'THREAD' - THE BBC GETS INTO ETHICAL FASHION

The BBC has launched an online fashion magazine - Thread, Fashion without Victim, wholly dedicated to eco/ethical fashion. Its about style but also substance - various terms used in ethical fashion are explained, the true cost of cheap clothes is revealed, whats out there to purchase is well catalogued, and we're told which organisations are actively involved in ethical fashion.

And thats the tip of the iceberg -- there's a gorgeous style-file full of fabulous clothes (including Mociun's Judas tee!) and key trends for the season. Jewel in the crown has to be the associated programme, "Blood, Sweat and T-shirts", about a group of twenty-somethings -- very into fashion from different angles -- who experience life as factory workers in India, making clothes for the UK high street. Needless to say it deeply affects their views on fashion and the cost of fast fashion.

So this is a 'go-to' url to the say least. And happily its got many relevant issues woven through it, so that we can understand the dilemmas as well as victories of ethical fashion in an intelligent way. At DeviDoll its always been about how and why to curate your consumption -- the BBC Thread magazine is a welcome addition to this project.

Photograph courtesy Thread-BBC site

DEBORAH LINDQUIST ON SOPHIE ULIANO ON OPRAH

Deborah Lindquist, LA's celebrated 'Green Queen' dresses many celebrities and her emails are full of 'firsts'. Recently she sent me a really special one -- Sophie Uliano, founder of the lifestyle site 'Gorgeously Green' and author of 'Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life' will be wearing one of Deborah's signature sweaters on Oprah which airs in the US on April 22 (browse the book here). We've had a recent spate of 'how to be more green' books in the UK fashion world by Matilda Lee, Tamsin Blanchard, Sandy Black and Kate Fletcher but none have the breadth of this book nor the unique (American) quality of breaking things into 'easy' steps that cover 'everything'.

But I digress; at DeviDoll we are thrilled for Deborah and, to be honest, a bit for ourselves too. I once saw Jane Fonda on Letterman talking about her eco fashion look but having one of the original DeviDoll favourite labels on Oprah is a real treat.

It gets better - Sophie will be joined by her friend and perhaps most enthusiastic supporter of her book (at least so far) - Julia Roberts. Al Gore will be there too. Just missing Leonardo and Cameron (Diaz) I guess. Anyway, here is an excerpt from what Julia, who wrote the forward for the book, has to say about it:

"I am absolutely altered. This Gorgeously Green book has provided my household with a bible of hope and help (not to mention a good cleansing mask and source for eco-cashmere).
So where to start?
Congratulations - you are already there".

Pretty glowing. The book is widely on sale now. And, as for Deborah Lindquist....well you already know where to get your hands on some of that.

GET A FIN HABIT LIKE KEIRA KNIGHTLEY AND KATE BOSWORTH

No good thing can be a secret for long -- VOGUE has marked FIN's 'Eco-Lux' ethical denims as the newest hottie on the block.

"...FIN denims are created from both Fairtrade and organic cotton exclusively and produced in India and Peru, where the industry supports workers facing the challenges of poor working conditions and wages. As if that weren't enough encouragement to indulge, the jeans are simply gorgeous to boot - spring/summer 2008 is all about subtle feminine touches inspired by "Fin heroine" Ameila Earhart." Read the full article here.

As I've said before we're huge FIN fans at DeviDoll and delighted to welcome the Spring Summer 2008 collection online now.

MOCIUN (mo-shun) AT DEVIDOLL

According to her bio Caitlin Mociun, (designer/founder of eponymous clothing label, Mociun), "...continues to explore the realms of all things fantastic from her one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment". One would expect no less from a designer who consistently produces collections, centered around intriguing and mesmerizing prints, that seem to stem simply from her observation of the world around her...as filtered, of course, by her imagination. My favourite (so far) has to be AW07's 'Judas and the Chocolate Grinder' print. Here it is on the hemp & yak unisex button-up

By the way, Judas is Caitlin's cat, and I recently met them both in the aforementioned Brooklyn abode...

CM and SV
Photographer: UCCH, aged just barely 4 yrs, harasser of (hiding) Judas
March 2008, Brooklyn, NYC

Anyway, its not just the signature Mociun prints that are cool - the designs and use of colour have much to say for themselves. Her dresses

Mesh Back Dress
hemp/organic cotton Doily print
Spring Summer 08
at devidoll from April

The cult-favourite tie-front dress
here in hemp & yak
but re-incarnated across collections...


Tulip skirt tie-front dress
hemp & tencel zigzag print
Spring Summer 08
at devidoll from April

her uni-sex tees and other versatile tops

Pocket Smock
hemp & tencel zigzag print
handmade wood buttons
Shorts
hemp & tencel in navy
Spring Summer 08
at devidoll from April

Button up dress/tunic
hemp & tencel in teal menagerie print
Spring Summer 08
at devidoll from April

jeans

Jeans organic cotton denim
Spring Summer 08
at devidoll from April

Men's slim jeans
hemp & organic cotton
Sometime late 2008

and paper -bag waist shorts

Paper bag shorts
hemp & tencel zigzag print
Spring Summer 08
at devidoll from April

....all of these are original, different but also 'right-here-right-now' chic -- a rare combination.

Mociun's clothes appeal regardless of fabric but nothing like icing on the cake: hemp & yak, silk & hemp, organic cotton & hemp with silk featured heavily in AW07; in Spring/Summer 08 we'll have hemp & tencel as well as bamboo and further on, later this year, expect hemp/wool blends.

All good things to those who wait.

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.