Be adorned by the Kalahari

All Images by Boo George

A collaboration between two London based jewelers and The Bushmen of the Kalahari has resulted in a unique collection of directional jewelry.

Anna Haber and Sabine Roemer worked closely with Bushmen tribes women to create jewelry inspired by the Bushmen of the Kalahari's culture for adornment. The collection is a fusion of traditional skills and natural materials - Ostrich eggshells, seeds, bone and wood - with modern materials including satin and velvet.

The aim is to build a sustainable business for the tribe and generate an important source of income, especially for the women.

HandEye Magazine has a full article - handeyemagazine. Anna Haber's blog onefinetread has more information with stunning images by fashion photographer Boo George.

Fashion & the Environment at SHIFT Festival

Fashioning The Future

Centre for Sustainable Fashion

This weekend graduates from London College of Fashion's MA Fashion & the Environment will be showcasing their 2010 work as part of the SHIFT Festival on London's South Bank. The graduate exhibition - organised by the Centre for Sustainable Fashion - is available for public view from Friday 29 to Sunday 31st January. Also included in the exhibition will be highlights from Fashioning the Future 2009, the international student awards for sustainability in fashion as well as workshops and discussions.

Full details can be found on the CSF website.

Erin O'Connor promotes fair trade fashion

The Observer Magazine

24 January 2010

Thank you to The Observer Magazine for yesterday's cover story 'Model Behaviour - Catwalk queen Erin O'Connor on bringing fair trade fashion to the high steet'. The article gives much needed publicity to the work of SEWA (Self Employed Women's Asociation), an ethical fashion project set up to stop the exploitation of female home-workers in India. The project is partly funded by Traid (UK Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) whose spokesperson is the model Erin O'Connor.

Female home-workers carry out highly skilled beading and embroidery embellishments for clothes destined for high-street retailers. The women can be paid as little as 54p for a 12 hour day. SEWA has increased the wages of their homeworkers as well as given them the opportunity to improve their lives and those of their families.

SEWA has contracts with Monsoon, Next and Gap and although these are only for small quantities it is a step in the right direction for high-street fashion.

For the full story click on this link: Observer - Traid - Fashion

Eco Couture

Swedish eco couture brand Camilla Wellton create elegant, discreetly luxurious clothes for those who desire beautiful, unique pieces with an eco conscience. 10% of their profit is given to the Swedish NGO Vi skogen to help promote the planting of new trees in Africa.

Their SS10 collection will be available from 25th February. You can see a preview on their website.

Inspiration - Winter 2010

I know. I know. What do I mean? -Winter 2010!! We've hardly had a hint of Spring 2010 I hear you cry. And there I was - only two weeks ago - spouting off my resolution for slowing down fashion. How can I possibly be slowing down when I'm practically leap-frogging the SS10 season to find myself falling head-over-heels for looks that have barely left the 'Pre-Fall 2010' catwalks. I simply couldn't resist.

Preen Pre-Fall 2010

This has to be my number 1 collection. That hard-edged, Forties glamour. Strong yet sensual. Don't mess with me attitude. I just love it! These outfits look even more amazing set against those distressed plaster walls and bare floor-boards. (Reminds me of my local pub). I could happily take each of these outfits to wear as they are, which could cause a bit of stir down at my local.

Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2010

Amazing bold colour. Futuristic tropical floral prints. Ingenious draping effects. All brought together with creative genius to produce a collection with impact. Although, I'll probably give the bright yellow leggings a miss.

Missoni Pre-Fall 2010

I've mentioned before that I don't really do knitwear. This collection could be the one to convert me. I just love the layers of textures and colours that have been wrapped and draped to create each outfit. What's even more appealing is that each item can be wrapped and draped in more than one way to create different looks from one outfit. Multi-functional dressing at it's most creative.

Giles Pre-Fall 2010

Another of my favourites. Why? -Because of the creative direction - shown in an old porcelain factory. The styling - vivid coloured wigs and tool accessories. And, because it's Giles - one of my favourite British designers. Never afraid to take risks. I have to say I'm not loving the Laboutins. I just don't understand what all the fuss is. But I am loving the paper-clip prints. Stunning with a quirky edge on that floor length dress.

Baby it's cold outside

Curl up, cocoon and keep warm...

Images by Humanoid

Dutch design company Humanoid use fabrics that envelop the body in comfortable luxury. Their designs are created using draped fabrics that gently hug the silhouette of the body for a relaxed fit. Elegant clothes with an edge. Their clothes are a pleasure to wear. Perfect for cold winter days like today.

Slowing down in 2010

Image from i-D issue 303

T.Shirt by Stella McCartney

After a spate of inactivity on this blog I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I have to admit I am off to a bit of a slow start as we enter the new decade. In fact, slowing down is my fashion motivation for 2010. Slow fashion is the way forward. The zeitgeist. On trend. If you haven’t already started taking things at a slower pace, can I suggest you choose fashionably slowing down as your resolution for the new decade.

Don’t get me wrong. I love clothes. I love fashion. However, consumers have been living in a fast fashion frenzy for far too long. Lured by brands selling cheaply made, low quality cat-walk replicas to be cast aside after a couple of months to make way for the latest as-worn-by styles. Quantity has become more important than quality. Individuality is losing out all together.

I agree with Gill Linton’s ‘Stop Buying New Crap’ manifesto in her Fashion for Losers article. The manifesto states: “Buy timeless: one of a kind quality vintage…the well made, timeless or on-trend pieces that are easy to mix with contemporary looks and don’t cost vintage couture or contemporary Balmain prices…” What’s more, you'll be creating your own personal style.

Vivienne Westwood wants to see the end of "indiscriminate consumption" saying "If you have to choose something, save up and choose well."

OK rant over. Here’s to a slower paced fashion decade filled with individuality.