford, ,Yeasayer, ,YesGo Illustration

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Amelia’s Magazine | Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration: Open Design Brief

by

BoraAksu_gemma-milly
Bora Aksu A/W 2010 by Gemma Milly. See original post here.

***Please note that this brief is now closed: you can now order a copy of this book online by clicking here***

Well, what is ed it’s that time of year. I’m about to put together another book, more about which will hopefully hit the bookshops shortly before Christmas 2010. In the spirit of my last book, Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration, my new book will take a look at two things: inspired by some of the fantastic work that illustrators have been producing for the fashion section of Amelia’s Magazine online it will be a must-buy guide to the best up and coming fashion illustrators working today, and it will also, to a lesser degree, be a guide to the best new ethical fashion designers currently working in the UK WORLDWIDE.

So, read on to find out more about how you can be included in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration:

I will be looking for a variety of styles of fashion illustration, but the final choice of who is included in the book will depend on a number of factors:

* Those illustrators who can demonstrably show that they are engaged with editorial fashion illustration. Priority will be shown to illustrators already contributing to Amelia’s Magazine online. If you aren’t already doing so then what are you waiting for? Get on twitter and start offering your services to myself @ameliagregory and to @MattBramf next time there is an open callout for illustrations.

* Those illustrators who can show that they have a good body of professional quality material. This does not mean that you have to be a professional (yet) so if you are still at college or only work on illustration in your spare time do not let this put you off. I will give your work the same chance as anyone else’s if you can demonstrate a good commitment to fashion illustration.

j_maskrey_lfw2010_03_bex_glover
J Maskrey A/W 2010 by Bex Glover. See original post here.

The way that you can demonstrate commitment is by submitting the following things to the open brief:

1. Six illustrations that you have done for fashion editorial purposes over the past year. These should include work for Amelia’s Magazine online, and for other companies if possible. You can also submit work done for your own personal use. Choose the 6 pieces that best reflect your style and please label the artwork accordingly when you submit lo res versions for the initial decision making process. You can include one or two pieces that aren’t strictly fashion as long as they show a similar style: e.g. illustrations of a band or other people based illustrations.

2. Three illustrations (exclusively for this open brief) depicting clothing from recent collections from your choice of one ethical fashion designer. Below are listed some of the designers that we will be considering for inclusion in the book (not yet definitive, and subject to change, so do check back in for an update) And please do go and research your own ideas wherever you live. Feel free to be as creative as you like – these aren’t going to be used commercially! These should showcase your favourite style of working to the best possible advantage. Please note that you may be asked to do some more illustrations of another ethical designer if the one you have chosen has been covered by more than one illustrator that I want to feature.

3. An illustration of yourself. Which will accompany your pages should you be chosen, obviously.

4. Proof of your commitment to professionalism in the form of your online presence: this should include a website, blog, facebook and twitter feed or similar. I feel that it’s so important for illustrators to network themselves on the internet that I am only going to include in my book those who demonstrably engage with social media in a major way. If you still aren’t doing so, well, you’ve got time! Quick, set up your online presence and get going for a few months before you send me your submission. It’s likely that I won’t be featuring anyone who isn’t following me on twitter.

5. A written piece describing how you work, why you chose the ethical designer you did and anything else you think is relevant to your pitch. This doesn’t need to be an example of perfect journalism, but I want to know that you have something interesting to say about your profession because I will be interviewing the chosen finalists. You should include a biography of current and future plans, the ways in which you engage with social networking and reasons for why I should include you in the book.

Pam-Hogg-white-dress-Lfw2010-Etiene Del Monte
Pam Hogg A/W 2010 by Etiene Del Monte. See original blog post here.

Other key things you need to know are:

You should always work to a large scale. The book will be the same proportions as my previous books, so it’s always a good idea to keep in your head the scale and proportions of my pages when working on new pieces for submission. I will run a mixture of double pages, single pages and pages with multiple images. For your main pieces please keep page dimensions in mind. A single page is 20cm x 24.5cm. Always work to 300 dpi at a large scale to ensure the best print quality.

The closing date for submissions is midnight on Sunday 18th July. Please send all submissions as lo res images at 72 dpi attached to an email titled SUBMISSION FOR AMELIA’S COMPENDIUM OF FASHION ILLUSTRATION as you really don’t want to risk me losing it in the flood of emails I receive daily.

You should also expect there to be a short list process for applicants who I am finding it hard to choose between. This may involve a second series of questions to answer, and you may have to produce a more specific piece of commissioned work to show you can respond to art direction well. It is more than likely that I will ask the chosen illustrators to produce more work for the book so that all the ethical designers I wish to feature are covered.

If you have found a new ethical designer that I don’t know about but are unsure as to whether they would be right for my book, then please do send me an email with a link to their website using this link, and do make sure that you join the accompanying facebook event so that you can keep up with my latest news, and because you’re down with social networking, right? I will be checking who joined the group when it comes to decision time… so don’t say I didn’t tell you.

Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration will be distributed internationally and available in all the best art bookshops. It’s the most fantastic way for you to get your work seen. So, what are you waiting for? I can’t wait to see what amazing creations you come up with….

Fashion Designers:
Ada Zanditon
Emesha
Beautiful Soul
Christopher Raeburn
Goodone
Tara Starlet
Ivana Basilotta
Anatomy
Henrietta Ludgate
Lu Flux
The North Circular
Julia Smith
Noir
People Tree designer collaborations
Wilfried Pletzinger
Tijana and Mila Popovic
Fin
Ciel
Makepiece
Minna
Edun
Izzy Lane
Junky Styling
By Stamo
From Somewhere
Max Jenny
Joy French
Wildlife Works
Viridis Luxe
Unicorn
Trash Couture
Prancing Leopard
Andrea Crews
Dem Collective
Howies
Righteous Fashion
Reflective Circle
Johanna Hofring
Anja Hynynen
Pia Anjou
Camilla Norrback

Jewellery (good for beauty/fashion illustration)
Oria
Fifi Bijoux
Ingle & Rhode designer collaborations
Cred designer collaborations
Joanna Cave

A good place to look for interesting new fashion designers is within the pages of this ‘ere Amelia’s Magazine, funnily enough. Remember, the chances of you appearing in this book are slim if you have never contributed to Amelia’s Magazine. That’s easy to remedy though – you’ve got nearly two months and we need illustrations all the time.
Start reading my Alternative Fashion Week series here.
For good examples of how we have used fashion illustration in Amelia’s Magazine already and to find other new designers start reading recent London Fashion Week blogs here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday May 21st, 2010 5:09 pm

Categories ,Ada Zanditon, ,Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Bex Glover, ,Blogging, ,Christopher Raeburn, ,ciel, ,Emesha, ,Etiene Del Monte, ,Facebook, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Gemma Milly, ,goodone, ,Julia Smith, ,Lu Flux, ,noir, ,Open brief, ,People Tree, ,Social Media, ,Tara Starlet, ,Tijana and Mila Popovic, ,twitter, ,Wilfried Pletzinger

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