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Ethical fashionistas no longer need to spend hours combing the internet for fashionable and environmentally sound fashion purchases. Whip out your diaries, because on 24th September the very first issue of nu magazine will be lining the shelves of London's shops. Founded by social entrepreneurs Amisha Miller (22) and Lauren Maleh (24) nu is offering ‘fashion laid bare’ and flying in the face of the mainstream fashion industry, showcasing only the most stylish ethically produced clothes and accessories. It hasn’t come a moment too soon, launching at a time when the world is beginning to wake up to the ethical fashion world and realising that glamorous mainstream garments come at a cost to individuals and the environment.
Nu will be offering up only fair trade, organic, recycle and vintage, UK-produced and cruelty–free products, encouraging consumers to shop ethically whilst acknowledging that people have the right to remain supremely stylish.
Pearl Lowe, ex-Powder front woman turned fashion designer and cover star of the first issue, says:
“I've always been interested in ethical fashion, something that inspired me to create my own line of vintage dresses. It's great to see nu showcasing the very best of ethical fashion, making consumers aware they can be responsible shoppers without comprising on their style. I'll definitely be picking up a copy!”
Nu magazine is funded by UnLtd, a charitable organisation established by leading organisations that promote social entrepreneurship and Miller and Maleh have opted to invest 10% of profits to aid new ethical fashion designers in their bid to break into the UK market.
Hopefully nu magazine will demonstrate how effortlessly stylish and wearable sustainable fashion can be. Hurrah!
Ethical fashion newcomers, Si:su, established in July 2005 by Helen Stew, Hanneke Van Ryswyk and Rachel Bryan, have just launched their brand spanking new website at Si-su.com. Si:su was born out of the desire of its creators to launch an organic empire, which eventually manifested as an Oxfam Originals collection, crafted for their local store from vintage materials. The label is currently producing a range of womenswear, accessories and interior collections, entirely from vintage and recycled materials. Si:su are passionate about producing eco-friendly products from sustainable fabrics. On 8th July they took part in the Sustainable Urban Styles Today (SUST) show in Manchester, which featured a host of established ethical and aspiring ethical designers including: People Tree, Enamore, Think! and Snood. Si:su womenswear consists of two ranges (Pure and Bijou) with their own customised collections. The earth toned Pure range is, nostalgic, simple, pretty and practical to wear. The Bijou range is feminine and romantic, utilising luxurious satins and cottons, detailed with ribbon and lace. Si:su's designs are available at Allthingsgreen.net.
When you think of ethical clothing you might not automatically consider an outfit with the ability to transform into another outfit, but DePloy's approach to sustainable fashion is just this. With a unique popper system and detachable parts, each of their items of clothing can adapt into at least two different outfits. When the fashion tides turn you simply acquire new garment parts, to attach to your old ones and by doing so, you can enjoy contemporary fashions without contributing so heavily to landfills. Bulging, heavy suitcases with an overabundance of items can be a thing of the past, as you relish the ability of your dress to morph into a new set of rags. DePloy's Creative Director, Bernice says, "My aim is to change the fashion process to make it less wasteful, more sustainable, and more interactive with the end customer." You might be sceptical of the style merits of attire with a popper system, but DePloy's Autumn/Winter 2007 collection, with its muted autumnal palette, feminine structures and sophisticated sensibilities, makes multifunctional apparel an aesthetic, sensible and seamlessly more ethical fashion choice than non-modular clothing. I am not aware of DePloy's approach to fabrics, but hopefully we will also see the brand using more recycled and vintage materials in their future collections.
