SUSTAINABLE SUMMER OUTFIT

- easy fit kimono top from re-used pillow cases, ROHstoff

- up-cycled denim pencil skirt

- up-cycled transparent clutch

- silver espadrilles, TOMS

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Just in time for my holidays I fixed myself my first entirely sustainable outfit which ticks a whole spectrum of ethical fashion boxes ;)
The easy fit kimono top is one of my favourite shapes and an essential piece in my wardrobe because it looks great paired with all sorts of bottoms such as pencils, maxi skirts or jeans. Its light weight cotton quality from reclaimed pillow cases makes it perfect for summer.
I've always wanted a denim pencil skirt because they are so easy to wear - I up-cycled an old pair of stretch denim jeans and added some wear & tear for a distressed finish.  This is moderately easy to make yourself and I will explain more in one of the upcoming tutorials!!
The transparent clutch is nothing more than two sheets of bubble wrap with two brass press buttons attached to it. I love the sheer look and it's pretty convenient for protecting your mobile, sunnies & lippy at the beach!
I absolutely adore my new silver mesh espadrilles - they put a completely new spin on many of my existing outfits. Now I can easily re-mix a new holiday look without having to buy heaps of new clothes! On top of that they feel extremely comfortable and make for a conscious buy with their One for One^® business model that will match every pair of shoes purchased with a new pair of shoes for a child in need :))

COUNT DOWN TO ZERO

Supposedly around 15% of textiles end up on the cutting room floors whilst making a garment. So that means that a considerable amount of the gorgeous fabrics that I pick as a designer will go to waste.  Seems such a shame especially when you consider all the natural resources, creative design-work and human labour that have been invested in making these cloths.
The ROHstoff-concept tries to address this issue by upcycling new fabric left overs into new garments like our gorgeous upcycled bomber jacket.

But there are more and very creative approaches to deal with the so called pre-consumer textile waste: emerging designers like Natascha von Hirschhausen & Elke Fiebig have started to adopt a zero-waste design technique which ultimately reduces textile waste at the design-stage!
Their work is the result of an exchange program between fashion design alumnis from Bangladesh and Berlin which they participated in.
Aiming for sustainability-focused production methods like zero-waste draping and left-overs sourcing from the industry the designers collections combine eastern aesthetics and loose-fitting silhouettes with classic western tailoring.

Some of the Bangladeshi contributors of the program like Iftekhar Rahman decided to work on post-consumer waste concerns and wove memories and dreams of second-hand saris into a new Kantha-material by applying an old traditional quilting method.
From these upcycled fabrics he made a collection of oversized coats & jackets that can be worn on both sides and aim to reduce the need to consume (genius ;)

The work of all twelve participating designers is presented at the exhibition LOCAL - INTERNATIONAL  (sadly ending today!!) - it's an absolute must-see that features great innovation & consideration for the future of fashion!

You can find out more from the designtransfer platform of the Berlin University of Arts and the designtransfer Facebook page.

I WOOD LIKE THESE!

The Fashion Week hype is heightening with all eyes on Berlin for this week and I decided to follow an invitation by startup concept-store LNFA to start off in style with a blogwalk party.  Following recent events and especially a great conference in Hamburg at designxport I've been finding out a great deal about new sustainable materials in the product design scene from one of my fellow speakers - Dr. Sascha Peters.
So I was extremely excited to see that there are similar efforts being made by emerging fashion brands when I ran into a maze of wooden sunglasses hanging from the massive concrete ceiling at the Bikini Berlin based space.
Made by Kerbholz, a young accessory brand from Germany the glasses (and watches) are mainly constructed from wood, come in all the right shapes & look incredibly sharp.  I was absolutely taken by Leopold, made from ebony & cellulose acetate!!
But what I loved most about them was that the designers put in considerable amounts of effort into developing a product which ends up in the earth rather than on top of it.
For me, as a designer that has become imperative - and I am absolutely certain that biodegradable & sustainable innovation packaged with compelling aesthetics will be the longest lasting trend, not just for this season ;)