SPRING/SUMMER 2018

ISSUE 1
ALTERNATIVE & CONSCIOUS CULTURE
ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

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 SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

ALTERNATIVE & CONSCIOUS CULTURE

CONTRIBUTORS

Editor-in-Chief MORGANE NYFELER

@morgane_ny

Art Director LAURA FERMIN

@lfermin

Photographer MARISOL MENDEZ CABRERA

@marisol__mendez

Lifestyle MARGOT GUILBERT

Contributor @thepastelproject_com

Beauty MARGAUX ZANETTI

Contributor @margaux.zanetti

Sub-Editing HAILEY MANNING

@allhails

INÊS STETTLER
@inesstettler

SAMARA BOUCHEY
@samarabouchey

BACK COVER:
Piñatex textile, Courtesy of ANANAS ANAM

FRONT COVER:
Model: HEIDI CALS
Makeup & Hair: LAUREN BARKER
Thanks to Caitlin Traynor and Antoine Cotton for their constant support. Courtesy of ANANAS MAGAZINE

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EDITOR’S
LETTER
Someone once told me not to
take myself too seriously.
I always had the habit to separate my work from
my free time and hobbies, where I could have
fun and really be myself. But there’s no harm in
putting a bit of spice and fun in whatever you
undertake. At the end of the day, you realise that
your problems were not that bad after all if you
just take a step back and start looking at them
from another angle.
Sustainability in fashion has always been a term
that people were afraid of, as if the world was
about to collapse or they would get attacked in
the streets by a PETA activist. I certainly don’t
want to give you a lesson on how the fashion
industry is the second most polluting industry in
the world or that less than two percent of women
workers are getting a living wage in Bangladesh.
Knowing that might not affect you to shop more
consciously and stop your friends from buying a
three pounds’ tee from Primark.
What if we started looking at ethical fashion as a
fun and exciting new way to engage with fashion?
What if we stopped being passive consumers and
started celebrating the planet and the people in
every purchase – or non purchase – we make?
There are simple habits you can pick up, such as
digging old treasures into small vintage shops
(p.14), repair your ripped jeans (p.86) or give
your unused clothes to someone in need (p.82).
You will already have helped the environment by
not throwing away after one season and avoiding
buying the new hot item on Instagram.
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
Soon enough, you will get inspired by designers,
entrepreneurs, artists that are changing their
respective industry to meet a common goal: take
care of the planet. They all do this by taking chances
and letting their imagination speak. Christopher
Raeburn (p. 16) shows us how to create bespoke
garments by upcycling discarded material. Or
read about four young designers (p. 40) that are
recycling what they could find in front of them
to fight against the frenetic cycle of fast fashion.
On page 78, we also asked people like you and
me about one special item that they keep close
to their heart and will cherish for many years to
come. There are plenty of fun and amazing ways
to become a more conscious citizen that you
wouldn’t have thought of before.
Now think about your daily life and what you
like doing for fun. Getting wild at a party (p.64),
attending a special gig (p.52), travelling to an
unknown city (p.58) or sipping a cocktail or two
in your favourite hangout (p.63). You will discover
alternatives and take the route less travelled by,
that will make you want to say, “I was there!”.
Being sustainable is also being different, finding
exciting possibilities away from the mainstream
to make you proud and make you stand up for
what you believe in. In Ananas, we give hope for
a better future. This starts by each one of us and
the choices we make in our daily lives. But never
forget to keep that sparkle in your eyes and that
smile on your face in whatever things you do. As
Chaplin once said,
“A day without laughter
is a day wasted.”
MORGANE NYFELER
Editor-in-Chief
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ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

51 CULTURE KICK
11 Manifesto

13 Eco Objects
52 Music: Little Tokyo Recordings
74 THE FUTURE OF FASHION
14 Vintage Stores
54 Art & Design

56 Natural Beauty

78 Cherish your Clothes

FLYING HIGH WITH:
16 CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN
58 Green City Guide

82 How to Give Clothes to Charity

60 Food: Grow Up

22 Deconstructing an IT-Piece

62 DIY 84 FUR: FRIEND OR FAUX?

24 OUT OF NATURE

63 Nine Lives Cocktail Recipe

86 Make, Do and Mend

36 In Conversation with:
Orsola de Castro, Founder of Fashion
Revolution 64 OUT OF TIME

40 GEN-Y: Young Fashion Designers

Changing The Industry

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 MANI- SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

ANANAS

MANI
IS NOT MEANT TO
MANIPULATE, PERSUADE OR DICTATE YOU

IT HAS THE MISSION TO

INSPIRE ACTION,
MANI
BROADEN HORIZONS,
CHANGE THE MINDSET

SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT BORING

IT IS INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE & IMAGINATIVE
MANI
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD
BUT PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES
AND BE ATTENTIVE
FESTO
TO THE PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

WE PRESENT CHANGE-MAKERS
SO THAT YOU CAN ALSO BECOME
FESTO
AGENTS OF CHANGE

SUSTAINABLE FASHION IS THE FUTURE

AND THE FUTURE STARTS
FESTO
NOW!

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ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

ECO OBJECTS

WOMEN-FRIENDLY LINGERIE
NU Bra and Brief set, £95

ELLISS is an underwear brand selling cool and quirky bras,

briefs and bodies – these two showing distorted prints in grey
tones – to wear in the warmth of your home or under cosy
jumpers. Launched in 2016, the brand is also enlivened by
a desire to create clothing using conscious design methods
and minimal waste. The designer Elliss Solomon makes sure
the fibres she uses are as kind to your skin as to the earth
and the creatures that live on it. Beautifully luxurious, each
MAT(T)ERIAL & NATURE
collection is an exploration of femininity to make women feel
July Black Backpack, £120
comfortable and sassy at the same time.

Can a non-leather bag be just as authentic and

WWW.ELLISS.CO.UK
soft as its animal-based counterpart? This is
the challenge undertaken by Canadian brand
FROM THE SEA, FOR THE SEA
Matt & Nat. As a contraction of material and
Red Baywatch Crop Bikini, £90
nature, the brand was inspired by its beautiful
milieu in Montreal. This resulted in collections
Auria’s swimwear is produced by putting the ocean’s sake
of stylish and timeless bags and shoes, that
at heart, while also keeping a fresh, fun and contemporary
are good for the planet and harm no animal
design. What makes it even more special is that most of the
in the process. Their vegan fabric is also an
piece are handmade in England with ECONYL®, a new
exploration of innovative possibilities to recycle
generation fibre recycling discarded fishing nets, old carpets
all sorts of material, such as nylon, rubber,
and Nylon waste. Pretty surprising when looking at how
cork or even bicycle tires, producing the best
these rough materials are turned into feminine and colourful
quality of non-leather goods. You will hardly
bikinis. Auria also partnered with tech company Sony for a
believe your eyes.
special collaboration to recycle their H.ear headphone wires
to create a capsule travel collection. Celebrate the ocean for
WWW.MATTANDNAT.COM
your next summer holidays!

WWW.AURIA-LONDON.COM

SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A STAR

Stardust Rose Gold Chandelier Earrings, £385

Stardust is the new collection of 18carat eco gold fine jewellery by London-based brand Lily Flo. Inspired by
falling stars from heaven forms, Stardust presents layering necklaces, chandelier earrings and stacking bracelets
made by cutting and hammering tiny discs of solid gold onto delicate chains. Thin and elegant, the pieces are
all handcrafted in London with 100 per cent recycled gold, totally free from human and environmental harms,
but still strong and beautiful as a shower of glittering stars.

WWW.LILYFLOJEWELLERY.COM

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ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

VINTAGE STORES
WHO DOESN’T LIKE THRIFT SHOPS? THEY’RE THE BEST WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE SHOPPING.
LOOKING FOR A LEATHER JACKET OR A PAIR OF SUEDE OVER-KNEE BOOTS THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK?
IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF COMMITMENT AND FREE TIME TO HUNT THE PERFECT ONE, BUT TRUST US,
IT WILL BE WORTH IT!

LONDON IS FILLED WITH AMAZING VINTAGE STORES THAT CAN EASILY MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR HEAD. HERE
IS A GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT BOUTIQUES THAT KEEP THE REAL ATMOSPHERE AND DEDICATION OF A TRUE
VINTAGE STORE. YOU WILL THANK US LATER!

MRS
BEAR’S HOUSE
SWAP OF SEARCH &
SHOP VINTAGE DESTROY THREADS

Stop shopping and start swapping! When your
wardrobe gets cluttered with unwanted items, it’s
time for you to let them go. Swishing is a great idea
if you’re bored of your old clothes and accessories
and want to freshen up your closet at little cost to
you and the environment. Mrs Bear’s Swap Shop
is a pop-up shop where you can hand in up to
seven good condition pieces and get the same
amount in return. The events are held in various
locations in London and Manchester, where you
can meet other fashion-conscious people and
have a nice time choosing your next favourite
items. The organisers make sure all items are
graded for fair swapping so that no one coming
with a Chloe skirt ends up with a Zara blouse.
Get ready to raid the rails!
Just off of Brick Lane, venture into this temple
of vintage to get your hands on something really
unique. House of Vintage first opened its doors
in Toronto and flew all the way to London to offer
exceptional vintage clothing and accessories
to the British capital. Since 2010, they stock a
beautifully edited collection of menswear and
womenswear, and specialise in garments from
the 1940’s through to the 1960’s. The store is
carefully curated so that you can easily find your
way on the two floors and quickly find the dress
or jacket that will suit you best. They also offer
a selection of brands from Calvin Klein to Ralph
Lauren or Marni, but don’t hesitate to ask the
friendly staff who will help you dig out the rare gem.
Don’t go too far; this small shop is situated two
footsteps away from House of Vintage and is a
great spot if you’re after something a little bit
different. Women’s and men’s clothes are hand-
picked around the world by the young couple
who owns the store. With a rockabilly vibe, the
shop invites you on a journey to California, where
most of the pieces come from, and makes you
feel the sun even on a cold and rainy day. They
have an amazing selection of jewellery, bags and
sunglasses as well. And hold on, they just opened
a new store on the same street in case you came
out from the first one your hands empty. Search
& Destroy is the perfect place to get your new
boho dress for your next weekend to Coachella.
Located in Peckham, Threads is an independent
vintage clothing store selling authentic vintage
menswear, womenswear and homewares from the
40’s through to the 70’s. They now also boast their
own collections that are made-to-order, exactly to
your size and requirements at no extra cost. The
owner Jemima offers a full and specialised vintage
alteration service to have your vintage treasures
lovingly repaired and altered. Plus she will soon
give a personalised “Wardrobe Doctor” service in
your home and return the garments altered to the
highest standard from her workroom. Thanks to
Thimble, the florist shop at the back of the boutique,
you can at the same time buy floral arrangements
for your home or your loved ones. Everything can
also be ordered directly from the online shop.

WWW.MRSBEARS.CO.UK 4 CHESHIRE STREET, E2 6EH 20 CHESHIRE STREET, E2 6EH 186 BELLENDEN ROAD, SE15 4BW
WWW.HOUSEOFVINTAGEUK.COM INSTAGRAM @SEACHANDDESTROYUK WWW.THREADSPECKHAM.COM

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ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

FLYING HIGH WITH

GIVE ANYTHING TO CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN AND HE WILL TURN IT

INTO A GARMENT. THE LITTLE BOY FROM KENT WHO LEARNED HOW TO
FLY WHEN HE WAS 11, HAS GROWN TO ESTABLISH HIS EPONYMOUS
BRAND AND STUDIO IN EAST LONDON. MADE IN BRITAIN WITH
SUSTAINABLE AND INTELLIGENT FASHION DESIGN, ALL OF RAEBURN’S
PIECES ARE HANDCRAFTED AND LUXURIOUS, YET CONTEMPORARY AND
FUNCTIONAL. HIS REMADE ETHOS IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF A VISION
THAT PROTECTS THE PLANET WITHOUT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM
STYLE.

Photos courtesy of CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN

WWW.CHRISTOPHERRAEBURN.CO.UK
@christopherraeburn

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ANANAS
It was only mere moments after I stepped into Christopher Raeburn’s
REMADE studio in Hackney that I found myself completely captivated.
Not only is the space bright and airy, but situated on pavement level
the studio invites passers-by to glance at the frenetic movement
of the sewing machines and the little hands that make the magic
to happen.
It was only in May 2016 that the brand relocated its design headquarters
from an old science lab in Bow to what was previously the Burberry
Textile factor – it has now been refurbished and converted into
residential and commercial accommodation. References to the
building’s industrial past are clearly exhibited by large bay windows
and open floor plan that allows for the REMADE Atelier, Archive
and Showroom to coexist and collaborate.
I visit a sunny afternoon in August. Christopher Raeburn, 34, was
there to welcome me with a firm handshake and friendly smile that
makes you instantly feel at home. The British fashion designer
holds a unique and innovative approach to creating garments that
are made from upcycled materials, such as, old parachutes, rafts,
or military jackets that are turned into desirable and contemporary
clothing. After graduating from London’s Royal College of Art in
2006, Raeburn later launched his own label. With the label came
the REMADE ethos – a philosophy integrating four R’s: Remade,
Reduced, Recycled and Raeburn.
“The idea of REMADE in England almost started with a happy
accident,” recalls the designer. “Already when I was at University,
I was really fascinated about this idea of archaeology, going out and
finding original items and then making them into something new.”
This fascination quickly defined what the brand now stands for:
“Reworking surplus
materials and products
into limited edition
pieces, proudly cut and
reconstructed in England.”
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Each piece coming out from the studio is developed considering
its impact on the environment, by working with local manufacturing,
using organic or recycled materials and producing a limited amount
of garments. Sourcing sustainable materials around the world,
Raeburn makes sure to create unique pieces carrying their own
specificities and history, which will then be explained on a tag sown
inside the individually numbered garments. The whole ideas is to
be as transparent as possible with the brand’s customers.
It was in 2011, that the adventurer won the “Emerging Designer”
British Fashion Award for menswear. He was also recognised for
the deep ethics animating his designs, leading the way for a fashion
blending luxury with integrity and sustainability with functionality.
Since the first REMADE jacket in 2001 created from military materials
from the 50s, Christopher Raeburn has gone a long way. He is
evolving constantly and now leading a team of 8 full time members
from production to operations and even marketing, all gathered in the
creative studios in Hackney. It is there, that the designer introduced
me to the people helping him to turn his label into an established
brand. Everything happens in-house, from receiving the material to
deconstructing the original garment and reworking it into a finished
product with a cool and ingenuous design. Although, years later
Raeburn has established his brand, his curiosity has not dwindled.
He still digs into markets and charity shops around the globe or will
spend hours on Ebay to lay hands on the most interesting pieces
of clothing – it is never a linear process but the designer rather
works by instinct and experience. The brand looks to innovation
to keep fresh, such as, creating fabric made of ground up plastic
bottles, fitting perfectly into the recycle principle.
Partnerships with big companies have helped Raeburn become
a respected designer in the industry. Brands such as Victorinox,
Eastpak, Clarks and Disney have trusted him to collaborate on
capsule collections and he is even working as the Artistic Director
of the Swiss brand.
CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN’S archives
Photo Credit: XXXXXXXXXXX
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
The moment I was looking forward to most was to delving into the
archives of the designer which I knew would be quite spectacular.
Behind huge mirrored closet doors, is where most of Christopher
Raeburn’s pieces, from his first REMADE jacket and graduate
collection, to his most recent design are stored. You will also find
a huge amount of recovered items waiting to be reworked into
innovative and contemporary clothing. The fantastic wardrobe not
only contains pieces of clothing, but also the first press coverage
of the brand in The Face or a feature in Vogue US in 2011. The
Vogue picture shot by Mario Testino, shows Blake Lively wearing a
parka made from Eurostar uniforms, old Belgian army tank suits and
discarded hot-air balloons – making some pieces of that collection
completely sell out. A carefully curated bric-a-brac of fashion show
invitations in the shape of a model aircraft, goodies showing the
animal mascot of the season, unused fabric, flyers and ribbons, are
all kept as treasures by the designer.
It is no secret, materials are Raeburn’s biggest inspiration and their
origins give the reworked products a meaning and a history. “Having
a narrative and a story behind the clothing is really important – we
put an emphasis on considering all of the choices when we’re putting
a garment together and bringing that into an exciting story so that
our customers really have something special,” explains Raeburn.
More experimental items such as Siberian sheepskin coats and
garments made from 1950s silk maps are all unique and interesting
made-to-order pieces that have an exceptional quality and durability.
Working with the company Rapha, Raeburn created pieces made
from discarded parachutes, insisting on keeping the authenticity
of the material and explicitly showing the original techniques and
textures in the new garment.
The designer also showed me the Disney Mickey backpack that he
developed with ethically sourced leather – one of the partnerships
that made sense to Raeburn when it comes to working with big
businesses. “These collaborations are super important to us as
a company, it really gives us the opportunity to bring what we’ve
learned over the years to much bigger companies,” says the designer,
“It’s a massive opportunity
to make a difference
on a global scale.”
19

ANANAS
As I continued to look around the studio, I also noticed the
varied range of off-cut animals – squirrels, orangutans, sharks or
chameleon – decorating the space and meshing perfectly with
the theme of the collection. Again, this is created by upcycling the
different fabrics used in the collections and as a way to deal with
leftovers from the studio.
In the middle of the room, I get a glimpse of the new SS18
collection called AEOLUS, as well as pictures of the looks from
last show displayed on a board. The collection is a reflection on
different weather conditions, such as, desert wind and sun, while
also embodying the spirit of adventure. Hues of orange, grey and
camouflage dominate the menswear and womenswear outfits that
have been brought together. The REMADE ethos is emphasised
on most of the looks and appears as branding on the garments
with long pieces of tape that are stitched across tulles, parachutes
and outerwear pieces.
This season, Raeburn mainly collaborated with EXKITE to deconstruct
pre-flown kites and reconstruct them into ingenuous macs, anoraks
and jersey, underpinned with authentic detailing and considered
thinking. At the same time, the collection includes German wind
ponchos made from cooling cotton, reimagined into lightweight
contemporary parkas, or authentic 1940s battledress denim
jackets reworked to create a field jacket or an anorak. Tulle is
also used throughout the collection due to its lightweight quality,
accentuating the notion of movement and wind. Every garment is
then considered for its extreme performance and resistance in order
to undertake any kind of adventure. The collection also extends to
innovative footwear in collaboration with Palladium, featuring shoes
constructed with high quality sustainable materials, that can be
transformed from sandals to waterproof boots. And this season,
Raeburn introduces the jerboa, a hopping desert rodent, as new
mascot which is apparent across jersey and knitwear.
As my visit in the studio comes to a close, I am invited by Raeburn
and his team to customise my own organic cotton t-shirt using
woven patches made from recycled yarns. Time to get creative. I
can choose from a wide range of animal mascots, past collection
imagery and lettering that are then heat pressed on the fabric. The
brand is truly committed to making the studio accessible to the
public. Although my visit offered unique insight into the brand, the
studio offers tours, off-cut animal workshops and free repairs of
any damaged clothes to the consumers. Beyond representing the
REMADE vision, Raeburn’s studio is also a way for better brand
transparency and is a place to educate and inspire people to
consume less and take care of their garments.
The designer is a creative force and he shows each season that
anything can be done with unexpected recycled materials. By also
constantly innovating and bringing sustainable intelligence into the
core of the brand, only the sky is the limit.
SPRING/SUMMER ‘18 COLLECTION
20
Q&A
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
If you could turn back time, which period of history
would you go to?
I’d travel 65 million years back to prehistoric times and get a glimpse
of what dinosaurs actually looked like in their own habitat. I’ve also
admired the dinosaur’s gallery at the National History Museum and
think it would be fascinating!
Do you have a favourite extreme sport/activity?
Growing up in the countryside in a small village in Kent, I love the
outdoors and enjoy mountain biking and cycling wherever I can.
I’ve also done a fair bit of hiking around the country and recently
completed the Capital Ring Walk; a 78 mile walk around London to
raise money for Cancer Research. Having worked with parachute
fabrics a lot, I’d naturally love to try a sky dive one day.
What do you do in your free time?
I’ve recently moved into a new apartment in South London. The
building is situated on a hill with a remarkable 360 view of London.
My limited spare time is therefore spent working on the interior! I
also enjoy going to exhibitions. We’re so fortunate with the amount
of museums, art galleries and local talents available here in London
that there is always something new to see.
What is the last place you visited or last adventure
you undertook?
I travelled to New York a couple of weeks ago for a special project.
I never get much spare time when I’m on the road but I always enjoy
going to flea markets when in New York. I never leave empty-handed!
Do you consider yourself an activist?
Yes, but our activism is showcased through our considered design
and inclusivity and education rather than politics. It’s about making
it real for people.
What is your favourite item in the archives?
Tough question! I have so many favourites. If I had to pick one, then
it would be the British Battledress Smock; my first-year menswear
university project back in 2001 constructed from original 1950s
British battledress jackets. It is lined with breathable bivouac
bags. I have fond memories of wearing it for ten years. The piece
lives in our archives and is the initial concept that led to the brand
values and ethos.
What are you trying to teach people in your workshops?
Our workshops form part of our wider initiatives to open up the
REMADE studio, engage with our audience in a creative way and
give something back to the community. We want to teach people
how to sew, how to make their own cushions or tote bags, and
how to repair their clothes whether it be replacing a button or
stitching a rip.
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ANANAS

AN IT PIECE: ASK TO KNOW MORE BEFORE YOU BUY!

BLACK ELYSE SHOES: the iconic wood platforms by Stella McCartney

created from non-leather, cruelty free materials.

Eco what?! Simply an

ECO ALTER NAPPA:

alternative to leather, MADE FROM POLYESTER

AND POLYURETHANE. IT ALSO HAS A COATING MADE WITH OVER 50%
VEGETABLE OIL WHICH IS A RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCE AND
COMES FROM NON-FOOD SOURCES. NO, IT’S NOT GOOD TO
EAT, BUT GOOD FOR YOUR
FEET!

60% SOLVENT-FREE POLYURETHANE

REDUCING THE CONSUMPTION OF
WATER AND ENERGY, WHILE ALSO
BEING SAFER TO WORK WITH.

40% POLYESTER MADE OUT OF RECYCLED

PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES WITH A
LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT THAN
VIRGIN POLYESTER.

Replant the rubber! Oh my wood!

COMPLETELY BIO DEGRADABLE, THE WHITE THE PLATFORM COMES FROM A CERTIFIED
RUBBER SOLE IS MADE OF BIOPLASTIC SUSTAINABLE SOURCE THAT DOESN’T CONTRIBUTE
DERIVED FROM RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS. TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANET’S FORESTS.

Stella McCartney is known for her commitment to environmental friendly materials used in all her products, and also
for banning the use of fur, leather or feathers in any of the garments and accessories she creates. A true achievement
in the luxury industry. Now the lifelong vegetarian takes a step forward by partnering with startups around the world to
bring the newest of technology and manufacturing skills to her collections. Microsilk, for example, is a material innovated
by Bolt Threads to mimic real silk created by spider in nature, that the British designer hopes to use for fashion. On
National Consignment Day, the designer also announced her partnership with The RealReal to encourage people to
resell Stella goods in order to extend their longevity.

22
OUT OF
NATURE
Makeup & Hair: LAUREN BARKER
Models: CHIZOBA EMMANUEL & HEIDI CALS
Art Direction & Styling: MORGANE NYFELER

Fashion is an exploration. We explore and celebrate

the wonders of nature. But also what can be taken
away and turned to our own advantage.

Nature, such as women, is uncontrollable, powerful

and follows its own rules. Become fearless, own
your style and colour your world to make it your
playground.
Texture and patterns are the new black. From
puffer cover-ups to light striped blouses, how to
pull it off without falling out of fashion.
Heidi (RIGHT) is wearing a long skin-tight
dress from our favourite Scandi brand
FILIPPA K, mixing quality with simplicity.
Chizoba (LEFT) proves that a good PJ
shirt, this one by ANOTHER LABEL, can be
worn for any occasion – a fancy party or
to hang out in your backyard.
 A sunny puffer jacket where you expect
it the least, this Earth Jacket by WEEKDAY
is here to keep you warm. Pumps are by
MARIMEKKO.

Everything is in the details! See those

big shoulders and highlighted pockets?
MARTINA SPETLOVA knows how to ethically
work with the highest quality leather to
produce luxurious and unique pieces.
MARIMEKKO is a design house that got
known for its prints and colours. This dress
is no exception. Combined with a bright
velvet turban, it’s a 70s revival!

Pink ain’t for little girls. A modern woman

knows how to give it a twist to look sexy
and strong. Top by WEEKDAY and leather
skirt by MARTINA SPETLOVA.
Red is a statement look. MARIANA JUNGMANN
makes it powerful, yet feminine with her
delicate lace made with recycled polyester
and laser cut techniques. Craftsmanship
brought to the 21st century.
 Lines and structure are intensified by this
Soft and comfy, shearling is a classic MARIMEKKO striped dress that ends in a
when it comes to warm coats. This one hue of electric blue.
by Helsinki-based brand ONAR, is ethical
and ecological as well as handcrafted in
Finland and Greece.
Stripes are strong for Spring 2018. Add a touch
of gold and you’ll be Queen of the Jungle. Blouse
by JUST FEMALE, skirt by DES PETITS HAUTS and Faux fur is the new trend to keep you wrapped

tights by JONATHAN ASTON. up in the cold spring mornings. DES PETITS

HAUTS created this overcoat in a beautiful
bright colour and delicate material. Margot
Tenenbaum better watch out!
 ANANAS
ORSOLA
IN CONVERSATION WITH
DE
CASTRO
Where does Fashion Revolution stands today compared
to when it first started?
We keep on growing every year which means there is a huge
interest in this conversation. Every single company is talking about
it, consumers are at top level of awareness and I’ve never seen it
as high as it is now. Our collective voice is so powerful. By asking
the simple question ‘Who made my clothes?’ to brands, we have
ignited a global conversation about supply chain transparency,
and started to inspire people to think differently about what they
wear. As we’ve seen over the last few years, the more people who
ask, the more brands will listen. Our questions, our voices, and our
shopping habits have the power to help change the industry for
the better, and together we are stronger.
How do you get brands involved into the campaign?
We encourage them, we make our voices and opinions heard, we
study and analyse them, we scrutinise them but we don’t work with
them as other organisations do. Fashion Revolution is really about
connecting brands, consumers and governments. We campaign
for change in transparency and living wage so that brands start
paying all their workers more fairly, we campaign for less pollution
and a slowing down of the industry.
FASHION REVOLUTION IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT. IT’S A CELEBRATION
OF FASHION AND OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THAT MAKE THE
FASHION INDUSTRY WORK. THE MOVEMENT RALLIES PROTESTERS
WHO WANT TO MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE TOWARDS A MORE ETHICAL
Photo courtesy of FASHION REVOLUTION
AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. IT STARTED WITH THE FASHION REVOLUTION
WEEK AND THE #WHOMADEMYCLOTHES CAMPAIGN IN APRIL 2013
AFTER THE RANA PLAZA FACTORY COLLAPSE. SINCE THEN, 2 MILLION
PEOPLE HAVE JOINED THE REVOLUTION, ENCOURAGING BRANDS AND
PRODUCERS TO RESPOND AND SHOW THE REAL PEOPLE BEHIND OUR
CLOTHES. AS FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ORSOLA DE CASTRO
TALKS TO US ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ACTIVIST AND HOW WE
CAN ALL TRANSFORM THE INDUSTRY TOGETHER.
36
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
ARE YOU READY
FOR THE FASHION
REVOLUTION?
WWW.FASHIONREVOLUTION.ORG
On Facebook and Instagram @fash_rev
What do you think of the big companies creating eco
or conscious collections? Is there a demand for it?
“Big brands won’t do anything
unless there is a demand for it.”
How successful these collections are, I’m not so sure and it’s
maybe better if there are not so profitable in many ways. There is
an overall demand for products that have sustainability and ethics
embedded in them whether it is the smaller or bigger brands. They
are responding to a need that the consumers are demanding. Some
of the biggest high street brands are the most transparent and I
wouldn’t confine fast fashion as being the only entity guilty of mass
production – the luxury sector is insanely guilty and is certainly not
slow. I haven’t seen any sustainable collections coming from Gucci,
Saint Laurent or Louis Vuitton, so I would rather have a high street
brand doing a conscious collection rather than luxury brands not
doing it at all. I agree that it doesn’t solve the problem very much
but it’s not pejorative either. I see it as an interim solution, an ‘in
between’ when finally, all collections will contain some of the
alternative materials or principles behind what these eco collections
are claiming to have.
Words such as ‘sustainable fashion’ have been overused
to the point that it has almost become a trend and is
confusing the consumers. I’ve read that you’re not keen
on the term either?
It is used in a very inconclusive way and there is no such thing
as sustainable fashion. There are collections that are made with
alternative materials, collections that are recycled, brands that are
transparent. It’s about the way that we use it – just as we have
womenswear, menswear, sportswear, eveningwear, casual, high end.
It’s about describing each bit with whatever techniques they use
and not lumping the whole movement on to one single description.
It doesn’t make sense! You can talk about sustainability in fashion,
ethics in fashion but sustainable or ethical fashion is misleading. It
shouldn’t be at all differentiated from fashion as a whole.
37
ANANAS
What kind of advice would you give to readers that
would like to shop more ethically?
The point is that we need to stop shopping in order to be really
sustainable. It’s the attitude that needs to change. The first thing is
to wake up in the morning, look at your wardrobe and ask yourself:
“Do I actually need to shop?” The best way to be sustainable is
to care for the clothes that you’ve already got, to make them last
for a long time and treat them well. That’s the first real step that
applies to any kind of shopping. If you are shopping with a clear
idea and a clear intent of buying something that you need, love
and will cherish, then it’s an irrespective way of shopping. It’s your
further actions that determine the longevity of the things that you
buy so you can determine how sustainable a product is when you
buy by knowing that you will care for it. It’s just as unsustainable
to buy a pair of organic jeans if you’re going to wear them twice,
so better buy non organic and wear them all your life. It’s not really
about the product, but about the attitude.
Do you think people are ready to change this attitude,
especially with the abundance of high street brands
encouraging to always buy more?
If you love fashion and are interested in fashion, it goes without
saying that you will find the right brands for you. If you’re passionate
about it and are informed, you will know where to find the best
sustainable brands for you. But the only way to buy better is to
make it last. We’re not really consuming right now, we’re using.
The word consuming means ‘to wear out’ and at the moment we’re
only borrowing clothes for a short time and then dumping them.
We need to understand the longevity in the clothes we buy. Of
course, if we’re buying clothes that are made with cheap materials
then maybe we should investigate better materials. But generally
speaking, I have seen the people that want to make this shift and
are actively looking for alternatives.
So you think that the change has to come from the
consumers first?
No, absolutely not. You cannot just take one section of the society
and demand that they would change for something that affects
absolutely everybody else. It’s totally unfair to expect the consumer
to be the driver of the change. This is a change that needs to
happen simultaneously from the consumers, from brands, from the
governments, from academia… it’s such a huge issue that we’re
dealing with that it’s the entirety of society that needs to approach
better ways of consuming.
38
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
“A good job is never done in
many ways, there is always
room for improvement.
You’re talking about academia so, in the perspective You won the H&M Conscious Award in 2017, how do How do you see fashion in the future? Is there a way that
of designers, what is the role of education in the way you feel as a role model? all fashion brands will ever become more sustainable?
they approach sustainability in fashion?
It took me about two and a half months to decide to accept It’s going to take a very long time and I don’t really know if it’s
It’s not only about education but it’s a whole. You can educate it. It was a really difficult decision that I did with the trust and ever going to happen or if there is going to be that drive. Is capitalism
designers but if you put them into the industry and the sourcing encouragement of my team at Fashion Revolution. It’s very important suddenly going to go away, are we going to be looking at growth in
isn’t there, then what good would have been done by educating to say that this award was given to me as a reward for a lifetime a completely different way, are we going to look at redistribution?
them? You can change the sourcing system or you can create the career and not for Fashion Revolution – I wouldn’t have taken it These are huge questions that affect humanity and the ultimate
alternative materials but if the designers don’t know about them, if it was. I was involved with H&M as much as I was involved with goodness is unachievable. What we will see is a radical change
it would have done no good to improve and innovate. It’s really a Topshop in my designer capacities. I’ve collaborated with them towards a need to make things more sustainable and therefore,
very holistic change that needs to happen and it cannot be driven when it came to their upcycling initiatives and I’ve encouraged sustainable practices will be included and embedded, I hope, in the
by one section above another. It needs to be a consorted effort and them a lot in their teaching at London College of Fashion on several majority of brands but not in 100 per cent ways. There will always
it needs to affect the whole industry, from education to legislation. projects. I find H&M one of the few retailers that do listen – they be brands that are more socially or environmentally inclined, brands
are one of the biggest corporates and the biggest innovators at that innovate in terms of materials that they choose or brands that
You have been doing a lot in the field as a designer the same time. It was controversial for me to accept this award will choose radical transparency to create. But I doubt that there
first and then curator and art director; I’m thinking but I felt that it gave me an opportunity to reach an audience that will be many of the mainstream brands that will go sustainable in
about Esthetica and Fashion Revolution. Do you have I don’t normally seek. I’m not a very celebrity type of person, so a short space of time. What we will see is a birth of alternatives
more projects to encourage brands and raise awareness? suddenly to be plunged along the Emma Watson, Beth Ditto or so that the fashion industry will not be only the big brands. There
Where does the UK stands in this regard? Blondie was quite surprising. It was a really different audience for will be a biodiversity so that the big brands will live along the small
me and not one that I would normally address. And many of them brands, the smaller brands will be many more, and there won’t be a
The UK has led this movement for sure. There was this magical have since become revolutionary and show their support so in that hegemony of enormous brands. That will give space for brands that
moment when a group of people got together and things changed. respect, it was important. are 100 per cent sustainable and ethical, but they will be smaller
For me, having been within this group of people and having been and it’s not going to take just a couple of years. We’ve already
given the trust to be heard and to speak about the subject has done the little steps and now they are getting a bit bigger.
been a privilege. My formation started as a designer and then
as a curator so I travelled along this journey in several capacities
and I don’t think I will ever stop. A good job is never done in many
ways, there is always room for improvement. Fashion Revolution
is now present in over 100 countries and I have to say that some
countries are way more behind than others but I think London is
potentially the most advanced place, certainly in terms of thinking
about sustainability. We have very little production in the UK so it’s
“Who made my clothes” in San Francisco, 2016, Photography by BRYAN BERRY
hard for us to lead in terms of manufacturing, but we can certainly “The only way to buy better is
lead in the thinking and innovating. Fashion Revolution has really
taken over my life and I don’t produce clothes anymore but I’m to make it last. We’re not really
much happier selling ideas than I am selling a product. I devote the
other big slice of my life to teaching and I’m very glad that I teach consuming right now, we’re using.”
at Central Saint Martins to inspire students. Fashion Revolution is
in the midst of doing so many other projects so you will see much
more springing up in there.
39
 GEN-Y
Millennials rule the world. Aged between 20 and 35, individuals from all industries
have taken over the internet and started a revolution on social media. And the fashion
world hasn’t been spared from this roar of frustration against a system dominated by
luxury and high street brands. Up-and-coming designers are asking for independence
and are taking a step away from the frenetic cycle of fast fashion. They want their
voice to be heard so that the industry starts slowing down and reflects on its own
damage on the planet and the people living across all corners.

Meet four young designers that are making a difference and believe that we can
change the industry for the better. By using what could be found around them, they
have built a collection that is well-made, creative and bold, while also respecting the
environment and paying homage to the techniques they have learned. Now freshly
graduated, they enter the real world knowing that everything is possible if you just
believe in yourself.

Alice, 22, has just completed her degree in knitwear design at the Winchester
School of Art and is committed to change the stereotype of sustainable fashion by
creating colourful and fun outfits with recycled textiles and up-cycled yarns. Hannah,
21, graduated from the same program but her approach to fashion and denim has
proven to be luxurious and forward-thinking to produce clothing that women will
treasure for many years to come. Daniela, 33, on the other hand, has a much more
experimental attitude when it comes to creating garments. Based in Denmark, she
handcrafted materials found in her masters and used discarded elements to give
her garments particular aspects and shapes. And finally, Natalie, 24, is a footwear
designer who built on her mother land, Isle of Wight, to create a shoe collection
mixing style and ecological awareness. She did that by recycling fishing nets and
integrating them into a beautiful design.
ANANAS
ALICE
YOUNG DESIGNER SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

“Give it to me! I’ll make

something out of it,”

Exclaims Alice Bracken, a graduate designer who recognises the

incredible potential behind the amount of waste created by the fashion
industry. Using knitwear as a way to harness recycled materials, the
young designer’s purpose is to make this traditional technique more
appealing to young generations by creating colourful and creative
garments that don’t even seem knitted at first glance. “Knitwear is so
interesting because you are starting with nothing – from the fibre up
to making the actual fabric and then transforming it into a garment –
and have control over everything!” she says about her particular path

ALICE to learning fashion design at Winchester School of Art from which she
graduated in June 2017.

BRACKEN
Alice’s final collection is based on the juxtaposition of urban and natural
environments, especially through the lens of abstract compositions in
the photography of Michael Wolf and Paul Bulteel. She then translated
these ideas into knitwear by creating technical geometric shapes
and chunky textures, as well as weaving in recycled material. This is
when she looked at integrating waste back into her project, by using
discarded plastic bags for example. “I had to work with what was there,
which is sometimes very unexpected, and the result is quite random.
But it pushes you to be more creative and open to changing your ideas.”

However, her work manages to turn environmental issues into

colourful and energetic knitted garments, changing the stereotype
of knitwear as being a hobby made for grannies. “People have
memories with knitwear and hold on more to their garments
especially knowing how time consuming it is to knit by hand,” she
says, talking about a dress that took her almost two weeks to create
using detailed hand manipulation techniques.

Her plans for the future are working for a slow fashion company
in order to perpetuate these concepts of value and memory in the
Inspiration images, sketches and look book photos | Courtesy of ALICE BRACKEN

garments she makes. But also slowing down consumption to make

people buy one of a kind garments that they will cherish and keep
for a long time.

42 43
ANANAS
HANNAH
YOUNG DESIGNER SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

Denim is an important part of Hannah Brabon’s work, as a fabric

rooted in history and its different subcultures. It is also a textile
that everyone can relate to. From ancient Japanese Boro textiles to
present casual wear, the designer is fascinated by the stories behind
the clothing that people wear. She is just as much concerned by the
detrimental impacts of the textile industry on the environment, and
more particularly on the water polluted by dye and ink waste. This
informed the basis of her research at the Winchester School of Art,
leading her to set out a luxury women’s knitwear collection using

HANNAH recycled denims in combination with other high quality materials

to create intricately technical outfits that are special and unique.

BRABON
“My collection is aimed at young women who want to invest in high
quality clothing that they will continue to wear for many years to
come. I imagined the lifestyle of a woman who wants to buy less,
where she would go and what she would do,” explains Hannah who
also aims to empower women through her oversized garments.

Not only was the young designer inspired by feminist photographers

like Hellen Van Meene and activist groups like Gorilla Girlz, but
she was also motivated by her own photographs of landscapes
she took while travelling. All this informed her choices of yarns
and colour palettes. Hues of blue in the water led her to try out
different manipulation techniques for denim – such as bleaching
or dyeing the fabric. Dramatic sunsets made her combine pinks
in an ironic way, as in feminism photography, to the point that her
professor described it as

“Beautiful in an ugly way.”

In addition, Hannah looked at the diversity of women in the photographs
Inspiration images, sketches and look book photos | Courtesy of HANNAH BRABON

and their different hairstyles. Shapes, textures and plasticity of

the hair were then implemented into her fabric development and
manipulation techniques, as heat pressing with plastic, creating a
waterproof effect and preserving the fabric within. This also relates
to the idea of polluted water and preservation of the landscape,
resulting in garments that are luxurious and slow-made.

“I want to promote the concept of slow fashion and aim to have a

low impact on the environment, by consciously using high quality
and sustainable materials.” Hannah acknowledges that the creation
of her outfits are time consuming and require many technical knit
techniques, which use a wide range of machinery in order to add
a further sense of depth and dimension to her fabrics. She hopes
this will also make women take greater care of their clothing and
hold on to them longer.

44 45
ANANAS
DANIELA
YOUNG DESIGNER SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

As a fashion designer, it is paradoxical that Daniela Hermann is mostly

interested in taking off garments rather than dressing up women. However,
by exploring the process of undressing and the different fabrics that
could imitate the skin, her playful and experimental approach to fashion
led to her MA collection at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

“I want to show what it is

underneath the clothes
DANIELA and let the dresser reveal
her skin and personality,”
HERMANN she explains. Next to showing how the body is revealed when clothes
unfasten and fall off, Daniela decided to use materials such as silicone
or latex, that she could make herself and be in control of their creation,
from a liquid to an actual fabric. The latex can then be made into a
garment, in which its appearance can range from sheer to opaque, to
induce the impression of skin-like surfaces.

The second part of her research lies in bringing a contrast to the latex
with knitwear garments made of copper wire. “I collected leftover copper
wire from my father’s factory – he’s an electrician – and used it as a
yarn mixed with mohair to knit the clothes,” says Daniela who gave a
new sense and functionality to this discarded material by reworking and
upcycling it. The cold and shiny texture of the copper wire is balanced
with soft and hairy fabric but still leaves the skin visible underneath.

Every piece then looks as if they were half way of falling down and
slipping away from the body. For instance, upside down pockets at the
Inspiration images, sketches and look book photos | Courtesy of DANIELA HERMANN

bottom of a skirt where the ankles stand give this impression, but also
translates a dual function to enhance the wearability of the collection.
“Depending on how you button or unbutton the garments, you can
change the silhouette and give different functions and looks to an item,”
explains Daniela. The skirt can then be turned into a shirt or a coat can
be rebuttoned and turned into a handbag. In that way, the longevity of
the clothes is extended, making customers buy only one garment to
be used for many different functionalities.

Daniela is now seeking to take the collection further and continue to

experiment more with unusual materials to create exceptional surfaces
and fabrics.

46 47
ANANAS
NATALIE
YOUNG DESIGNER SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

Young footwear designer Natalie Hodgson never thought of creating shoes

that were recycled or eco-friendly until she helped her friend and designer
Bethany Williams with her own masters collection. “She was so excited
about recycling fabrics, and every single aspect of her collection, down
to the zips and buttons, was handmade or recycled,” says Natalie who
consequently got inspired to go down that route herself.

By growing up in a small fishing village on the Isle of Man, it was natural that

NATALIE she based the research of her bachelors collection titled ‘Fenella’ on what
was around her, and took inspiration from the coastline and its particular
aspects. She then realised that a lot of fishing materials had washed up on

HODGSON
the coast and decided to give a second life to the discarded fishing nets
to create innovative footwear. At the same time, her interest in preserving
the natural beauty of the world led her to produce a women’s collection
introducing an array of ethically sourced and recycled materials to reduce
waste and raise awareness to the issue.

“It’s so interesting to see

discarded rubbish made into
a fashion garment,”
but I just stumbled across the whole process by trying out beading
techniques,” explains Natalie by showing the tiny beads she made by
untangling fishnets into single threads and melting the material to create
little shiny blue balls. She kept the original colour of the net, reminiscent of
the ocean, to bring a bright aspect to the muted colour of the shoes. They
are all made of Fairtrade canvas twill to imitate the heavy utility wear of
fishermen and bring contrast to the delicate feminine style. “Every aspect
Inspiration images, sketches and look book photos | Courtesy of NATALIE HODGSON

of the shoes comes from the coastline so I really felt at home with it,” says
Natalie who also wanted to keep a minimal aesthetic and basic shapes to
accentuate the design features of the fishing nets.

Because the process is so time consuming and laborious, the collection

only comprises of three styles of shoes. One of them was made in
collaboration with fellow jewel design student, Elisha Easterbrook, who
melted milk and shampoo plastic bottles to sculpt a heel with a marble
effect imitating the waves of the sea. Because Natalie became sensitive to
the throwaway culture of today initiated by fast fashion, she would like to
work for a conscious brand pushing technology to take advantage of waste
material. “There’s a total disconnect from our generation who knows about
the issues of the industry but go shopping to Primark anyway!”

48 49
 SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

CULTURE
MUSIC

TRAVEL

KICK
DESIGN
THIS IS A RICH MIX OF GREEN GOODIES. FROM

MUSIC NEWBIES TO NERDY CREATIVES, FROM

VEGAN BEAUTY TO PRETTY FOOD. READ ON TO

GET YOUR CULTURAL FIX.

BEAUTY

ART

FOOD

51
ANANAS CULTURE KICK SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

LITTLE THE RECORD LABEL AND EVENT PROMOTER FOUNDED IN 2014 BY SINGER NAO IS A GEM DIGGER
IN THE RNB, SOUL AND JAZZ MUSIC SCENE. BY FRUSTRATION OF NOT GETTING SIGNED, NAO
STARTED LITTLE TOKYO AS A WAY TO RELEASE HER MUSIC INDEPENDENTLY AND IS NOW
NATIVE DANCER
Listen to Native Dancer on Spotify and Soundcloud

TOKYO
USING THE PLATFORM TO HELP OTHER UNSIGNED ARTISTS GETTING THEIR MUSIC OUT THERE. Facebook: @nativedancerofficial
SHE IS LOOKING FOR THAT RAW TALENT – UNDISCOVERED MUSICIANS DEVELOPING OUTSIDE
OF THE MAINSTREAM – THAT WILL TAKE PEOPLE AWAY TO AN UNEXPLORED LAND OF BEATS
AND MELODIES. THESE ARTISTS MIGHT NOT BE ‘MAJOR LABEL MATERIAL’ BUT THEY HAVE A Born out of late night jam sessions and studio listening parties, Native Dancer is

PRESENTS... UNIQUE AUTHENTICITY AND THE POTENTIAL TO GROW FOLLOWING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
BY. NAO HAND PICKS THE MUSIC RELEASED THROUGH THE LABEL HERSELF, AS WELL AS THE
ARTISTS PERFORMING AT THE ‘LITTLE TOKYO PRESENTS’ NIGHT – AN EVENT TO INTRODUCE
made up of five musicians that have been performing with some of the most creative
artists in the UK. Combining mellow vocals and jazzy rhythms, the band is a burst
of energy at the crossroads of urban music styles. Drawing from hip-hop, jazz, RnB
THE MUSICIANS SHE ADMIRES TO HER FANBASE, AND FOR HER AUDIENCE TO ENGAGE WITH and electronic pop, Native Dancer has created a blend of sounds that comes from
THEM IN A LIVE CONTEXT. WITH ALL DECISIONS COMING DIRECTLY FROM NAO, YOU CAN BE the heart. We talk to front woman Frida Touray about the current underground music
SURE THAT THE MUSIC COMING OUT OF LITTLE TOKYO RECORDINGS IS AS PURE AS GOLD. scene and the band’s future plans.

NARX
Listen to NARX on Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud
Facebook: @narxldn
You just played at the London Jazz Festival, how was I saw you perform at Little Tokyo Presents, how does it
the experience? feel to be spotted by NAO and her label?
As a producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist from Ealing, NARX is no stranger to
London’s music scene and many young people would know him for his eclectic It was so much fun! We played The Albany in Deptford which is Amazing! We’ve been such big fans of NAO and what she’s been
mixes and tall figure. Before releasing his debut EP ‘Pink & Blu’, NARX was indeed an amazing space. It’s a community arts centre as well as a music doing for the last couple of years. Her writing is really beautiful and,
resident at Visions and had a show on NTS Radio. However, NARX isn’t any kind venue and they work with many incredible organisations to keep for the music scene, she’s a real breath of fresh air.
of DJ turned beatmaker, his education has been surrounded by music from playing south London a thriving blossoming community for all people. We
the trumpet at an early age and moving to piano, bass and programming. But it always love playing LJF and its great to see so many people come What is the response of the public in the UK compared
is DJing that made him attract the crowd’s interest. The same went for NAO who out and listen to all this music that is happening in London. to the US or Japan where you already performed? Do you
was captivated by his beats when meeting him at a hot party on-set. The clever mix feel like being part of an underground scene in London?
of synthesized tunes from his new EP is an ode to nightlife in a chill and mellow How does jazz influences your music amongst the other
atmosphere, allowing you to gently escape into an ecstatic state. genres you dip into? The response to the music has been incredibly positive from all
over the world. It’s been such a beautiful validation for what we’re
Jazz has always been a part of our writing – I would even say that doing. We’re trying to open up a space to allow people to feel and
jazz has been its foundation – and will always be a big part of our imagine a better world and a deeper connection to what they can’t
approach to live performance. We want a sense of fluidity and see, as well as trust their intuition. There is an amazing scene in

NAALA improvisation when we play our music. We try not to consciously

dip into all the different music we’re into. It’s more like just trying to
London and now is a particularly exciting time. I feel like people’s
ears are opening up and that’s part of a larger movement globally
Listen to Naala on Soundclound be open enough to let all our influences flow through us organically. that shows our consciousness is evolving as a specie. Issues on
Facebook: @thisisnaala gender, race, identity and our relationship to the earth have all
You seem like five very individual artists, how did you get reached a crisis point. It’s important right now for artists to create
to play together and what does each of your backgrounds a place to help people feel free and offer spiritual nourishment, so
Her melodic voice has the sensual tones and emotional depth that takes you instantly bring to the band? we can all imagine and create a better world together.
away. Naala, or from her real name Yvette, is the kind of black front-woman that knows
how to grab attention. She made her first big apparition at Little Tokyo Presents and Most of the guys met on the Jazz scene in London, while I met You already released two EPs, can we expect an album?
Photos courtesy of LITTLE TOKYO RECORDINGS

was recently supporting Hot Chip at a charity event. Her style is at the crossroads Sam at university where I was studying contemporary music. While What will it include?
between electronica and RnB with a rich background and layering of sounds, which growing up, we all have listened to a lot of hip-hop, and I grew
is most apparent in her latest single ‘Splintered Window’. But her music is more up on Blues, soul, RnB. We also developed our music alongside We’re currently trying to finish a bigger body of work. How that will
than beautiful melodies, it is also a journey through Ghanaian traditions and African many spoken word and poetry artists back in Sweden so that has come out remains to be decided but we’re really excited about the
storytelling that have influenced her growing up in London. Naala considers her definitely influenced the way we write. We all love music so much new music, and hopefully it won’t be too long until we can release
work a mean of sharing stories and life lessons as it is an exploration of sounds that and we really naturally bring all those things together when we write. some or all of it.
have been self recorded, processed and produced. ‘Splintered Window’ is a way
to bring all those pieces back together.

52 53
ANANAS CULTURE KICK
ART &
DESIGN
01
HANNAH SCOTT
Spending eighteen days on a sailing boat in the Arctic might not
be everyone’s go-to holiday destination. It was, however, a dream
come true for British artist Hannah Scott, 41, when she overtook
an artist residency last October. Her journey started with the
project ‘What goes around comes around’, an exploration of the
relationship between the consumer lifestyle of Britain and the
Arctic environment where plastic waste is washed up and trapped
in the ice caps. This theme overlapped her masters degree in Art
and Science at Central Saint Martins where she presented ‘270
Single Uses’ for the 2017 Degree Show – an installation of 270
plastic bottles collected from the streets. They were all filled with
water, then frozen and displayed onto the fountain jets of Granary
Square in front of the art school. Without being moralistic, Hannah
uses art to express scientific issues such as climate change, also
adding an emotional dimension to her work that people can relate
to. “I think that with all the pieces that I’ve made, there’s this
undercurrent theme of loss,” says Hannah. “There is very much of
a personal relationship there, because it feels almost like grief. I
think our society tends to use objects as ways to express one’s
identity, that are then so quickly thrown away.” Through photography,
installations, films and paintings, the artist encourages each one of
us to reassess the way we live at the moment, as well as consider
the impact our lifestyle choices can have on the environment. Plastic
is everywhere – around the food we eat, into the water we drink
and in the air we breathe – and what we dump into the ocean will
find a way to eventually come back around.
WWW.HANNAHSCOTT.COM
54
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
SOLIDWOOL
Hembury Chair & Feist Forest Samara table
Have you ever thought wool could be turned into furniture? Herdwick sheep, the iconic breed
from the British Lake District, give a wiry, dark and hard fibre – the itchy scratchy type of wool
if you know what I mean. Mixed with bio-resin, the wool results in a strong and unique material
called Solidwool. The wool’s perceived value had dropped in recent years, leaving the shepherds
with way too much supply than they could sell. That’s the time when the start-up decided to
take this unwanted wool and make it beautiful again – giving it a second life with a collection of
RECYCLED FUTURE
03 design furniture with a clean aesthetic. As a renewable fibre source and sustainable alternative
to plastic, Soliwood is also a natural fibre with a story connecting people to the land.
WWW.SOLIDWOOL.COM
Oskar Krajewski’s ‘Recycled Future’ is a step into science fiction,
or maybe, our planet’s own future. This ‘neosculpture’ is made of
over 25’000 pieces such as watches, computer parts, toys and any CRYSTAL CLEAR AUDIO
kind of waste found in Krajewski’s apartment, but also his friends’ People People Small Transparent Speaker
own rubbish. The impressive artwork is almost like a living city as
Recycled Future, 90x90x60cm, 2016 / Photo courtesy of OSKAR KRAJEVSKI
it emits sounds, produces light and is constantly changing when For Scandinavian company People People, transparency is a functional quality as it is an aesthetic
more waste material is added. Krajewski was born in Poland and design thought. Forget the bulky and speakers, they have now become a highly designed object
moved to London in 2012 where he now runs a small studio and blending into your interior. Acoustics coming out of the speakers are so pure and so transparent,
collaborates with other artists, musicians and programmers. As a that you are able to see everything working while you listen. From each pulsation of bass to the
nature lover, his interest in recycling has grown bigger when seeing tinkelings of the drivers, sound will hold no more secrets for you. Not only are the speakers a
how much our society buys unnecessarily and gets bored of the timeless interior design object, but People People has also specifically created the product to
latest gadgets in the blink of an eye. ‘Recycled Future’ is a way to
give waste a second chance and use it to create a brilliant piece of
art. The sculpture is so complex that it took Krajewski three years to
have a low impact on the environment. Each part can be replaced manually at home, and the
used ones easily recycled. A holistic approach to living more consciously.
EU.TRANSPARENTSPEAKER.COM
04
complete, and for him to be able to show it to the public. His latest
exhibition at the Oxo tower also presented different sculptures, prints
and the artist’s own art collection, further illustrating his interest
for futuristic technologies and urban structures. The main artwork WHITEPOD: WINTER GETAWAY
was placed in a dark room that completely immersed the viewer
into a city inspired by Blade Runner or Star Wars. “I’m hoping to In the heart of the Swiss Alps, discover a unique experience where nature meets luxury. Who said
inspire the new generation of artists, showing them ways to ‘free pods were made for camping freaks and tree huggers? Whitepod introduces the first luxury hotel
paint’ what is available around us,” said Krajewski about his exhibit. with an ecological mission proving that alpine tourism can have a low impact on nature. Energy
Hannah Scott and Strata from the project What Goes Around Comes Around, 2017 / Photography by VIC PHILLIPS
“I’m hoping to see tomorrow’s cars, buildings and roads made and water use is controlled, waste is recycled, food is locally produced and everything in the
of yesterday’s waste and I’m hoping to see a new chapter in art village is accessible by walking distance. In winter as in summer, simply sleep with breathtaking
history: ‘The Recyclism’!” views on the mountains, enjoy private and direct access to ski slopes or go for a walk in a quiet
forest. Since last winter, three unique Pod Suites with exclusive atmospheres have opened to
WWW.ARTOFOK.COM
05 make your experience even more luxurious. Swiss, Forest and 007 Suites comprise their own
unique design that will whisk you away and make the perfect romantic getaway.
WWW.WHITEPOD.COM
FASHIONED FROM NATURE
Sustainable fashion is coming for the first time to the Victoria & Albert Museum! Nature has always
been a huge inspiration for fashion but does it means the industry cares about the planet? The
exhibition hosted by the V&A this coming Spring looks at the complex relationship between fashion
and nature since the 1600. It explores how the industry can become more sustainable by spotlighting
designers such as Vivienne Westwood or Dries Van Noten. And it is not only about pretty flowers!
The exhibition showcases examples that combine beautiful design and ethical practices, inviting the
visitors to think differently about fashion. Highlights include an impressive Auguste Champot cape, a
02
Vegea dress made from grape waste, and other antique treasures. Don’t miss Emma Watson’s 2016
MET Ball dress by Calvin Klein for the Green Carpet Challenge made out of recycled plastic bottles!
FASHIONED FROM NATURE WILL RUN FROM APRIL 21, 2018 - NOVEMBER 27, 2018
AT THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON..
55
ANANAS CULTURE KICK
NATURAL
BEAUTY
BY MARGAUX ZANETTI
Margaux is a lifestyle blogger based in Toronto,
Canada. She shares fashion, green beauty, and
local favourites through her blog and Instagram
feed. She switched to natural beauty three year
ago when she realised that most of the products
she was using had toxins in them.
It can sometimes be confusing to know which
brands to turn to, especially because natural
products can be more expensive. So which ones
are really worth it? Margaux sorts out for us the
essentials she cannot live without. Maybe you
will also realise that you don’t need half of the
products you own!
@MARGAUX.ZANETTI
WWW.MARGAUXZANETTI.COM
TIPS!
And if you really want to know how toxic your
beauty products really are, try out the Think Dirty
app. By simply scanning any type of product, this
app informs you about the harmful ingredients
in it. It then rates the product on a scale from
0 to 10 according to its ingredients, 10 being
the most toxic. Easy to decide which products
to throw away!
56
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
WAKE FACE AND BODY MIST
by Vitruvi, 30ml, £26
Vitruvi has a wide range of aromatherapy oils depending on which
1 state you want to get to: sleep, move, focus, etc. Their packaging
is very sturdy and they all come with a little card showing the
molecules that compose the product. I’m obsessed with their Wake
Face and Body Mist containing woodsy juniper and fresh citrus
bergamot. You can take it with you anywhere and it will become a
constant part of your morning routine. Plus it’s a Canadian brand!
SYNERGIE(4) FACE MASK
by Odacité, 200ml, £52
2
Odacité is a natural beauty brand that I keep on going back to.
The new face mask is versatile so that you can customize it to
your skin problem of the day. Since it works in 4 synergies, you
can use ingredients from your pantry to boost different properties.
For example, use the Black Cumin + Cajeput Serum Concentrate
to help with acne, and the Peach + Cypress Serum Concentrate
for combination skin. It is on the pricier side, however, you can get
so much use out of it – each mask only needs 1.5 tsp of the clay.
TEA TREE AND PUMPKIN SEED NATURAL DEODORANT
by Way of Will, 75ml, approx. £17.50
3 What’s interesting about Way of Will is that it’s targeted toward
people living an active lifestyle, and also includes a range for men.
The brand uses aromatherapy for different types of moods, such
as focus, warm up, and refresh. This deodorant comes in a stick
and works like magic. It leaves you smelling fresh and helps with
redness and itching thanks to the pumpkin seed oil. It’s the best
natural deodorant I’ve tried to date. The product claims to use no
residue, synthetic oils, artificial colouring and is completely cruelty-free.
LEMONGRASS BODY CREAM
4 by Wildcraft Skincare, 120ml, approx. £13
Since switching to all natural skincare, I’ve become obsessed
with Canadian brand Wildcraft Skincare. This is a great brand for
every green beauty lover, but also for people who want to get into
natural skincare without breaking the bank; their prices are super
reasonable. The body cream is ideal during the winter when your
legs get super dry. This cream is rich, but not too hard to rub into
the skin. It also smells like lemongrass, which makes you feel super
fresh when you apply it in the morning.
57
ANANAS CULTURE KICK SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

GREEN
CITY
GUIDE
BY MARGOT GUILBERT

TO LISBON, PORTUGAL

Margot is a French girl and founder of The Pastel

Project, an online platform to discover fair fashion,
green beauty and eco-friendly lifestyle. Her mission
is to inspire people to build a more conscious
lifestyle through their consumer choices that
respect workers and the environment. All of that
without losing elegance.

Now based in Lisbon, Portugal, she gathered a

few sustainable addresses, brands and alternatives
for you to try out and shop while you’re visiting
the city. And don’t forget to check out her blog
for more tips and style advice!

WWW.THEPASTELPROJECT.COM

BUREL: FASHION AND HOME DECOR IN WOOL THE FOOD FOR REAL: HANDMADE AND NATURAL ECOOLTRA: SHARED ELECTRIC SCOOTERS ORGANII COSMETICS: ORGANIC SKINCARE NÄZ CLOTHES: FASHION HANDMADE IN PORTUGAL MARIA GRANEL: BULK GROCERY SHOP

From coats to boots, envelop folders to bags Try their tapioca wraps for lunch and vegan banana In a rush or want to avoid being stuck in traffic The beauty shop at LX Factory where you will find This is a young brand born in Lisbon. You can find Shop in bulk! Bring your own organic cotton
and blankets to stools, everything is handmade cake for desert! It’s a great place to have your in the hilly streets of Lisbon? Ride an eCooltra natural, organic and zero-waste cosmetics from the brand at the Organii concept store inside the bags or jars to avoid packaging and, in addition,
of wool – the local heritage from the Portugal healthy brunch fix as well. shared electric scooters. It’s a greener alternative make-up to skincare. They also offer personalised LX Factory next to other eco-driven brands for reduce your daily waste. Maria Granel makes it
mountains. to conventional gas/diesel vehicles. organic massage therapies. babies and the home. super easy for you!

WWW.BURELFACTORY.COM/EN/ WWW.THEFOODFORREAL.COM WWW.ECOOLTRA.COM WWW.ORGANII.COM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NAZ.CLOTHES WWW.MARIAGRANEL.COM

Rue Serpa Pinto, 15 B Rua dos Lusiadas, 51 A Everywhere around Lisbon Rua Rodrigues de Faria, 103 Rue Rodrigues de Faria, 103 Rua José Duro, 22

58 59
ANANAS CULTURE KICK SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

FOOD: Growing plants from fish poo.

PUT LIKE THAT, THE IDEA SOUNDS QUITE REPULSIVE. HOWEVER, GROWUP URBAN FARMS

GROW
CREATED AN AMAZING CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM IN AN EAST LONDON URBAN SPACE. BY
FIRST FEEDING AND FARMING THE FISH, THEY DEVELOP AN AQUACULTURE IN BIG TANKS
WHOSE WASTE-WATER RICH IN NUTRIENTS IS THEN PUMPED TO THE ROOTS OF THE
PLANTS – THEY GROW IN VERTICALLY STACKED LAYERS WITHOUT THE NEED OF SOIL! THE

UP HELPFUL NUTRIENTS FERTILISE THE PLANTS AND IN TURN, THEY PURIFY THE WATER WHO
IS THEN REDIRECTED INTO THE FISH TANKS.

WWW.GROWUP.ORG.UK
Low transport costs and CO2 emissions as the
food grows closer to consumers and markets.

The low water-use system is an environmentally

conscious way of growing food and suits an
agriculture in the city.
Vertical farming means creating more growing
space and producing crops all year round.

Photography by MANDY ZAMMIT

No use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides –

the only energy needed is for the pumps and
water heaters.

60 61
ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

DIY TO EASY NINE

GARDENING LIVES
BY A PAIR AND A SPARE 8 Holyrood Street
SE1 2EL London
WWW.NINELIVESBAR.COM
IT’S NOT ALWAYS A SMALL JOB TO TAKE CARE OF PLANTS IN YOUR APARTMENT. IT MIGHT
NOT BE AS TOUGH AS MAINTAINING A GARDEN, BUT REMEMBERING TO WATER YOUR PLANTS
WHEN YOU’RE AT WORK IS ANOTHER TASK ON YOUR ENDLESS TO-DO LIST. INVESTING IN
CACTI AND SUCCULENTS IS A GOOD WAY TO START, AS THEY REQUIRE LESS ATTENTION.

NOW, REPOTTING IS ANOTHER STORY. SOMETIMES, YOU JUST DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT,
RIGHT? HERE ARE THREE EASY WAYS TO RECYCLE SPARE ITEMS LYING AROUND YOUR
HOUSE TO ACCESSORISE THOSE UGLY, PLASTIC BROWN POTS. THESE IDEAS ALSO MAKE
GREAT GIFT WRAPS IF YOU PLAN ON GIVING PLANTS AS GIFTS!

NINE LIVES IS A ZERO-WASTE COCKTAIL HANGOUT WHERE TIKI VIBES INGREDIENTS

MEET A SUSTAINABLE ETHOS. NOTHING THERE HAS BEEN PLACED
RANDOMLY, FROM THE TROPICAL DECOR TO THE LOW LIGHTING AND 50ml Tanqueray No.TEN
LUSH AROMA, EVERY ELEMENT HAS BEEN THOUGHT OF TO GIVE YOU 15ml homemade Chamomile kombucha
AN ATMOSPHERIC JUNGLE FEELING. 10ml Noilly Prat Vermouth

THIS HIDDEN GEM IS IN FACT SITUATED IN A VICTORIAN BASEMENT Add all ingredients to a mixing glass & stir down
OFF OF BERMONDSEY STREET, BUT LOOKS MORE LIKE A GREEN until chilled & diluted.
AND LUXURIOUS SHACK WHERE NATURE IS AT THE FOREFRONT.
THE STRONG AESTHETIC IS BACKED UP BY A POSITIVE MANTRA Strain into a martini glass & garnish with a big
THAT MAKES THIS PLACE ONE OF A KIND. FROM THE VINTAGE AND fat lemon twist.
REPURPOSED FURNITURE TO THE CANDLES’ WAX AND BAMBOO
STRAWS, WASTE IS REDUCED TO ITS MINIMUM AND RECYCLING IS
THE WATCHWORD.
TEA TOWEL

DUST BAGS

BASKET

Fold a tea towel over a cardboard
the size of your pot. Wrap it
around the pot and secure with
a sewing pin from the inside.
Linen or cotton dust bags
are a thing when it comes to
packaging. Handbags, shoes,
jewellery are all wrapped up
into these pieces of fabric.
Don’t let them catch dust in
your cupboard but use them to
dress up a cactus. Don’t forget
to put the pot base first that will
retain the water and prevent it
from ruining the basket!
Just place your plant into the
basket of your choice. Once
again the pot base is key, so
don’t forget to display it into
the bottom!
YET THE BEST STORIES REMAIN IN THE COCKTAILS’ INGREDIENTS.
PUSH THE BACK DOOR AND YOU’LL FIND THE HERB GARDEN WHERE
WASTE IS COMPOSTED TO NURTURE THE PLANTS. THE BARMAN ZIGGY
IS ALSO WORKING ON A WAY TO USE THE FRUITS’ PITHS TO CREATE
ESSENTIAL OILS FOR THE BAR’S LIQUEURS TO BE USED ALL YEAR
ROUND. THE COCKTAILS ARE UNIQUE, FRUITY AND DELICIOUS, ALL
LOVINGLY DESIGNED BY THE TEAM ON SITE.
TRY THE REFRESHING “OMU KOOLER” OR THE PUNCHY “LUTRA” WHILE
YOU’RE DANCING ON THE GROOVY SOUNDTRACK OF THE SATURDAY
PARTY NIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT CHILL, WE GIVE YOU THE
SECRETS TO THEIR FAMOUS “CAMBRE” DRINK TO CREATE AT HOME
AND IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS.

62 63
OUT OF
TIME
Photography: MARISOL MENDEZ CABRERA
Art Direction: MORGANE NYFELER

IT’S A NEO-RAVE, BABE, JUMP IN THE SPACESHIP !

Enter Creatures, a secret party where you’ll be

blown away by the ecstatic techno beats and the
mysterious, alien settings. Inside a suburban forest
or under a hidden arch, a flow of true-hearted party
people come each month to find the mental and
spatial freedom to let their inner self – and outer
style – go wild.

These pop-up, alternative parties are like a time

capsule where the world stops turning for you
to feel the moment and connection to other
like-minded souls.

We open the doors of this urban jungle and give

you a cheeky insight, but for the full experience,
physical attendance is essential.
A special thanks to the two adventurers GEORGIO ONIANI & DEAN MARC.
ANANAS
Imagine a world where a garment can easily be created on a
computer, printed from one single pattern and then fitted to the
body’s measurements. You won’t have to let your imagination
wander too far because this is called 3D printing. This technology
already exists and is used as a way to reduce fabric waste and
factory’s CO2 emissions. It also means a lower scale production
INNOVATION AND A PINCH OF CURIOSITY IS WHAT MAKES and a development on the concept of slow fashion.
FASHION EVOLVE, CHANGE AND ADAPT TO THE NEED OF
OUR SOCIETY. WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD THE INDUSTRY Julia Körner is a designer who combines traditional, creative methods
CAN BE. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT with 3D printing and laser cutting, ending up with complex garments
NOW, WITH THE HELP OF TECHNOLOGY, SO THAT THE mirroring couture pieces in their craftsmanship. Her design is mostly
FUTURE CAN BECOME BETTER FOR THE PLANET AND inspired by nature and she uses new technologies to imitate the
THE PEOPLE? texture of organic elements, such as, the lamella of the Portobello
mushroom.
Now, close your eyes again.
Innovative designers are paving the way to create new aesthetics Imagine a world where instead of leaving the plastic to pollute the
of beauty, as well as integrate the importance of ethical practice oceans, companies would use this waste to create new materials.
into their production. The environmental and social costs of fast Currently, using recycled materials is not common place in the
fashion are no secret to the public, with headlines reading of factory industry. However, we are seeing it emerge more and more in
collapses, news of underpaid garment workers, millions of tonnes recent years. A perfect example is sportswear brand Adidas. They
of fabric waste and polluted oceans. We are constantly reminded have pioneered running shoes that are made using recycled plastic
of the harm being done and it is difficult to envisage that in such a from the sea turned into threads. In partnership with Parley for the
turmoil, the fashion industry will find a way to take its head out of Oceans, the company has developed high-performance trainers –
the water before being drowned by its own damage. each reusing 11 plastic bottles and other recycled materials – and
is raising awareness to this issue.
Precursors like Hussein Chalayan or Isseye Miyake have been
experimenting with technology for almost 20 years. But, only Recycling is slowly being introduced more into fashion and this is
recently are we seeing younger designers and forward-thinking thanks to technology. In short, technology makes it easier than ever
brands looking at science and innovation to resolve the problems before to turn recycled materials into a brand new fabric. Recently,
that haunt the industry for too long. Some of these innovations Nike presented its new Flyleather, which is a “super material” made
wouldn’t have been believable only 10 years ago, but it takes a lot with recycled leather fibres in a closed-loop system. According to
of imagination from these designers to dare thinking outside of the Nike, this fibre’s carbon footprint and water usage is considerably
box. Now sit back and let us take you on an imaginary journey… lower than traditional leather, but also five times stronger and
durable. The brand already introduced its first Flyleather style last
September to be purchased online and is hoping to create more
Pineapple fibre in the Philippines photography B.BLANCO
limited editions and colours.
Take a moment to imagine the The snippet of information from Nike raises a very interesting point,
but this could go even one step further. What if leather was not
Pineapples photography by J.MAENTZ
fashion industry in the future. derived from an animal but came from a natural organism?
Close your eyes and transport
yourself 10 or maybe even 15
years’ time.
74
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
As it stands now, the leather and meat industry is responsible
for 18 per cent of all manmade greenhouse gases. This causes
25 times more global warming impact than CO2 and is also one
of the largest driver of deforestation in the world – without even
touching upon the tanning process which is also extremely toxic.
Yet, imagine that by using alternatives as simple as mushrooms or
pineapple leaves, we would be able to create fibres that are very
close to – and even better than – full-grain leather.
This is now a reality. MuSkin, invented by the company Zero Grado
Escape, is a vegetable leather made from a particular mushroom
with a very similar feel to suede. There is no toxic tanning process
needed as is treated using eco-friendly products. Even better, the
fabric is water-repellent, biodegradable and transpiring – hello, no
more sweaty feet in your leather shoes! It can also be stamped and
textured to emulate any kind of exotic skin, but the charm of this
natural material is definitely its little defects spread on the organic,
irregular surface.
If there is one alternative to consider, then Piñatex™, developed by
the company Ananas Anam, would top the list. Not only for its look,
but the material follows a strong social and ecological agenda as
well. This innovative, natural textile is made from the fibre of pineapple
leaves. They were traditionally used to weave the delicate Barong
Tagalog garments of the Philippines and have now been considered
a waste product left to rot or burn by the farming communities. By
sourcing the by-product from the existing agriculture, no additional
land, water, fertilisers or pesticides are required to produce this
raw material. Piñatex™ also offers an additional income stream to
farmers growing the fruit around the world and paves the way for
manufacturing partnerships. Because of the abundance of natural
fibres, the textile can be mass-produced while keeping a low carbon
footprint throughout its entire life cycle. Piñatex™ is already used
by eco-conscious brands internationally as a lightweight, durable,
flexible and breathable textile. It is also a vegan alternative to leather
in footwear, clothing, accessories and interiors.
75
ANANAS
This is all fantastic, but what is even better is that the company
is working diligently to take things a step further, literally and
figuratively. Dr. Carmen Hijosa, founder of Ananas Anam, and her
team are currently working on making the fabric fully biodegradable
and building a sustainable supply chain for their farming partners
in the Philippines.
The best news?
This is only the beginning.
A real fashion revolution is under way that will completely change
the way we think about materials and manufacturing. Imagine a
world where it would be possible to grow fabrics from almost
nothing – or more accurately, from living cells like bacteria. The
American start-up, Modern Meadow, has been looking at how
biology can be integrated into the fashion industry and how to further
boost the potential of animal-friendly materials. Modern Meadow’s
designers, scientists and engineers have teemed up and found a
way to ‘biofabricate’ leather through a protein called collagen – an
essential component of leather – without the use of animal skin.
After years of experiment, the company has perfected a fermentation
process – their own little recipe if you like – to brew collagen.
By starting with living cells and then assembling the man-made
protein into a sheet material, they ended up producing a leather
material of the future, that is biologically similar to real leather. It is
no surprise that the benefit for the planet is astronomically higher
than real leather, as the production requires minimal land, water,
energy, and chemicals in a closed-loop system.
It was in 2014 that Modern Meadow hired Suzanne Lee as creative
chief officer to explore the creative possibilities of biofabrication.
She had already been working on biomaterials and technology
for over 15 years, especially as a research fellow at Central Saint
Martins and with her BioCouture project. “As a designer, the most
exciting part is the creativity that this technology enables,” said Lee
to Business of Fashion. “It enables you to create things in completely
new ways. Texture, weights, strength, elasticity, breathability – all
of these are now tunable knobs of creativity that we didn’t have
to this extent before.”
76
Is it wishful thinking to imagine that in the future, fashion will be
dictated by nature instead of having the fashion industry use and
This is Piñatex featuring Bourgeois Boheme | Courtesy of PIÑATEX
abuse the planet’s resources?
Two fashion design students at London College of Fashion have
been exploring the relationship between nature and materials. Their
exploration even allowed them to grow plastic out of… food! Inspired
by Modern Meadow, the two experimented different formulas to
make their own fabrics in their kitchen, using accessible, vegan
and non-toxic ingredients.
Laure Fernandez is from France and Maryssa Cook-Obrégon is
from the United States, both bringing unique cultural perception
to the table. During their experimentation period, they discovered
that there is a whole community growing online of people sharing
their fermentation recipes. This online forum helped them in
knowing what to add – or not add – to their own ‘mixture’. “We
With her team at Modern Meadow, Lee started creating the first really wanted to explore how a garment can come into being and
commercial product by using liquid black leather to bond white fabrics reflect on it,” Maryssa told me. “This project is directly linked to our
together and design a t-shirt challenging people’s perceptions of consumption: we care about what we eat, but why aren’t we more
leather. A prototype was exposed at the Museum of Modern Art’s careful of what we wear?”
exhibition entitled “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” to raise awareness
of a new way to work with materials. The product, named Zoa, is By using agar, a jelly-like substance obtained from algae, vegetable
a leather that can be created in any shape, size, texture and even glycerine derived from plant oils such as palm, soy or coconut
combined with any other material. All of this while still having the oil, sugar and other natural ingredients found in the supermarket,
Biomaterial made with algae and vegetable glycerine for ‘Remaking Nature’ | Courtesy of MARYSSA COOK-OBRÉGON
same feeling and quality as real, animal leather. But the Zoa brand they managed to produce bioplastics that they could turn into a
focus is on communicating to the consumers and the creative garment. They learned that as long as the brew is fed with water
community rather than selling products. And the aim of Modern and glucose, the fabric can keep on growing indefinitely if it has
Meadow is now to work with big businesses to bring biofabrication enough space and time to expand.
to the next level.
Modern Meadow’s t-shirt prototype appearing at MoMa | Courtesy of MODERN MEADOW
Imagine if everyone could actually develop their own fabric? Or
think even bigger, if it was implemented on a large scale it would
become an important alternative to traditional, polluting plastics.
It is experiments like these that open a completely new chapter on
how we think about materials. The project undertaken by the two
students, showcased in an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection
called ‘Remaking Nature’, was more a catalyst for people to think
differently about materials and make them question their relationships
with goods and objects.
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
There are other controversial projects that many said were meant
to completely turn our conception of materials upside down. For
the 2016 Graduate Show at Central Saint Martins, MA student
Tina Gorjanc produced a range of leather accessories made of
skin grown from Alexander McQueen’s DNA. The conceptual
project showed that by using the late designer’s hair, it would be
possible to grow human leather as there is no legislation protecting
human genetic materials. The Real Human project was also a critic
towards the luxury industry and its appetite to find the latest rarity
and bespoke products.
These are just a few of examples that give insight into how fashion
and technology can work together, for the better and for the worse.
Through countless experiments, a heavy dose of curiosity and
most importantly, a desire to always innovate, we see that there
are ways to create garments that use nature for good instead of
destroying it. We are seeing more and more designers pushing
the limits of innovation and material production to a point that has
never been seen before. This push is vital if we want to keep our
planet liveable and continue designing fascinating garments with
a low impact on the environment.
One last time. Close your eyes.
Now, imagine a world where the
fashion industry is completely
sustainable. Keep your eyes shut.
Deep breath.
This is the dream of an ever-growing army of designers, brands and
consumers that are trying to change the future of fashion. You have
the power to make a difference with your everyday choices. And
you, whether you’re a creator or a consumer, you have the power
to hold the industry accountable in hopes of a sustainable – and
fashionable – future for all.
77
ANANAS
CHERISH CHERISH SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

YOUR YOUR
CLOTHES CANDICE FRAGIS, 37 CLOTHES
Buying & Merchandising Director at Farfetch
@candice_fragis

THERE IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL THAT COMES WITH SOME OF THE I buy clothes to colour my story, and with jewellery, As a child I was less fussed and stored them
ITEMS WE OWN. CLOTHES, ESPECIALLY, ARE AN EXTENSION OF OUR I accessorise with my heart. Almost all of the away for when I was grown. Now that I am older,
PERSONALITY AND A WAY TO EXPRESS OURSELVES. THEY DEFINE jewellery I wear is passed down from my mother
WHO WE ARE, MAKE US FEEL POWERFUL AND CAN ALSO BE USED and grandmothers. With this metal thread, I stay they make up my most
TO EXPRESS IDEAS. WITH THE FAST-CHANGING TRENDS OF FASHION, connected to the most important people in my world,
WE CAN EASILY LOSE OURSELVES BY FOLLOWING WHAT IS “IN” AND in this life and that which transcends the living. cherished pieces which I
FORGET THE REAL VALUE HELD IN CERTAIN PIECES OF CLOTHES.
It’s hard to pick just one item but as I type I stare never take off.
EVEN IN THE CLOSET OF THE MOST FASHION SAVVY INDIVIDUALS at my wrist, adorned with gold bangles which
SPECIAL GARMENTS ARE HIDDEN AND KEPT AS TREASURES, SURVIVING represents my first experience of sentimental Sadly, some charms have been lost along the way,
THE FRENETIC CYCLES OF FASHION. THESE ITEMS ARE TIMELESS AND collecting. My maternal grandmother always wore but the memories remain and I can’t wait to pass
CARRY THE MOST VALUED MEMORIES THAT CAN BE PASSED FROM ONE the same and for each grandchild born, she would on the bangle tradition to my children too one day.
GENERATION TO THE OTHER. JACKETS, BRACELETS, TROUSERS, RINGS, add another, with a small charm engraved with
ADORN WITH PRIDE THEIR WEARERS AND ARE, IN RETURN, CHERISHED the name and birth date. The tradition was then
BY THEIR OWNERS WITH ALL THE CARE THEY DESERVE. for her to buy me too a bangle, every year, for my
first decade of birthdays, either plain or with a
symbolic charm for that year.

SARA REIS DO MOURA, 26 EMMA FIRTH, 26

Head of Marketing and Communication at âme moi Online Fashion Editor at Hunger Magazine
@sara_king_moura @emmacfirth

My dad, Mário, was a very cool kid back in 80’s.
He was very tall and very athletic, so it’s easy to
understand that he was one of the popular ones
– for good reasons: he had such a warm appeal.
It was very common to see him with his baby blue
bike that he was riding to every place he knew.
He was only 14 when he started to work in a
factory and he was just 19 when he fell in love
with my mom. My dad worked double shifts in
order to buy his first house with my mom and,
at the same time, he had to deal with a drunk
father that lived most of his life saying that my
father wasn’t his son. On top of this, my father
had to protect my beloved grandmother from my
grandfather, because he used to be very violent
when alcohol was around him.
At the age of 23 my father had me, and since then,
he truly is my super hero. He no longer has a dad
or a mom, and despite of his “crazy” childhood,
he is such a bright, kind and happy man.
Why this vintage denim jacket is so dear to me?
My father used to say that it was like a shell to
him. He always felt comfy wearing it and he always
felt safe and emotionally warm.
Actually, it felt like home,
a good home.
Every time I wear his denim jacket, I feel like I am
paying a true and beautiful tribute to him. Like a
legacy, like a true “I love you, dad”. Don’t I look
proud of it?
I’ve adored buying second hand clothes ever since
I was a teenager – it makes up about 70% of my
wardrobe. At the weekend you can usually find
me roaming through vintage stores, charity shops
(mainly in Dalston and Crouch End) and antique
shops. Over time though I’ve tried to adopt the
Vivienne Westwood approach when it comes to
my sartorial choices:
buy less, choose well,
make it last.
A quality suit is always a good investment I’ve
found. Just look to style icons from the 60s and 70s
such as Jane Birkin to Diane Keaton who exuded
a louche allure through their ‘borrowed from the
boys’ dress-code. The velvet flared trousers are
AG Jeans but the fitted jacket my mum bought
me as a birthday present in TK Maxx about five
years ago (it’s Sandro Paris but cost £40). It’s
the one ‘outfit’ I go back to time and time again.
I work at a fashion magazine so never want to
look too ‘office-y’ but still chic, put together with
a little bit of a rock ’n’ roll edge.

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CHERISH CHERISH 79
ANANAS
CHERISH
YOUR
NOREEN GOODWIN, 48 CLOTHES
Investor, Businesswoman, Philanthropist & Mother of eight
@norsgoodwin
The hunt was on. I wanted a cropped, but not too
short, denim jacket quite a few years ago when
the fashion world was channelling oversized
sunglasses with maxi dresses and tight denim
jackets. After looking at high-end and mid-range
priced jackets I couldn’t find anything that was
the right fit. I am a UK size 8, tall and have long
gangly arms so I was swimming against the tide
in the first place.
I am a lover of sample sales and TK Maxx – why
pay more? I was wandering through TK Maxx one
day about ten years ago and saw a lady carrying
a denim jacket through the store so I stalked her
until she put it down. It was by Earl Jeans and a
bargain price of £24.99. As soon as I tried it on
I just knew it was perfect. Great fit, not too short,
not too long and fitted my arms.
ANTOINE COTTON, 25
Musician
@whoiscotton
For me, there is something truly unique that
comes with certain things we own, not because
they are valuable but because they represent
something or someone. Personally, I have that
sort of attachment with only very few items I wear.
Actually, the one that comes directly to mind in
my case is my grand father’s family ring. It was
given to me by my mother when he passed away
and I’ve worn it ever since. Simply knowing that
it’s been in my family for almost a century makes
me want to keep it close and proudly wear that
heritage. It is somehow the most personal gift he
left behind and, as the oldest man amongst his
grandchildren, I’m glad to carry on this tradition.
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CHERISH
OFFIR POSSU ESTAY, 28
A purchase was made.
Since then the jacket has been worn hundreds
of times – over a skirt, with jeans doing double
denim, to the gym and over dresses.
This has been one of my best buys and I hope it
stays with me for many years to come!
YAEL GOLAN, 24
Despite having a high financial value due to the
fine materials used for its making, it is rather the
emotional value that I tend to focus on, because it
simply has more weight in my eyes. It is something I
will happily give to my children to pass it on to theirs.
For those reasons, this very small item has quite a
high sentimental value attached to it and
I wouldn’t exchange that
for anything else.
CHERISH
YOUR
CLOTHES
Public Relations Manager at Hugo Boss International Markets
@estayhilton
From my vast wardrobe, I chose my dear black
neoprene, hooded jacket from Alexander Wang.
I only have it for three years now, but feel very
comfortable with it and consider it as my lucky
charm. I bought it when I first started working
at Hugo Boss – a job I worked hard to get as I
always wanted to work for a fashion brand – and
it reminds me to always follow my dreams.
Central Saint Martins Mres: Art Exhibition Studies Graduate
Years ago, a friend of mine and myself decided
to get a stand at the market taking place in my
hometown in Switzerland every 1st of May. We
were both about to move out of the country, and
we wanted to make a big spring clearing in our
wardrobes.
After a few kilos of clothes sold or exchanged, and
as many laughs, I encountered a bright, vintage,
flowery jumpsuits, that my friend didn’t sell. I
instantly fell in love with it, and it’s probably one
of the pieces of clothing that defines me the most.
CHERISH
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
It is not only a quite fashionable piece, it also
combines two of my favourite themes: athleisure
and practicality. I can wear it with a suit while at
work, as well as with t-shirt and jeans. Next to
that the fabric is water-repellent, which keeps
me dry during most seasons. Yet the style is not
very flamboyant - since it is held in black – which
is a perfect match to my personality.
Timeless and resistant,
this jacket is an item that I will keep for a long time,
also because every time I wear it, I feel strong and
ready to move mountains
Like any other vintage clothing, I like to imagine
who was wearing the item years before me, and
how. But regardless of the romantic dimension
of it, every single time I wear this jumpsuit, I just
feel amazing.
I feel confident,
happy, cute, and
independent somehow.
I sometimes like to believe that it’s a magical
jumpsuit, as it has witnessed many special summer
days, and created as many special or funny
memories for me. And I’ve had some more romantic
memories with it, like a hot summer night in the
streets of a Greek island town... Well, I guess it’s
not called a playsuit for nothing!
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ANANAS
Illustration: ANA JAKS
HOW TO
GIVE CLOTHES
TO CHARITY SHELTER
WHAT IT IS: Fighting homelessness is Shelter’s main purpose. With about 100
shops on high streets across the UK, they raise funds by selling a
big variety of items – from second-hand clothing to books, CDs or
DVDs with some shops dedicated to second-hand furniture. The
charity helps millions of people by giving advice, support and legal
services to help them with their housing issues.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT: The number of homeless people is expected to double in the next
20 years. Shelter helps those people to find somewhere to live or
assist them with their tenancy and financial issues. The charity also
gives them a voice and the power to fight rent increases.
Go to your nearest Shelter shop to donate or find a good bargain.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED: You can also volunteer in your local community and develop your
retail experience by making a difference for people in need. There
are also plenty of ways to take part in events and campaigns all
over the country.
WWW.SHELTER.ORG.UK
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SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
INSIDE YOUR WARDROBE, AMONGST YOUR FAVOURITE ITEMS THAT YOU COULD WEAR EVERY DAY, LIE THE ‘MISTAKEN’ CLOTHES THAT YOU
THOUGHT WERE BRAVE ENOUGH TO PULL OFF. THIS RED VELVET DRESS THAT YOU ONCE WORE AT A NEW YEAR’S PARTY, DOES IT REALLY HAS
ITS PLACE IN YOUR EVER-MORE CONSCIOUS DRESSING? AND THIS PAIR OF DENIM THAT YOU HAVEN’T DARED WEARING SINCE YOUR LAST
YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CLOSE THE ZIPPER AGAIN?
NO WONDER THAT IN SUCH A WIDE RANGE OF CLOTHES, THERE IS NEVER ANYTHING TO WEAR. IT IS TIME FOR A SPRING CLEARING AND FOR
THROWING YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS IN PLASTIC BAGS FILLED WITH FASHION REGRETS. BUT DON’T WORRY, THERE’S A WAY TO GIVE THEM A
SECOND LIFE! FIND YOUR CLOSEST CHARITY SHOP TO BRING THOSE KILOS OF FABRIC THAT WILL MAKE SOMEONE HAPPIER. YOU WILL COME
OUT WITH A LIGHTER HEART AND WARDROBE, AND MAYBE EVEN NEW THREADS TO RESTOCK IT ON A BUDGET.
ROYAL
SMART TRINITY
WORKS HOSPICE
Smart Works not only is a charity providing work clothes, but also Across seven London boroughs, Royal Trinity Hospice supports
a place for women to receive styling advice and interview training elderly people in their end of life and give them the care and respect
when they are looking for a job. During her appointment, each they deserve. Their 26 shops raise funds to support the hospice’s
woman in need receives a high-quality office outfit tailored to her work and also raise awareness to encourage conversations around
taste while also being able to practice one-to-one interview with death and dying. The charity in addition works with corporate
an experienced professional. partners who donate end of season stock to be sold in the shops.
The charity makes sure women feel comfortable and self-confident The charity looks after old people in their home or directly in hospices
when they go for their next job interview. The outfit is selected with to give them emotional and practical support at each stage of the
careful attention and women are given the self-belief and practical end of life. Volunteers also help families and friends to cope with a
tools they need to succeed an interview. Smart Works helps women dying relative when needed. They give all the information necessary
open a new chapter in their life by looking and feeling fabulous. to ensure as many people as possible benefit from their help.
You can simply donate high quality clothing or accessories in You can donate good quality items to one of the shops close to
all sizes. Why not organise a Clothing Drive within your place of your area and also buy second hand pieces online through their
work? Smart Works gives you all the instructions to do so. You eBay and Amazon shops. As an independent charity, Royal Trinity
can also donate money or fundraise through several events, such Hospice relies mostly on supporters who can give little donations
as a fashion show or a triathlon. If you feel like you have the skills in order to train the staff of doctors, nurses and social workers.
to train other women, don’t hesitate to volunteer and give them Planning a baking party or challenge event is also a good way to
the hope for a new life. raise funds. Moreover, there are 20 roles in the hospice or shops
to volunteer and get involved.
WWW.SMARTWORKS.ORG.UK WWW.ROYALTRINITYHOSPICE.LONDON
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ANANAS
FUR:
FRIEND
OR FAUX?
IN CONVERSATION WITH
LILY GILBERT
LILY GILBERT IS THE FOUNDER OF TALLIS, A SWISS
BRAND PRODUCING ETHICAL FUR, CASHMERE AND
SHEEPSKIN GARMENTS. BY RESPONSIBLY SOURCING
THE MATERIAL SHE USES, GILBERT MAKES SURE TO
PRESERVE ANIMAL WELFARE AS WELL AS THE OLD
TRADITION OF FURRIERS IN HER ADOPTED COUNTRY.
THE NAME TALLIS COMES FROM A LEGENDARY DEER,
WHICH BECAME PART OF THE BRANDING, TO SHOW
THE BRAND’S COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
WHILE CREATING LUXURY YET CONTEMPORARY FUR
PRODUCTS. WE TALKED TO THE BRITISH BUSINESS
WOMAN ABOUT HOW TALLIS IS CHANGING THE
STEREOTYPE AROUND ANIMAL SKIN AND WHY
SWITCHING TO FAKE FUR IS NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA
AFTER ALL.
WWW.THETALLIS.COM
@thetallis
How important is it for you to produce
your garments locally?
Most of the pieces are made from cashmere
that comes from Italy and we also have a partner
in the US who sources vintage cashmere. Then
everything comes to Switzerland to be processed
with the local sheepskin and fur that we use. It’s
important for me to know exactly where it comes
from. In the end we make all the products and
finish them here in Geneva. Because fur is such
a specialised production, we have a couple of
furriers here that do special items like the fur
collars or the tippets.
FUR:
84
Fur is such a controversial topic in fashion.
How can it be ethical?
Being ethical is the main point of Tallis. I
wanted to be very specific and find the sources
that I considered to be ethical. For me, that
means one of a few options, for instance, fur that
is a by-product of another activity like the food
industry. Sheepskins, goats and rabbits that we
get in Switzerland are animals raised for their
meat and we use the fur from that process. Then
another option is what I call reclaimed fur which
is a by-product of another process and would
normally be a waste product. For example the red
foxes in Switzerland are being controlled by the
government to regulate the species and we buy
the fur from them before it’s been thrown away.
We also use vintage fur made before 1975 and
re-manufacture these coats into different products.
There is this idea of craftsmanship that is
very well rooted in the fur industry, from the
sourcing of bespoke skin to the production
and hand finishing.
The furrier profession almost completely
Being ethical is the main died in Europe and it’s only now that it’s coming
back in, as there’s a lot of young people that are
point of Tallis. getting trained. You need special fur machines and
somebody who knows how to work with the skin
because it’s not as working with a fabric that you
have on a roll. So you can’t have a pattern cutting
PICTURE 3: TALLIS TIPPET with reclaimed Swiss fox
approach to making the product. You have to look
at the piece of fur in front of you and work out
how to use it because they’re not all the same.
Especially the fur that we use is not optimised to
be used for a garment, so it’s more complicated
and takes time to work with. It’s more like an art
really. It has to be done by hand by somebody
who has an eye for the finished garment. There are
a lot of specialists now and all the fur machines
they use are very old, but it’s beautiful to work on.
Not many people are skilled to transform a vintage
mink skin coat into a smaller piece – that’s why
PICTURE 2: Forever TALLIS vintage cashmere jumper
it’s expensive and can be a barrier to people. But
I hope that now more young people will pick up
I saw that your production supports social to become furriers.
and professional reintegration for women
via SOS Femmes. Gucci decided to ban fur in all their
future collections and is joining the
Yes, the majority of our pieces is made with Fur-Free Alliance from Spring/Summer
a social enterprise called CREATURE, the textile 2018.
arm of SOS Femmes. They are based in Geneva
and they retrain women who have been long-term That’s their choice and what is right for their
unemployed and they give them a new metier. customers. I can understand the reasons why
The atelier train them up in sowing and couture, they’ve done that but it depends what they use
(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) PICTURE 1: Artisanal production of fur
and after a certain time, women can choose to instead. What I love about fur is that it’s a natural,
go work with them. They make the pompoms and renewable and biodegradable material. We use
sow them on the hats, and they make all of our it to produce a garment that would be really
sheepskin scarfs and collars. long-lasting, and even when it’s not being used
anymore, it can break down so it doesn’t create a
problem of waste in the environment. The problem
in not using any fur is that they might start using
more and more synthetics which, from my point
of view, creates a new environmental problem.
Photos courtesy of TALLIS
Fake fur is also a controversial topic
in the industry. The most ardent anti-fur
advocates even argue that faux fur acts
as a ‘gateway’ to the real thing.
Synthetic fur is problematic because it’s made
from petroleum and it uses a lot of chemicals.
Once it’s produced, it’s not a high performance
or long-lasting material – the quality is not strong
enough to be on a garment that will last for more
than a few seasons. Then once it’s thrown away,
it doesn’t break down – acrylic can last 2’000
years before it disappears. But if you put fur in the
ground, within three months, it’s nearly all gone.
I don’t think one option is better or worse, I just
think that you have to consider all of the impacts
of the fashion garment. And yes, I see the point in
the fact that purchasing faux fur, or even the one
I do, could push other people to buy any type of
fur. But what I hope is that people who go buy
a fur product come to Tallis because it’s ethical
and don’t go buy a copy that is produced in bad
conditions.
However, it seems that fur has regained
interest in the eyes of millennials while
it was perceived as old fashioned a
decade ago.
The generation that is against fur is older
than the millennials, because they grew up in the
80’s and saw all these anti-fur campaigns which
made fur go out of the industry. I think millennials
are very conscious about their sourcing and they
think about a range of issues that have to do with
sustainability, the environment, as well as animal
welfare. This will encourage them in making the
right choice. It’s the first generation understanding
the word sustainability and integrating it in their
purchasing decisions. However, I wouldn’t say
that most of our customers are millennials as we
have a very broad age appeal.
We can only keep producing
in that way and communicate
SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1
You offer an after life for every Tallis
jumper that you turn into a hat. Where
does upcycling and customisation stand
right now in the industry?
The very first products we made at Tallis were
hats, which were made from vintage cashmere
jumpers, and it’s still a big part of our business.
When we launched the jumper range, it was a
completely natural step to include the promise
that people could bring them back to have a hat
one day. I hope upcycling and customisation are
going to take a bigger part in the industry as a
backlash against fast fashion. Pieces in your
closet can be changed or remodelled if it’s good
enough quality material. There’s a lot of interest in
waste material. Either what we do, which is taking
old garments and cutting them up to make new
ones, or break waste down into a fibre which is
more complicated technologically. That might be a
next step for us; use yarns made from waste, and
there’s so much interesting activity in that area.
You’ve just participated to ‘The Slow
Fashion Showcase’ in Geneva. Is ethical
fashion being introduced more and more
into the mainstream?
It was an amazing event and a lot of people
came. The five brands that were showing there
have all a strong commitment to slow fashion. The
most encouraging thing about it was speaking to
all these people who visited the fair and said how
much they loved the concept of slow fashion. Before
each catwalk, we explained how our different brands
are trying to support the idea of slow fashion and
it was very well received. There’s a lot of work
being done by the industry to show that you can
make a better choice than fast fashion. We have
a lot of support from Fashion Revolution who
promoted the event. The movement is growing
and it’s turning into a main term.
about it so that it will
become more mainstream.
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ANANAS SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 1

GUIDE TO
HAND-STITCHING

RUNNING STITCH is the basic stitch in hand-sewing or tailoring. It can be used for straight or slightly curved seams.

1. Bring your needle up through the fabric from the wrong side.

2. Push the threaded needle into the fabric you wish to join, gathering the fabric as you push the needle over
with regular spacing in between stitches to form a straight or curved sewing line.

3. Bring the head back up and repeat.

BASTING STITCH is a simple sewing stitch used for several sewing techniques including joining fabric quickly
together by tacking, instead of pinning fabric together.

1. Use the same technique as the running stitch but make longer stitches (between 1/4 and 1/2 inch)

BACKSTITCH is a strong adaptable stitch by hand, also used to secure the start and finish of stitching lines
without the need for an awkward knot. Useful for hard to reach areas where it will look like machine stitching
on the outside and overlapping stitches on the inside.
7 SEW WHAT YOU RIP!
1. Work from left to right: take tiny stitches on the hem, and then on the garment
1. Turn your jeans inside out
2. Keep stitches loose and even
2. Use your scissors to cut off any fraying
threads and trim around the edges of the
hole

CATCHSTITCH is perfect for when you need to hem knitted and stretch fabrics together. Formed by using a 3. Pin the jeans back together, ready for
zig-zag sewing motion which can be sewn over raw edges to keep them from fraying, the catch stitch is worked stitching.
from left to right creating a row of overlapping stitches on the wrong side of the fabric.
4. Start sewing at the top with little catch
1. Work from left to right: take tiny stitches on the hem, and then on the garment stitches to keep stitching as flat and
smooth as possible.
2. Keep stitches loose and even
5. Stitch together using small stitches through
both pieces of denim pulling in together

BLANKET STITCH/BUTTONHOLE STITCH is used to reinforce the edge of thick materials. It is defined as a decorative 6. Turn jeans to see how they’re looking. As
stitch used to finish an unhemmed blanket and can be seen on both sides of the fabric. there’s not much fabric to play with, nice
tight stitches will hold them together for a
1. Secure the thread on the wrong side of the fabric. With the right side facing upward, insert the needle from while
back to front, about an 1/8 inch from the edge.
7. Turn jeans inside out again and continue
2. Wrap the working head around behind the eye of the needle, then behind the point with small over stitching, removing the pins
as you reach them.
3. Pull the needle through, bringing the know to the fabric edge.

READY TO BE WORN AGAIN!

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