UCL MODO Magazine Dec 2018

December Issue 2018

A LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE FASHION Fashion plays a major role in our lives but also in our global economy with a worldwide revenue of over a trillion pounds and creating millions of jobs especially in the most important producing countries where it can represent over 1/3 of total employment. However, fashion is a fast-growing industry where trends are always changing and in-store collections are being replaced constantly. It is predicted that in the next 10 years, 100 million tons of apparel and footwear will be purchased yearly.

As the issues of water scarcity and climate change are on the rise, the industry’s enormous environmental footprint has been an important subject. The fashion industry is said to be responsible for up to 10% of global CO2 emissions and 20% of the world’s industrial wastewater. I don’t know if you realize but THAT IS HUGE and something had to be done. That’s when the concept of sustainable fashion was introduced.

Two reasons why this became a trend: the brands image and helping the environment. One of the first big company to jump on this alternative trend was Nike.

Nike’s CEO Mark Parker recently wrote a letter stating: « Our purpose is to use the power of sport to move the world forward. We believe in a fair, sustainable future (…). We’re innovating a new business model for the 21st century, in which supply chains are lean, green, equitable, and fair, and our materials and products are sustainable. » One of Nike’s big step forward is it’s collaboration with Easy Kicks, a startup founded by Nike’s former systems innovation director and innovation solutions manager. As children grow quickly, their shoes size do as well. Children go through so many pairs of shoes so this subscription service offers you a selection of 40 different designs of kids footwear that you can choose from each month in exchange for your worn and outgrown pair. The old pair of shoes is either donated or recycled through Nike Grind, Nike’s process that turns surplus manufacturing materials and athletic footwear into sports and play surfaces.

Nike Grind is one of the two sustainable innovation Nike has developed in company. The other one being Fly Knit, described by Nike as “a technology prevent(ing) millions of pounds of waste from ever reaching the landfill, delivering the lightest, strongest, and most adaptive footwear ever created by Nike.” The new design of the shoe is supposed to be creating 60% less waste.

Other brands have now jumped on the wagon like Zara and H&M with clothes collection points in their shops to reuse and recycle them. Sustainable fashion shouldn’t just be a trend, it should be our new lifestyle so as Vivienne Westwood says : « Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. »

BY DIANE PAUL

Alexander Wang

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Wang, at the age of 22, started his namesake label, Alexander Wang, and in 2007 at the age of 24 he launched his Nirst full women’s ready to wear collection. Since then he became the creative director of Balenciaga, he collaborated with H&M, Adidas, and most ecently he’s collaborating with Uniqlo.

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Wang, Wang, Wang, that is Alexander Wang, the American designer who arguably turned functional street style into desirable luxury fashion.

Wang appeals most to teenagers and young adults, this makes sense considering his relatively young age. Unlike a lot of designers Wang understands the youth and what it means to be young in an active and fast paced city such as London or New York. At only 34 Wang managed to create a fashion empire that doesn’t seem to be declining anytime soon, and since 2016 he is both the CEO and chairman of the Wang brand, a fea rarely achieved by designers.

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Wang is known as a trendy designer and the problem, with most so called ‘trendy’ brands, is just that they’re ‘trendy’, which means their rise to fame is synonymous with their fall from it; as soon as a product is no longer considered a fashion must have.

Wang has been a part of the game long enough, that he has now established himself as an innovative designer who will last and dominate the fashion scene regardless of this year’s trend. A feat many brands, big or small, have difNiculty achieving.

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Alexander Wang’s products are without a doubt expensive and not many people can afford hem, especially students and young adults, the same people he brand is aimed at. It is, however, the collaborations hat really connect Wang with his aimed demographic, and his most recent collaboration s no different.

Uniqlo is a Japanese brand known for creating thermal tops and leggings that are meant to help one endure the rough winter without overcrowding one’s self with thick layers. Their products with Wang fall under three categories in regards to heat production. The lightest is known as Heattech, the second to last is called Heattech Ribbed, and the last one as Heattech extra warm. Each category covers either 3 or 4 styles of either tops or leggings. There isn’t much choice when it comes to style and the colours are roughly limited, however, Wang’s designs bring something new to the brand which I’m sure will appeal to a lot of people. In regards to prices, the Wang items are roughly the same price as the brand’s other items with the most expensive piece in the collaboration costing 34.90 U.K. Pounds. The collaboration with Wang is set to hit stores in the U.K. on the 8th of November.

By: Yara Kair

FASHION WITHOUT SIZE...

For most of its existence fashion has been labeled with tall, skinny and flawless models running into different fashion shows or being features in some prestigious magazines. But today with the rise of Social Medias such as Facebook or Instagram, some XXL models feel no longer ashamed to show their curves publicly. However, all this affirmation and self-love hasn’t been easy at all for all of them who have dared to accept their ‘imperfections’. Social media harassment has made people feel ashamed of their imperfections and it is one of the main struggles these models have to overcome, despite of being excluded most of the time to collaborate with many fashion brands, who rarely ask for a plus size model. Women continue to battle with the idea of being perfect enough for any industry, but actually are all these fashion brands or companies aware of the fact that fashion knows no size and has no limits. After all, what is really perfect and what is not? Anyone knows a definition of it?

However, we are very glad to acknowledge that today fashion is shifting towards models being more confident about their body sizes.

They feel beautiful and comfortable no matter if they are a XXS or XXL size, by breaking so all those stereotypes that only a ‘perfect’ body fits in fashion. These models such as Ashley Graham, Jessica Leahy, Precious Victoria Lee, Chloe Marshall, Fluvia Lacerda and many others, have taught us that fashion is about being creative, being confident on what you wear and loving yourself the way you are. Whether having rolling curves or thick tights, what is really important is to look beyond the size. Fashion is art and art can be seen on all sizes. There is place in fashion of every each of us. To follow fashion and to feel fashionable, no matter our respective body sizes.

Let’s celebrate and love our perfectly imperfect bodies. A body positive environment creates a fashion positive environment. Cheers to the body diversity generations and to all of those breaking the social standards of what is beautiful or perfect and what is not. Welcome to plus size fashion…

BY INVA NELA