British upcycling powerhouses From Somewhere and Junky Styling took their friendly rivalry onstage when they were both charged to design an outfit for ’80s pop sensation Sinitta at The Prince of Wales’ “A Garden Party to Make a Difference”. The challenge: To make a new dress for Sinitta in one hour using items from her closet that she didn’t care for anymore. From Somewhere was handed Sinitta’s old Speedo swimsuits, while Junky Styling had to wrangle with a dated linen suit that the singer wore on the cover of Toy Boy.
“Fashion has become homogenized,” says ’80s pop star Sinitta. “It should be all about individuality.”
Of course, both fashion labels are no strangers to making couture out of other people’s castoffs. From Somewhere upcycles pre-consumer waste from the factory floors of luxury fashion houses, while Junky Styling regular conducts “wardrobe surgery” with rescued clothing.
“I love this challenge because I can’t stand the way fashion has become homogenized,” Sinitta, who waltzed away with two beautiful “new” dresses, tells Ecouterre. “It should be all about individuality. These designers prove that there should be no such thing as waste, just creativity and spirit and energy.”
The event was organized by NOI Collective (“noi” means “us” in Italian), the group of inspiring ladies behind the “12 Degrees of Fashion” exhibit that began last September: entrepreneur/film producer Livia Firth, journalist/tv presenter Lucy Siegle, designer/Esethica founder Orsola de Castro, and stylist/eco-fabric specialist Jocelyn Whipple.
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I’m all for sustainable clothing becoming part of everyone’s wardrobes the world over. But… promoting it as part of Fashion Week, which is dedicated to trend slavery, seems to be at odds with the ethical fashion world doesn’t it?
http://bagsful.blogspot.com/2010/09/est-ethica.html
Its not a separate industry – its an incredibly important new movement within the existing format – its about addressing the reality that is the fashion industry and challenging it/ meeting it where it is – otherwise its like having your head in the sand.
I agree, but I don’t think Estethica DOES challenge the existing industry – the presence of the event at LFW illuminates the glaring gaps in mainstream fashion’s social/environmental conscience, no doubt about that. But no-one is making LFW clean up its act. It smells a touch like greenwash to me…
http://www.bagsful.blogspot.com