Sustainability, organic cotton, recycled fabrics and a lot of greenwashing. At this point, you have probably heard enough of these words being thrown around in the fashion cosmos, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care. Clothing has always been a constant factor that sustained all throughout history, but is also one that has established an industry that profits off of exploiting their workers, sewers, farmers and the environment. Since fashion is part of our identity and society, we should work for the spheres of clothing and sustainability to coexist. Cue ten labels, who live by the rule of actually not producing at all in an attempt to work in a sustainable way. With their core brand identity to design meaningful clothing, sustainability is never an afterthought.
Image Courtesy of Rave Review.
Rave Review
Clashing tartan prints, fused with lace, silver hardware or fur; sounds like a description for a bagpiper going to a rave which is essentially what Rave Review is, but in a much cooler way. Behind the brand is the duo Josephine Bergqvist and Livia Schück who met during university in Stockholm, both having a main focus on sustainability. Designing under their label together, the clothing integrates dead-stock fabrics which translates to deconstructed shirts and asymmetric hems. An invitation to a rave, the mixing of fabrics like old blankets and bed sheets transforms into a colourful chaos; skilfully crashing all rules of fashion.
Photography by Ana Flores. Image Courtesy of Karoline Vitto.
Karoline Vitto
Devoted to emphasising female beauty, Central Saint Martins graduate Karoline Vitto creates sensual clothing that is truly body inclusive and empowering. By celebrating the natural intricacies of the female body, Vitto knows the ways by which fabrics can adapt to the wearer, making the body feel like a part of a cohesive art work. Combining sustainability with female empowerment, the fabrics are either archive materials or sourced from a local fabric store to support small business. Pieces are made-to-order, reminding consumers of the craftsmanship of fashion in a time of relentless newness.
Image Courtesy of Jawara Alleyne.
Jawara Alleyne
Balancing Caribbean mythologies, mixed with the pirate folklore of the Cayman Islands and contrasted by London’s history of Punk subcultures, Jawara Alleyne designs inherit every culture he has experienced while growing up. His handwriting incorporates topics of cultural relevance while emphasising the importance of combining abstract and contextual references. Visualised in a collection filled with draping, daring cuts and hand-detailing, Alleyne remains true to his brand ethos by consciously crafting one-off items in his London studio.
Image Courtesy of FEBEN.
FEBEN
Based in London, FEBEN is embodying feelings of displacement intertwined with a surrealistic approach to exploring visual codes of Black life around the world. Drawing from her own memories, the nomadism of her background is taking on actual form through her designs. With signature twisted fabrics visualised in tops or dresses, FEBEN’s work is devoted to handcraft and recycling.
Image Courtesy of Standing Ground.
Standing Ground
A quiet misfit in the London Punk influenced fashion scene, Micheal Stewart from Standing Ground sets a statement with perfectly tailored sensual silhouettes, offering a different perspective to the fashion industry. Hand draping on a form paired with accentuated padding on the hips mimicking tree roots, showcase the immaculate craftsmanship behind each design. Stewart’s wish remains to design made-to-measure pieces, cutting from scratch to someone’s body, is a brace against the current fashion landscape of mass production – with his minimal designs representing silent resilience.
Image Courtesy of Holy Spells.
Holy Spells
Holy Spells fulfils all of your Y2K dreams with a humorous post-internet twist. Soft satin and terrycloth combined with trimmed fur, all upcycled and made from second hand materials, invite you into a world of nostalgia mixed with irony; a celebration of internet culture in the most satirical way.
Image Courtesy of Plās Collective.
Plās Collective
A commitment to fostering cultural innovation across all disciplines, Plās Collective travels to a different city for each collection, presenting seasonless hand numbered pieces that are available until everything is sold out. Plās has built an interconnected system of works in which they give their platform to young artists, putting credibility to the foreground. Transparency being their other core value, all of their used materials are either recyclable or sourced rom dead-stock materials, resulting in a constellation of individual pieces where everything is in dialogue with one another.
Image Courtesy of Grace Ling.
Grace Ling
Grace Ling creates a new perspective on sensuality with clean lines and precise tailoring while her silhouettes still maintain flowing lightness. The latest collection has birthed a play of geometry, cleverly placed cutouts and garments adorned by silver hardware which are also used in their accessories like the famous Butt Bag. Made out of 3D-printed aero aluminium, it is one of the only metals in the world that is infinitely recyclable. Using modern 3D softwares, Grace Ling is able to calculate the exact needed quantities of materials, resulting in zero waste designs.
Image Courtesy of Ancuta Sarca.
Ancuta Sarca
Looking for a a sporty heel? Look no further. Ancuta Sarca is designing a playful symbiosis of sportswear and night out footwear with her eponymous label. The Romanian-born designer uses only dead-stock fabric, and recently collaborated with Nike to create a collection consisting of only recycled materials. Fusing technical elements with dainty heels, Ancuta Sarca provides a wide range of footwear with a twist.
Image Courtesy of NYNNE.
NYNNE
Seeing the exploration of dressing as a form of power, NYNNE focuses on craftsmanship and exaggerated silhouettes. Clean lines are complimented by vibrant colours, exuding confidence and building long-lasting staples that are made to outlive trends. Using mostly recycled fabrics and working with small, independent family-run manufacturers, NYNNE creates a future based on trust and longevity.