DeviDoll Pure, New, Fresh but Different

Mocuin, Stars and The Moon, last Autumn

Its been a while since we here at DeviDoll have had something to say...actually we have had lots to say but just not enough time to put it down here....much else going on including re-thinking DeviDoll strategy, adding to the family and moving home.

But now as PURE London kicks off the 2010 fashion week/trade show season it is time to get back into the swing of things. Sort of...yes and no. We're getting back into it my being on the scene once again: commenting on what is interesting, relevant and new in ethical fashion across the globe; taking a view on what's being said and done -- so that is the YES part.

The NO part is (are you sitting down?) that DeviDoll.com is taking a sabbatical. Yep, taking some time off. Family commitments on the part of our founder, Sindhu Venkatanarayanan coupled with needing to re-energize the proposition -- retailing ethical fashion is wonderful but not necessarily the most effective way of being a 'design incubator' in the space as DeviDoll has been and always intended to be -- require we sit out for a while, practice some mindfulness and be less actor, more observer.

Having said all this, even as she stands back from DeviDoll.com, Sindhu has already deepened her involvement with ethical fashion by joining the Ethical Fashion Forum board. Her focus is on building partnerships with supplier networks in the developing world, particularly India. The goal is to offer increased market access for fair trade and community suppliers as well as larger suppliers. After all, India offers particular opportunities for growth in its fair trade supplier marketplace thanks to its growing excellence in fashion design and opportunities to link skilled designers with producer groups. This role is one way that Sindhu can personally help the global fashion industry to progress, and to bring fairly traded and ethically produced clothing onto the global high street and into more wardrobes.

And so to the matter of kicking off the new season with PURE. This show has come a long way in a short time -- this time a year ago it did not attract the same number or quality of ethical fashion design that it is today (read here for the first time any mag linked glam green fashion with this show...August 2009, that's gotta tell you something!). We have invites from Julia Smith, EJF, Terra Plana, Komodo, Article 23, and the unmatched Beyond Skin. It will be interesting to see how PURE is rated versus Estethica which is part of LFW starting next week. We'll be at both, ferreting, chit-chatting, observing and noting as we do. So stay tuned.

DeviDoll congratulates Stewart+Brown!

This month's US Vogue features A WHOLE PAGE on Stewart+Brown. FINALLY......

....not, that is, FINALLY Vogue says something about ethical fashion -- this it has done before (to varying degrees, more edgily in the UK publication than in the US; but no surprise there, etc etc).

Rather, my point is, FINALLY Vogue (and that too the US version -- sorry am I belabouring a point here?) has, so prominently, stepped away from moulding it's eco-fashion talk around usual usual (yawn) labels like Stella McCartney and, instead, picked a label that is from the 'little-known-outside-ethical-fashion-world' (think, for example, Estethica at LFW).

That it is Stewart+Brown comes as no surprise given the unselfconsciously chic collection this label brings us, the luxurious fabrics it uses (and in some cases, such as its socially responsible Mongolian cashmere, helped pioneer) and the founders' (Howard Brown and Karen Stewart) enduring commitment to professional business standards combined with transparency and excellence in the area of green/ethical/eco - fashion.

As the first UK boutique to stock Stewart+Brown's cashmere in 2007, DeviDoll always knew glory was just a matter of time.....to see it so soon is gratifying indeed.

Wishing you a warm and cheerful festive season!

Have you decided what type of Christmas you'll be having this year? A quiet one with family and a few carefully selected gifts? A blow-out glamorous bonanza to treat yourself at the end of a tough year?

Here at DeviDoll, we've decided to enjoy a whole season of warmth, love and good feeling, rather than focus too much on the present-giving fest of just one day.

2009 has been a challenging year for families around the world, as we've worried about our jobs, our finances, our health and our stress levels. Of course, it's been that way for years for families in those countries that are regularly exploited to bring cheap Christmas gifts and winter fashions to our high street.

Now as the year draws to an end, isn't it the perfect time to gather together with the people that mean most to us, and celebrate the fact that despite what we might have endured this year, we have each other and can share good times in simple ways?

It doesn't take a bankers' bonus or a Christmas dinner table the size of a developing nation to celebrate what's important at this time of year.

Instead of going overboard with presents, why not choose one special item that can be treasured for longer than the Christmas tree will be up? Better still, make it a present that has already given something to the people that made it - maybe it's fair trade, or maybe the maker donates to charity.

We'd also recommend presents that have a uniqueness about them - perhaps they're made from vintage pieces or reclaimed textiles, and no two are the same. It's a great way to make important people to feel loved.

The festive season is a lovely time for feeling an inner warm glow, and not just from too much mulled wine! It's a nurturing and nesting time of year, too. To get that cosy feeling invest in the best ethically made knitwear you can afford, and a winter coat that will last for years.

It might seem a little strange for us to be recommending you spend carefully and thoughtfully rather than splurge this Christmas - after all, aren't we boutiques supposed to champion sales? - but to me it seems perfectly DeviDoll.

Below you'll find are our carefully chosen pieces for a considerate, warm and ethical festive season. Beyond these, we say stop shopping, pop on a warm coat in a bright colour, and go share an hour with a friend you've not seen for way too long.

Happy Festive season! Make it a warm one!

Sindhu x

Our picks for warm and cheerful season
For an exquisite and long-lasting piece in vintage cashmere, choose the Deborah Lindquist Snowflake cardigan in vintage cashmere.

To ensure a continuous income for local Peruvian craftsmen, choose the Aymara Elaya sweater in babylama wool.

To support local artisans and age-old handicrafts in India, choose the Payal Jain one-of-a-kind wool coat (pictured above).

To show a loved one you value their uniqueness, choose the Adorn The Parlours Of Heaven Necklace from AK Vintage, made from reclaimed materials.

To spread the warmth to your home, choose the Wild Divine Jaya Throw. No two are ever alike.

Last chance must-have items from the DeviDoll Sale

Try as we might to deny the impending arrival of autumn, the subtle drop in temperature and the darkening dusk skies tell us otherwise. But don’t despair because to every negative there is a positive and the demise of summer means at least one good thing – amazing last chance eco Summer Sale items from DeviDoll!

Here are our top five must-have picks for ethical fashion fixes that are as good for the environment as they are for your budget. It’s an all round win/win situation really.


Buy now - Anatomy Reversible Skirt, was £190.00, now £38.00
Who said end-of-season Sale stock consisted only of disposable fashion and fleeting seasonal trend pieces? This incredibly stylish Anatomy skirt more than disproves that theory. Reversible and made of organic merino wool jersey, this tailored black skirt sits high on the waist and elegantly over the knee. Its classic shape and subtle detailing make it a wardrobe staple, while its price makes it an outright steal. Wear it with a printed camisole and towering heels for some evening glam or with a pretty twin set and flats for a ballet-inspired work look.


Buy now - Mociun Silk Muumuu, was £205.00, now £69.00
Up the ante this Sale season with a print. Metallic grey with a geometric black print throughout, this sleeveless silk muumuu dress by Mociun is both fun and functional. Sitting just above the knee in length with a high empire waist, pair it with tangerine and magenta tones for a bright night out or as a breakaway layering piece over jeans and tights.



Buy now - Del Forte Laurel Jeans, was £134, now £65.00
With the arrival of colder weather the tendency to want to wear and acquire dark clothing is only natural. But why not lighten up? Your jeans, that is. These Del Forte Laurel jeans are the perfect piece to bridge the seasons. Sitting just below the waist with a relaxed wide leg, these eco denim darlings are made from 100% organic cotton and are designed to flatter a range of body types. Pair with a petite floral shirt and wedges for a retro summer edge or layer up in merino wool tops and cardigans in plum and wine tones for a delicious autumnal outfit.


Buy now - Kelly B Merino Stud Vest, was £225, now £152
Tough meets pretty in the Kelly B Merino Stud Vest. Made from 100% organic merino wool, this hooded zip vest with front pockets and stud detailing is given a girly edge with ruffles at the shoulders and neck. Wear it with a floral dress and motorbike boots for some eco street edge or over a sexy catsuit for a wild night out.



Buy now - Viridis Luxe Boyfriend Sweater Dress, was £270, now £200
True to its name, the Viridis Luxe Boyfriend Sweater Dress proves why channelling your man’s style is as effortless as it is fashionable. This cashmere, bamboo and silk blend dress is soft on the skin while its aubergine colouring and long sleeves make it the perfect transeasonal purchase. Team this knee-skimming number with ankle boots and bare legs for those lingering summer days or with leggings and jeans when cooler climes hit.


By Lisa Cugnetto

The Debate Over Bamboozling

At DeviDoll we've been fans of alternative fabrics from the very start, bamboo among them. But we have noted that man-made (sorry, Harriet Harman, person-made) fabrics - bamboo, lyocell, tencel, PLA etc -- need to be produced sustainably to truly qualify for green status, otherwise, all the chemical byproducts in their production sort of defeats the whole point.

Well, this and several other issues in the 'green-ness' of bamboo are now in the limelight with the the Federal Trade Commission in the US charging 4 companies with making false claims about the how eco bamboo actually is and what positive properties bamboo clothing actually has. Read the whole press release here. The companies have rebutted with their counter-claims and others have joined the fray on both sides.

The topic is an important one as almost everyday, bamboo more than any other fabric, is gaining ground as a perfect 'eco' fabric with the same list of benefits repeated. It is relatively cheap, abundantly available from suppliers in China and India not all of whom can be adquately supervised and often reaches garment cutting stage relatively un-policed. So understanding all the claims, separating the wheat from the chaff, is essential.

While there is no doubt that bamboo can be a sustainable alternative to conventional fabrics this is not without caveats and to accord it miracle status unthinkingly....well....that's just silly.

Believe in bamboo, but not blindly.