FISHERMAN'S FRIEND

1 Knitted Swatch Studio Jux
2 AutumnWinter15.16 Esther Perbandt, photo Posh

3 Homeland Collection Inspiration & Knitted Outfit Doppelganger

3 Fisherman Hat MeinFrollein

4 AutumnWinter 15.16 Rebekka Ruétz, photo Posh
edited by me

Causing a storm this Berlin Fashion Week was a strong sentiment for fine quality knitwear influenced by traditional garment detailing of hard working fishermen translated into big flowing silhouettes on skirts & coats and paired with modern, constructed patterns.

The designer of Icelandic newcomer label Doppelganger took inspiration from 17th century heritage fishermen textiles and re-worked traditional patterns into symmetrical composed knits. Delicate leggings and second-skin-like tops made from sustainable wool and mulberry silk blended yarns delivered a compelling aesthetic of balance and wellbeing, leaving you with nothing but a clear conscience.

Transparency on and off the catwalk was a popular source of inspiration at Esther Perbandt.  The designer made waves earlier last year when she went on a trip to research local textile production conditions in Bangladesh.  Her new Autumn Winter collection featured lovely light woven knits with a sheer quality to it reminding me of the structure of fishing nets.  They made for a bold statement when placed against the clean cut woollen coats featured on the catwalk, promoting a confident and modern look with a soft feminine angle.

Comfort and purity were buzzwords at knitted accessories brand MeinFrollein.  Absolute highlight were the soft merino fishermen beanies which can be worn #InsideOut without revealing any conflicting labels.  The production is fair and Germany based - there's nothing fishy about that ;)

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 :))

SHADES OF DENIM

I'm extremely liking this new all over denim trend which seems to be happening everywhere on and off the catwalks at the moment.

The recent issue of Fräulein magazine did a whole spread on it with the fresh faced American Kelly Mittendorf. The story is a great source of inspiration if you're looking to upcycle your old jeans into some new tops or dresses!
Stay tuned for some more trends coming through from this weeks Berlin fashion spectacle - whoop :))

photos: Jay Odell for Fräulein magazine

editing: Annett Borg

HAPPY | New Jeans

My new year started on a fast beat collaborating on creating a catwalk look for ecological denim label sey - fashion.  The assignment was to create tops to complement the new Autumn Winter collection of organic jeans.  Tuning in with the seasons denim revival I wanted to go for a head-to-toe denim look upcycling the label's jeans styles that had been classed as damaged or factory seconds.

This was an extremely exciting project to get involved with, even more so since I've recently been thinking of solutions to re-use all the preluvd denim trousers that I have packed away in storage!  Denim is an excellent material to work with and creates beautiful and bold silhouettes - but can still be draped and generate a lot of movement.

I decided on a tunic shape drawing inspiration from the clean lines of Bauhaus architecture.  I also attempted a denim cap for the first time ever and loved re-assembling the trouser leg seams for a deconstructed but neat look.  The most exciting thing about working with organic denim is knowing that it all has been manufactured with minimal water waste and low energy consumption.  It was definitely worth it and felt really rewarding giving those jeans a new live...

The finished outfit will be shown at next week's Salonshow featured by Greenshowroom Berlin. Whoop:))  Good times!

UPCYCLED | Christmas Cards

Making cards and little decorations is one of the best ways to get into the Christmas spirit I find, well apart from hitting one of Berlin's many gorgeous Xmas markets... (The vegan market on Sophienstraße, in Mitte is next on my list ;)

To help you get in a festive mood this weekend I've prepared a little upcycling tutorial for Christmas cards using furnishing catalogues. Since I'm totally addicted to modern furniture I always collect a few catalogues throughout the year.  Most of them include beautiful imagery and are way too cool to throw in the recycling.

SKIM YOUR RECYCLING BIN

So skim your paper bin or mag basket and get slicing.  Any close up photographs, or funny slogans that you can somehow add the word Christmas to are suitable.
I've had a little play with some different fonts before I printed my captions on the back side of used printer paper.  For a base you want a nice sturdy plain carton or thin cardboard.  I had a catalogue and a few old calendars with plain white backs and covers which are perfect card backing material!  All that's left then is to stick your cut out captions to your images and finally to your base.

Handmade Christmas cards always add a very personal touch and by upcycling pre-used paper and carton you can experiment with great images by collaging them or working on top of them.  Either way it can be an exciting and new Christmas tradition that will also leave you with a clean green conscience ❤

UPCYCLED | Wallprints

When it gets to the time of the year that I want to hibernate because of chillier and chillier temperatures outside I start wanting to re-decorate our flat. I absolutely love our flat as it is big and very light even in Winter but big walls can look quite bare & dull even on sunny days.  So to cheer up my surroundings I started by browsing through old favourite fashion mags - always a reliable source of inspiration whatever the reason (and season).

Since I'm a huge fan of slogan prints I was very excited when I came across these i-D magazine pages.  Using a scalpel blade I cut them out very neatly and framed them with re-painted second hand frames.  To give the prints another angle and to emphasise their message you can even back them with monochrome patterns from magazines or gift wrap! It's definitely a cheap and cheerful way to re-fresh your walls - and very satisfying knowing you made it yourself.  I feel very pleased with myself now when I walk around the flat ;)

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

BLOUSE | Nostalgia

I sometimes can't help feeling a hint of emotional attachment when I upcycle clothes - especially if they used to belong to a loved one...When my nan passed away last spring I've inherited half her wardrobe.  Since then I've been thinking of ideas to give her clothes a second life and keep her memory close to me.   When I was in desperate need for a blouse in preparation for my latest summer holiday I had an idea:

I chose my nan's soft mint pastel granny top, the kind that come in never-creasing polyester with quite horrid iron-on plastic jewel designs (sorry:).  I picked it because I loved its level of colour for the summer & the fact that it was quite shapeless as I wanted the blouse to be a little oversized/ square around the shoulders.

I planned on taking mostly plain bottoms on my trip so I decided to add a little print interest to the blouse by replacing the centre panel with a gorgeous patterned strip of silk which came from fabric off cuts.  Here's how to:

one mark CF & central panel on front, width to be ca. 10 cm minus 1cm seam allowance either side
two unpick neckline of marked area, cut away central panel along line marked by inside pin
three measure length needed for contrast panel, add hem allowance, pin hem contrast panel
four pin & sew contrast centre panel to body
five close neck line
six shorten sleeves or tuck shoulders if needed

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...

BREEZY CHEEKS

is one of my summer make up essentials for a 100% fresh look with a sheer & natural finish.  I've been using UNE for a while now and love the light and matt texture of their foundation and eye shadows as well as their aim for organic and natural ingredients.
B02 blusher has been my favourite so far - with its cream-to-powder texture it's easy to apply with your finger and a quick fix if you're just popping out or going to the beach.  The not too pinky, soft rose shade is perfect for my paler skin tone & I use it to apply contour just under my cheekbones, on top of my sunscreen or daily moisturiser.  To round off the look I add a few dashes of Lavera's soft glowing highlighter for bright cheek bones and inside corners of my eyes.

Like with my wardrobe I prefer a limited selection of beauty products that do several jobs in one. Blushers are also a great way to spice up your going out make up.  In combination with a light foundation and a natural lip care / gloss you can add a hint of colour to both lips and cheeks. Done!