Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Ethical Designer Spotlight: Vivienne Westwood

"People should not consume without thought, buying up stuff all the time. Buy less and make it last; if you love something, wear it all the time. Find things that suit you." - Vivienne Westwood

We stumbled onto this quote recently and loved it - it fits in really well with our ethical vibe: reduce, reuse, reconsider! We thought we'd do a little spotlight on Vivienne Westwood, since our views seem to align so well! :)

Now, unless you've been living under a fashion rock, you are likely to know who Vivienne Westwood is. Previously recognisable by her shock of red hair (she's recently shaved it off) and her inimitable style, she's been working the scene for decades and most people know of her, her collections and her spunk. 


What you might not know, however, is that she's doing her best to combat climate change and to shift the view on the world of fast fashion. For Dame Westwood less is more, so in celebration of that we've picked some our favourites from her stunning bridal range (well, that plus the fact that they're just beautiful!). Not everyone will want to spend a lot of money on their wedding dress, but if you do have the budget you could definitely do worse than picking up a Vivienne Westwood gown...


Couture long ball tie dress with embroidered lace, feathers & crystals
The detailing on this dress is sutble, but we can imagine that up close it's breathtaking. We're also fans of the champagne colour - a nice detour from the traditional white or ivory.

Ready-To-Wear long ball tie dress

Vivienne Westwood also has a ready-to-wear bridal collection - we love the demure nature of this dress, with the lacy shoulder caps keeping things elegant and timeless.

If you're looking for something with more of a statement style, then this princess dress is worth considering- even with the dipped hem and layers of tulle it still manages to look elegant, not over done.

Made-To-Order long cocotte dress in printed ivory organza with sequins

We just can't resist sequins, so this made to order cocotte dress is right up our street. Can you imagine how it would sparkle under a spotlight? Heaven! :)

Ready-To-Wear long glazing dress
Lastly, this one shoulder ready-to-wear dress is understated but still with that trademark Westwood glamour. 

Aren't they beautiful? If you're still not sold on a designer dress, just remember - if Vivienne was good enough for Carrie Bradshaw... ;)

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Organic Fabric Lust List

In my quest to start sewing my own clothes and textiles, I've started looking for fun and interesting fabrics that I can use. I'm under no illusion that it's worth spending a lot of money on fabric when you're a beginner, but I'm definitely planning to treat myself once I've got the basics down and I can trust myself not to mess it up!

Here are some of my favourite organic fabrics that I've found while trawling the web (because if I'm going to give up ready made clothes I might as well go the whole hog and make sure my fabric is ethical, right?! :) )

First up we have:

The Birds & The Bees

Clockwise from top left: Swallows | DeerHoneycomb | Spokes | Clouds

I've fallen hard for that glorious yellow cloud print, I'm imagining maybe some cushion covers, or a sweet little skirt? (Maybe a Tilly & The Buttons Miette skirt?). 

There are a lot of prints around at the moment featuring animals - I don't think I'm brave enough to pull off some of the more outlandish prints but I love these subtle varieties :)

Next on the lust list...

 Got The Blues

Clockwise from top left: Swimmers | Sails | Stars | Chevrons

I'm a redhead, so I know my natural colourings work well when paired with blue tones. My wardrobe is probably 60% blue tones so it's no surprise that I was drawn to these beauties. How cute is that vintage swimmers print?!

Back to Nature

Clockwise from top left: Trees | Poppies | Clouds | Dandelions | Leaves

Lastly I've found these gorgeous nature inspired fabrics. Is it weird to want a skirt with clouds on? Because I totally want a skirt with clouds on.

Organic fabrics are more expensive, but with that spend you know that the people (and animals) creating your fabric have been treated fairly - which sounds pretty good to me!

What other fabric shops (and patterns!) should I be checking out? :)

Love

Sarah