Balance Diversity: Ethics on the Runway

On this blog I constantly find myself discussing ethics during the manufacturing process of fashion but the ethical credentials of the fashion industry cannot be limited to this one area. Last month Naomi Campbell, Bethann Hardison and Iman brought attention to the fashion industry's limited use of black models on the catwalk. The 'Diversity Coalition' penned an open letter to the heads of the four main Fashion Councils: London, New York, Paris and Milan.

Their message is clear, ethnic diversity on the catwalks is disturbingly limited. And it's not just on the runway- Vogue has been repeatedly criticised for hiring almost exclusively white women for its covers, not only in the early days but in disturbingly recent years too. 

When we discuss ethical fashion, we shouldn't be demanding fair treatment for only those people who manufacture our clothes; we should be demanding fair treatment for all people hired in the fashion industry including those closer to home. Let me know whether you think we need more ethnic diversity on the runways in the comments section below or tweet me #BalanceDiversity

Looking rather grey today...

Looking rather grey today... by ameliaglynn featuring People Tree blazers

Style Post: Peopletree & Komodo

This was taken before the rains came.... Seriously weather- what are you playing at?! But when it was warm enough to go outside in a skirt, sans tights and thermals, I wore this to dinner and drinks with my lovely housemates. My new Komodo jacket has proved its worth by being just as fabulous teamed up with a skirt as it is with jeans due to its perfect cropped length. I've gone with my Peopletree jersey skirt which is an absolute staple in my wardrobe- so easy to wear and the stretchy waistband is a winner when your scoffing down copious amounts of chinese food with friends! Bag and shoes both picked up from Brighton charity shops for under £3 each and the crop top too which was once a full length tank top which I chopped up to fit in with this summers stomach bearing trend.... Brave indeed!

All in all a thoroughly ethical outfit combining charity shop and Fair Trade fashion followed by a fabulous evening with friends : )

Green Carpet Challenge and Net-a-Porter Capsule Collection

Today a very exciting ethical fashion collaboration launches online. The fabulous ethical fashion front-runner, Livia Firth, has teamed up with Net-a-Porter to launch an exclusive capsule collection of ethical fashion garments designed by five of the most talented British designers to date. Designing two pieces each for the collection are Victoria Beckham, Christopher Kane, Roland Mouret, Erdem and Christopher Bailey.

Each piece in the collection is created to the standards set by the GCC ethical criteria and 20% of the proceeds will be donated to (RED) which supports the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Once again Livia Firth is breaking down barriers in the fashion industry. Livia has managed to succeed in the near impossible task of bringing together five top British designers and creating a collection of beautiful fashion pieces that are ethical and sustainable. The pieces in the collection are all stunning but my favourites are worn in the pictures below. The pieces are all ultra-glamorous and designed to be worn on the red carpet which results in hefty price tags; but it's Livia's mission to prove to the world that ethical fashion can most definitely be high fashion- and boy has she succeeded...

Top: Christopher Kane, Middle: Victoria Beckham, Bottom: Livia Firth wearing and with Erdem Moralioglu

In the ethical fashion debate it is often discussed about where change should come from. Should it come from the consumers, the fashion houses, the people with the money or politicians? In this venture, Livia Firth demonstrates that it can (must? should?) start from the high fashion designers and from the A-listers on the red carpet. This way, as with the rest of fashion, it can trickle down to the mainstream as consumers and designers are inspired by higher end fashion. The influence that celebrities and high fashion houses have on the world of fashion is immense and what Livia is trying to achieve, if she can pull it off, could have immeasurable impact on the future of ethical fashion. So far, so good! We can't wait to see what Livia has in store for us next : )

Pictures acquired from Vogue, Net-a-Porter and Eco Age

Style Post Ft. Komodo & Monkee Genes

The end of summer requires a bit of layering. Here I am modelling the stunning new Komodo jacket in herringbone. It's a classic shape and cut that will carry through the years and the quality is incredibly good. It isn't yet part of my own wardrobe, I've just borrowed it for this picture from The Fair Shop, but as soon as I gather the funds it will be all mine! 

Together with the jacket, I'm wearing my new Monkee Genes. I've wanted a pair of these for literally years but always a) shied away from the price and b) could never find the right colour denim... But finally I found them in Loot, an independent retailer in Brighton's North Lane. They were in the sale reduced from £59 to £40- far more acceptable for my budget. I know you can buy Monkee Genes in Topman but I always like to try and support independent retailers if I can. 

My sandals I picked up in a charity shop the other day for the bargain price of £1.99 and the top was exactly the same price, originally American Vintage and is 100% silk- charity shops really are incredible. 

P.S. These photos were taken in The Fair Shop and any items you can see in the background can be found and bought there  : )

Brighton Style Post

Walking through Brighton's lanes I can't help but admire the beautiful murals graffitied over the city's walls. Most people who live in Brighton would agree that this kind of graffiti is not considered vandalism but is most definitely considered art. We love it.

Today I'm wearing a vintage skirt bought from within Brighton's North Lane at Starfish, a Laura Ashley top bought from a charity shop on Brighton's London Road and an O My Bag handbag bought in The Fair Shop- a Brighton based ethical fashion boutique. Brighton is an absolute hub for ethical fashion whether it be vintage, second hand or Fair Trade- it can all be found within the seaside city.

Sustainable Living: Re-upholstering Furniture

Taking the old and making it new again is an essential part of living sustainably. Upon graduating university, my mum wanted to give me something for my future that I would be able to keep forever so of course, she went antique hunting. She finally settled upon an antique chaise longue that was in some desperate need of a bit of T.L.C. Buying antiques that are looking a bit beat up and worse for wear is a great way to nab a bargain but you will need someone skilled to help you to get them back into shape. This is where my incredible Grandpa comes in!

If you can see on the picture, the cover on the chaise is in really bad condition... It's ripped in several places and incredibly worn. All of the material had to be removed and replaced. Once the material had been taken off, it became clear that work needed doing to the innards too. The springs and stuffing also needed replacing. Thankfully, my wonderful Grandpa is a pro and undertook the challenge without hesitation. Next, I was given the task of choosing a new material for the re-upholstering. 

It was a tough task. I wanted to pick something classic that wouldn't age but also I didn't want it to look too old fashioned. I needed a fairly pale colour to enhance the dark wood of the chez and a pattern to add some interest. It also had to be thick and strong enough to withstand the tight stretching that the upholstering involved and also strong enough to last through the years. I eventually settled on a duck egg blue material with a rose bush pattern in a raised gold (looks more silver in the pictures). This pattern had so much more depth and interest than the others and I think it's a perfect mix of classic and modern styles.

As you can see, my Grandpa has done an absolutely fantastic job of re-upholstering the chaise longue  You can see how he has put braiding all along the edges and done shallow buttoning along the arms and back. He also made a beautiful roll cushion to go with it- just stunning! With a bit of skill and a lot of love, you can turn some beaten up, worse for wear furniture into a stunning one-off piece that will last you a life time and be the center piece of any room. Thank you so much to my wonderful Grandpa for putting so much time and effort into creating this masterpiece for me. I love it! : )