Nixxi – fashion with a conscience

I just discovered Nixxi, a fabulous fashion label whose clothes are uber cool and glamourous, as well as being sustainably produced. Bravo!

As far as I am aware, Nixxi isn’t (annoyingly) available to buy in the UK…although, trust me, I am looking! It appears to be a Canadian label, and my Mum is travelling over there later on this year, so may have to ask her to bring me some bits back!

Nixxi has been nominated for a ‘Fashion Takes Action’ award, and I hope they do well! The clothes are utterly feminine and gorgeous. Lots of drapery, and floating fabrics. ‘Clean silhouettes in organic textures’ as they put it. I love it. I am a sucker for anything sustainable and ethical, especially if it looks as pretty as these clothes do…

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Alternative Fashion Week

Presented by Alternative Arts, Alternative Fashion Week runs from 19th April to 23rd April, and showcases emerging designers with truley original and creative designs.

Get down to Spitalfields, London daily during the week at 1.15pm as it is open to the public.

http://www.alternativearts.co.uk/AFW

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Slow Fashion Forward

I just picked this up from the Centre for Sustainable Fashion blog here on WordPress (http://centreforsustainablefashion.wordpress.com/)

The Slow Fashion Forward Team are an international group of three researchers completing their Masters in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainabliltyin Sweden. Their research focus is how to bring momentum to the Slow Fashion movement and they need your help.

If you are in the fashion industry please help them by completing their survey – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/slowfashionfwd

You can email them if you would like to get in contact – slowfashionfwd@gmail.com

Or visit their website  for more details – http://slowfashionforward.tumblr.com/

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Branch Boutique – brand spanking new website launch

Branch Boutique – A new online sustainable fashion store launched this week. Deirdre Holbrook, founder of Branch Boutique, is “embracing alternative fabrics created from milk, bark, seaweed, and hemp”; she introduces us to her online eco-shop, below the fold.

“After working in sustainable fashion PR for the past four years, I decided what many of emerging designers need now is a highly supportive retail site that promotes them to larger audiences and other retailers. We focus on new and difficult to find designers, and carry no more than 20 each season; what we feel are the best of the best in each category. Current designers include mr. Larkin, Mika Organic, Lina Rinnell, BlankVerse jewelry, Manu lingerie, and more. We’re offering a unified look and feel, as if you’re entering a boutique, and take all of our own photos for the site.” (Thank you http://www.treehugger.com/ for this lovely quote)

Check it out at http://www.branchboutique.com/

Good luck Branch Boutique, I wish you a very successful future.

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Pants to Poverty

One fun way to help bring an end to poverty…

Pants to Poverty create fun underwear for women, men and children, with a ‘grain to groin’ ethos. They only use fairtrade organic cotton by tribal cotton farmets in India. They are trying to help end the viscious cycle of poverty.

Pants for adults start at £10, and for kids ages 3 to 10 you can buy a pack of three, ranging from £18 to £21, with a variety of styles and patterns available. Here are a couple of my personal favourites…

http://www.pantstopoverty.com/

I will keep you updated with any new events…

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Internship Opportunities at People Tree

I recently applied for an internship for either six months or one year at the highly respectable ethical fashion brand People Tree. I was delighted to have received a callback from the head of design, Tracy Mulligan. I endeavoured to create an electronic portfolio for them to put in their files for review closer to the time of placement. The portfolio was sent off today via email, and I am very excited to hear of any feedback they may have.

People Tree is a well established brand and works to ensure they meet Fair Trade principles set out by the IFTA (International Fair Trade Association) by working with 50 fair trade groups in 15 countries. They aim to bring benefits to people and the planet at as many stages of the production process as possible, i.e. growing cotton, dyeing, weaving. This is highly beneficial as it helps to alleviate poverty in the world’s most marginalised countries. They also work hard to ensure pioneering ecologically sound methods of production, which helps to minimise environmental impact. The majority of the cotton used in their clothing lines is certified Organic and Fair Trade and all their clothes are dyed using natural, safe dyes. The clothes produced are very beautiful and do not appear to conform to the traditional ‘ethical’ aesthetic, which is very inspiring and innovative; this creates demand in a new market segment which was previously not being satisfied with attractive ethical clothing.

Visit the website at www.peopletree.co.uk

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New Look at Ethics

New Look chairman Phil Wrigley can be seen discussing ethics on the high street in Drapers, 29th November 2008. He called on the fashion industry to make a greater effort when it comes to ethical issues when speaking at the Drapers Fashion Summit 2008. The man behing New Look reflects upon what he considers ‘ethics’ to be about;

“Getting things done depends on how you behave, how you treat people and what you leave behind when you’re gone. That is ethics to me. How do we source and buy product? How do we treat the people involved?”

Wrigley discusses the role of government, the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) and the retailers themselves and goes on to state that in this financial crisis it is the perfect time to start becoming more ethical.

It is great to see the facts and figures in is speech that show that sales of ethical fashion clothing sales accounted for 12%  of all UK retail sales in 2007. 

Here is a link to the the article:

http://www.drapersonline.com/international/analysis/2008/11/analysis_ethics_must_stay_high_on_the_agenda.html

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War on Want: Tesco, Primark and Asda clothing

Here is a link to a number of reports and publications from War on Want.If you scroll down there is an excellent report entitled ‘Fashion Victims’ that is definately worth reading if you are interested in expolring the real cost of cheap, disposable fashion garments.An in valuable source of information if you are writing a report on the use of sweatshops in fashion. This was recommended to me from my lecturer in Production and Consumption at London College of Fashion.

http://www.waronwant.org/Latest20Research20for20Download+8247.twl

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Noir

The new collection from the Ethical fashion label ‘Noir’ is once again stunning,proving that ethical and sustainable fashion doesn’t have to conform to the typical stereotype of baggy trousers and oversized frumpy tops. The brand prides itself on its ‘ethical luxury’ ethos, which is something very rare in the fashion world, but something very exciting. The brand is available at Harvey Nichols in the UK, and it worth a look if your fashion conscience is telling you to make more valuable and considered choices.

The new S/S 09 collection is once again sexy, feminine, elegant and sumptuous!the caption that has been attached to the collection is ‘A LYRIC TO A NOIR NYMPH’…hinting at a pixie like style and nymph like silhouette, but don’t be afraid, it is not too fantasy-like!With the campaign photo shoot being sot on a white sand, blue sea beach with dead and weathered trees the collection looks very raw natural. As always, the primary colour palette is monochrome, i.e white/cream with black…exactly what every woman wants.

The collection consists fo dresses, trousers, tops etc. all in luxurious looking fabrics. Clever use of pleats, folding and drapery give the collection a very modern and sexy appeal.There are styles to cater to every shape and every style…large bust?try the beautiful black v necked dress, to the knee in matt black with black satin sash around the waist to highlight those wonderful curves. How about long and slithe?Well,who better ot pull off thier long and sleek pure white floor length dress with thing black belt than you?!With a subtle v neck mixed with full length skirt with a slash up to the thigh it shows of those perfect pins!Still in doubt?Why not take a look at the collection itself at: http://www.noir-illuminati2.com/noir.php#/182788/

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