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
The Environmental Justice Foundation are looking for enthusiastic, happy spirited and friendly volunteers with an passion for ethical fashion to help at the charity’s pop-up shop in Covent Garden.
Do you love talking about ethical fashion? Dream of changing the world one organic t-shirt at a time?
The EJF is a human rights and environmental charity making a direct link between environmental security, social justice and basic human rights. Top names in the fashion industry are gathering their might to support our cause, including Alice Temperley, Richard Nicoll, Jenny Packam, Ciel, Giles Deacon, Allegra Hicks, John Rocha, Zhandra Rhodes, Luella, Betty Jackson, Christian Lacroix and Katherine Hamnett.
This will be the fifth retail space the charity has taken over in the past 2 years bringing the issues to some of London’s most prestigious High Streets about ethical consumption, fair trade and solutions to environmental and human rights abuses from fisheries to fashion. Our t-shirts are designed on the theme of childhood, lost innocence and hope and represent more than a million children forced to work in cotton fields around the world.
As a volunteer you will be helping the general running of the shop to promote designer organic cotton t-shirts and other ethical fashion brands, talking to customers about ethical fashion, learning about EJF campaigns, flyer-ing for the shop around Covent Garden and helping to organise upcoming events for the shop.
Basic lunch costs will be reimbursed.
Can you help? Retail experience preferable but not essential. If you are interested in joining the team just email you CV and availability to: popupshop@ejfoundation.org
Shop opening hours are 10am – 7pm Monday – Saturday and 11am – 6pm on Sunday.
We are looking for people immediately and for the next 6 weeks.
The California College of the Arts in San Francisco is pleased to announce its new Fashion Sustainability Workshop Series / Certificate Program
An intensive, creative, educational experience for fashion professionals wanting to accelerate and deepen their understanding of sustainability, sharpen their capacity to innovate, and respond to complex problems in a continually shifting environment.
CHOOLIPS- one of the labels on our Business Support Programme-are looking for someone with hot HTML5, Javascript & e-commerce skills to build their new website:
It is essential that you have time on your hands so you can get started on the build asap. Hopefully you’ll appreciate our vision and get the ideas we have created. Negotiable fees paid on a Freelance basis.
Drop us an email if you are interested and let us have examples of your work and an idea of your experience to: curious@choolips.com
So the CSF blog theme for April is interdependence, I’ve been thinking about this word, mulling it over in my head and pondering both the positive and the negative connotations it conjures in me; I’ve actually reached the point where I’m not entirely sure I know what the word means, or more to the point whether the meaning of the word represents the concept it has come to embody in today’s society. People talk about living in an interdependent world but what they mean is living in a globalised world. A true state of interdependency only exists when all the component parts in a system interact and the significance of each part is recognised and respected; then if one part fails the structure is strong enough to withstand the blow. The depth and severity of the recent global economic crisis is an example of how far we are away from living in a state of interdependency; let’s face it our economic wellbeing was entirely dependent on a flawed financial services system and when it failed there was no safety net.
To achieve the balance implied in the true meaning of interdependency, I guess we have to run the gauntlet of dependence, independence, co-dependence and then finally we might reach interdependence, or at least that’s my thought process. We start our lives dependent, needing everything done for us; we are protected, fed and clothed. Through childhood and in to adolescence we give independence a trial run, kicking against the dependency that has kept us safe and fighting to establish our individual identity. Often as young adults flung out into the world, we establish co-dependencies with other people and things, loosing ourselves in these intense but often short lived relationships. Finally if we’re very lucky we reach a state, where we are able to function and express ourselves as individuals, take responsibility for our own decisions and achieve a balance in our lives that recognises both our own needs and those of the people and planet around us. Problem is most of us never reach this elevated state; often we get stuck at the independent/selfish stage, rejecting commitment or responsibility, or at the co-dependent stage relying on external stuff to make us happy, like money, property, cars, and of course clothes; forgive the awful clunky bridge but I really felt I had to move this on, it’s a blog post after all!
Fashion is an example of an industry that has become dependent on co-dependency, relying on people’s need for external validation, usually achieved by purchasing a copy of the dress they saw on Cheryl Cole in Grazia; surely fashion can be more than this, contributing to a balanced and connected community. Fashion can play a role that recognises and respects the need of individuals to express themselves through what they wear and how they wear it but also celebrating the creative and practical process of making clothes. Surely fashion shouldn’t flow from an egotistical need to control and direct but rather reflect a collaborative process that involves developing an idea/concept, the realisation of that idea and the resulting pleasure and joy that realisation brings to the people who experience it. Surely designers should be encouraged to innovate whilst recognising that their creativity only comes to life when supported by the skills and knowledge of others. No man is an island as they say and if we think about fashion as an interdependent system, we can put in place a whole new set of values. I don’t really want to be dependent on an outdated introverted ego driven industry but I am very happy, in fact thrilled, to be part of an interdependent, informed relevant industry that uses its cultural influence to achieve beauty and fulfilment.
Ada Zanditon- a designer who has taken part in our Business Support Programme- has teamed up with London bespoke fine jeweller Ingle & Rhode to create a necklace exclusively for VOGUE.COM, made from the first ever batch of Fairtrade and Fairmined 18 carat gold. Worth over £3,000, this gorgeous one-off piece is now available to win on VOGUE.COM.
Ada Zanditon “It’s an incredible chance to win a unique exclusive design that is not just a really elegant beautiful piece of jewellery that is worth a great deal but has the added value of being made from Fairtrade and Fairmined gold.
I think it is at once incredibly chic and modern but also a classic understated elegant investment piece.
Fairtrade is an incredibly important issue to me as it is part of my brand philosophy and approach. I believe in creating beautiful, desirable pieces that respect the balance between people, planet and business. Fairtrade is a really key way of being able to know that producers are being paid fairly for their work.”
Combining Zanditon’s signature bold, geometric shapes with the ethical values of Ingle & Rhode, the pendant is inspired by origami and the shape of icebergs.
The piece is one of the first necklaces to have been made with gold that’s been certified to a recognised standard, and mined in a socially and environmentally friendly way. The Fairtrade label means small-scale gold miners to have sourced the piece are all guaranteed a fair price.
Founder of Ingle & Rhode, David Rhode “At Ingle & Rhode we’ve always sourced responsibly mined gold but we’ve been one of just a handful of jewellers to do so. Now we’re hoping the fairtrade label will take jewellery to the next level.”
On the subject of forests Paper Print Environment is a website that aims to help people make informed choices to reduce the environmental impact of printed materials. It was created by David Shorto- print buyer for both Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace- and addresses recycled, FSC-certified and other options.
“The mutating myth that will not go away: ‘Using FSC-certified virgin fibre is better for the environment than recycled paper’. Substitute for FSC-certified, any one of the following : ‘virgin fibre from sustainable sources; chemically pulped virgin fibre; virgin fibre from Scandinavia, where mills are next to the forest. Not one of these statements has a basis in creditable research.
WRAP has commissioned the most exhaustive life cycle analysis ever undertaken, to inform this debate. View the summary here. Or consider the following conclusions:
Energy: The report identified an average of 50% less energy consumption when recycling instead of incinerating paper and cardboard over the entire life-cycle. In other words, on average, virgin fibre production followed by incineration with energy recovery, consumed twice as much energy as recycling.
Carbon: As one of the most commonly raised impact categories, and of increasing importance, the report identified a clear carbon saving for recycled paper versus virgin paper.”
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.
SIX Magazine is a digital, high-end ethical fashion publication aimed to stimulate the industry and excite the consumer about ethical and sustainable practices in fashion. The magazine offers a unique perspective on sustainable living, representing a marriage between ethics and fashion.
The fantastic launch last Thursday, at The Conservatory, Barbican Centre, provided a tropical oasis and striking backdrop for the showcasing of Henrietta Ludgate’s AW11 collection. Henrietta centres her design ethos on championing traditional Scottish craftsmanship. She creates distinctive heritage pieces whilst supporting her community – sourcing and producing all garments locally – distinguishing her from her “faster” fashion contemporaries.
The founder and editor-in-chief of SIX, Alina Raetsep,hopes the magazine will inspire slow fashion, encourage a greater respect for our clothes and for those who create them, and mark a return to individuality. First inspired to take her interest in ethical and sustainable fashion further after attending Ada Zanditon’s show at London Fashion Week, Alina’s ultimate aim is to celebrate the designers, individuals, independent brands and companies who are creating a more ethical and sustainable future for the fashion industry.
Publishing 4 digital editions a year, SIX will also print a bi-annual special fashion edition during London Fashion Week in February and September. The SIX premier issue is focused on the global scene of ethical designer fashion, showcasing a selection of top six ethical brands from the biggest markets such as USA, Canada, Australia, Scandinavia, Europe and the UK. The first issue also serves as an introduction to the series of in-depth discoveries from particular countries or trades.
We’re really excited about what we’ve seen so far and the CSF are looking forward to working with the SIX team again in the future. Congratulations Alina!
Congratulations to our MA Fashion and the Environment students who have been highly commended in a feature and interview for the newly launched SIX Magazine:
“SIX… was blown away by the imagination and individuality of the young newly qualified designers”
The Centre for Sustainable Fashion partnered with MADE-BY yesterday at a meeting prior to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion, convened by Baroness Lola Young at the House of Lords. The meeting explored the contribution that forward thinking UK fashion and textile businesses make to local economies, communities and the environment.
Baroness Lola Young, Dr Frances Corner OBE (Head of the London College of Fashion) and Martin Buttle (Supply Chain Manager at MADE-BY) started the meeting with opening remarks and introductions. Dr Kate Fletcher (Reader at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion) expanded on the Close to Home/Made in the UK theme.
Ruth Potts (New Economics Foundation) then talked about sustaining local economies and economic well-being. A discussion followed with questions and commentary from the audience, who represented a wide cross section of the industry including high street retailers, press, fashion designers and international organisations.
Through the sharing of experiences, personal journeys, discoveries, traditions, technologies and crafts, many of the joys, pains, challenges and opportunities for UK fashion manufacturing where explored. A momentum to keep building. A feeling of positivity and urgency. A debate to be continued. Actions for now and the future we create.
There was also a Local Wisdom project underway, to record and celebrate the clothes we wear and the ways in which we wear them. Participants shared the story of their clothing and had their portraits taken wearing it in the Westminster Great Hall.
The Espace culturel Louis Vuitton is offering a new variation on the theme of travel and choosing to reveal the Somewhere Else of eighteen “expeditionist” artists.
The nature of the expedition to which these artists devote themselves may vary widely. In this movement, in this encounter with new environments and cultures — sometimes distant, sometimes near, but always “other” — the artist finds the opportunity for a singular creation that is primarily characterised by its offset nature.
Lucy + Jorge Orta present a selection of artworks: Drop Parachute, Dome Dwellings and drawings from the series Antarctica, resulting from their incredible journey to the continent, where they installed the ephemeral artwork Antarctic Village – No Borders. The in-situ installation of dwellings took place during the Austral summer 2007 and was aided by the team of scientists stationed at the Marambio Antarctic Base situated on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Antarctic Village and the many artworks resulting from their artistic research draw attention to plight of those struggling
The Centre is looking for female volunteers aged sixty and over. Researchers are interested in hearing from two major groups of women, whose skincare regimes involve either:
• some form of medical intervention (e.g. regular use of prescribed topical Vitamin A products, dermatological beauty treatments ranging from deep peels to skin fillers and botox, any form of facial cosmetic surgery, HRT)
or
• other forms of skincare, not requiring involvement of medical professionals (e.g. use of various skin products including cosmeceuticals, facial treatments, hair removal, massage)
The project is non-commercial and focused on bringing positive attention to age and to the beauty of age.
All your personal data will be kept in strict confidence. Research will be based in the Cosmetic Science laboratories at Oxford Circus. Your participation in the project would require approximately two days in late March/early April 2011. To thank you, we will arrange a professional make-up and photography session for you at the end of your second day with us. For further information and to register, please contact
Dilys Williams, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour programme today and shares her views on the synthetic fibre polyester. Marking 70 years since British chemists patented “polyethylene terephthalate”, the basis of the fibre, the programme examines how polyester has been used in the past and the ways in which it will be used in years to come. Check out the interview on BBC iPlayer
TippingPoint are hosting two fantatsic London-based events taking place during Climate Week (March 21 – 27). Check out the details below and for more information please visit the TippingPoint website.
The TippingPoint ‘Science Day’ – briefings on climate change for artists
Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre, University College, Gower Street, London Monday 21st of March 3.00 pm – 6.00 pmTippingPoint regularly organises a series of presentations from noted figures in the world of climate change, aimed at bringing the artistic community up to speed with recent scientific and other developments. As the years have gone by the subject has become ever broader, as does the range of speakers we invite. It will be an extremely stimulating afternoon, followed by an opportunity for a drink at 6.00 PM. Speakers will include:
Tom Burke: among many roles Tom is currently Visiting Professor at both Imperial and University College in London, and Business Adviser to the Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on Climate Change, John Ashton. He has had a long career in environmentalism, including being Executive Director of Friends of the Earth, and founding the ‘change agents for sustainable development’ E3G. Tom will be speaking on the global regulatory and negotiating perspective, including his thoughts on what we might expect from COP17 in Durban at the end of this year. More on Tom <http://www.e3g.org/about/Tom-Burke/> and E3G <http://www.e3g.org/> .
Professor Mark Maslin is Head of of UCL’s Geography Department and Co-Director of UCL’s Environment Institute; he has worked and published extensively on climate change, including the popular book, Global Warming: a very short introduction. Mark will be bringing us up to speed on very recent developments, including the floods in Pakistan and Australia. More here <http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/about-the-department/people/academics/mark-maslin> .
Ro Randall is the inspiration behind Cambridge Carbon Conversations, the virally spreading workshop format for neighbourhood carbon reductions. Crucial to the success of this is the perspective she brings as a psychoanalytically trained psychotherapist, which has given her important insights into how we respond to the often gloomy news from the science world. Ro has written extensively about the impact of the loss implicit in climate change, and the ways we deal with it, and she will be talking about this. More on her blog <http://rorandall.org/> and organisation <http://cambridgecarbonfootprint.org/> .
Peachy Coochy Nite at Artsadmin
Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 Tuesday 22nd of March at 7.30 pm
Join us for an evening of fast talk, potent images and fantastical musings on and around climate change in the company of a range of Coocheurs drawn from the TippingPoint fold of art makers and scientists.
An image is visible for 20 seconds – no more, no less. The Coocheur must accompany each image with precisely 20 seconds of spoken text, and they have 20 images. The restriction is strangely liberating….
For this special night TippingPoint embraces PowerPoint, a form normally shunned in favour of participatory gatherings that enable scientists and artists to explore the wider cultural preoccupations of climate change.
Today is International Women’s Day so why not think about a project that could help a group of women on the other side of the world? In Brazil to be more exact.
As the economic importance of the the textile industry for Brazil increases so does the need for planning and investment in the future. Currently accounting for 3.5% of the total of Brazilian production (U$47 billion), Brazil is the sixth most important textile producer in the world and the opportunity for women in particular to earn a living and learn more skills through fashion is very much obvious here in Brazil.
Ecotece, a sustainable fashion hub, are based in São Paulo, Brazil and have been thinking about the future a lot. With this in mind they have launched a project called Fashion + Sustainability = ? or F+S=? to encourage people to think about the future of fashion when people and the planet are taken into consideration, persuading us that this thinking is the way forward.
“This project is a special opportunity to connect artists and designers from Brazil and the UK to weave a better community; therefore we are connecting the whole world for a better world. Life is a net where we are all connected” says Ecotece member Ana Cândida Zanesco.
The first part of the project is a t-shirt design competition. Ecotece invites you to submit a design with the theme F+S=? There are no complicated rules other than considering the environmental impact of your design and submitting an original piece.
The winning design will be made on the outskirts of São Paulo by a small group of women who have been recieving training in sustainable design and production, sewing, embroidary and upcycling. The group call themselves Retecee and often host mercardinhos (or little markets) to celebrate the work they are doing and to raise some much needed funds for their project. Groups like Retece offer a clue to what the future of fashion in Brazil may look like.
Here today Here Tomorrow is a collective of four creative practitioners– Anna-Maria Hesse, Emma Rigby, Inês Vicente and Julia Crew- who met as students on the inaugural year of the London College of Fashion’s groundbreaking MA Fashion and the Environment. Following their graduation in 2010 the group set up a studio space where they could not only continue their own work, but explore their ideas and inspirations collaboratively.
Find Your Feet (FYF) is a well-established international development charity, working to end rural poverty in South Asia and Southern Africa.
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, and as a tribute to the people they work with, FYF will be hosting a fantastic ethical and sustainable fashion show WE ARE WHAT WE WEAR on Sunday 13th March 2011 at Mint Leaf Restaurant in central London.
FYF will be showcasing the work of a range of inspirational designers who feel passionately about creating fashion which follows environmental and sustainable approaches without compromising stylish, innovative and beautiful designs.
For Further information or to reserve a table please email: Jessica@fyf.org.uk
We are always excited to spend time in the Estethica section at London Fashion Week‘s Somerset House based exhibition. This season there was a great buzz as the great and the good of the international fashion pack attended the champagne brunch for the official launch of this season’s Monsoon sponsored selection of brands. To become part of the Estethica family, brands must be working with Fairtrade, organic and/or recycled and upcycled materials. Its an amazing opportunity for the best ethical fashion businesses to be showcased at the heart of London Fashion Week. Here we feature some of the brands that we particularly loved this season.
Goodone AW11
Goodone is a contemporary womenswear brand with a distinctly London feel. Using pre and post consumer materials alongside new British textiles, all manufactured in the UK, they create a really energetic feel to the collection that features colour blocking and artfully mixed textures. Body con shapes offset oversized silhouettes. Bold brights interplay with softer neutrals. Thanks to the founder and creative director, Nin, who talked us through the AW’11 offer.
Partimi AW11
Partimi‘s AW’11 collection of poetic prints on soft and subtle silhouettes is a continuation from the theme of her first collection for SS’11 called ‘Dieu Bleu’. The Autumn collection is called ‘Garden’ and draws inspiration from childhood memories and lush winter gardens. Striking prints sit with sustainably sourced organic wool, silk and linen to create a soft and subtle yet luxurious offer. Thanks to Eleanor, the founder and designer of this label, for spending some time to talk us through the range. Do also check out Partimi’s stunning video showcasing the new collection.
Joanna Cave AW11
Joanna Cave AW11
Next to Partimi at Estethica, was Joanna Cave‘s collection of stunning jewellery. Joanna and Eleanor have been working together to accessorize the Partimi collection to great effect. Joanna’s collection of recycled silver and ethically sourced farmed pearls is produced in Athens where Joanna’s aim is to support an ancient, yet sadly dying tradition of expert jewellery making. The AW’11 collection is inspired by the delicateness of ballet, balanced with a strong Art Nouveau aesthetic which is particularly visible in the amazing headpieces.
Little Glass Clementine AW11
We also love the jewellery collection of Little Glass Clementine, the creation of Clementine James. We spotted her work first of all as part of Selfridges ‘Bright Young Things’. The AW’11 collection, titled ‘Beautifully Dismantled’ showcases a range of pieces that come with the unique history attached to the collection of found objects that are merged to create small pieces of accessories art. James takes what she calls “broken treasure” and gives them a new life in combination with carefully selected recycled materials including memorial china and discarded love notes.
Lu Flux AW11
Lu Flux has developed her unique and wonderfully playful handwriting in a new direction for AW’11, channeling a sea style theme with her ‘Sea and be Seen’ collection. The Lu Flux collections are handmade in the UK, principally from carefully sourced vintage fabrics. The Autumn offer brings gorgeous tweeds, rich velvets and chunky wools into the mix with artfully sketchy embroideries of fantastical sea creatures. We particularly love the almost architectural shift dress with the clam inspired hemline!
Michelle Lowe-Holder AW11
Finally we have Michelle Lowe-Holder who’s AW’11 collection is a brilliant extension of her origami style, intricately folded accessories collection. This season plaids and prints layer into the collection, along with flashes of metallic foiled sections. The range is created from hand cut or crocheted pieces interlaced with off-cuts of previous collections, end of line ribbons and cuttings sourced from local factories. An additional layer of texture and colour is introduced with bold and bright flocking which has been applied to charity shop finds as well as pieces designed and created specifically by Lowe-Holder.
[Thanks to Lucy Williams from “Blink London" for this review]
TimeOut First Thursdays at the V&A Museum of Childhood
Ethical Fashion in the Age of Austerity
Thursday 03 March 2011, 6.00 – 9.00pm
Calling all fair trade fashionistas! Head down to the V&A Museum of Childhood for the first Thursday of March and join The Papered Parlour for an ethical fashion mini-festival. Uncover hidden workshops, live music, performance, panel discussion and craft stalls set amongst the museum’s exquisite collections. Celebrate the rise of ‘slow fashion’ as London’s leading eco-journalists, green stylists and ethical campaigners come together to discuss the key issues surrounding this growing social movement. In an age of austerity, can we justify the added expense of buying ethically? Or is Make-Do and Mend set to be the next big trend?
The line up reads like a who’s who of ethical fashion: Fashion designer and V&A Trustee Betty Jackson will be in attendance alongside the Guardian’s ‘Ethical Living’ columnist Lucy Siegle, who will be speaking about her forthcoming book ‘To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing out the World?’. London’s ultra-cool stylist Jocelyn Whipple will be running a unique workshop on green styling, plus eco-campaigners ‘Labour Behind the Label’ and ‘Love Fashion Hate Sweat Shops’ will be offering top tips on how to be stylishly sustainable. The event is hosted by celebrated craft venue The Papered Parlour, who will be holding a series of ‘make do and mend’ workshops with Piney Gir, Cecille Grey and Hannah Peel and Laura Groves providing a fabulous soundtrack along the way. So get your ethical act together and get into fair trade fashion at the V&A Museum of Childhood this spring!
For further information, interviews or image request please contact Event Coordinator: Jessica Templeton Smith: Jessicaftsmith@gmail.com, 07988941230
Sustainability and CSR are increasingly areas of focus across industries, but are especially important for the fashion and textile industry, one of the comparatively most polluting industries. Several experts and industry insiders will talk about new perspectives and discuss cases from the industry. Speakers will be academic researchers and fashion industry professionals. The mix of speakers is intended to provide the most accurate and exciting insights to conference participants.
CSF Reader in Sustainable Fashion Kate Fletcher is the Keynote Speaker on 27th April on Platforms of next practice for fashion
Recommended for design directors, fashion- and textile designers, educators as well as business managers who wish to broaden their knowledge on sustainability.
Prices: 2 day full conference, more than 20 speakers, breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffee: € 295
Dinner Wednesday night at Crowne Plaza : € 60
It was good to see so many of the designers on our Business Support Programme showcasing their A/W11 Collections at London Fashion Week, Esethica and EcoLuxe.
jotta is an art and design community founded in partnership with University of the Arts London. jotta collaborate with emerging artists and designers from the world’s top art and design institutions; exhibiting their work through our contemporary art platform, sourcing opportunities, grants and prizes, and working with them on commissioned design projects
Through this collaborative process jotta produces creative output for organisations and companies such as: Virgin Atlantic, The Barbican, The Victoria & Albert Museum, Intel, Hilton Hotels, Samsung, Wieden + Kennedy amongst others.
jotta.com has over 8000 practising artists and designers working across a broad range of disciplines. Find out more about these artists and designers on jotta through interviews, advice, blogs and critical writing in Published. Get up to date events from our exhibition calendar.
If you are an artist or designer join for free here, and find opportunities to collaborate with jotta, and the wider jotta community.
As Colin Firth dusts down his tux for this evening’s Baftas, his wife Livia will be highlighting the world of eco couture in an upcycled Gary Harvey dress. It’s all part of her Green Carpet Challenge…
There is a new breed of fashion designer whose aesthetics match their ethics. This is manifested in the materials they use (picked for lowest ecological impact), the way they produce their work, their supply-chain values and even their ambition for the piece after it has been worn. It chimes with those of us who love fashion but are turned off by the industry’s continuous exploitation and oppression of garment workers and appalling record on environmental pollution and waste. In the UK this alternative industry is represented by the Ethical Fashion Forum; a new crop of socially and ecologically aware designers is being trained at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion, and ethical designers are showcased at Estethica, part of London Fashion Week. Globally, ethical fashion has grown in status, too, from a trend into a fully fledged movement.
A new how-to craft book called State of Craft is being put together and submissions are being accepted for how-to projects.
The book is being published by Cicada Books, a small London-based publishing company specialising in illustrated books (the website is currently being redesigned, but you can still see what it’s about here: www.cicadabooks.co.uk), and will be distributed through Thames & Hudson.
A few years ago, a book called Making Stuff with Black Dog Publishing – an alternative craft book filled with hip and quirky craft projects that led the way for numerous publications in a similar vein – and its follow-up, Making Stuff for Kids were published. They are both still popular and widely available, and you can check them out here: http://blackdogonline.com/craft/
If you are interested in being involved, please email stateofcraft@gmail.com by Friday 18 February including the following information:
1. A one- or two-line description of your craft-project idea.
2. A jpeg or pdf image of the item or a web link where we can view your creation.
You will be informed if the idea will work for the book by the end of February.
VF Corporation is a US based,$7 billion apparel conglomerate and parent company to over 25 global apparel brands, including The North Face, Vans, Lee, Wrangler, Eastpak, Jansport, and Nautica, as well as several others.They will hold an Innovation Summit to in September 2011 for the executive teams of each of VF’s brands, where there will be an opportunity for University of the Arts London students to present cutting-edge design research and concepts.
The Textile Futures Research Centre (TFRC) is one of the UAL’s six research centres, and is renowned for its innovative and ground breaking work in the fields of practice-based textiles design research, which explores digital, science and sustainable textiles.This TFRC / VF competition is open to all students and recent graduates (2 yrs) from Central St Martins, London College of Fashion and Chelsea College of Art and Design, including: BA and MA Textiles at CSM and CCW; MA Fashion, CSM, and MA Digital Fashion, LCF; and TFRC & UAL Research Students
Themes
The competition covers five future textiles themes, which will be explored by eminent researchers in the various fields. The launch event will be on Monday 21st February 2011 (2 – 6pm, Lecture Theatre 272 High Holborn):
Theme 1 ‘Simplicity Regained’ – Dr Emma Neuberg
Theme 2 ‘Trust Rebalanced’ – Adam Thorpe
Theme 3 ‘Networked Lives’ – Di Mainstone
Theme 4 ‘Responsible Living’ – Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino
Theme 5 ‘Health & Wellness’ – Suzanne Lee
Prizes
*10 x TFRC Making and Mentoring Awards (£250 cash and 2 feedback sessions with a mentor)
*Top prize of £1500, work included in the VF Corp USA Summit exhibition, & trip to the summit, September 2011
Timescale
Launch Event: Monday 21st February 2011
Deadline for Proposals: March 2011
Mentoring Awards announcement: April 2011
First Mentoring Session: May 2011, Innovation Centre, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Second Mentoring Session: June 2011, Innovation Centre, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Final deadline and Judging: Early – mid July 2011
The excellent final work of our MA Fashion and the Environment students has been commended in the press. Congratulations to all the MA students on their intelligent and beautiful work. If you haven’t been to the London College of Fashion MA Exhibition yet, you have a couple of days left until it closes on Wednesday 9th February. It’s open daily12.00 – 19.00 at Victoria House Basement, Bloomsbury Square, London WC1B 4DA.
The exhibition as a whole was an impressive showcase, displaying the work of several MA Fashion courses including Digital Fashion, Fashion Curation and Footwear. Of note in Photography was Camilo Eschenem’s image of heaped clothing, which reflected issues of disposability in fashion that the Fashion and the Environment program seeks to address. As always, the successes here were when the beauty and craft of the pieces negated the need for responsibility as an excuse. Saida Bruce’s elegantly displayed pieces acknowledged the traditions of ethical clothing with spriggy florals and lived-in and sunned-on colours, and elevated them with simple but touching elements such as a seemingly frail single thread blanket-stitch.
University of the Arts London is determined to make a distinctive and creative contribution to addressing the world’s social and environmental needs, by integrating sustainable and ethical practices throughout all aspects of the life and work of our staff and students.
Log on to the new dedicated sustainability website at http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/sustainability to find all the information, news and resources on sustainability at University of the Arts London. Bookmark the site today to keep up to date on the latest developments.
CHOOLIPS’ Profile has gone live in the Profiling Business section of the CSF website.
CHOOLIPS is one of the labels on our Business Support Programme which aims to help existing and emerging London based fashion businesses. The next Programme is due to start in March 2011. Find out more and register your interest
Lu Flux’s Profile has gone live in the Profiling Business section of the CSF website.
Lu Flux is one of the labels on our Business Support Programme which aims to help existing and emerging London based fashion businesses. The next Programme is due to start in March 2011. Find out more and register your interest
H & M have to be given a thumbs up for so prominantly promoting sustainability in one of their flagship stores; even though the relevant pieces are a small percentage of their overall collection, they are clearly showing a committment and willingness to frontline the concept of sustainable fashion, atleast in Regents Street.
It’s interesting that they’ve decided to focus on sustainable materials as the selling point. Materials are the thing we can touch and feel; they give us something seemingly definite to say, “it’s organic”, “it’s recycled”; the question is does this just provide us with a comfortable excuse to buy more, another dress is fine because it’s organic! I’m waiting for the H & M durable design collection, what would that look like?
