The Environmental Justice Foundation are hosting the Great Fashion Cycle, a charity bike ride from London to Paris, for the fourth year in a row. The aim of the bike ride, aside from the great experience of passing through all the incredible sites between London and Paris, is to raise awareness and essential funds for the EJF’s environmental and human rights work with a focus on the Pick Your Cotton Carefully campaign.
LCF Access Fashion Business student, Amanda Schoppe has embarked on the London to Paris challenge to help raise funds. The ride will take place this coming July 2012 and Amanda is hoping to raise £1400.
To make a donation and to keep track of Amanda’s training progress click here
If you’re interested in taking on this challenge too click here
To celebrate the publication of ATLAS, a book bringing together geographers, architects, writers, artists and designers to test ways of understanding and responding to global change, there will be an event - New Maps for an Island Planet, taking place at the Southbank Centre as part of the Literature and Spoken Word programme.
There will be a discussion chaired by broadcaster Quentin Cooper where geographer Doreen Massey, architect Carolyn Steel and campaigner/writer Andrew Simms will draw on their contributions to ATLAS. Poet and playwright Lemn Sissay will also provide a reading of his poetry. After the discussion and reading, Open Book offers the chance to engage with a wider group of contributors to ATLAS in an informal gathering at cafe tables in the Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer.
Southbank Centre, Tuesday 13 March, 6.30pm in the Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Refl-act are hosting a focus group with young persons in the afternoon of the Saturday, the 3rd of March in Brixton. They are looking for students to get involved and discuss their views on sustainability and for your time you will be provided with delicious organic food and beverages. You don’t need to have a degree in sustainability or be an expert in any way, Refl-act are interested in what you think as a young person. It is promised to be a relaxed and fun afternoon and you will help shape the documentary in invaluable ways.
If you are interested please get in contact through emailing reflact4youth@gmail.com or by phone by calling Christina 07580101831 or Claudia 07596503278.
Amisha Ghadiali, sustainable fashion expert has launched her 12 Rules to Dress by in a call for 2012 to be the year of the sustainable wardrobe. Amisha’s rules evolved out of the idea that most people are aware of the global issues impacted by the fashion industry but were confused about what practical actions they could take to make their own wardrobe sustainable. As a result, Amisha collaborated with visual communication designer, Joana Casaca Lemos to produce a poster and checklist of the 12 Rules to inspire you to think about what you buy and wear.
To read more and download the rules and checklist please click here
AHA Bolivia is a fair trade, ethical manufacturing house in Bolivia and members of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), working with over 300 artisans, designers, retailers and wholesalers to create their couture pieces in natural fibers and recyclable materials. AHA are offering a sustainability/social responsibility internship in Bolivia which is an opportunity for students to learn about socially responsible practices and contribute to specific projects whilst undertaking an incredible cultural experience.
The program runs for 4 weeks (June 16 – July 15) and includes the practical internship, learning modules and activities (6-8 hours per week), accommodation in shared housing, artisan site visits, Spanish classes (6 hours per week) and airport pick-up. The cost is $2700 and does not include flights, meals or travel insurance.
To read more and apply for the AHA Bolivia internship click here
Welcome to the launch of Future Fashion: a yearlong series of events dedicated to the politics of dressing in an increasingly throw away world. Hosted by Amisha Ghadali (Think.Act.Vote, Elegance Rebellion) this series aims to open up space for discussion around the future of ‘How we Dress’ from Consumer Behaviour to Intelligent Design. Don’t miss this conversation with Observer journalist Lucy Siegle, who will be discussing her recent publication ‘To Die for: Is Fashion wearing out the world?’
7pm – 9pm Wednesday, February 8
Shoreditch House
10 places have been offered to LCF students.
Please rsvp with your name and contact details to jade@sohohouse.com
What makes us think, see, touch, feel, or smell unique? How do personal journeys, circumstances, backgrounds or the physical body influence the way in which ‘I’ live my world or react to the world? Sustainability is not just about ‘being green’ but about understanding your own values and your position in the world.
This series of talking points will break down notions of identity and offer personal reflections on how greater understanding of ‘I’ can have a positive impact on you, your work and your world.
Featuring:
Rob Phillips on the power of I
Celebrated London design duo Boudicca on Unique
Walter Hugo, fashion photographer
Lara Torres, winner of Fashioning the Future Design Award 2011
Kerry Dean, fashion photographer discusses with Alex McIntosh the creative process behind the i-Sustain series for i-D Magazine
Wednesday 8 February, 4pm – 7pm
RHS Centre London College of Fashion, 20 John Princes Street, London W1G 0BJ
Open to all students on a first come first served basis.
This event is part of Green Week 6-11 February 2012
Volunteer part of your Sunday at London College of Fashion, Mare Street site to help build a Dye Garden in conjunction with the nearby Cordwainers Community Garden.
On Sunday, 26 February between 11am-3pm the unused lot next to LCF’s Mare Street site will be transformed into a dye garden which will be used for vegetable dying fabric to be featured in the final MA Fashion collections. The garden will also serve as an alternative place for students and gardeners to visit and relax, it will be a wonderful legacy for future UAL students to use and enjoy.
Blue Alchemy: Stories of Indigo is a feature-length documentary about indigo, a blue dye that has captured the human imagination for millennia. It is also about remarkable people around the globe who are reviving indigo in projects that are intended to improve life in their communities, preserve cultural integrity, improve the environment, and bring beauty to the world.
Professor Sandy Black will make an introduction and the screening will be followed by Q&A with the award-winning director Mary Lance, and Jenny Balfour-Paul author of ‘Indigo: Egyptian Mummies to Blue Jeans’ (British Museum Press). Signed copies of Jenny’s book will be available to purchase.
The Screening will take place:
12 March 2012
5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
Running time 79mins
RHS East
London College of Fashion, 20 John Princes Street, London W1G 0BJ
Open to all staff and students across University of the Arts London
Booking essential through events@fashion.arts.ac.uk
The Mayor of London has announced that students in further and higher education have the opportunity to apply for cash awards for their ideas to reduce the use of electricity and fossil fuels in London’s homes and workplaces. A total of £20,000 is available to help turn the best ideas into reality. The prize is open to all students in further and higher education institutions in Greater London.
Students should complete the application form provided, outlining their project idea, budget and providing a strong case for funding. Proposals will be evaluated by a judging panel of experts from industry and academia who will be looking for commercially viable options with the potential for significant carbon reductions and return on investment over a reasonable period of time.
The closing date for submissions is 29th February 2012.
As early as 1846, the Vlisco company, based in Helmond, served the West African market with Dutch Wax textiles. From 29 January through 6 May, 2012, the Museum voor ModerneKunst Arnhem will present Six Yards Guaranteed Dutch Design, an exhibition about how Vlisco’s Dutch textiles became a part of various West African cultures and found their way into international fashion, the visual arts, and photography.
The exhibition Six Yards is a tribute to Vlisco textiles: over a hundred years old, born in Indonesia, designed in the Netherlands, loved in Africa, and desired in the West. These colourful fabrics make their way to fashion shows in Paris, the markets in Ghana, and galleries in London and New York.
The exhibition, curated by the Suze May Sho artists’ collective, explores the history of the textiles and their stories, touches on Dutch (post-)colonial history, takes a look at the differences and similarities between Western and non-Western cultures, and sheds light on how visual artists as well as top designers around the world have been inspired by Vlisco’s textiles.
Artists, photographers, and fashion designers include Yinka Shonibare, Kara Walker, Ellen Gallagher, Wangechi Mutu, Fatimah Tuggar, Viviane Sassen, Lucy Orta, Hans Eijkelboom, Seydou Keïta, Andrea Spotorno, Meschac Gaba, Bodys Isek Kingelez, Collectie Arnhem, Harvey Bouterse, Acne, Marga Weimans, Dries van Noten, PetrouMan, Querijn Maurits Ver Huell en Vlisco designers.
Dates: 29 January 2012, 6 May 2012
Venue: MMKA museum voor moderne kunst arnhem
Country: Netherlands
See more of Lucy’s Artwork for the exhibition here
The latest i-Sustain looks at how we can encourage and promote a culture of sharing in fashion, giving garments multiple lives and spreading the enjoyment and usability of good design, see the full photo shoot and read the latest feature here
The Everything Must Go exhibition will open this coming Friday at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf. The exhibition will display the journeys of worn clothing as it is sold for reuse and recycling across the world. There is also a series of talks available to the public on Saturday 21 January, see the following programme:
Entrance to the talks will be first come, first served so please arrive promptly to reserve your place. If you would like any more information regarding the programme please contact Lucy Norris at lucy.norris@ucl.ac.uk
Everything Must Go is open to the public from Friday 20 January – Sunday 22 January, 11-6pm at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf. Admission is FREE
This is an amazing opportunity any student with sewing or embroidery skills to assist contemporary artist, Annie Morris with her sculptural dress creation for WWF Pandamonium 2, 2012.
Clothepins Dress by Annie Morris for Burberry
Following the success of Pandamonium 1 in 2009, Artwise is once again working with the World Wildlife Fund to host an event, exhibition and book to raise funds and awareness for the charity’s 50th Anniversary. The event held on March 31, will consist of a unique catwalk show of wearable sculpture designed by 25 leading artists, architects and fashion designers including Grayson Perry, Zaha Hadid, Richard Wilson, Idris Khan, Hussein Chalayan and Annie Morris. Following the event, the works will be on public display.
If you would like more information about getting involved in this exciting project please email Dea Vanegan deana@artwisecurators.com
Beautiful Soul have set up a ‘Fabric Archive’, providing the opportunity for young brands, designers and students to purchase leftover fabrics from past seasons with the hopes of reducing waste that comes along with large minimum orders.
Beautiful Soul maintains an environmentally conscious approach to fabric sourcing, so you can see a great range of sustainable fabrics in the ‘Fabric Archive’.
You can learn to Sew Good with the fashion recycling charity TRAID at monthly workshops held at their Camden store throughout 2012. Just bring along a garment you no longer wear, and TRAID will give you the skills you need to fix, alter and revive your wardrobe. With these simple techniques you can make any vintage find fit perfectly.
The workshops take place the second Thursday of every month between 6pm and 9pm at TRAID Camden, 154 Camden High Road, London NW1 0NE and they are FREE!
Upcoming 2012 workshop dates: 12 January / 9 February / 8 March / 12 April / 10 May / 14 June / 12 July / 9 August / 13 September / 11 October / 8 November / 13 December
Due to Sew Good’s popularity, booking is essential. Please email sewgood@traid.org.uk to book your place.
Everything Must Go is an innovative exhibition that follows the journeys of worn clothing as it is sold for reuse and recycling. Produced by Holy Mountain and curated by Clare Patey and Dr Lucy Norris, Everything Must Go is the culmination of the academic research project, Waste of the World. The exhibition challenges comfortable narratives that our waste can be contained, cleaned and endlessly recycled and reclaims waste as a filthy, powerful and potentially dangerous material flow that has to be reckoned with.
Holy Mountain are looking for volunteers to join the installation team (from Tuesday, 17 January – Thursday, 19 January) and the exhibition team while the show is open to the public (from Friday, 20 January – Sunday, 22 January. This event will take place at The Bargehouse, at Oxo Tower Wharf on London’s South Bank. Shifts are flexible, travel expenses will be paid and food provided. This placement would be ideal for those with an interest in textiles, the environment, event production, participatory artwork, artwork installation or design. Volunteers would work closely with established professionals in these fields.
If you are interested in volunteering please contact Tiphaine Tailleux for more information at tiphaine@holymountain.co.uk
This month, the seventh in a twelve part series for i-D, i-Sustain features womenswear label White Tent, a design collective started by Evgenia Tabokova a Russian Central Saint Martin’s graduate and Pedro Noronha-Feio, a Portuguese graduate of London College of Fashion.
Photography by Kerry Dean, top by White Tent
Working in collaboration with a like-minded garment manufacturer in Portugal, White Tent have been able to take the time to fully explore their minimal and yet experimental approach to design. The collections are clean, contemporary and offer beautifully made, understated pieces with surprising and unique details. As well as having the support they need to develop their design and brand identity, White Tent have been able to work with their manufacturer to create employment and training opportunities in a deprived area of Portugal……..to read the full article and interview with White Tent click here
You have the opportunity to showcase your sustainable fashion with The Good Fashion Show in 2012. On February 18 at London House, The Good Fashion Show will exhibit 25-30 British and international labels working in ethical and sustainable fashion.
This not-for-profit event coincides with London Fashion Week and will be open to the public, press and trade. Go to The Good Fashion Show website to watch the official video and find out more
To exhibit your work, participate in the runway show or both click here to see further details and download an application pack.
Front Row Society and Christian Aid are looking for creative and innovative designers, to illustrate how climate change is affecting the environment. They are looking for print designs inspired by ‘The World Around Us’, in a way that will show others the environmental impact of fashion consumption.
To enter the competition each designer must submit print designs representing ‘The World Around Us’. The top designs will be voted for online by participants and short-listed prints will be displayed in an ethical fashion show during London Fashion Week and the winning design will be made into an ethical bag and sold on FRS. €5 of each sale will be donated to Christian Aid projects which are helping to eradicate poverty across the globe.
For more details about this competition and to download a submission pack click here.
The Centre for Sustainable Fashion has collaborated with Forum for the Future to develop the Fashion Futures project, which is currently being run with LCF second year BA Product Development students. Fashion Futures is a call for a sustainable fashion industry. It is designed to help organisations in all sectors take action which will safeguard their future, protect our environment and improve the lives of their customers, workers and suppliers around the world. You can read more about Fashion Futures on the CSF website under the new Resources section.
For the fashion industry to be sustainable economically, it must be sustainable socially and environmentally too. These provocative scenarios challenge all of us to look beyond the short term and use our collective power to work to create the kind of positive world we’d like to see in 2025.
John Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co.
Get involved in Fashion Futures, watch the video and share your thoughts on the Forum for the Future blog and facebook page.
The 2012 Red Carpet Green Dress Competition is now open to all aspiring designers. Red Carpet Green Dress is an international dress design contest started by Suzy Amis Cameron, environmental advocate and wife of Director James Cameron. The challenge is to create an Oscar worthy “green” design, made entirely out of sustainable materials. The winner will have his or her design worn on the Academy Awards red carpet by a surprise Hollywood actress, whose name will be revealed later this year.
Red Carpet Green Dress 2011 Winner Samata Angel
The contest opened on December 1, 2011 and will close 16 January, 2012. The winner will be announced on January 20 and the winning dress will be worn at the 84th Academy Awards taking place February 26, 2011. Click here for more information and to apply.
Audrey Vincent, Central Saint Martins MA Applied Imagination student, has found a new and creative way to highlight ethics and sustainability in Fashion through Project Fashion Etiquette Insider. F.E.I uses an online game experiment to reach out to young audiences and generate interest in ethics and sustainability in the fashion industry.
Click here to join F.E.I and play the game yourself.
You can see Project Fashion Ethiquette Insider at the Central Saint Martins’ Experiments in New Thinking exhibition along with 59 other projects from the 7th-8th December, click here for further details.
Stitch, a new non-for-profit organisation that is utilising art to engage people with contemporary environmental issues will be hosting their first major event tonight, Wednesday 30 November 2011.
This art auction will feature contemporary emerging to established artists who have communicated a range of environmental issues (including sustainability) through their work. The pieces start at £20 up to £15, 000 so there is something for everyone, to see the catalogue of artists works click here. Keep an eye out for upcoming Stitch events and exhibitions.
The Centre for Sustainable Fashion would like to congratulate Christopher Raeburn for receiving the award for ‘Emerging Talent in Menswear’ at this years British Fashion Awards. Last night, amongst London’s fashion elite at the Savoy Hotel, Christopher became the first designer to be honoured in this brand new category for 2011. Recognised for his innovative, ethical designs Christopher joined fellow winners, Sarah Burton, Stella McCartney and Christopher Kane.
Christopher Raeburn Spring/Summer 2012
Christopher, who was a part of CSF’s business support programme, ‘London Style’, has pioneered the way for ethical design since the launch of his business in 2008 and for Spring/Summer 2012 he continues to evolve, reconstructing old parachutes, tents and sailor smocks into technologically forward outerwear.
i-Sustain the CSF’s year long collaboration with i-D online is featured this month in the Winter Warm Up Issue. We’ll say no more just get down the shops and buy it, it’s a great issue and we’re really proud of the project
The Design a Dress Competition is calling all emerging fashion designers to construct a dress out of used paper. What kind of used paper is up to you, newspaper, wrapping paper, note paper, any kind or paper as long as its recycled! Simply post a picture of your creation on the British Vogue Facebook page and ask everyone you know to vote as much as they can for your dress between December 1-7. The 10 most-voted-for dresses will be published on VOGUE.COM during online fashion week and the Winner’s dress will be manufactured (from a sustainable fabric of course) and sold along Matches’ own label, Freda, during Spring/Summer 12. The contest is open from November 9 – 30.
Winners of Fashioning the Future Awards 2011 Announced at Futuristic Ceremony at Canary Wharf
Caryn Franklin with Winners Christian Frank Muller, Ashley Brock and Sara Emilie Terp Hansen
Last night (10 November 2011) in the beautiful surroundings of the East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf guests from the world of fashion, business and sustainable living including Olivia Inge, Baroness Lola Young and Caryn Franklin gathered for the annual Centre for Sustainable Fashion’s, Fashioning the Future Awards 2011. Now in its third year and supported by the United Nations, The Body Shop and Canary Wharf, Fashioning the Future has rapidly become the leading international student competition for design and innovation in sustainable fashion and attracts entries from all over the world.
Winner of the Unique Balance Award was Central Saint Martins student, Sara Emilie Terp Hansen; Winner of the Unique Materials and Processes Award was Evelyn Lebis from Sweden; Winner of the Unique Communications Award was Christian Frank Muller from Germany; Winner of the Unique Enterprise Award was Alice Payne from Australia and Winner for the Unique Design Award was LCF MA graduate from Portugal, Lara Torres. The final Award of the evening was the Body Shop One to Watch and was awarded to Ashley Brock from the USA.
Fashioning the Future Models wearing some the of the finalists designs
The accompanying exhibition will be open FREE to the public from Friday 11th – Sunday 13th November 2011 in the East Wintergarden at Canary Wharf. It will be a beautiful representation of how solutions to some of the world’s toughest environmental imperatives will come from the next generation of designers and will showcase the winners and finalists. Opening times: Friday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday 12 – 4 pm.
Kolding School of Design invites applications for a PhD Fellowship starting 1 February, 2012 or as soon as possible after that date. The fellowship has a three year duration and is in the field:
New materials within a design professional and sustainable frame of reference.
The position will be affiliated with the future doctoral school under the auspices of the Architect and Design Schools with place of employment at Kolding School of Design, Department of Product Design.
The project will contribute to building knowledge of new materials in a broad design sense within a sustainable frame of reference. The Department of Product Design comprises three specialist domains, Fashion, Textile, and Industrial Design, and sustainability represents one of the school’s strategic target areas.
New knowledge in this field intends to strengthen creativity and innovation in terms of education and practice, contribute to renewed self-understanding, and support design solutions to the many future challenges of product design.
Congratulations to the Centre for Sustainable Fashion for being recognised this year at the Green Gown Awards.
Photo by Rafael Bastos
Competing against prestigious universities such as Durham, Sheffield and Cambridge, London College of Fashion has won the Green Gown Award for Social Responsibility with the Fashion Education in Prisons Project, delivered by BA Womenswear, with support from the CSF, and managed by Camilla Howarth and Claire Swift. The Centre for Sustainable Fashion won special mention with Highly Commended in the Green Gown Award for Skills for our London Style business support programme, managed by Alex McIntosh.
Work from the Fashion Education in Prisons Project; Image Credit Sean Micheal
We are proud to announce that the Centre for Sustainable Fashion’s Student and Tutor Resources are now online. We hope that you find this a useful source of information. Your thoughts and opinions are valuable to the growth and development of these resources so please get in touch with any comments you may have.
The Fashioning the Future Awards 2011 are taking place at the East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf this Thursday, November 11, where a selection of works will be shown in an exclusive ceremony and winners of the five categories will be announced. The winning designs and selected shortlisted works will also be displayed in a public exhibition at the East Windergarden from 11-13 November 2011.
Ireland’s Hidden Wardrobe is an exhibition curated by LCF MA Fashion and the Environment student, Katriona Lea to celebrate the artisan craft and skills of Ireland’s fashion industry. Viewed through the eye of Barry McCall’s photography are works by Paul Costelloe, John Rocha, Jen Kelly and Claire O’Sullivan, just to name a few.
Dress by Ruth Duignan; Photo by Barry McCall
Looking into the future potential of Ireland’s fashion industry, this exhibition challenges hyper consumption and promotes the idea that countries like Ireland must utilise the strength of their skills and their ability to create a more “user-centred approach” in line with local social requirements and new forms of social employment. Each work displays a unique creativity whilst maintaining devotion to its inherint craft.
In 1955, Life magazine announced that throw-away living would liberate housewives from the drudgery of daily chores and lead to a better world and so began a plastic revolution that quickly took hold, infiltrating every part of our day-to-day lives. In fashion and clothing the development of polyester, nylon and acrylic offered cheap alternatives to natural fibres and similarly plastic zips and buttons replaced wood, bone, horn, shell and the many other readily available materials used for fastenings. Look around you, plastic is everywhere read more…..
CSF Designers Borders and Frontiers/ Photo by Kerry Dean
The London College of Fashion has been nominated in two categories for the Green Gown Awards this year, one of which can be attributed to the Centre for Sustainable Fashion. In the SKILLS category, recognising the development of skills relevant to sustainability, LCF picked up a nomination for the ‘London Style’ business support programme run by CSF for the past 3 years. LCF was also nominated in the Social Responsiblity category for their partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison Service in the ‘Fashion Education in Prisons Project’. Read more…
The Green Gown Awards take place 3 November, for more details and ticket bookings click here.
The Future Fabrics Expo will showcase a wide range of high quality fabrics addressing environmental principles such as biodiversity, water, waste and energy. Amongst others, shown fabrics will include; recycled ‘paper leather’, coffee waste (SCafe), recycled polyester, waste banana fibre and sustainable man made fibres derived from trees and plants.
Heritage has been a buzzword in fashion marketing for the last few years, particularly in the menswear market. The concept of brands that are firmly rooted in Britishness seems to strike a chord and the likes of Pringle, Burberry and Barbour have been reaping the rewards. This month i-sustain is asking what it means to be a ‘British brand’ and questioning whether Made in the UK is the sustainability solution read more …
Centre for Sustainable Fashion collaborator and the photographer behind the i-sustain project is holding an exhibition at The Front View gallery in the beautiful seaside town of Whitstable in Kent, from September 24th 2011 – January 22 2012. The exhibition will showcase a breathtaking series of landscapes taken in Mongolia during the Nadaam festival
The Nadaam festival is a national day of celebration in Mongolia and is famous for its spectacular long distance horse races in which Mongolians as young as two years old participate. Kerry was invited to follow a race; a rare opportunity as very few photographers have been allowed to do this.
Kerry says,” Mongolia was everything I hoped it would be, like stepping into another time far removed from the here and now, a mystical land of huge skies and simplicity, wandering alone and feeling free, breathing a different kind of air”.
If you fancy a day out at the seaside, a few oysters and a magical photographic experience you know where to go!
The fourth instalment of the i-sustain project profiled the work of amazing accessories designers Michelle Lowe-Holder, looking at the role of the modern artisan and how the re-interpretation of traditional textile techniques can play an important role in presenting new models for fashion design and production.
The i-sustain project a collaboration between i-D and CSF will run over twelve months online and in the magazine; look out for our feature in the Winter issue.
Curated by visual artist Lucy Orta, CSF’s Professor of Art, Fashion and the Environment, in partnership with the Crafts Council, Block Party will reveal the contemporary applications and creative possibilities of pattern cutting.
The exhibition will feature work of 10-15 practitioners for whom pattern cutting forms the basis of their practice, yet whose output results not only in garments, but a variety of innovative forms. Works will be shown that poetically reveal the tradition, history, and skills of the pattern cutter and tailor, in various contemporary media.
Designed by architecture studio Carmody Groarke, the exhibition includes sculpture, interactives, moving image, collage and textiles created by the likes of established artists Shelley Fox, Charlotte Hodes, Dai Rees, Yinka Shonibare, Simon Thorogood and emerging artists such as Hormazd Narielwalla. The exhibition will also feature work from Phillip Delamore, Director of the Fashion Digital Studio at London College of Fashion.
Lucy Orta said
Driven by a deep admiration of the tradition and craftsmanship of pattern drafting, curating Block Party has been the perfect opportunity to reflect on its many contemporary visual interpretations.
Looking for an inspiring round off to London Fashion Week? On the 22nd of September, up and coming sustainable fashion brand Antiform will be hosting the launch of their new A/W 2011/12 collection at their London stockist and sustainable design studio, Here Today Here Tomorrow.
Offering garments which have directional design with a heritage influence, an Antiform piece screams to be picked up, to be worn, to be cherished and to engage with the wearer’s unique style. However, it doesn’t end there! The brand was also runner up in the Observer Ethical Awards 2010, achieving recognition for continuing to push the boundaries of wearable design whilst ensuring that their clothing is ethical, affordable and sustainably made.
In fact, ‘sustainably made’ is somewhat of an understatement. Antiform is a brand which takes slow fashion’s creative sustainability to a whole new level; sourcing all materials within a 20 mile radius of their Leeds based studio boutique, not to mention producing their garments using the incredible wealth of local talent in the area, and in doing so, uncovering and supporting resources which had been tragically laying dormant.
To make the event even more special, Here Today Here Tomorrow will be offering 20% off Antiform’s new collection on the evening.
The launch will be taking place on the 22nd of September from 5-9pm at Here Today Here Tomorrow (30A Balls Pond Road, Dalston, London, N1 4AU)
What are the top tips from your sartorial story, adventures in attire, fashion follies and frolics…?! Hmm. Here’s a few to get you going, from speakers and audience at the Good Fashion Perspectives event in London, part of A Good Week – A Global Celebration of Good:
1. Buy half the amount for double the amount. Nobody wants to hear this but I promise if you do you will love your wardrobe and the clothes you wear a great deal more.
2. Don’t throw Clothes away always take them to charity shops and or textile recycling banks.
3. Support designers you like, up and coming labels need your support to keep growing, for every 1 garment you buy on the high street try and buy one garment from an independent label.
1. Clear out your wardrobe and donate it all to TRAID. Once you have got rid of the clothes you never wear, don’t really fit and don’t really like you’ll be able to assess and value of the good clothes you have.
2. Shop at TRAID. Refill your wardrobe, but with handpicked second hand fashion. Try out more than one store, they are all different and constantly changing. Keep your eyes peeled for the legendary TRAID sales!
3. Skill yourself. Come to one of TRAID’s Sew Good workshops and mend, remake or upcycle a garment with us. Improving your skills will insure your clothes last longer, get a new lease of life and allow you to buy more great second hand stuff! If you like, you can join the mailing list: sewgood@traid.org.uk
1. Always ask questions about the things you are buying including clothing – even if they cannot be answered or the answers are startling! By informing ourselves about supply chains we become better equipped to make wardrobe choices that reflect our own sense of value whatever that may be.
2. Slow down your personal style – take time to really get to grips with what does and doesn’t work for you –including colour, shape, texture, family traditions, and of course ethics. With a clear criteria we can become more discerning and focused and avoid impulse buys or wasteful spending that doesn’t serve us or the planet.
My tip is to have a go at making a piece of clothing yourself. This is good because:
1. You know the garment has not been constructed using sweatshop labour – you are the production line!
2. You can make something that fits your body, from the fabric of your choice, so you will make something you love, wear again and again and never throw away. My advice is (of course!) to get yourself a DIYcouture book! Suitable for absolute beginners! Or if you want to be sociable and have hands-on advice, go to one of the many sewing schools in London. These include:
- Oh Sew Brixton
- The Thrifty Stitcher
- The Papered Parlour
- The Make Lounge
- Our Patterned Hand
- Fabrications
News that workers have been found producing clothes in sweatshop-like conditions in São Paulo, Brazil are sadly hardly surprising. The story reads like many others: (fill in the blanks) High-street brand _______ has been accused of using (delete as appropriate) child labour/dangerous and unhealthy working conditions/less than minimum pay/long hours. Depressingly we know how it goes. And usually it is all of the above. What we don’t know is who is held accountable? After the story broke yesterday, first in Repórter Brasil and then later in The Guardian, I realized how many strands there were to the issues. Since clothes are made in so many different places there are unique situations attached to each one.
So the story goes that the Brazilian ministry of labour is currently investigating Zara’s parent company Inditex, after workers were found in a factory working in poor conditions. The said factory has work sub-contracted by a company called AHA, which is responsible for 90% of Zara’s production in Brazil. Already, my head is spinning with who exactly is accountable for what and the number of players involved. And so the blame passing goes on and on. A lack of transparency and accountability is an obvious part of the problem but not the whole story.
There is the strength of the Brazilian Real to consider, making Brazil an attractive place for migrant workers, who can send more money home even when working for less than the minimum wage.
There is the economic downturn in Europe and the U.S, but particularly in Spain, where Zara’s HQ is based. This effects migrant labour and increases pressure on other branches of Zara across the world to perform well – especially in Brazil where the economy is booming.
There is the cache and popularity of brand Zara in Brazil, where it is popular with young and fashion aware who want a slice of the fast-fashion model so popular in Europe and the U.S. but less popular here.
There is the high taxes on imports, making production in Brazil a must for international firms like Zara who wish to capitalize on the booming economy and growing middle classes.
There is the Brazilian government crack on slave labour as the spotlight on the country grows ever brighter.
The connections between issues are endless.
With Zara on my mind, I looked in my wardrobe and pulled out a few Zara items I own. They were all made in different places. Indeed, after I started looking I just couldn’t stop. My wardrobe, it seems, is pretty well travelled. In fact, had I used the country of origin to plan a trip it would go something like this:
First stop Romania, popular for lower labour costs in comparison to the EU and ideal strategic location so it is an important supplier to the EU with 80% of apparel production is for the export market. So plenty of factors here to complicate the situation. Next up is Morocco, then Turkey – both with particularly interesting influences, opportunities and problems. Then there is also Portugal and Spain to consider. Quite a tour. Oh, and lurking at the back of the wardrobe was Indonesia, where there are again many factors both local and global to take into account. Then of course, there is Brazil, Argentina and so on.
The only certainty is every supply chain is endlessly linked to a whole load of other things that are at once the same but but different.
The second part of the i-Sustain project is now live. The project is a collaboration between the CSF and i-D aiming to inform, inspire and challenge i-D readers to change the way they think, buy and wear fashion, using their buying power to support a whole raft of new designers who are moving the fashion and sustainability agenda forward. This month we focus on Partimi by Eleanor Dorrien-Smith, one of the first designers to join the CSF mentoring programme and a true advocate for fashion that combines beauty, wear ability and consideration for the environment. Check it out
The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge is an international creative competition from the Dutch Postcode Lottery, championed in the UK by its sister lottery the People’s Postcode Lottery. The competition encourages would- be entrepreneurs to submit creative and innovative ideas for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A top prize of over £440,000 (€500,000) will be presented to the entrant with the best idea to execute his or her business plan. A further £175,000 (€200,000) will be available to runners up.
The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge is aimed at creative, innovative people who can instigate change. The jury is looking for products and services that could contribute to an eco-friendly lifestyle and directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in addition to scoring well on convenience, quality and design.
Entries for the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2011 can be submitted up until July 29th via www.greenchallenge.info. Between five and seven finalists will present to a jury on the 14th September in Amsterdam, with an Awards Ceremony to be held the next day.
Previous finalists 2007 In 2007, jury chairman Sir Richard Branson presented the top €500,000 prize to Igor Kluin of Qurrent, for his Qbox. The Qbox enables people to generate their own energy locally from renewable sources. Other finalists presented a solar lamp, low-emissions goods transport, an online green initiative, and a climate-friendly clubbing initiative.
2008 In 2008, 23-year-old American Eben Bayer won the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge for his revolutionary building material,Greensulate. Bayer and his team invented an insulation material made of biological waste material treated with a special fungus. The jury felt Greensulate could decrease CO2 emissions on a global scale and revolutionise the building industry. An extra €100,000 prize was awarded to runner-up Capra J’neva, whose company, Veranda Solar, develops easy-to-use energy panels.
2009 A nearly invisible rooftop wind turbine was awarded the top prize in 2009. “It’s beyond a dream,” said English entrepreneur Dean Gregory when Skype founder Niklas Zennström, one of the contest jurors, announced his name. Two runners-up presented ideas benefitting the haulage industry. The online transport marketplace Shiply.com matches people shipping goods with truckers already going in the right direction, making the industry more efficient. The Ephicas SideWing truck trailer skirt lowers wind resistance by guiding airflow, cutting fuel use.
2010 Scot Frank won in 2010 for the affordable portable solar concentrator SolSource. The SolSource is a light, foldable device that harnesses the sun’s energy to cook, generate heat and light, and charge mobile phones. It eliminates indoor air pollution from dung- and wood-burning ovens. The device, to be produced from local materials in its target markets and sold for €10, will be a boon in developing countries.
Retread-Your-Threads: Energy and fashion from unwanted materials
Supplier of 100% green and 100% renewable electricity, Green Energy UK has teamed up with Wayne Hemingway and the Hemingway Design team to run a live Retread-Your-Threads fashion catwalk at Vintage at Southbank Centre, and you can use your fashion expertise and be one of the judges.
As well as being a Retread-Your-Threads judge, Green Energy UK will also give you and a friend tickets to a day and night at Britain’s cultural event of the year. To win this fantastic prize and £100 to spend on travel and Vintage goodies, Green Energy UK is issuing a fashion challenge. Green Energy UK buys energy generated from things that would otherwise go to waste, and using the company’s ethos of giving new life to old, they want you to retread threads and turn sad rags into glad rags.
Visit www.greenenergyuk.com/vintage to upload a picture of yourself wearing the new outfit you’ve created using old or vintage clothes, and tell the company why you should win. The first 20 entrants will also receive a limited edition Vintage designed rosette.
Green Energy UK chief executive, Doug Stewart, says: “Vintage at Southbank Centre promises to be a great event celebrating the rich history of 20th century British culture.
Like Vintage we love the idea of breathing new life into old and using it to good effect. We do this in our own way by taking what’s discarded and recycling it into cleaner greener electricity to power people’s homes and businesses. With Retread-Your-Threads we hope to show that giving new life to old clothes is fun, creative and rewarding. Throwing things away is crazy- there is no “AWAY” so lets have fun instead.”
The winner of Green Energy UK’s online Retread-Your-Threads competition will receive a Vintage Friday Pass + The Electronic Phuture Revue ticket that gives exclusive access to the Vintage at Southbank Centre celebrations at Royal Festival Hall on Friday 29 July, and the ’80s revue show that evening, with new acts and legends performing throughout the day, (for more information www.vintagebyhemingway.co.uk/). The competition closes Saturday 16 July.
Notes to editors
About Green Energy UK
Green Energy UK supplies 100% renewable and 100% green electricity to homes and businesses across the UK. The company, British-owned and Hertfordshire-based, has grown substantially since it was established in 2001 and has built up a broad spectrum of customers, from homes using only £200 of electricity per annum to environmentally aware businesses such as Waitrose, Neals Yard and the Duchy of Cornwall. Green Energy UK has an unusual and radical business model: it is giving away half of the business in with the first 100,000 customers receiving 400 shares each. Green Energy was the first electricity supplier to offer customers a choice of either 100% green or 100% renewable electricity. More information is available atwww.greenenergyuk.com
About Vintage
For one glamorous weekend Vintage at Southbank Centre celebrates music, fashion, film, art, design and dance from the 1920s to the 1980s (and maybe even a peek at the early ‘90s) that has made Britain the world’s creative and cultural hotbed. The Vintage festival concept was developed by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway and the Hemingway Design team and had its birth in August 2010. Vintage 2010 attracted over 50,000 people and won Best New Festival at the 2010 Festival Awards.
We are recruiting for a Course Leader for this groundbreaking course that has produced graduates who evolve new visions for the fashion industry through their work.
This is an opportunity to join our team and to steer the path for the course. We are looking for somebody who can engage the students in new directions underpinned by new approaches to design that shape and respond to real world conditions as they evolve.
Please follow the link to the University’s vacancies page for full details of this position and note that all enquiries relating to this role should be sent to: vacancies@fashion.arts.ac.uk, and not to the CSF.
HERE TODAY HERE TOMORROW is a collaborative & innovative shop/studio that is used to make, showcase & sell sustainable fashion & accessories.
Having recently celebrated out 6 month anniversary since opening, we are now delighted to announce our first series of practical workshops. The ‘Creative Summer Sundays’ will be running throughout July and August, offering people a variety of different projects to get involved in. The unique set up of HERE TODAY HERE TOMORROW means that each of the four founding practitioners has different knowledge and expertise on offer, so there will be a workshop to suit different interests and tastes.
Date:Workshop:
July 3rd Revamp Your Wardrobe
Give old and unworn clothing a new lease of life at this customisation workshop.
July 10th Purses Purses
Learn how to make your own zipped purse, made with vintage or reclaimed materials.
July 17th Soft Toys
Learn basic sewing skills to make a cute soft toy for a loved one or for yourself.
July 24th Clothes Rustle
Swap shop! Bring along your old items and swap them for something new.
July 31st Dinner to Dye for
Natural dyeing, cocktails, nibbles and dessert making use of London’s Summer botanicals. Learn how to dye with seasonal plants and enjoy a delicious menu crafted from the same ingredients.
August 7th Purses Purses
August 14th Soft Toys
August 21st Clothes Rustle
Prices range from £30 to £40 per person, and classes will run from 2-5pm on Sunday afternoons throughout July and August. Tea and cake refreshments will be provided!
Further details about the classes are available on the
And here’s the final part of our East London streetstyle bonanza for this week. Some diverse looks and some diverse takes on the question “What does ‘in fashion’ mean to you?”. Feel free to share with us your thoughts on what ‘in fashion’ means to you too. Looking forward to hearing from you…
Brooke, Brick Lane “I go to charity shops in search of unique pieces of clothing. Of course I’m influnced by what’s new but to be honest I think my clothes reflect who I am and what my mood is.”
Verity, Broadway Market “I’ve just finished work. I don’t take being ‘in fashion’ that seriously. I always wear black and then I have some fun on top of that.”
Sophie (right) and Sam (left), Columbia Road Sophie: “I don’t like to follow trends and fast changing fashion. I’m not a Topshop girl. I think the important thing about clothes is that they should reflect the person wearing them.” Sam: “I think I feel the same way. Mix and match!”
For more of our inspirational streetstyle coverage, just click here. Enjoy!
Artsmart is a two-day creative graduate event taking place over 01 & 02 July that celebrates and supports creative talent, and is open to anyone wanting to start out in the creative industries.
The Artsmart Programmecombines over 40 free events, delivered by industry experts and successful professional practitioners, and promises to be an exciting creative graduate recruitment fair in the UK.
Get top tips and practical skills through talks, workshops and one-to-one advice sessions to help you land the best jobs, set up businesses and make money from your creativity.
With speakers from Creative Review, London Design Festival, Etsy, Basekit and Olympics London 2012, the Programme offers a great opportunity to learn from and network with those who know how to succeed in the creative industries.
Headliners talks feature high-profile speakers including Ex-Dragon Entrepreneur Doug Richard, Photographer Tom Hunter and Big Issue founder John Bird, who will share their inspiring stories.
Entry to the events is free, once you have booked your Artsmart entrance ticket, but you do need to book in advance. Reserve your tickets now here – www.artsmartlondon.co.uk/programme
At the Recruitment Fair, as a student or graduate, you can meet more than 30 prospective employers and creative practitioners to enhance your job prospects. Employers are on hand to talk about the opportunities available to you.
In addition to all this there is also a curated Art & Design Market of 100 UAL alumni stallholders.
So if you do want to get ahead in the Creative Industries, do not miss this event!
Following on from the last post, here’s a couple of more East London lookers for you. Pulling these posts together has really made me wonder what ‘In Fashion’ means to me too. I think it might be more important to be comfortable in your own skin, rocking your own style and expressing your personality, but there is certainly a lot of comfort in looking ‘the part’, keeping up with the prevailing trends and ensuring you don’t stand too far out from the crowd. I suppose that the trick is pulling that off while keeping a lot of your own personality in there too…
Bartek, Brick Lane (thisblogisreserved.com) “I don’t care about fashion. I just mix vintage with new. I try not to take myself too seriously. It works- today 4 people asked me if they could take my picture.”
Dulia and Benjamin, Brick Lane Dulia: “We don’t really think about fashion as such. I think we’re trying to have fun with what we wear. Of course we’re influenced by trends, but only to a certain extent.” Benjamin: “It’s funny because I think that subconsciously we always kind of match. Look at your socks and my trousers!”
For more “Blink” streetsyle, just click here. Enjoy!
So, the Centre for Sustainable Fashion’s blog theme for this month is ‘In Fashion’. We decided to head out into the streets and see what this means to you, to help us create our guest blog post for them. Asta shot some great looks in East London, and captured some great soundbites too. It was really interesting to hear everyone’s take on the question “What does ‘In Fashion’ means to you?”.
Steph, Columbia Road “I try to stay quite classic. I mostly stick with black and white. But then again, I’m probably always combining this with bits of color so that it’s not too boring.”
Emily, Shoreditch High Street “I work in the fashion industry, for Next Model management, and I enjoy the fast nature of fashion. I guess I always try and stick with it, even though its difficult. I enjoy going to London Fashion Week and see how what’s on the catwalks arrives in the high street shops.”
If you’d like to see more of “Blink”s streetstyle coverage, just click here!
THE STORY SO FAR/
20 days to go until the submission deadline on 15th June 2011. 1300+ individuals registered for the awards to date. Top 10 regions registered: UK, USA, India, Australia, Singapore, Canada, South America, Spain, Germany and Finland
The 2011 awards are a showcase for exceptional work that celebrates ‘Unique’ ways to create our futures. We invite students and recent graduates to provoke and nurture ‘Unique’ responses to our collective desire for a thriving world in 5 Award Categories. Inspire the industry in a radically new and different direction!
BENEFITS TO WINNERS / Inspire the industry in a radically new and different direction!
Prizes £1000 prize for each winner in the 5 categories
Showcase Showcased at a major London exhibition at Canary Wharf, finalists will have their work captured through film, photography, display and interactive media. The showcase is a platform to the fashion sector of the best emerging talent equipped and prepared to contribute to our collective prosperity. Become part of a community and participate in a dialogue relevant to all young designers in fashion.
Submit your work online for your chosen category below.
Use the Fashioning the Future Applicant and Tutor Pack to view the criteria for each award and prepare your entry.
Applicants can submit work for one or more of the award(s) categories.
Submissions can be from individuals, collaborations, group projects and/or organisations.
Submission Criteria: Written work: 250 words maximum uploaded as a pdf.
Images: 8 sheets of visuals maximum uploaded as jpeg, tiff or png.
Images should be of a portfolio including materials and processes: flat work and illustrations of a piece or a collection, photographs on models or on a stand: 8 outfits maximum.
Submission Criteria: Each entrant must submit a written context behind the idea: maximum 250 words with up to 8 sheets of visuals, as applicable.
Each entrant must also submit a written, visual, audio visual OR technical submission relating to your enterprise initiative for the future fashion industry in one of the following formats:
Written work: 2500 words maximum upload as a pdf
OR
Media: 30 minutes audio visual maximum upload as .mov file 10MB
OR
Images: Digital display of 1 piece of practical work (sample swatches or a finished collection, a maximum of 6 outfits, shoes or accessories) upload as jpeg, tiff, png
Submission Criteria: Each entrant must submit a written and visual concept. Visual concept may be either photographic, illustrative, film or animation.
Written work: 250 words maximum upload as a pdf.
Images OR Media: 8 visuals maximum upload as jpeg or 30 minutes of media maximum 10MB.
Submission Criteria: Each entrant must submit a written and/or visual context behind the choice of materials and / or processes and their role in the complete design, development and existence of a product.
Written work: 100 words maximum upload as a pdf.
OR
Images: 8 visuals maximum upload as jpeg, tiff, png.
Each entrant must also submit a practical, written or technical submission relating to the material/ process.
Written work: 2500 words upload as a pdf.
OR
Images: Digital display of practical work 6 pieces maximum upload as jpeg, tiff, png.
This last term at LCF the MA Fashion and the Environment class worked with Otto von Busch on a project called ‘Community Repair: Strategic Social Skill Mobilization for Sustainable Fashion.’ This unique and challenging project was centered around the impact garment repair can have on a community. Each of the 14 students in the class sought out unique participants from our neighborhoods to help us repair a garment that we had worn and loved. Originally scared an unsure of the challenge to meet new people and engage them in an activity they may have never thought to do themselves, we were all surprised by the engaging attitudes of our community members. From lawyers, hat makers, and shoe makers to passengers on a Eurostar train, every participant had their own story and own reason for taking part in this project. In the end we were asked what impact this repair has had on our emotional attachment to the garment, but realized it also had a deep impact on the emotional attachment to our communities and ourselves. Many of us discovered people and places right near our homes that we never would have taken a second look at had this project not challenged us to explore our surroundings.
Personally, I was in awe of the varied outcomes and, along with others in my class, believed this project was worth sharing. Having a relationship with the course and LCF, Jules Hau and Greg Shaw of Foundation Agency generously offered their showroom space to use for an exhibit. We then got to work on organizing a pop-up gallery to further welcome the London community into this project. We worked within our Fashion and the Environment Community to put together advertising, press releases, displays, personal summaries, a video projection, food, drinks and easily accessible excerpts from Otto’s work to come together in a one-of-a-kind exhibition that we shared with the public this past weekend.
On Saturday 14 May we had a Private View for LCF faculty, industry professionals, and of course family and friends. The night was filled with music, drinks, food, and a brief speech from Dilys Williams and Otto von Busch discussing the project, its impact and significance. It was a well received exhibit that we would love to continue sharing. The gallery may not be available any more, but publications still are! Feel free to contact us to receive the magazine that contains personal accounts of the experience from the MA students as well as theory and research by Otto Von Busch. If you made it to the exhibit we hope you enjoyed it!
Craft Central’s 2 buildings house the ultimate shopping treat, selling exceptional craft/design.
This unique shopping event offers an intriguing ‘behind the scenes’ chance to explore the studios of our community of renowned designers. Pick up distinctive pieces of jewellery, fashion, interior products, ceramics, accessories and traditional crafts, by almost 100 designers at the forefront of their disciplines.
Dates: Special Launch Night on Thurs 19 May, 5-8pm
Late Night Shopping on Fri 20 May, 12noon – 8pm
Avoid the High Street crowds on Sat 21 & Sun 22 May, 12noon – 6pm
Venue: CRAFT CENTRAL HAS TWO GREAT BUILDINGS: Craft Central, 21 Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DX AND
33-35 St John’s Square, London EC1M 4DS
Admission: £2.50 per person (under 16’s free) TWO BUILDINGS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!
At the cutting edge of craft for 30 years, Craft Central (CC) is an oasis in the city – actively promoting, nurturing and strengthening the future of UK craft and design. Designer makers flourish through insightful support, affordable studio spaces, accessible exhibition facilities and valuable opportunities. We understand designer makers, connecting over 500 through our growing dynamic national Network. We build relationships within our creative community and reach out to diverse audiences. CC is a destination for innovative craft and design, showcasing stimulating exhibitions, talks and ‘meet the maker’ experiences.
We are delighted to announce the launch of a new collaboration between the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and i-D
This is the first in a series of features intended to change the way you think, buy, wear and discuss fashion; a bold statement, in fact bordering on evangelical but we’re starting from a place of ambition, working on the principal that if you really believe something yourself, you’ve got a better chance of winning others over.
i-D has always strived to celebrate individuality and counter-culture, questioning the essence and influence of fashion. The Centre for Sustainable Fashion – our partner in this collaboration – performs a similar function but filtered through a very different lens. Essentially this project will lay out a kind of manifesto; we’ll try not to be too worthy and to be realistic and make sure we always keep the i-D wink in there! There’s twelve months of i-sustain to come, so keep coming back for more! This project is about showing how beautiful clothes can also carry a positive message. Like it or not, what we wear is never just about the function or form of a garment, it’s also a statement of who we are and how we do or don’t fit in. Dress is the most obvious tool we have for self-expression, so what is it we really want to express? The world is changing and uncomfortable or inconvenient as it may be, we need to start doing things differently. Fashion moves so fast that sometimes it’s difficult to stop and take stock; new trend, new face, new shop, new me? No, same me different clothes, but better, more sustainable product.
Community Repair: Strategic Skill Mobilisation for Sustainable Fashion
Community Repair is an artistic research project initiated by Otto von Busch with support from the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and undertaken by our MA Fashion and the Environment students as part of their Sustainability Solutions Unit.
Throughout the project, students have explored how craft skills among members of their local communities can be mobilised for the repair or adjustment of a garment; and how the compassion for a garment, the crafting of a shared memory and the mending of a social skin can be the needle on which the thread of gifts and exchanges can stitch up a shattered community.
Fashion is a manifestation of the importance of our connections. We use the visual signals of our clothes and style to relate to others and to our evolving world, society and culture.
Strategic Repair explores the idea of reciprocity through the act of making together and connecting within our communities, using an existing starting point of value and developing that value.
Dilys Williams, Director Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Course Director, MA Fashion and the Environment, LCF
The repaired fashion items will feature alongside stunning photographs of the students wearing their garments within their communities in this fantastic exhibition developed and curated by the students.
Fashion is a vehicle of identity in the social play of everyday life. As a commodity the fashion garment and accessory enacts wishes for imitation as well as autonomy and its ephemeral qualities make us continuously re-enact social relations.
As an effort towards sustainability, fashion needs to embrace repair as a designed feature for everyday clothes. If sustainable fashion takes repair seriously, designers might be able to reengage communities in strategic collaborations for repair; using the broken object to mend the social fabric scattered by the status anxiety of fashion.
Otto von Busch
School of Design and Crafts, University of Gothenburg
The work will be showcased:
On: Saturday 14th May – Sunday 15th May 2011
At: Foundation Showroom
49-59 Old Street
Unit 1
London
EC1V 9DA
Interested in volunteering in the fashion area at the London Green Fair this June?
The London Green Fair, taking place in Regents Park from 4-5th June 2011, is a free festival that reflects the green aspirations and achievements of London as a whole, as well as providing an enjoyable and engaging day out for people from all walks of life.
MA Fashion and the Environment graduate Saida Bruce is coordinating the fashion area this year and, with the help of her fellow graduates, will be running a range of fantastic workshops throughout the weekend including up-cycling/customising, bag making and knitting workshops, as well as a swap shop and fashion show on Sunday 5th June.
Saida is looking for:
volunteers to assist with and/or run workshops
volunteers to coordinate the swap shop; giving out tickets and communicating how the swap shop works to participants
dressers back stage at the catwalk show
models for the catwalk show
If you are interested in being involved in any of the above please contact Saida directly: saidabruce@gmail.com
Clothepins Dress by Annie Morris for Burberry 
