Ethical Fashion Menswear

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

Ethical Superstore have created a space in the online retail market
as thehub for all your ethical household needs.

In this post, as part of the Ethical Fashion Blogathon, we’ll take a look
at their menswear.

For Autumn 2012, they’ve recently added a new line of Komodo tops (mostly
jumpers and hoodies).

They’ve created an edited collection of Komodo’s menswear range, and have
chosen some fairly on trend – but accessible to most men who’d be surfing the
net for such a garment.

I am particularly drawn to this rather bold recycled cotton and hemp
jumper by Komodo.

This Komodo Patch Daddy Wool Cardigan has been particularly popular. And
for good reason, the chunky knit cardigan is wide collared with horn
buttons. We also like the contrasting shades of burnt orange and
deep cream.

Their underwear category features Pants to Poverty. A great brand,
working with Fairtrade and organic cotton, an bold colours.

The Weekend Bag from Traidcraft is great. It’s made with recycled tyre -
a great material to work with; it’s durable, it’s keeping the tyre out of
landfill, and it’s waterproof. It’s the perfect bag for the active man in your
life.

And the best bit? It’s all on sale!

This post was written by HJ Taskis of Greenhouse PR

Fashioned for Freedom 12th November

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

On 12th of November, online marketplace, House of Beth will host Fashioned for Freedom at the striking St Mary’s Church using high fashion to raise funds for those directly involved in the prevention, rescue and reintegration of victims of human trafficking.

The evening will be run by an all female cast including Directors from House of Beth, BBC personality Nel Hedayat and Sky Sports presenter Olivia Godfrey presenting the acts and brief talks from the sustainable fashion expert Amisha Ghadiali and Vice Chair of the Human Trafficking Foundation Baroness- Butler Sloss.It will also include a premier of the film ‘Flight’, directed by the well-known Tamzin Haughton. Clothing by six ethical designers including From Somewhere, Henrietta Ludgate, Ada Zanditon, Beulah London, Shadowplay NYC and Goodone, will be showcased in the film and auctioned off at the end of the night with proceeds going to the two organisations.

Finally what fashion event would be complete without a glass of wine and some music? Underground favourite Digital Farm Animals will be on the decks and there will be an open wine bar sponsored by Nederburg and Pongracz and dynamic art instillations metamorphosing the beautiful Church into a stunning and creative fashion event!

All funds from the event will go to International Organisation for Migration’s victim’s support fund and Red Light Campaign’s rehabilitation fund.

So if you fancy going along, here are the details

Where: St Mary’s Church, Wyndham Place, York Street, London W1H 1PQ
Time: 7-10pm
Purchase tickets here

Also if you haven’t already checked out House of Beth, I would definitely recommend it. They sell some fantastic preloved clothes with 50% of each purchase being donated to fight human trafficking.

Eco Luxury at Mccoll&clan

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

mccoll&clan is the brain-child of eco-fashion designer Lusmila McColl, she believes that good style can last and goodness can come from it.

Lusmilla started the company back in 2007 with the aim of fostering the growth and development of employing or developing materials produced with consciousness, care, and compassion to the environment, the workers, and the
customer. At mccoll&clan pieces retain their luxury, style and positive effect on the planet for years to come.

Lusmila McColl, founder and principal of mccoll&clan, has been constructing and designing clothing since she was a child. She was taught sewing and construction from her Amazonian-Father. Fashion has always been a passion. She kept the passion to her own, until Fall 2007, when he had the opportunity to showcase a collection for Harris Tweed Textiles in Glasgow, Scotland and then again in 2008 in Tokyo, Japan.

You can support mccoll&clan’s foray into the eco-fashionlush scene by purchasing one of their empowering, enlightening, enchanting, engaging, entertaining, excellent LIMITED EDITION eco-tees available in grey and white. The profits from the sale of these t-shirts will help to fund the production of our new eco-luxious loungewear collection (giving you more beautiful garments to sustainably and stylish sport with your eco-fab tee). the T-shirt is made of 100% organic cotton, produced in the USA, and printed locally to support small business.

Please stop by and take a look www.mccollandclan.com/home/

Ethical Engagement Rings at Ingle and Rhode

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

Bespoke ethical jewellers Ingle & Rhode know a thing or two about design. From their design workshop in Mayfair, London, Ingle & Rhode share the latest trends for wedding jewellery in 2013 and advise on the dos and don’ts of designing your engagement ring.

Jewellery is personal. It’s got to be comfortable. Its design should last for generations and it is one of the most cherished family heirlooms.

Jewellery makes a powerful statement about who are you. When it’s a wedding or engagement ring, it whispers of a private union and a personal love story.

Weddings in 2013 are going to be fuelled with injections of colour and this is already reinterpreted into contemporary jewellery design. Coloured gemstones are experiencing a renaissance, purely for the fact that they provide timeless statements.

Whilst vibrant gemstones have traditionally been used to create a dramatic showpiece on the finger by combining brilliant blue sapphires, gorgeous green hues of emeralds
or the wonderfully rich red of rubies with diamonds. However you can introduce
pockets of colour into your engagement ring more subtly with the unspoken
luxury of one or two isolated gems, which works perfectly with contemporary
design. The choice is yours.

Whatever you decide, choose your stones wisely. Many precious gems come with a horrible history – fuelling conflict in certain parts of the world and causing a negative impact on both the environment and local communities in the areas where they are
mined. Most high street and luxury jewellers don’t think twice about the chemicals used to extract gemstones or the child labour within the local cutting workshops.

At Ingle & Rhode
They ethically source all of their gemstones in a transparent manner through
responsible partners that manage the whole process. They look at the lifespan of
the mines and ensure that profits are reinvested back into the community and
environment to ensure long-term opportunities.

Jen Marsden, author of Green Guide for Wedding, adds:

“Ingle & Rhode provides decadent, bespoke design with an expertly hand-crafted
finish. This is the true treasure of ethical wedding
rings, providing exquisite memories that last more than one lifetime.”

For us, every
engagement ring we individually design begins as a love story.

Check out www.ingleandrhode.co.uk for inspiration!

London Ethnic – The Best of London Design

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

London Ethnic is all about the fashion inspired by ethnicity that is London, a melting pot of cultures with a style that takes influence from every place and every era. London is often at the forefront of innovative fashion and London Ethnic keeps you right up to date with the latest designers, often that you won’t find any where else.

London Ethnic is also about sustainable and ethical fashion. They like their designers designers who calculate the carbon footprint of their designs to find innovative ways of recycling, to know that those involved in making their products are being paid a fair wage and even to know the names of the sheep that their wool comes from!

Some of the amazing designers that you will find at London Ethnic include:

Anna Lee – a romantic and feminine collection of layered and printed silk chiffon pieces.

Madam Melon- colourful South American inspired jewellery made using materials sourced from some of South America’s most deprived areas in Bolivia.

Nova Chiu – London College of Fashion Graduate known for her colourful and textured creations, she has experience working at Matthew Williamson, Richard Nicoll and Anna Sui.

Anunita – an Indian born fashion designer, based in London who creates bespoke designs using fabrics from Kolkata, India which are all natural, organic and hand-woven by local artisans.

These are just a few of the amazing collections, you will find on London Ethnic, please stop by www.londonethnic.com and check out their unique fashion.

NV London Calcutta – Bags of Style!

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

I am delighted to have the chance to post about another amazing stylish and ethical accessory brand NV London Calcutta for the Ethical Fashion Blogathon. Naomi of NV London Calcutta also has a strong connection with Naomi House (yes the clue is in the name!), the charity that we are raising money for as part of this blogathon.

NV London Calcutta is a future friendly, award-winning, ethical accessories company dedicated to bridging the gap between high fashion and traditional ethical offerings. NV Calcutta utilises a sustainable business model and works works to promote an approach which creates jobs and empowers the producers.

They are a brand that have definitely not lost sight of the fact that in order to change lives, their product must be elegant, chic and desirable and that they certainly are! The brand utilises age-old Indian craftsmanship and artisan skills and in return provides support and champions marginalised producer groups ensuring a fair wage and a healthy, happy working environment.

Each design is not only unique but also has an interesting story behind it making it the perfect choice for anyone who does not want to compromise on either style or ethics.

I have been on the lookout for a stylish and ethical laptop bag for some time. This one looks great and could be used on those days when I don’t have a laptop with me.

I have also been on the look out for an ethical yoga bag that will fit a mat in and this one has a fantastic design on it. It is made from canvas and will also fit shoes, accessories, towel and trainers – perfect!

NV London Calcutta also have a fantastic range of silk scarves. My favourite is this zebra print scarf which is handspun using finest quality silks from cocoons that the whole village is involved in creating.

Please check out the full range of ethical accessories at www.nvlondoncalcutta.co.uk.

Pure Thread London – 8th -26th October

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

Pure Thread London is an ethical shopping extravaganza being held at 67 Old Street in London as I speak. The event is being hosted by Jocelyn Whipple, leading light of Livia Firth’s Green Carpet Challenge and Jill Heller, owner of legendary Boutique, Pure Thread, New York. Pure Thread London is a fantastic opportunity to see, feel and buy some of the worlds hottest sustainable style brands.

If you have ever wondered whether style and ethics are at all compatible, this event is sure to make up your mind as you are confronted by truly beautiful clothing that is likely to redefine how you think of ethical fashion. It is about time we all got the chance to access these brands, some of which have been under the radar for far too long and are a chic alternative to many of the mass produced brands that are available on the high street.

Broadcaster and writer, Lucy Siegle, author of To Die For: is fashion wearing out the world says

I can’t wait for this event. This will show that sustainable style has gone up several gears and is now a serious wardrobe competitor. These brands are the perfect antidote to a fashion culture that has become fixated on disposability and takes a heavy toll on people and planet.

Pure Thread will feature an exclusive edit of sustainable fashion from Autumn Winter 12 collections by Jocelyn Whipple including Ada Zanditon, Beautiful Soul, Bottletop, Charini, From Somewhere, Junky Styling and Front Row Society to name but a few.

The Lauch Event: Tuesday October 16, 6 – 9 pm. RSVP Contact: jocelynwhipple@yahoo.com

This retail event runs from 8-26 October, daily from 10am – 6pm at 67 Old Street, London EC1V 9HW, Sunday by appointment. Further details here.

I will definitely be stopping by this pop up shop, will you?

Image – dress by Beautiful Soul

Sapellé – a Paradise of Prints

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

Sapellé is an online multi-brand retailer of stylish women’s fashion
and accessories. Products combine modern styling with increasingly
popular African design influences, creating beautiful unique
contemporary pieces that are perfectly adaptable for today’s discerning
woman who seeks classically trendy pieces for her wardrobe.

For lovers of bold and bright prints like myself Sapellé is like paradise! The designs featured take the most amazing prints and styles from Africa but adapt them for a wearable look that can work for anyone, even with our weather in the UK!

Daphne Kasambala, the founder of Sapellé is passionate about bringing beautiful clothing made by innovative designers and talented crafts people to women seeking something new and fresh to complement their style. Sapellé’s ethical focus is on creating fair employment and pay through Fair Trade with African suppliers, and the company sources its products from a variety of design labels, independent artisans and social enterprises that have ethical and sustainable production principles.

Here are just some of the fantastic brands that you will find on Sapellé.

Choolips

Perhaps one of the most well known African inspired brands, Choolips is fun,contemporary and also affordable. This hand-batiked cotton dress is from the Gold Coast Collection and showcases traditional textile dyeing methods from West Africa.

Modahnik

A fantastic blend of avant garde eclecticism of Congolese art and culture. I love the vibrant colours mixed with cutting edge styles by Modahnik. How amazing is this dress?

Adjoa Osei

I love this label for the way that it translates African prints into clean lined staples that look so classic and are also easy to wear.

Sapellé also have their own range which includes this beautiful pencil skirt.

Please check out www.sapelle.com to see the full range of brands.

Johari – Fashion for the Future

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

Johari Fashion for the Future

Johari is a fashion label with a simple Philosophy. They believe that fashion should be ethical, stylish and beautiful. Their name ‘Johari’ means something precious’ in Swahili and I think this is not only a great way of describing how we should think of our clothes but also the future of those making the clothes we wear. Each piece of Johari clothing is made in Kenya handmade in Kenya by Social Enterprise Johari Designs helping to empower vulnerable young adults to build a living for themselves and their families. 100% of the profit made by Johari goes to the Johari Foundation’s Miale programmes which provide education, vocational, social and basic needs for children and young adults in Kenya.

Supporting such a good cause is not difficult when it involves treating yourself to something as beautiful as the Tafriji dress (pictured above). Definitely something a little different to the clothes that you will find on the high street with its pink chiffon layer and leopards face!

For children, there is also the Johari Seedlings collection, bright bold t shirts that children with love to wear. Also great if you are struggling for Christmas pressy ideas for teenagers (with sizes up to 16). I love this Habari t shirt which features an abstract lion and was the winning design in the 2012 Seedlings Design Competition.

I would also definitely recommend checking out the Johari website for some stunning statement jewellery. My favourite piece is probably this Sunray necklace, made of brass sourced within Kenya, every piece is carefully handmade. The perfect addition to a strapless dress or low cut top. It could also be worn over a high neck top for a contemporary daytime look.

Please check out the full range of clothing, jewellery and home products as well as finding out about the brilliant work that Johari are doing on www.johari.co.uk.

My Favourite Pieces from Purity Style

Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin

If you haven’t already checked out Purity Style, I would definitely recommend that you do. Purity Style is an organic and fair trade clothing boutique based in Farnham, Surrey. Their website features a fantastic selection of incredibly stylish clothing for both women and children. I love that the clothes on the site are not only sustainable and ethical but also really affordable and wearable. Purity Style stocks clothes by all of my favourite ethical brands including People Tree and Komodo but also a few more slightly under the radar brands which are well worth checking out. The site also has some really good sales so even if you are shopping on a tight budget, you shouldn’t have to much trouble finding something lovely.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from Purity Style.

nomads Jaipur Tunic Dress red jpg 2 My Favourite Pieces from Purity Style
Super flattering with clever pin tuck detail and made from a soft cotton jersey, I would wear this dress by Nomads either with opaque tights or leggings or as a tunic with a pair of skinny jeans. Definitely a great way to brighten up a dark winters day!

This Hydrangea Mac by Seasalt Cornwall is another fantastic way to brighten up a wet and windy autumn day. Its cheerful print on pu coated organic cotton will ensure that the rain won’t get you down or get you wet!

I have been on the look out for the perfect denim shirt for a while. This classic denim shirt by L’Herbe Rouge is not only fair trade but also made from sustainable and soft Tencel. It is a great wardrobe addition that can be worn all year round.

You can check out the full range of fashion at www.puritystyle.com