The Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair has been nominated in The Vintage Guide to London’s Best of 2012 Awards, in The Best Fair’s category. The Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair began in May 2009 and has continued to grow with the prestigious reputation of having one-of-a-kind vintage fashion. Polls close on May 19 so if you would like to see Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair win then click on the link below.

To cast your vote click here

To read more about the Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair click here

Do you want to gain a deeper understanding of sustainable fashion? Do you want to get a unique opportunity to be inspired by highly qualified lectures and designers from the best design and business schools in Europe?  KEA are hosting Innovating Sustainable Fashion, a 3 week summer school for fashion students from across Europe to work on a collaborative project to innovate sustainable fashion. Successful applicants will have funding to cover course fees, travel to/from Copenhagen, accommodation, breakfast and lunch, social activities and travel around Copenhagen.

Open to all London College of Fashion BA 2nd year students.

If you would like to apply, please send a 400 word statement explaining why you would like to be considered to n.stevenson@fashion.arts.ac.uk by 4pm Thursday 17 May 2012.

This is the last opportunity to take part in an interactive workshop at the lab, it is also the last day to view the exhibition which now includes all of the amazing pieces that were made by designers, Noel Stewart, Gary Harvey, Michelle Lowe-Holder and Dr Noki during their time in the lab.

Open Tuesday May 8 (last day) 10am – 5pm

Dr Noki jumpsuit featured in Vogue

Designer activist, Dr Noki will be running an interactive workshop at the Sustainable Fashion Lab this weekend. Come to Dray Walk Gallery, choose a t-shirt (or bring your own!), cut it up and watch as it gets re-created into something new and amazing.

Last weekend the lab hosted Noel Stewart who along with his assistants taught the visiting public how to make beautiful, stylish head pieces. He said;

“It’s been a really fun weekend. The possibilities are endless when it comes to recycling and reusing unwanted clothes. Fabrics are beautiful and precious – they should be treasured rather than binned. There have been some pretty fabulous creations over the past couple of days. I think people have been really surprised by what they have been able to achieve.”

Don’t miss out on the last weekend for the lab!

Open from 10am – 5pm Saturday and Sunday 5/6th May.

The Slow Textiles Group presents An Analysis of Status Anxiety as Manifest in the Fashion System, A public lecture designed to inspire dialogue around the subject of status anxiety that resides within our fashion system.

May 30th 2012 7:15pm

Taking place at The Strategy Lab, HUB Westminster

The Sustainable Fashion Lab at Dray Walk presents an amazing opportunity to see and engage in the work of London based couture milliner, Noel Stewart. Recognised for his innovative, modern and beautiful designs, Noel Stewart will run a two day workshop at the Sustainable Fashion Lab during which he will be creating his pieces from reclaimed textiles and clothing on site. The workshop will be open to the public not only to watch but to participate and learn from one of the most exciting milliners in the world. This will be a fantastic experience for anyone interested in high fashion or sustainable design!

Taking place at Dray Walk Gallery, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane E1 6QL

Workshop opening times – 10am – 5pm Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April.

Entrance is FREE but bring along 1 item of unwanted clothing!

Annegret of Choolips and some São Paulo street art

Last week, the sustainable fashion brand – and participant on CSF’s business support programme – Choolips, was in São Paulo, taking part in a conference on Creative Economy, Culture and Business.

In conversation with Magna Coeli, from the Brazilian organisation Refazenda, Annegret of Choolips shared the story of her brand, her business model, her thoughts and ideas about sustainability and the reality of her projects in India and Africa. Touching on issues such as direct trade, supply chain transparency and entrepreneurship, Annegret highlighted the cultural importance of fashion and of  local knowledge in different communities across the world.

Her presentation was enthusiastically received by the audience, who were interested to hear not only how fashion plays an important role in the development of a creative economy in a city or country, but also how to do this in a sustainable way.

Questions at the end of the presentations included one on the importance of education, particularly at university level, in supporting small businesses and designers in their development of sustainable business models. The work of CSF was mentioned as a trail blazer in the fashion industry.

The Sustainable Fashion Lab at Dray Walk Gallery (picture above) in Brick Lane opens to the public tomorrow 10am. Over the next two weeks the Lab will host an exciting range of designers, workshops, debates and more. The first event kicks of tomorrow at 3pm when a member of the M&S archive team will talk about the M&S fashion over the years and the value of preserving historic M&S pieces. Dilys Williams, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion will then set the M&S Heirloom Challenge, sending participants off with £25 to find a beautiful vintage M&S piece with hopes of having their piece added to the prestigious M&S archive.

For this rare opportunity, join as at Dray Walk Gallery tomorrow, Friday 27 April, 3pm.

If you want to read more or participate in the M&S Heirloom Challenge click here

Image from LCF MA Curation Re:address Fashion Exhibition

We will give you £25 to go out and find a beautiful, vintage M&S item of clothing!

You will have the whole weekend to find this piece at a car boot sale, vintage store, market, friend or wherever else you can think of before bringing it back to Dray Walk Gallery 11am Monday, 30 April. Tell us where you found it, and have your piece with your name attached curated into the exhibition at the Sustainable Fashion Lab. Your piece may also be selected for inclusion in the M&S archive.

To CONFIRM your place in this challenge email your NAME and MOBILE NUMBER to r.cuoco@fashion.arts.ac.uk

Places are limited so respond asap!

Please only confirm if you are available to come to Dray Walk Gallery 3pm Friday 27 April and 11am Monday 30 April.

Catalytic Clothing is a project collaboration between Centre for Sustainable Fashion‘s Helen Storey and Professor Tony Ryan on University of Sheffield seeking to transform our clothes into air purifying catalysts. Nominated in the sustainability category of the Condé Nast Innovation and Design Awards 2012, Catalytic Clothing is tackling one of the world’s biggest environmental problems – air pollution.

The winners of these prestigious awards are completely decided through a public vote so PLEASE lend us your support and VOTE HERE!

• Read more about Catalytic Clothing
• Cast your Vote for Catalytic Clothing

Better Fashion Week is Re-Dress‘ annual event in Ireland to raise public awareness and promote sustainable fashion practices. Between April 23 and April 29 there will be a series of exhibitions, talks, workshops, conferences and more all aiming to bring sustainable and ethical fashion to the forefront of industry. There will be internship and networking opportunities and student discount for all of the events lined up.

To read more about the upcoming events and purchase tickets click here.

The Centre for Sustainable Fashion has teamed up with M&S and Oxfam to create London’s very first Sustainable Fashion Lab, launching April 26. London’s leading designers, stylists and industry leaders will come together to explore and debate a sustainable fashion industry in a series of events, workshops and exhibitions running for two weeks at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane.

April 26 – 9 May 2012

Open between 10am-5pm every day (except Mondays)

Open to the public, for entry bring along one item of unwanted clothing.

Join Kate Fletcher in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday April 28 in the next community photoshoot as part of the Local Wisdom project. Take part in an ongoing fashion research project for the London College of Fashion – come and share stories of how you use your garments and have your portrait taken whilst wearing them.

For more information click here

For more information and to view images from other Catalytic Clothing events click here

We are pleased to announce the next two lectures from an exciting series of talks on diverse subjects related to the theme of Better Lives, subjects will include ‘ageing and self esteem’, ‘is the fashion industry contributing to the low self-esteem of the nation as well as to mental health problems’ and ‘self-esteem and the modern trend towards surgical/cosmetic procedures’.  These talks are organised in collaboration with Dr Paul Matts of Procter & Gamble Visiting Professor at London College of Fashion.

Lecture 3: Self Esteem in a Changing World with Andy Lancaster

Thursday 19th April (please note change of date from previously advertised)

Time: 6-7pm

Location: London College of Fashion, RHS East Space, 20 John Princes St, London, W1G 0BJ. (Please contact us in advance if you have access requirements)

The pace of change is faster than it’s ever been! However, in a society which places immense value on what we do and what we have, what impact can change have on self-esteem? And, what happens if we struggle to adapt? Through working with those experiencing addictions, the homeless, excluded young people and older people Andy explores how our ability to cope with change is inextricably linked to maintaining self-esteem.

Andy Lancaster Bio:

Starting out lecturing in computer-aided design at Brunel University, Andy has subsequently led learning and development in a number of national organisations in the commercial and charitable sectors. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Chartered Management Institute and was runner up at the 2011 Training Journal National Training Awards for “Learning and Development Professional of the Year”.

Lecture 4: Cosmetic Surgery: Self-Esteem, Aesthetics and Ethics with Ian Mackay MB BS FRCS and Margaret Ramage RGN RSCN

Thursday  29th May

Time: 6-7pm

Location: London College of Fashion, RHS East Space, 20 John Princes St, London, W1G 0BJ. (Please contact us in advance if you have access requirements)

We live in a Society where, for some, image seems to be everything.  In order to get the right job, the right friends or indeed the right partner, we perceive that we must not only dress the part but also be physically perfect.  This presentation will explore the ethics of cosmetic surgery, the procedures available, finding a doctor, the consultation, follow-up and dealing with the disappointments when patients either didn’t understand the limitations of surgery or things have gone seriously wrong.  The Medical Defence Union has stated that “There are some common reasons for patients bringing claims… patients’ dissatisfaction with the aesthetic result of the procedure, are problems which could be avoided with improved communication between the doctor and patient prior to the operation.”  Improved pre-operative communication may include an assessment by a psychiatrist or trained psychologist to assess the emotional feelings and drives which lead people to request cosmetic surgery.  Case examples will be given to demonstrate some of these emotional factors and the ethical issues which may arise in the context of aesthetic surgery.

Ian Mackay MB BS FRCS
Harley Street Nose Clinic, Hon. Consultant ENT Surgeon Charing Cross Hospital and King Edward VII Hospital, Visiting Professor Mayo Clinic USA

Margaret Ramage RGN RSCN
Sexual & Relationship Psychotherapist

** Please RSVP to csf.events@fashion.arts.ac.uk **

Centre for Sustainable Fashion’s Kate Fletcher will be speaking at the Product Life Extension Conference about Clothing, Durability and Design.

For two decades fashion and textiles has been ‘borrowing’ design for sustainability ideas developed in product design and transposing them onto garment and clothing systems. Now ideas are flowing the other way. The Product Life Extension two-day conference looks at knowledge transfer around durability and obsolescence between clothing and electronic products.

The conference is funded by the Norwegian Research Council and SIFO, and will be held on27^th and 28^th of March 2012. You can download a programme here.

Saturday 24 March, 2pm: An Analysis of Status Anxiety, Why People Buy So Much Stuff and the Positive Implications for Designers as Change-makers.

Saturday 16 June, 2pm: An Introduction to the Corporation’s Innate Psychological Relationship with Environmental Destruction.

Saturday 11 August, 2pm: An Analysis of the Fast Living Capitalist Machine and Its Impact on Human, Animal and Ecological Balance.

If you book all three, they cost just £65 each. If you’re a Slow Textiles Group member, the fee is just £40 per lecture. To book your place, please click here.

People Tree, the Fair Trade Fashion pioneer, is looking for an experienced, practical and proactive Merchandiser to head up merchandising and logistics for our company. You will have 5 years’ experience in mid-Market womenswear and managing people, and be keenly attuned to commerciality. This is a dynamic role working alongside the senior management of People Tree, that will further develop your commitment and passion for Fair Trade and sustainable fashion.

If you are interested click here

Send your CV and application to James Minney at hr@peopletree.co.uk by 6th April 2012