My tailor is a rockstar

Studio Jux
My Nepali Tailor is a Rockstar

Studio Jux is an eco friendly design led fashion brand with a philosophy for fair trade and fun.  Jux is a German word for fun.  Studio Jux believe that fashion should be fun.  Fun for the customer.  Fun for the designer. - and, more importantly, fun for the tailors who produce their collections.

Studio Jux believe their tailors are rockstars.

To promote the tailor's who work in the brand's Nepalese factory, Studio Jux has produced a printed 100% organic cotton T.Shirt:  My Nepali Tailor is a Rockstar.

The brand have also designed labels to promote the tailors who work in their own factory in Nepal as well as factories used in Portugal and China.

Studio Jux = Design + Eco + Fair

Customers can also shake hands with their tailor by checking a numbered label in their Studio Jux clothing.  The number corresponds to a specific tailor.  By going to the Studio Jux website, clicking handshake, customers can meet their Rockstar Tailor.

http://www.studiojux.com/handshake

H&M Conscious Exclusive Collection

Embroidered and lace applique dress.
Organic cotton, re-cycled polyamide, polyamide.
Conscious Exclusive Collection.

As part of fashion retailer H&M's work towards a more sustainable fashion future, the company launched a capsule collection, Conscious Exclusive on April 4th.  Inspired by Hollywood glamour, the evening wear collection features clothing and accessories created from materials including organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled polyamide and Tencel.

The Conscious Exclusive collection has been a resounding success with many items already being sold out.  Do not despair!  Items from the collection are already being sold on Ebay.

Conscious sustainable fashion with a fast fashion attitude.

Long draped dress.
Re-cycled polyester.
Conscious Exclusive Collection.

Printed tulip dress with stone embroidery.
Organic cotton and silk.
Conscious Exclusive Collection.

Grosgrain jacket and trouser.
Organic cotton and Viscose.
Conscious Exclusive Collection.

Structured dress with bead and gem embellishment.
Organic cotton and silk.
Conscious Exclusive Collection.

Things to look back upon and love about 2012.

Honest by  Bruno Pieters

Honest by Bruno Pieters
Marl sweater made from recycled wool
Creased cotton wrap skirt

Honest by

The launch in January, 2012 of Honest by.

Honest by, is the creation of the highly regarded Belgian designer, Bruno Pieters.  Pieters has created the first company in the world to have 100% transparency for it's supply chain, allowing Honest by customers to shop for innovative fashion in a completely conscious way.

Honest by

Honest by Bruno Pieters
Organic silk chiffon dress

Honest by

Honest by Bruno Pieters
Recycled wool caban coat
organic cotton facings, bindings and thread.

Honest by

Partimi 2012 collections

Partimi
Spring Summer 2012

One of my favourite sustainable fashion brands.  I love the simple silhouettes,  easy style and captivating prints depicting photographic images from designer, Eleanor Dorrien-Smith's childhood.   I loved both of Partimi's 2012 collections.  Looking forward to 2013.

Partimi

Partimi
Spring Summer 2012

Partimi
Autumn Winter 2012
Photograph by:  Nicole Maria Winkler

Partimi
Autumn Winter 2012
Photograph by:  Nicole Maria Winkler

NEWGEN sponsorship winners

A special mention to three of the designers who have been awarded sponsorship to present their collections at London Fashion Week in February, 2013.   J JS Lee, Lucas Nascimento and Christopher Raeburn.

J JS LEE
Spring Summer 2013 collection

J JS LEE
Spring Summer 2013 collection

J JS LEE
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Lucas Nascimento
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Lucas Nascimento
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Lucas Nascimento
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Christopher Raeburn
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Christopher Raeburn
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Christopher Raeburn
Spring Summer 2013 collection

Rutzou award for sustainable fashion

Rutzou
Sustainable design challenge, 2012

Danish fashion designer Susanne Rutzou, won the sustainable design challenge in May this year.  The competition - part of the Copenhagen Fashion Summit - was set to raise awareness of sustainable textiles.

Rutzou

Rutzou
Sustainable design challenge, 2012

  

Suno continue to captivate

Since starting this blog back in 2008, around the same time that the label Suno was launched, I have been captivated by the brand's creativity.  Now a regular at New York Fashion Week, Suno continues to produce directional collections with an innovative use of print, colour and fabrics.  

Suno have also continued to be true to the brands initial ethics of supporting communities and economies in countries including Kenya, India and Peru.

Below are a few of my favourites from Suno's latest Resort collection.

www.sunony.com

Suno
Resort Collection
Image by Suno via style.com

Suno
Resort Collection
Image by Suno via style.com

Suno
Resort Collection
Image by Suno via style.com

Suno
Resort Collection
Image by Suno via style.com

From Somewhere for Spring 2012

From Somewhere
Spring Summer 2012

www.fromsomewhere.co.uk

Oooh! I'm loving the new Spring Summer '12 collection by From Somewhere.  A creative sustainable label producing collections from luxury designer fabric off-cuts.  Their SS12 collection also includes some of the season's key trends.

There are sportswear influences, including satin trimmed shorts reminiscent of Balenciaga's Resort '12 collection.  A hint of contemporary tribal - a key fashion statement for Summer.  Bright colours - yellow, orange, pink set back against black.  Luscious deep toffee brown.  Tones of petrol blue. Colour blocking mixed with stripes and prints.

From Somewhere
Spring Summer 2012

www.fromsomewhere.co.uk

Of course, no Summer '12 collection would be complete without a nod towards to the Sixties, which continues to be a major influence.  A simple shift dress has been created with panels of mixed textures, including a sky blue jacquard giving this 1960's classic a 2012 spin.  

The full collection can be seen at: www.fromsomewhere.co.uk

From Somewhere
Spring Summer 2012

www.fromsomewhere.co.uk

From Somewhere was established in 1997 by Orsola De Castro and Filippo Ricci.  All womenswear collections are made by up-cycling high-end fashion and surplus textiles - fabric swatches, production off-cuts and end of rolls.  The aim is to produce beautiful clothes that take into account the balance between consumpation and disposal.

Orsola De Castro is the founder of the Estethica.

Future Classics

I recently read an article - in one of those free daily papers available at train stations - about the length of time it takes for a Fashion Editor - of one of those glossy, international, monthly fashion tomes - to be seen wearing outfits from designer catwalk collections.  One Editor, was seen in an outfit from Prada's SS12 collection in a matter of days (it may have been less) after it was shown on the catwalk.

Here starts the dizzying whirl of the fashion wheel for another season.  It's a frantic fashionista race to claim the title for being one of the first to be seen wearing the latest collections.  Here, too, is where I have a confession to make.  On Friday, I found myself caught up in this race.  

Future Classics brocade fabric
at Save the Children, Westbourne Grove

Image by Re-Design for Life

I'd popped into the Save the Children shop on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill.  As I was taking a leisurely flick through the rails,  I noticed something shimmering in the light.  I hastily pushed back a selection of clothes to reveal a brocade skirt, which instantly reminded me of the plethora of brocade skirts shown on the Spring Summer '12 catwalks.  Without hesitation, I whipped it from the rail. Tried it on.  Loved it.  Bought it.  A key fashion piece for my wardrobe. 

Brocade skirt by Future Classics
at Save the Children, Westbourne Grove.

Image by Re-Design for Life

This brocade skirt was donated to Save the Children by fashion label Future Classics, who donate many samples to the Westbourne Grove store.  

Thank you to Future Classics for helping me in my moment of being a Frantic Fashionista.  More importantly, thank you for your fashion donations towards helping Save the Children.

Emesha launches an androgynous edge for Autumn Winter 2011/12

Emesha
Autumn Winter 2011/12

I love Emesha's AW12 collection!

Taking it's initial inspiration from the shirt, the collection reworks this classic shape into other garments to create a relaxed, contemporary look.  These pieces are juxtaposed with razor sharp tailoring for a clean silhouette resulting in a collection of unique pieces with an androgynous edge.  

When I viewed the collection at London Fashion Week's Estethica, what also struck me was the premium quality of it's finish and fabrics - all of which are 100% natural and/or organic.  The label is fully committed to environmental and social responsibilities:  always sourcing new eco-friendly fabrics, using sustainable materials and recycling as much as possible.

In addition to this, Emesha practices fair wage policy and production is organized to help the depriving fashion industry in Hungary.

What is there not to love about Emesha.

Emesha
Autumn Winter 2011/12

Emesha
Autumn Winter 2011/12

Emesha
Autumn Winter 2011/12

Emesha
Autumn Winter 2011/12

Emesha
Autumn Winter 2011/12

The only way is Up for Goodone

Goodone - Spring Summer 2011
Oversized panelled T-shirt
worn with contrast jersey leggings.

Goodone  the award-winning fashion label continues to go from strength to strength with each season.  I have been so impressed with the last two collections - Spring Summer 2011 and Autumn Winter 2011 - previewed at London Fashion Week.

Following on from the mentorship with Yasmin Sewell as part of a British Fashion Council scheme, Goodone's Designer and Co-Founder Nin Castle has pushed up-cycling to a "a new level of luxury".  For Spring Summer, Goodone combines re-claimed garments and surplus fabrics with new British produced fabrics to create fashion-forward styles with an Active Sportswear influence, a key look for Summer 2011:  body-con shapes, contrast panels, mesh fabrics and recycled festival tents!

Goodone - Spring Summer 2011
Panelled body-con dress with waffle knit detail
and key hole back

The Spring Summer collection is available online at www.goodone.co.uk

I'll give you a taster of the Autumn Winter collection in a later post.  Be patient.  It's a Goodone.  (Sorry!  Such a terrible pun...I couldn't resist it.)

Goodone - Spring Summer 2011
Linen and jersey jumpsuit

Goodone - Spring Summer 2011
Oversized knitted jumper with woven shoulders
worn with two-tone jersey leggings.

Precious pleating by Felicity Brown

 Can't believe I haven't yet mentioned Felicity Brown.

I was wandering around Liberty's yesterday when I noticed a rail of stunning dresses, created in ruffled layers of hand-dyed, pleated silk. I instantly recognised the dresses from Felicity Brown's debut collection.  I'd seen pieces from this collection at London Fashion Week back in September, where I was captivated by the breath-taking beauty of each piece within this small couture collection.  All of the dresses are hand-made, hand-dyed and hand-printed using precious silks.

I am totally in awe of Felicity Brown's creative talent.  So sorry it's taken me so long to share this with you.

Felicity Brown
Autumn Winter 2010

Felicity Brown
Autumn Winter 2010

Felicity Brown
Autumn Winter 2010

Felicity Brown
Spring Summer 2011

Felicity Brown
Spring Summer 2011

Louise Gray: Quilt Me, Change Me.

Louise Gray

Quilt Me, Change Me

Autumn Winter 2010

It's two weeks since I wobbled across the cobbled court yard of Somerset House in seriously uncomfortable boots. Grimacing as I entered the LFW New Generation exhibition, I found my pain relief in Louise Gray's Autumn Winter 2010 collection. Her exuberant range was presented on hand-drawn drawn figures with sea-side style cut-out holes for faces. The overall mood was definitely for a sense of fun. And it certainly made me smile.

The Quilt Me, Change Me collection is a collage of delicious colour and intriguing textures. Louise Gray is an innovative textile designer. By using traditional methods of devore, quilting and patchwork, Louise transforms fabrics into something completely different.

I was captivated by the contrasting colours, prints and textures used in off-kilter panel dresses and skirts.

A stunning red kimono coat was one of my favourite pieces. The incredible 3D texture was created by applying devore - where fabric is burned away - onto layers of quilted fabrics. The top layer of fabric had almost disappeared to leave a hounds-tooth effect of threads caught in place by the quilting.

By pushing the boundaries of textile design, Louise has created a collection of refreshingly modern pieces to be worn with a smile.

Louise Gray

Autumn Winter 2010

Image by Re-Design for Life

Louise Gray

Autumn Winter 2010

Image by Re-Design for Life

Louise Gray

Autumn Winter 2010

Image by Re-Design for Life