Sustainably Stylish

Pitcher and Piano was the perfect venue for the Sustainably Stylish Fashion Show; having never been to the bar before, I absolutely recommend it. A beautiful light airy space in the; it felt modern and trendy. Situated by the river, with plenty of tables outside, the setting for the show could not have been better – as light poured in through enormous windows. The show was held in the upstairs bar, equipped with disco ball. It was superbly managed and co-ordinated by Hannah Clugston and Dea Nielson, the fashion was unique, and the central ethos well thought out and presented.

Sustainably Stylish asks us to question where our clothes come from, and consider why it is important. In a generation of cheap, throwaway fashion it is now more important than ever to understand and care where our clothing is made. The vast majority of the clothes we buy from the British highstreet are made abroad; in China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam – the list goes on. Whilst these countries may seem far away, it does not by any means make them irrelevant to our lives in the UK. For example, the legal minimum wage in India is £7 – per month; compared to the UK minimum wage of £5.93 per hour. The textile industry accounts for around £132 billion in developing countries, and over 80% of total income revenue in Cambodia. The figures are shocking, as is the exploitation.

Tonights show concentrated therefore on ‘environmentally and socially conscious clothing’. The models were all local, from York and the clothing from in and around. First to strut down the catwalk was Vintage Emporium, found on Fishergate, York. The shop describes itself as an ‘eclectic mix of classic vintage’, and specialises in 1930s and 1950s attire, bridal and homewares. My personal favourite of their catwalk items was a gorgeous lace knee length vintage wedding dress – just lovely. Next down the catwalk was Peppermint Giraffe, who create clothing from recycled items – customising unique, one-off items.

Following a quick break, One Boutique took to the floor and were probably my favourite of the night. One Boutique describe themselves as ‘bringing style and ethical fashion together’. Found in the centre of York, the shop is a small haven of ethically sourced beauty – I recommend visiting their website at www.responsiblygorgeous.co.uk, I love the ‘Kera Tunic’ – it’s definitely worth a taking a look.

Following One Boutique down the catwalk was a collection by York student Hannah Mamoojee, all designed by Hannah herself with many items previously designed for the annual York University Fusion performance.

Upcycled, reused and handmade pieces have been making their mark on fashion. According to Sustainably Stylish’s figures, the last decade has seen a rise of 60% in recycled clothing; suggesting that people are increasingly concerned with the environment and with ethical issues. Customising what you already own and changing it into something new is a cheap and easy way of updating your wardrobe – its good enough for Gok Wan – it’s absolutely good enough for me!

Edinburgh Fashion Graduate Isabel Wong in true upcycle fashion apparantly refuses to throw anything away and her pieces were beautiful and completely unique. Wong has previously interned at Gareth Pugh in both London and Paris and worked as an assistant pattern cutter for Giles. She showcased her Spring/Summer 2011 graduate collection at London Graduate Fashion Week, sponsored by River Island, and as nominated for the Innovation Award. Remember her name; it seems likely she will go a long way in the Fashion Industry.

The Show also featured Charity Shop garments, clothing from Leeds store Antiform and some very pretty handmade dresses created by York student Chloe Moore, who has travelled Europe sourcing vintage clothing and fabrics to customise into her own pieces. The pink dress pictured was found in a dusty warehouse in the Loire Valley, France – reworked by Moore, the dress looked stunning on the model.

Hannah Clugston, organiser of Sustainably Stylish said “I think the show went really well, I hope everyone enjoyed it; its great that so many local shops and designers were involved and I believe it shows that people can shop ethically and stylishly.”

Speaking to People and Planet, producers of the show they commented that it was their “ethos” to be invovled in projects such as Sustainably Stylish. The society, who campaigns on both global and campus issues is currently in talks with the University regarding the merchandise available to students in YourShop in making the items more ethical.

Overall, the fashion show was a great success, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole event, it was very well organised and certainly proved that fairtrade and ‘upcycled’ clothing can absolutely look gorgeous.