UPCYCLED MEMORIES

So it happens sometimes that life feels suffocating because you have taken on too many tasks (me last month - sorry for the long silence!) and then you step out of the U-bahn one day, the sun shines in your face, there is music in the air and you enter a great space filled with art, knowledge and unreserved people (me last night) and you suddenly get your spark back (ahh :)

Following a spontaneous invitation by textile designer Olga Tiernan, who I interviewed the week before when travelling to Ireland, I found myself at the Irish Embassy in Berlin for the opening of Bungalow Bliss.  For this new exhibition Berlin-based Irish artist Adrian Duncan paired up with Olga to showcase a brief series of works based on a publication of Jack Fritzsimon's catalogue of plans with pre-designed Irish houses that populated the Irish landscape throughout the 1970s until the 1990s.

I was captured by the enthusiasm in which both artists re-interpreted the style of the buildings they grew up with and how components of particular memories translated into new works of art.  Adrian used photographs, collages and video installation to map styling details of the bungalows past which were an authentic expression of what was going on in Ireland at the time and Olga's centrepiece was a hand-printed canvas length with a repeated screen print design representing the cladding used on the outside of the houses.  Having grown up in a bungalow-style house herself Olga felt inspired by the pastel painted rooms of her childhood memories - hues she re-created for her piece and which illustrate how memories shape the cultivation of our aesthetic values and build the framework for creative inspiration.

Back in Dublin Olga co-runs the very successful screen-printing collective PRINT BLOCK, a membership based print studio that offers screen-printing workshops as well as affordable access to a fully equipped professional textile print facility.

PRINT BLOCK is definitely worth a visit should you happen to pass by Dublin and makes for a great & memorable experience... ;)

FASHION HACKERS

1 knitted patch Jessie English

2 Tennis Star Jessie English, photograph Shaun Lucas

3 Trainer Trafo Pop

4 Electronics & Textile Institute Berlin

If you always wanted to knit yourself a crazy pattern hat or a cozy jumper but had no idea how to (or no time like me) - you needn't have worried! The hacked knitting machine from All Yarns Are Beautiful (AYAB) uses an Arduino board which controls the colour changes and plugs into your computer via USB so now you can start knitting from your laptop :))

The AYAB makers upgraded an old Brother knitting machine by replacing the existing control board with an electronic one which they developed and because the AYAB controller uses all 200 needles of the machine you can come up with almost limitless pattern designs.

It was one of the coolest things on display from the Electronic + Textile Institute Berlin (ETIB) who exhibited at Berlin Fashion Week's FashionTech Lab last month.

ETIB's former artist in residence Jessie English has been experimenting with the hacked knitting machine to build up an intriguing portfolio. The designer's knitted tennis sleeve is an absolute must - have for the has-it-all bachelor.  It carries the spontaneous notion of a sweet-wrapper, underlining her approach of refreshing untaintedness.  By integrating digital technology into her work with the use of unconventional materials Jessie leads an extremely inspiring path to textile innovation.  

Wearable technologies are no doubt the new stars on the fashion horizon and have made revolutionary progress - not long and we'll be able to print the cool Trafo Pop trainers ourselves!!

TREND | Jean-ious

1 recycle rug indigo

2 denim jacket

3 camper seat

4 tie dye jeans

Berlin Fashion Week was hosting some great trade fairs last week where I discovered two labels producing stunning and at the same time absolutely consciously made Jeans.  

Wunderwerk from Germany impressed with a authentic denim range tapping into one of the big trends this season with their bold tie-dye finishes.  Their jeans are designed and produced with a minimal environmental impact in mind.

Nudie Jeans from Sweden showcased an eclectic and well developed range of crafted high quality denim pieces.  The brand provides an in-depth production guide for each garment they sell on their web site.  That way the customer can trace back their jeans and find exact information of where, how and by whom it's been made.  The concept of breaking-in, repairing, re-using and recycling jeans is explained in great detail on their homepage and very popular with their regulars who can redeem old jeans for a discount on a new pair.  The gorgeous denim rug and camper chairs are just a few upcycled products that have made a come-back out of the factory lab onto the shop floor.

Highlight of the presented collection were the customized and printed denim jackets with a reminiscent feel of retro to it - totally in tune with my current denim obsession :))

NEWCOMER | Black Rat

I love watching graduate fashion shows, for one it triggers beautiful nostalgia for an awesome time of my life but also captures the free spirit of generation NOW!  This year's ESMOD's international catwalk was no different. Held in Berlin, it brought together international talent from ESMOD design schools around the world.  

Things got really exciting when Oslo label Black Rat rocked the catwalk sharing its avant garde vision of street style with the crowd.  The collection explored the universe of booming Nordic concept band Deathcrush, ticking all the right boxes on skilled design craft and ethical choice of fabrics.  Designer Siri Sveen Haarland made it her signature to support & promote newcomer musicians from the Norwegian underground - in this case through prominent placement prints on oversized Tees and patched on leggings.  The clever cut & immediate fabric appeal of the closing bomber jacket was a great round up of the apparent: rat is the new black ;)

photography: Posh Photography

HI ON LIFE

I find it incredibly exciting to discover modern & unconventional clothes that have been produced consciously at the same time.
So naturally I was thrilled when I met with Arvid in his creative concept store HI ON LIFE bucking the fast fashion trend.  Key to Malmö's eco-scene the shop is perched above the crowd of local supermarkets, framing the entrance of alternative mini-mall Mitt Möllan.

Inside I was keen to see the shop's first own line, a joint effort with local fashion designer Olivia Thomasdotter.  With organic mesh crop tops, super-snug ankle pencil skirts & exaggerated coats made from upcycled door matts the exclusive mini- collection explores a modern world for style minded individuals with the courage to create change.

It was fantastic chatting to Arvid whilst trying on the entire shop - personal fav: the stunning oversized, black factory coat made from sustainable cotton.  Together with his partner Malin the duo's aim is to promote the things they love most - mixing fashion, art and style with a sustainable approach.

With a great focus on creativity HI ON LIFE stocks a new generation of eco-conscious labels: playful print designs by A QUESTION OF hang casually next to bright & bold Tees by London's LAZY OAF setting a nice contrast to obsessive minimalist Kiwi brand kowtow.  And as for the lush trainers, they give key to it all. Made in Brazil, from organic fair trade cotton and veggie tanned leather Veja footwear proposes cultural change by employing socially excluded people.
Trust me, when in Malmö you deffo want to step inside this store.

MALMÖ | EASY LIVING

Brush off your worries and dive into a town full of vintage, cool & shiny happy people ;) Maybe this description might fit any place when you're on holiday but after arriving in Malmö I soon realised I've entered eco - lifestyle paradise with an edge.

With the make-over of Västra Hamnen, the western harbour, the city transformed un-used industrial waste land into a place of hedonistic sustainability.  It's like you can live a good life and don't really have to think about it - densely built urban spaces give way to sleek apartment buildings running on 100% local & renewable energy (for example biogas from residents food waste!!) with living green roofs, cool water features / playgrounds & gorgeous seafront views. (✓, ✓, ✓) Skyline highlite is a full 90 degrees twisting sustainable skyscraper - too bad you can't go inside the turning torso since it's residential.  Life must look amazing from the top.

The over all plan in Malmö is to get people out of their cars with far reaching bike lanes and green public transport (major ✓).  I couldn't wait to get on my Swedish hipster rental bike to explore the cities recommended hot spots (thanks Olof!) starting with a spree to Malmö Konsthall exploring a brilliant arts installation by Gunilla Klingberg including the use of upcycled truck tyres.
The Konsthall is a unique place with a modern approach to art as part of daily life - its imagination reaches far beyond the curtains of the exhibition space involving the gallery windows and brilliant restaurant space featuring poster artworks and copies of art books to read through whilst enjoying one of the city's best meals.

To top things off Malmö is Sweden's first fairtrade city which means it promotes the issue of ethical consumption.  As a result many shops, supermarkets, restaurants and cafés offer Fairtrade products.  I was fascinated by the concepts of Malmö's casual eateries - all seeming to follow the winning formula of combining delicious & fresh food (did I already mention that 100% of the food purchased in the city of Malmö should be organic by 2020 - yep) with an eclectic mix of vintage & modern interior and always with a incredible tasty vegetarian or vegan option! May I add that the coffee never failed to impress either ;)

Here is a list of the best ones I've tried in favourite order:

Kafé Agnez

Gorgeous little eco - café with a delicious vegan salad bar, cakes & vintage style court yard

Agnesgatan 11,

Mon - Frid 11am - 6pm, Sat/Sun 11 - 5pm

Far i Hatten

Supercool beer garden with fresh, homemade all day menu, best grilled steaks (according to Mikael ;) and hip & trendy crowd.  It has a very relaxed vibe and is the perfect place to chill on a sunny evening with free live music - ❤

inside Folkets Park

Mon - Tue 10am - 1am, Wed - Sat 10am - 2am, Sun 10am - 12am

Spoonery

is a bright & cool space with a selection of delicious slow cooked food dishes to choose from, great coffee & superfriendly staff

Number 6

is the hole-in-the-wall type of place which came recommended by our host and we went back for coffee every day - best brew in Möllan with a small garden & sun chairs across the road. 

Mäster Henriksgatan 6

Mon - Frid 8am - 5pm, Sat/Sun 10am - 4pm

Slottsträdgårdens Kafé

reminded me of an afternoon tea place with gorgeous outdoor seating in the middle of Malmö's castle gardens with home-made sandwiches, cakes and organic ice cream...hmmm

Malmöhusvägen 8

Mon - Sund 11am - 5pm

Most of these popular spots are located in a cool little neighbourhood called Möllan with plenty of conscious fashion spaces & vintage shops.  Here I met with Arvid in his super cool ethical boutique HI ON LIFE - which deserves full attention in a separate blog post to follow...

ELSIEN GRINGHUIS | ELEMENTARY ELEGANCE

Back to basics has always been key at the house of Elsien Gringhuis - the young designer from Arnhem / Holland is known for her simple elegance and blending clean cuts with strong appeal by playing with unusual print techniques, silhouette and fabric interest.

Her new collection for Spring / Summer 2015 influenced by reigning principles of function and form which showcased at GreenShowroom's lush venue Hotel Adlon was no different.  Under the visionary title Elementary Elegance she takes fundamental pattern cutting to another level where garments adapt geometric shapes of circles and squares, erasing side seams on the way. The results are stunning, sculpture-like, coat dresses and angular tops made in fluidly silks with a strong & continuous focus on innovative print.  Long time collaborator and resourceful print designer Aliki van der Kruijs presented her method using ink sourced from printer waste, applying strong detail to sleeve and hem details.

Focusing on the timeless good looks of modern separates which can be layered up suiting changing climate conditions and combined with existing wardrobe pieces, the label clearly distances itself from the antiquated four-seasons-in-fashion model and puts emphasis on aesthetics, quality & practicality rather than trend.  Promoting a transparent production line, minimum waste & the use of organic fibers at the same time, Elsien Gringhuis gives us a strong outlook of hope how fashion can be consumed in future.

photos top & bottom:
photography: Sabrina Bongiovanni,  hair & make up: Charlotte Niketic @ House of Orange,  model: Anastassia @ Paparazzi Model Management,  prints: Aliki van der Kruijs

ISABELL DE HILLERIN | BEYOND

Isabell de Hillerin has a powerful vision:  to integrate modern silhouettes with values of handcrafted and slow fashion. The idea to look outside perceived limitations and rather concentrate on what she sees as fundamental principles like using handmade textiles by local artisans in Romania and Moldova to add to her gorgeous designs has been her signature since the start of her label back in 2009.

With her new collection Beyond the designer invites you to take some time to reflect on the essential in our fast moving environment and translates her inspiration into a strong & extremely wearable collection for S/S 2015. Sheer layers give way to beautiful clean cut silky tops and dresses in whites, muted greys and powdered neutrals.  Hidden tucks and pleats on below knee length culottes and draped blouses redefine an effortless elegance with an urban twist.  My absolute favourite pieces were the grey cape layered shirt and the white patent brogues - top of my personal wish list!

I'm thrilled to see a great designer whose production line is as transparent as the beautiful layers on the girls she sends out on the catwalk.  But what I love most about this collection is that the garments are investment pieces rather than seasonal fads - Isabell de Hillerin is here to stay!

NEWCOMER | RAMONA HUPPERT

Newcomer upcyclist Ramona Huppert brought a breeze of fresh air and diversity to the Lavera Showfloor stage with her catwalk presentation last week.  Under the name Urban Mountain Journey the designer explored ways of modern nomads and our emotional attachment to the things we surround ourselves with.  What is home - is it a place or the things we own? I've contemplated this as long as I can remember especially because I get bored in one place very quickly and have a habit of changing post codes almost every couple of years.  

Huppert has come up with a clever solution for everyone who loves taking their personal things with them at all times - even furniture!   With a touch of avant garde her experimental creations serve more than one purpose. The boxy jumper made from an old leather arm chair folds up to be a stool - providing the user with familiar cosiness of home when travelling. The backpack transforms into a messenger bag, saving you having to take to many bags on hols - the fact that it's made from leather left overs is an absolute bonus!  The entire collection is a great example for resourceful choice of material, innovative cut and exceptional design – giving us a vision of a bright future!

REET AUS | UPCYCLING - AT - LARGE

A fanatastic example for promoting upcycling on an industrial scale is Estonian designer Reet Aus who showcased the new collection of her label UpMade at the lush Hotel Adlon, venue of GreenShowroom Berlin.

"Our goal," she says, "is to influence consumer awareness and to aim for upcycling to be implemented into a regular production process."  To make this happen the label teamed up with partner Beximco, one of Bangladesh's biggest garment producing factories, using pre-consumer waste as source material for its accessories, gear and apparel. This way it manages to save on average 70% of water and create 88% less CO2 emission for each new garment in this collection. I was totally thrilled by Reet's conscious approach and clever way of combining textile left over with commercial design - the new collection include cut - about blouses and denim dresses, relaxed unisex boyfriend jeans from 100% recycled denim and gorgeous snug pencil skirts. One of my favourite pieces is the white arrow UpShirt featuring some great pattern cutting skills for the arrow centre piece - the only way is up, I reckon!

Photography: @ Reet Aus

ETHICAL FASHION SHOW BERLIN 2014

It's the time of the year again!! This being my 4th season of Ethical Fashion Show at E-Werk Berlin I was absolutely thrilled to be back - seeing many familiar faces as well as meeting new ones.  First thing though I rushed to see the Safia Minney talk at the venue's spacy control room! After that I just had enough time to browse through the two massive exhibition halls of the fair until the upcycling fashion roadmap guided tour started at UFS.
The two labels that stood out for me this season were Lisa D's eco line and Päälä.  The latter proving to be a great alternative to your ordinary high street brand using only water based inks and 100% sustainable materials like organic cottons & Tencel for their graphic printed Tees & sweaters which were looking amazing and extremely soft. For Summer 2015 Annelot & Harm, the duo behind Päälä, extended their Tshirt-Only collection by introducing a few accessories like beach towels and printed totes.  Just like their Tshirts each product is screen printed by hand in their Amsterdam based studio.
The fab denim shift dresses at Lisa D mark the launch of her eco line for S/S2015 and are upcycled from old jeans and trousers decorated with vintage trims. You can even bring your own worn out pair to the Berlin based studio to give it a new second life!

Päälä is available at Flagshipstore, Oderbergerstrasse, 10435. Berlin from coming February

SAFIA MINNEY'S AGENDA

Safia Minney is an inspiration for anyone who loves clothes but is not prepared to support the fast fashion industry with their hard earned cash for the sake of low quality garments produced in sweat shops and under exhausting working conditions.

Last week the founder & CEO of Fair Trade and award winning fashion label People Tree followed an invitation by Ethical Fashion Week to Berlin's E-Werk. After taking a lift up two floors visitors arrived at the former control room of the venue that looked like one huge dash board with levers and buttons in various shapes & sizes setting the mood for sharing her remarkable story.  We were ready to be switched on to a new chapter in fashion industry.

She told us that when starting her career in advertising she soon realized that her work was to motivate people to buy stuff they really didn't need or want. With a clear understanding of future challenges like constrained resources, climate change, etc and a strong sense for social issues she took matters into her own hands and started her brand People Tree. 

By employing local farmers & artisans in developing countries the company helps to give back to some of the poorest people in the world whilst at the same time protect the environment by using organic as well as natural materials and craft skills.  

So not only does People Tree invite you to consume fashion consciously it also offers you a great choice to buy gorgeous clothes with a strong high street appeal and a sustainable production line. Double Yay! I'd say ❤ 

UPCYCLING FASHION BERLIN

speckled drapes by INHEELS at UpcyclingFashionStore Berlin

spokes lamp that I so want!

Ethical Fashion Week kicked off with a bang when Upcycling Fashion Store Berlin presented the first ever Upcycling Fashion Roadmap together with visitberlin.de and Heimtextil covering a selection of exclusive Berlin shops, studios & events that offer upcycled products & designs.  For the launch event the store organised a guided tour with the very talented upcycling designer Mariángeles Aguirre showing fashion minded guests a few hi-lites from the map including:

Upcycling Fashion Store 
The cool space at Anklamer Straße in Berlin's up & coming Wedding disctrict is already the second venue since the store first opened its doors only four years ago. Since then their lines and labels have more than doubled and include special treats like From Somewhere & Antiform from the UK as well as the gorgeous draped tops from ecofriendly Tencel or cotton by newcomer Japanese brand INHEELS.
Anklamer Straße 17, 10115. Berlin, 
Mon - Frid 11am - 7pm, Sat 12 - 7pm

El Reinventor
Upcycled furniture at its best - Designer Daniel Carrion Rivas gives old musical instruments, bins and all sorts of other cool junk a second life.  Personal favourite: the spokes lamp, it actually radiates, casting shadows all over the ceiling when you hang it up.
Brunnenstr 26, 10119. Berlin

Bis es mir vom Leibe fällt
is the ideal address for revamping or even rescuing favourite wardrobe pieces. Alternatively you can mix & match any of your preloved clothes and design something completely new with the professional assistance of the superfriendly staff.
Hackeschen Höfe · Hof 4, Rosenthaler Straße 40/41, 10178. Berlin
Mon - Frid 11am - 7pm, Sat 11 - 6pm

Frankenstraße 1, 10781. Berlin
Mon - Frid 10am - 7pm, Sat 11 - 4pm

Water to Wine
The unique Berlin upcycling boutique is located in Berlin - Mitte. Labels include Wilfried Pletzinger, Há de Haver, Margarete Häusler, ROHstoff, Beliya 
Auguststr. 82, 10117. Berlin
Mon - Frid 11am - 7pm, Sat 12 - 7pm

Schmidttakahashi
The creations of design duo Schmidttakahashi are extremely beautiful - their story is equally powerful so I decided to cover it in a seperate post :)
available at OUKAN
Kronenstrasse 71, 10117. Berlin
Mon - Sat 12 - 7pm

ITSY BITSY PEEK AT BIKINI BERLIN

Avant Garde has returned to Berlin - well you wouldn't guess by its name that Bikini Berlin is the latest best of the new west.  Apparently the two tiered architecture of the building with a gap in the middle reminded Berliners in the 1950s of the daring new swimwear at the time - the bikini.
I absolutely love the name, the industrial & sleek interior and the concept of combining classy fashion brands of sustainable origin like vegan label UMASAN with pop up store cool.   Most of all I love the new SUPERMARKET Cafe & Shop on the roof top though.  It's deffo my new favourite hang out for Saturday brunches (Sundays they have a limited menu) & weekdays coffee'n'macbook work sessions.  The cool tray tables, ice cream shaded chairs and extremely comfortable cushioned benches overlooking the Berlin Zoo are all available for sale - so you can thoroughly test your new lounge ideas before you commit to anything ;)  The combined shop part resembles an urban art gallery space filled with visually inspiring & carefully picked living accessories as well as fashion.  There are even a few pieces of upcycled furniture like wooden cable spool tables scattered on the outside sun deck next to some wild blow up chesterfield sofas.  Among one of the most stunning pieces is an upcycled vintage street lamp from central Berlin promenade Friedrichstraße - though judging by its price tag its likely to remain in store for a little while longer...

• BIKINI BERLIN Budapester Str. 38-52, 10787 Berlin, Germany

#NECKBUDS

  

Friday evening Water To Wine celebrated the opening of their new studio space on Lehrter Strasse 69A with a close up presentation of the upcycling design process from start to glorious finish.  In front of a fascinated crowd host & upcycling designer Sarah Schwesig transformed a preloved men's shirt into gorgeous peg leg trousers with wrap around waistband. However I was even more captivated by a DIY earphone-necklace wrapped around Sarah's neck which she made from reused plastic beads and bright green embroidery yarn - a supercool and very useful accessory.  

Not that she needed it since the event was supported by an intimate acoustic performance from Indie Alternative Rock band The Chapped Lips. Cracking I'd say :))

Fashion Revolution Day - WHO MADE YOUR CLOTHES?

It's the time of year for Fashion Revolution Day where designers, shops, manufacturers, press from around the world and anyone who cares about what they wear come together and ask WHO MADE YOUR CLOTHES?  On 24/04/2014 it will have been exactly one year since the factory collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh. Fashion Revolution Day Germany joined the campaign by organising photo shoots over the last few weeks, asking everyone's support by wearing an item #insideout, photographing it and then sharing it with the hashtag #insideout.  This way Fashion Revolution Day raises awareness for transparent production chains and fair working conditions within the fashion industry.  It's a very exciting campaign with an important message and I feel privileged to be part of it! Here I am pushing the message in my 'Fashion Revolution Day' Tshirt and #InsideOut vintage denim shirt.  I also refurbished a pair of old jeans for another #InsideOut photo shoot--------See the upcycled denims tutorial in my next post!-------- >> Get Involved - Wear It InsideOut!

LISBON HOSTEL

Thinking my room sharing days were truly over I found myself on the way to Lisbon with some friends who convinced me that staying at a hostel would be the best solution all things considered.

Secretly I was thinking I'm happy to pay a little extra for a clean shower and my own room but didn't want to spoil their enthusiasm.  So I went along.  I never stayed in a hostel before and imagined a large room full of smelly backpackers (lol ;)  Any doubts disappeared as soon as we arrived at number 41 Rua Sao Nicalau in front of a gorgeous antique facade in the heart of Lisbon's historical downtown district Baixa! After climbing up the stairs to reception we were greeted by the very friendly staff and shown around the hostel.  There were various floors each with a communal living area & shower as well as different sized bedrooms ranging from 4, 6 and 8-bed mixed dormitories and also twin bedrooms which were naturally a little more pricey.  On the ground floor you even had a bath tub - all facilities were very modern and clean.  My favourite were the wooden floored lounge rooms with an eclectic mix of 50's vintage, modern and upcycled furniture arranged with great taste and imagination. Using DIY the Portuguese owners created cool lamp shades from card board rolls & plastic yoghurt drink bottles as well as wooden desks incorporating plastic crates as shelves for an urban modern vibe.  It's great to see such a strong sense of style combined with a sustainable approach sure to inspire some of the travelling crowd! Other treats included a free breakfast (pancakes...hmm) as well as free WiFi & internet use.  

I'd say the Lisbon Lounge Hotel is the perfect place to give you a first class experience of the beautiful city that is Lisbon at a very reasonable price ❤

GREEN LOUNGE 2014

@Nina Pieroth 

And here is the GreenLounge party at Umspannwerk Kreuzberg, one of the biggest networking parties in green fashion land organized by Innatex - international trade fair for sustainable textiles.  The venue which is located in my favorite part of town is set up with a generous amount of space to accommodate the growing crowd of designers, labels, buyers, photographers and journalists working in sustainable fashion.  I sure had a good time mingling with my besties Arianna from UFS and the gorgeous ladies Sarah, Steffi & Bea from Upcycling Boutique Water To Wine.  ROHstoff pal Ala & Bea were tuning in to the current trend of odd painted nails and we all loved it!  Who's got time for elaborate manicures when you're rushing to get out of the door. So why not just paint one or two nails instead and leave the rest natural...or just paint those nails with paint chipped off & mix it with your old shade - saves time & paint ❤

DUTCH ECO DESIGN

 

 

Last Wednesday it was showtime once again for Ethical Fashion in Berlin. This time the venue for the Green Showroom had been moved to the Kronprinzenpalais. A stunning building with a lot of pre-wall fall retro charm and a long trail of history.  It has hosted the Hohenzollern Kings and seen a few heads of states in its time.  I strongly suspect catwalks & gorgeous girls in stunning frocks were a first though.

Arriving in one of the convenient shuttle taxis connecting the E-werk site with its posh and not-so-little-anymore-sister site we had a good browse around the exhibition where Ala and I met new & familiar faces! 

Having set the bar high with her S/S 2014 collection Dutch designer Elsien Gringhuis didn't fail to deliver yet another strong and intelligent collection. For Winter 2014 she was exploring the idea that all things connect.  Situations, people and events respond to signals - good or bad vibes you send out and not everything is what it seems at first sight. The gorgeous sleeveless organic wool coat for example can be zipped off half length, worn as a jacket or swapped for another contrast bottom. Elsien stayed true to her classic, angular and elegant signature with a beautifully cut, boxy sleeved, grey marl sweat top and introduced natural rhubarb tanned leather a collaboration with German brand DeepMello as a new material for Winter.  The black sweatshirt with leather lined front detail is my new fav for next season and I just had enough time to give it a quick try as seats were going fast for the evening scheduled runway showcase featuring Dutch Eco Design.

Dutch designers always had a strong presence at the Greenshowroom since it first appeared on the Berlin fashion horizon in 2009. The show was a special treat for this season sponsored by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  Another brand featured in the show was Dutch brand Studio Jux who made it their goal to look AND do good as they build up their label using only sustainable materials.

'Jux' is German for fun and by employing and fairly paying tailors from Nepal one of the poorest counrties in the world they're making sure that their fairly paid and treated employees have plenty to laugh about. Their mantra is: 'My tailor is my rockstar' - deffo a label to watch ❤