The Titian Thread
The month in fashion, condensed.
Hi Hey there!
We've come to the end of February, and if you're in the UK that means the first glimmer of hope for the easing of lockdown, longer days and more sunshine. I'm 100% here for it.
February also marks fashion month, and I have to be honest — I haven't paid much attention this season. For the last 4 years, my life has revolved around fashion weeks (holiday plans for September? Forget about it!) but after a year of living in my yoga kit or holey t-shirts and leggings I've owned for a decade, I'm looking at new collections and think: What's the point of all this?
If you read one piece from today's newsletter, make it Amy De Klerk's story for Harper's Bazaar on trends. She gets to the core of why they're losing their appeal in a time when we have MANY better things to spend our time, energy and money on. Is anyone still interested in buying the latest "It" jacket only for it to be *sooo last season* in six months?
Eradicating trends (which would, in turn, slow the pace of production) is a huge challenge for the slow fashion movement because it's about changing not only shopping habits, but the deeply entrenched reasons that we buy clothing. Newness is often linked to feelings of self-confidence and the value we put in other people's opinions, so it's really difficult to rethink and change our behaviour.
After the last year, I know a lot of people who are more committed than ever to shopping slow, ditching trends in favour of finding their own style, and investing in clothes that last, and that's really exciting to see. Has 2020 changed the way you think about your shopping habits?
I'd love to hear your feedback or thoughts! Hit reply to this email to say hello.
Meg x
Stories I Wrote
Meet Kimaï, The Jewellery Brand Betting on Lab-Grown Diamonds for the Forward Lab. I've written about ethical and sustainable jewellery before, but this deep dive into lab-grown diamonds was really fascinating. I spoke with the founders of Kimaï about why they work with lab-grown instead of mined diamonds and the myths that still need to be busted to educate consumers on these ethically made stones. Side note: I'm obsessed with rings, so it was a genuine struggle to not bankrupt myself on Kimaï's incredible pieces.
Stories I didn’t write
Are Trends No Longer in Fashion? by Amy De Klerk for Harper's Bazaar. Does anyone have time for trends anymore? I know I've done my fair share of eye-rolls when seeing "Trends for Spring" stories recently. De Klerk looks at how consumer behaviour has shifted since the pandemic.
President Biden, Appoint a Fashion Czar! by Elizabeth Segran for Fast Company. Other big industries like the automotive and energy sectors are regulated when it comes to carbon emissions, yet fashion — a $2.5 trillion industry — isn't. What would a fashion czar do to clean up fashion? Segran investigates.
Throwaway Economy: Chinese Consumers Are Ditching Luxury Goods Within 1-3 Years, Says New Study by Sally Ho for Green Queen.
FFS.
This New Technology Could Be The Answer To Fashion's Traceability Problem by Whitney Bauck for Fashionista. Fibretrace is a new technology that weaves bioluminescent pigment into fibres that can survive the entire production process, making cotton traceable all the way through the supply chain. This is fascinating!
How to Overcome Climate Anxiety by Bella Webb for Vogue Business. Climate anxiety a real issue that a lot of people working within the industry suffer from, it undoubtedly gets worse the more you learn about the climate crisis. Here is some great advice on how to deal with eco-emotions.
Nike, Prada, Farfetch: Have Brands Stuck To Their BLM Initiatives? byJason Dike for the Popular Times. Diving into the numbers to see whether fashion's biggest brands have put their money where their black squares are.
What Recovery? Clothes Retailers Cut Orders While Factories Fight to Survive by
By Victoria Waldersee & Ruma Paul for Reuters. The Pay Up movement has put pressure on brands to pay their debts to factories and suppliers, but now they're dealing with a dire lack of new orders.
What’s Next for "Sustainable" Fashion? by Jack Stanley for HYPEBEAST. Industry experts reflect on the movement in 2020 and what the future holds for sustainable fashion.
Reselling, Repairing and 'Swishing': the Rise of Sustainable Fashion Apps by Georgina Quach for the Guardian. Fashion apps are making everything from clothing repairs to swapping and renting as simple as tapping your phone screen.
How Copenhagen Put Sustainability At The Forefront Of Its Fashion Week by Irina Grechko. CPHFW's sustainability action plan, launched last year, signals a shift in fashion week's priorities and hopefully will be copied by the fashion capitals!
What Fashion Can Learn from the Veggie Burger Boom by Emily Byrd for Fast Company. A great little story comparing the rise of veggie burgers to fashion — the secret lies in being the most accessible and easy option for consumers to choose.
Stylists Are Giving Sustainable Fashion New — and Aspirational — Appeal by Kaley Roshitsh for WWD. Celebrities, obviously, have huge influence and so too do the people who dress them for events.
The To-Do List
Fashion Revolution founder and generally very wise woman, Orsola de Castro, has a book out this month. de Castro has led the global Who Made My Clothes? movement and now has some practical and inspiring advice for rewearing and repairing our clothes.
I love Clare Press' Wardrobe Crisis podcast and this is an episode that really struck a chord with me. Remake founder Ayesha Barenblat interviewed garment worker union leader Nazma Akter, an amazing woman I had the honour of interviewing last year. The biggest thing I took from this is the importance of giving garment workers a voice rather than speaking for them.
Many of our donated clothes end up in markets in Africa. In December 2020, one of the biggest second-hand clothing markets in the world, the Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, was devastated by a huge fire. The OR Foundation is raising funds to support market traders on the verge of poverty. Learn more by clicking the image and if you can, donate below.
Fashion Values is a new platform launched during LFW by the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at London College of Fashion, in partnership with Kering, IBM & Vogue Business. The focus this year is fashion and nature. Check out the educational resources, insights and challenges you can get involved in!