During digital LFW these are the designers that made the case for sustainable fashion and conscious change
Five days of London’s digital, gender-free, fashion week has drawn to a close. And what have we learned?
Fashion films are great. Watching shows from your laptop is convenient. Staging fashion week online saves a huge amount of carbon as the world’s press and buyers no longer descend on the capital, are driven around to watch spectacular catwalk shows, that produce epic volumes of waste... and sustainability is the buzzword on everyone’s lips.
Of course we are all aware of greenwashing and we know that an industry that exists to create ephemeral products is not strictlynecessary (there is enough clothing on the planet to clothe the next six generations), but we still love clothes and shoes, handbags and jewellery, and the British fashion industry provides a behemoth contribution to the UK economy.
Before Covid, British fashion employed more than 900,000 people and was worth more than £35billion. Although Coronavirus and Brexit concerns have dropped that contribution to £26.2billion, as of 2020.
The stand-out collections at this week’s LFW have shown that the future of fashion is at the forefront of designers’ minds with innovative use of upcycled materials and fabrics with low environmental impact proving that style stems from more than just aesthetics.
The British Fashion Council teamed up with stylist Miranda Almond and sponsor Vanish to focus on new research that has shown 3.5 tonnes of clothing is discarded every five minutes in the UK; 64% of consumers wear their clothes only once while 23% of UK shoppers discard their clothes due to boredom. We are disgusted.
A clever film presenting salvaged and discarded clothes that have been restyled and reworked proved that every wardrobe can - and should - last longer and have less environmental impact.
Women designing menswear collections are taking the lead in sustainability too. Bethany Williams is one of the most known names when it comes to designing with ethics and impact in mind. For her Autumn collection she sourced vintage blankets and upcycled them into a coat collection exclusively for Selfridges.
Priya Alhuwalia uses clever textile techniques to give new life to the deadstock and vintage clothing she repurposes in her menswear collections and this season was awarded was awarded The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design for her “active contribution to changing the industry for the better, her work in pioneering responsible sourcing while telling the stories of those who make her clothes and the communities she works with.”
Fashion is so much more than just what your outfit looks like. Our favourite designers all created clothes and collections you’ll want to wear again and again...
London Fashion Week - Joshua James Small
As the fashion press pored over images from LFW, Boris Johnson outlined a roadmap out of lockdown, and we were reminded of Coco Chanel’s comment that “Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening…” So it’s natural recent graduate Joshua James Small’s party-inflected collection caught our eye. The sheer lace, patchwork leather, silk and Swarovski crystal embellishments are all stand-out details but it’s the transparency of their production (Small lists each component of every garment on his website), the ethical materials (pieces are created from a mix of organic fibres and dead-stock) and the made-to-order, Made In England manufacture that ensure the label is one to watch.
London Fashion Week - Vivienne Westwood
With punk spirit still coursing through her veins, Westwood is a poster woman for fashion activism. Whether campaigning for climate change concerns or political causes, Westwood coined the sustainability mantra, “Buy less, choose well, make it last” and has has the science to back up her environmental claims. 80% of this collection uses materials which have a reduced impact on the planet including organic cotton, recycled cotton, eco-denim, recycled synthetics, mulesing-free wool and 100% FSC certified viscose.
@marques-almeida / InstagramLondon Fashion Week - Marques’Almeida
Focusing on denim - one of the fashion industry’s most environmentally damaging fabrics - design duo Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida are making epic strides into reducing environmental impact with their new collection. Featuring locally made items, dyes created from waste products, upcycled cotton, biodegradable fibres and fabric made from recycled ocean plastic waste, the collection is also available via pre-order, to break fashion’s reliance on overproduction.
London Fashion Week - PREEN
Rather than focus on trends, Preen transcends seasonal switches by creating a specific look that the husband and wife designer duo are known for… At once hyper-feminine with ruffles, florals and cottage-core patchworks, the slouchy silhouettes still manage to be relaxed and, quite simply, cool. And with a commitment to sustainability, through using FCO certified materials, recycled fabrics, dead stock and recycled garments, their collections are currently 70% sustainable with the aim of hitting 90% at the close of 2021.
Getty ImagesLondon Fashion Week - Mark Fast
Known for his body conscious knitted confections - and the diversity of sizing on his runways - Mark Fast’s Autumn / Winter 2021 collection journeyed more into daywear than just party-ready frocks. Dungarees, anoraks, denim and hoodies all journeyed down the show set. They were all useful options for everyday outfit solutions but we’re dreaming of going Out Out and the halter-neck LBD is just what we want to wear on June 21st.
