Designed to Break: A New Culture of Quality
Mass-produced products are designed to break. The idea of quality craftsmanship is outdated. Let’s learn from the 1920’s and enter into the 2020’s by challenging capitalistic norms.
Is it too late for sustainable fashion?
Picture it. London. Fashion week. September 2019. A young girl walking through Trafalgar Square heading to her first show with her mother. Pointing at a crowd all dressed in black with a coffin lifted up above their heads, she asks, “Mum, who died?” A man wearing a top hat with the words ‘Fashion Weak’ written…
Forever Failing – The Fall of Forever 21
Forever 21 has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. How can businesses learn from their mistakes? How can consumers? Graphic Credit: Hauterfly
Get Like Us – When Peer Pressure Yields Positive Results
Fair Trade. Ethically Sourced. Eco-Friendly. Cruelty-Free. These are not just buzzwords for millennials. Businesses are now adopting more transparent practices within their supply chains but why? Could it be that catering to a millennial consumer market with a majority that will gladly pay 10% to 25% more for sustainable products and services could generate even…
Beyond Tradition: How One Sustainable Brand Breaks all the Norms
September 17, 2018 | Beyond Tradition: How one sustainable brand breaks all the norms Studio 189 is a sustainable fashion brand, based in Accra, Ghana and co-founded by Abrima Erwiah and Rosario Dawson in 2012. Earlier this year, Studio 189 took home the top CFDA + Lexus Fashion Initiative prize which focuses on…
Beyoncé, Ivy Park, and the Sweatshop Scandal
Recently, Beyoncé has been attacked on Twitter because of her brand, Ivy Park. The attacks have accused Beyoncé of portraying contradictory messages about feminism in regards to the consumers who purchase her goods and the lack of female empowerment for the women who make her goods. Article Articles dating back to 2016 have noted…
Wardrobe Ethnography – What’s in your closet?
Wardrobe Ethnography The study of people’s accumulated clothing in their wardrobe. Wardrobe Ethnography is a way to understand people by simply looking what’s inside of their closets. It reveals consumer behavior such as why people buy certain styles and patterns. It also reveals character traits of a person and certain beliefs and values of a…
Sustainability Spotlight: LULEA
Today, I had the pleasure of touring a manufacturing facility right outside of Nairobi called LULEA or Luxury Leather. LULEA manufactures luxury leather goods, specifically bags and wallets. Edmond Chesneau is the designer and founder. He’s not only creatively talented but also talented in creating social impact in rural communities. One craftsmen said, “Yes, we…
Woven Baskets – A Short History of my Favorite African Baskets
One of my favorite items to bring back home are the beautiful woven baskets. When I lived in Uganda, there were so many colors and patterns available in excess, but upon moving to Kenya, I realized that they were more scarce here. This led me to research a bit more on these baskets, what they’re…
Kate Middleton, Recycling, and Secondhand Markets in Africa
Let’s talk about recycling.At the Royal Wedding this past weekend, Kate Middleton was said to have recycled an Alexander McQueen dress that she wore twice before, once at Princess Charlotte’s christening and once at the Queen’s birthday party. She’s received a lot of praise but also some criticism for this choice.If she did, I commend…
Ankara – A Complicated History
Ankara fabric is usually associated with Africa or worn by Africans because of it’s tribal like patterns and bright colors. HOWEVER, Ankara’s history is complicated and interesting and has nothing to do with Africa. Ankara is traditionally made from an Indonesian wax-resistant dyeing technique called batik. The goal is to keep the dye from reaching…
Negative Reactions get you Nowhere – Real Change means Collaboration
Kim Kardashian West is the first person to receive the CFDA’s Influencer Award. Their award show is on June 4, 2018. https://www.vogue.com/article/kim-kardashian-west-will-receive-cfda-influencer-awardMany sustainable fashion advocates are outraged. They feel that in the current state of our world, the CFDA should have chosen someone who has had more of an influence within social fashion like Stella McCartney…
"There doesn’t have to be torture in fabulous fashion"
Since 2001, Stella McCartney has been known for her label to be sustainable in every way, so it’s no surprise that she incorporated that into her designs for this year’s Met Gala. In this video, Miley Cyrus, Paris Jackson, and of course, Stella McCartney are all wearing Stella’s designs and using their platform to promote torture-free…
Good Artists Borrow, Great Artists Steal – Cultural Appropriation in Fashion
Picasso said, “Good artists borrow, great artists steal”. What did he mean by that?Last week, Laduma, a South African designer, sued Zara for a copycat design of his line with MaXhosa. MaXhosa Cardigan Zara Socks …
Quality – Wear Clothes that Matter
“Wear Clothes that Matter.” – Solitaire TownsendClothes that matter are mindful of the manufacturers in production to the environmental impact to the quality of the garment. The following four apparel brands produce clothes that matter. Each one has a different positive impact on the world. HQ: NYCArtisan Partners: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and MadagascarProduct: A collection of men’s, women’s,…
This One’s for all the Shoe Lovers
Want to continue your shoe addiction without feeling bad about it?Want to tell your spouse or your friend that is supposed to be holding you accountable that you’re actually making a difference in the world by purchasing a new pair of shoes?Look no further! The following brands will help you on your shoe journey and…
Fashion Revolution – Who Made Your Clothes?
April 24, 2018| FASHION REVOLUTION – WHO MADE YOUR CLOTHES?A Brief HistoryOn April 24, 2013 the five-story Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,000 people, mostly young women. There were five garment factories all manufacturing clothing for big global brands. It was considered to be the deadliest garment-factory accident in history. There were cracks discovered…
Artisan Spotlight: Meet Terry
| ARTISAN SPOTLIGHT: MEET TERRYToday is the first day of #FashionRevolution Week! Tomorrow, on Fashion Revolution Day, I will dive into what Fashion Revolution is, why it’s important, and how you can celebrate it! But today, I wanted to kick off the week with the story of a very special lady, …
Sustainable Fashion – An Introduction
| SUSTAINABLE FASHION – AN INTRODUCTION“Sometimes a people-over-profit mindset begins as product-over-profit thinking.” – Dale Partridge, People Over Profit Many people often ask me what sustainable fashion is. o Is sustainable fashion like fair trade? o How can fashion actually help people?Fashion is something that has always existed and will always exist. It’s is ever changing yet always…
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Loren Nichole 