AT THIS POINT A QUICKIE IS A MUST

There are times when a quickie is an absolute must, and this is such a time: this isn't a regular blog entry, its a quickie just to say "Hi, hello, we're still alive at DeviDoll blogistan HQ".

Our elongated silence is the result of a combo of reasons including business development, usual new season manic-ness (more soon on SS09 collections: Doie's 'Los Angeles', Deborah Lindquist's 'Island Girl Goes to the Desert' and Mociun's 'the Vast Expanse' and Fin's 'Nasturtium'), extensive travel (saw 2 tigers in India earlier this month, as the general election got under way, many, many political animals surfaced too) and office relocations.

But we're still here and will soon be back with our views, news, happenings, thoughts from the world of fashion, especially of the ethical, green, eco and sustainable kind.

We leave you with this.....if you missed DeviDoll's mega SpringFling back in March, don't fret, DeviDoll has another one planned for just before we all break up for summer (ie, early July). Stay tuned.

FROM SOMEWHERE - WELL DONE AND WELL DESERVED AT RE: FASHION AWARDS

Okay, have to confess I did not make it to this important event. Why? - well, its a long, and more relevantly, somewhat boring story, so I'll spare you. But the main reason for my writing about it is to publicly congratulate From Somewhere duo Orsola and Filippo for winning in 2 categories

RE:Fashion Designer of the Year Award

and

RE:Use Award

I have learned so much and continue to from Orsola about ethical fashion (most notably, long lessons in what upcycling actually is) - the business of it, the politics around it, the fashion benchmarks that must be at the forefront at all times and the love of it all. DeviDoll has been proud to be the only retailer in the UK other than the label's eponymous boutique, to stock From Somewhere clothing. Our pleasure and honour entirely. Always has been.

Anyway, these guys have been doing the right thing since 1997, ie, back when saying ethical and fashion together could only mean -- in the best case scenario -- that you (a) didn't like fur but only because animals and plants are 'one with us' (b) lived in a commune, ate alfafa and (c) thought that commerce was the devil.

Today we all know that ethical fashion is something far more encompassing and headed for the mainstream..warts and all. This, in no small part, thanks to people like Orsola and Filippo with their clear message and hard work. I can't think of a more deserving label for these awards -- pioneers, fashionable, stylish and activist. Ooooh, gives you goosebumps.

Read all about what went on, who was there, what they wore and see really great pictures of all the above at Sarah Woodhead's ever-more-impressive daily green glossy greenmystyle.com.

THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE THAT IS UPCYCLING

We've all heard of recycling but we hear less (unfortunately) about 'upcycling'. Whats the difference? Well, 'upcycling' --coined by McDonough and Braungart in their seminal (2002) book 'Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things' --means transforming used things into other usable things of great (or greater) value. Intrinsic to the concept of upcycling is the notion that there is embedded value in things that allows them to be remade into further usable things again and again so that eventual waste is minimized massively AND this is all done without further damage to the planet and/or energy usage.

And herein lies the rub: recycling is, according to the book, an example of 'downcycling' because the re-made items are often not related at all to the original thing so that in the re-creation excessive energy/resources are used AND in recycling, recreated items lose value with each 'life' a and are thus likely to end up eventually as waste. So upcycling is a more mindful and authentic way than recycling to reuse what we consume (but don't be spooked and give up all recycling attempts you may be currently involved with. Just think it through and if you need ideas there are great ones here and here.

The whole issue of re-use is B-I-G in fashion - as it well should be...without serious thought about how to deal with the byproducts from the fashion industry, our consumptive behaviour being what it is, we'd charge the earth costs it simply cannot meet (these charges are being levied as I type....not in some distant future).

But what aspects of fashion are amenable to upcycling? How does upcycling sit with the desire to be 'fashionable', ie, wear well-made, attractive clothing as defined by 'mainstream' fashion society? With all the current interest in eco/ethical/green fashion what is authentic re-use and what is lip-service? What prospects does upcycling have for fashion at different points in the process - textile creation vs finished product? These are all very good questions and are all likely to get very good answers from the group assembled on July 18 at the Chelsea College of Art & Design.

The College's Textile Environment Design (TED) program is holding a 1-day symposium on (basically everything you want/need to know about) upcycling and textiles. Following on from last year's Ever & Again: Experimental Recycled Textiles exhibition, they've gathered the best practitioners from this space, including upcycled fashion's grande dame and founder of From Somewhere label Orsola De Castro; Kerry Seager of Junky Styling fame, Emmeline4Re's Emmeline Child and several others, and put together a fantastic program of talks, audience interface, theory and practice.

It is through efforts like this that sustainability in fashion can become an everyday reality and TED gives us the chance to meet those who daily live and work to bring us closer to this reality. Great opportunity not to be missed.

Other details you need to know --
Ticket price (£35 or £15 for students) includes organic picnic lunch and early evening drinks reception.
The symposium will be held at the Millibank campus.

RETHINK RECYCLING

Vintage and recycled are two much used terms in ethical fashion. And for good reason – waste not, want not and all that. But for some people (indeed in some cultures as a whole) wearing what others before you (especially strangers) have worn is, well, weird. And recycled…what really tends to fall under that rubric in fashion? Dresses made of used ties? Shorts from what were once jeans? Sometimes. But does that tempt you? Hmmm….sometimes…some people…maybe. But what if it doesn’t?

Well, here's a tip about something DEFINITELY tempting from the diverse world of 'recycled' fabric -- From Somewhere, the edgy fashion label whose founders, Orsola de Castro and Filippo Ricci, are to be credited with coining the quixotic term ‘virgin recycled material’. And quixotic may well be how some describe From Somewhere's flea-market and vintage shop inspired collections. From Somewhere uses pre-consumer (hence virgin) textile surplus such as production off-cuts and end of rolls to make beautiful, one-off yet reproducible contemporary clothing. This re-use (or recycling) of fabric, notably retro fabrics & rare vintage prints that are already in the ‘system’, admirably redresses the balance between consumption and disposal.


I recently met the irrepresible (and wildy inspiring) Orsola de Castro and can see why she was chosen, along with her partner Fillipo Ricci, to curate LFW's now famous Esthetica(thank you to fabulous blog 'fabulously green' for this summary and slideshow). These are pioneers of London's ethical fashion scene who remain, fundamentally, design, fashion and quality led.....as well as commercially practical. It is this exact mix that is required to propel 'ethical' fashion into the club of 'mainstream' fashion. So, ethical cred aside, From Somewhere always has a finger on the latest 'look(s)' without being slave to any fashion trend.

Conclusion: they’re very smart about our looking smart.