Fashion

The British Designers for Style and Sustainability

Fashion Month is in full flow, and taking precedence on runways across the globe is the spotlight on sustainability. From Bethany Williams AW20 Menswear collection created with recycled and organic materials, to The Positive Fashion Exhibition at LFW. Here’s a run-down of some of the British designers prioritising sustainability in their collections.

What is the Positive Fashion Exhibition?

Changing perceptions of the fashion industry one step at a time, London Fashion Week AW20 will play host to the first of four Fashion Week’s embracing inclusivity via The Positive Fashion Exhibition. The Positive Fashion Exhibition is open to both trading partners as well as the public. An initiative from the British Fashion Council, it aims to champion the industry best practice’s in sustainability, equality, diversity, equality, craftsmanship and community – all pillars that the fashion industry has an influential voice in.

We’re particularly excited for the #FashionOurFuture exhibition, a movement created by Mother of Pearl founder Amy Powney, and Swap Shop owner Patrick McDowell with Global Fashion Exchange. The exhibition consists of an interactive photo booth dedicated to the social media movement to slow down fashions’ footprint. Guests are encouraged to bring a used item of clothing which they want to exchange.

SHRIMPS

Not only making waves when it comes to her contemporary designs, Hannah Weiland’s luxury fashion label Shrimps is among our favourite labels putting their focus on sustainability. Hannah translates her passion for a cruelty-free world into all of her designs with collections officially PETA- approved. The brand is also working towards 100% recyclable packaging and working with mills to develop sustainable fabrics and is a huge advocate for using faux fur in her outerwear and faux pearls in her iconic accessories. The brand is also putting their efforts into making a difference for climate change with their initiative Shrimps x One Tree Planted. The collaboration means that every time someone purchases an item from Shrimps they plant one tree, each quarter they choose a new location with the last four months of 2019 being the Amazon Rainforest.

RIXO

Best friend duo and Rixo creators, Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey have sky rocketed in popularity in the past few years for their ready-to-wear vintage prints and inclusive ethos. All designs are made from a family run factory in China that the pair have used since the birth of the brand and never mass produce collections, in turn creating an exclusive and more luxury feel to the brand. All designs are influenced by vintage prints and patterns rather than basing their collections on trends, which create timeless items which their customers want to wear time and time again.

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

Arguably one of Britain’s leading designers when it comes to creating noise around fashions part in sustainability, Vivienne Westwood is a true activist for change in the industry, regularly preaching to consumers to buy less and buy better. Westwood continuously uses her influence to campaign for protecting the planet, via her collaborations, collections and catwalk shows. The brand strives to use the reputation and influential voice it has from it’s almost 50 year heritage to mobilise people around Climate Change and Human Rights. The brand have clear processes in place to minimise the waste produced, make conscious decisions when it comes to materials and process and the people who make the brand what it is today.

Photo Credit: Vogue Runway

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Notorious in the luxury fashion industry for the past two decades, Victoria Beckham’s modern designs and range of beauty products are worn and used by some of fashion’s finest. Working together with Livia Firth she has championed sustainable fashion and continuously shares her ambition to integrate sustainability methods into her collections. In 2019 she revealed her first sustainable beauty line at fashion week, packaged in pre-used recycled materials, some of which will even dissolve in water! Her designs for the Green Carpet Challenge which asks designers to create a sustainable red carpet gown, sold out in-turn attracting press coverage which highlighted the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry.