SIX Magazine SPRUNG Issue 4

VOL. IV SPRING 2 0 1 2

M A G A Z I N E

M A G A Z I N E Editor-‐in-‐Chief Creative Director Associate Editor Fashion Editor Fashion Features Editor Beauty Editor Beauty Features Editor Online and Magazine Assistant Pictures Editor Contributing Photographers

Photographer’s Assistant Contributing Stylists

Contributing Assistant Stylists

Contributing Hair & Make Up Artists

VOL. IV SPRING 2 0 1 2

M A G A Z I N E

7 )27 )

SPRUNG!

Titania INGLIS // Sophie HULME // Tamsin LILLYWHITE // Una BURKE // David LONGSHAW Henrietta LUDGATE // Kirsty WARD // Kitty JOSEPH // House of Hackney // Imogen BELFIELD

Cover image Photographer -­ Fiona Garden Stylist -­ Victoria Sekrier Make-­up & Hair -­ Laurey Simmons Model -­ Esther at Select

SIX Magazine is published by SIX MAGAZINE LIMITED. © Copyright 2012 SIX Magazine Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher.

Alina Rätsep Fiona Garden Rachael Oku Victoria Sekrier Florian Pessenteiner Lou Dartford Jess Latapie Kate Stanbury Charles Moriarty Fiona Garden Martin Zahringer Charles Moriarty Katsuhiko Kimura Mike Blackett Juan Carrera Victoria Sekrier Tara Sugar Karen Munnis Chihiro Yono Sabah Noore Liza Jugolainen Hideyoshi Goto Laurey Simmons Stelios Chondros at Vision Kristina Vidic Daisuke at SIGNO Morita at AVGVST Natalie PIacun Contributing Writers Jacqueline Amankwah Ranelle Chapman Viola Levy Camilla Harrison Samantha Ramjoorawon Georgie Wolfinden Kyra de Vreeze Dina O’Brien Cassia Geller Nina Koo-‐Seen-‐Lin M. Wray Laura Greenslade Amber Ascroft Thea Natalie

editor’s

Letter

The year has come and gone in the blink of an eye… that’s right, SIX magazine is ONE YEAR OLD this March!

Four issues down, we have had a roller coaster of a ride - and it’s been an absolute thrill.

From our launch at the Barbican Conservatory, featuring the Henrietta Ludgate catwalk show, to supporting Camilla Wellton at Shanghai Fashion Week, and working with Berlin’s GreenShowroom on our ‘GreenShowroom Month’, to sitting on the judging panel for Ethical Fashion Forum’s Innovation Awards 2011 alongside Dolly Jones, editor of Vogue.com... We have been named the winners of The Future 100, expanded our team from the brave 2 to the brave 10 (plus all our amazing writers and interns), and have met some real characters and immensely talented individuals, artists and designers along the way.

The year ahead is promising big news in the field of S&E* fashion, and yours truly will be there making waves of our own - watch this space as we are expanding our young talent support platform, offline events, exploring exciting digital possibilities, and much, much more.

Our SPRING ISSUE is bursting with colour, featuring rising stars and established heavyweights in our S&E* guide to accessories on page 48, Tokyo fashion shot by Katsuhiko Kimura on page 96, and the work of the super talented Martin Zähringer on page 104. Our Investment Guide is focusing on the Coco Chanels and Balenciagas of tomorrow, giving you an opportunity to invest in the early work of real masters - turn to page 74 for more.

I hope you enjoy the issue, and please drop me a line at alina@six-magazine.co.uk with any comments!

Alina Rätsep // EDITOR-IN-CHIEF follow @SIXmagazine

SIX ON THE RADAR Trend: Texturise -‐ p.14 Oak Jewellery -‐ .p.18 Style Mews -‐ p.19 TRIPPEN -‐ p.20 Emesha -‐ p.21 Dalston Rio Cinema -‐ p.22

82

ON THE SCENE The Big Egg Hunt -‐ p.24 ASK Titania Inglis on vintage road bikes, lava beaches in Iceland and women who punch through walls -‐ p.28 S&E GUIDE to ACCESSORIES S&E Jewellery -‐ p.50 S&E Bags -‐ p.54 S&E Belts -‐ p.58 S&E Shoes -‐ p.62 S&E Scarves -‐ p.66

24

INTERIORS House of Hackney: interiors as a work of art -‐ p.152 ARZU Rugs: investing in hope -‐ p.156

58 SIX 4

88 120

148

FASHION Fashion Editor’s Notes: “Prints: charming” -‐ p.34 SIX Loves… Kirsty Ward -‐ p.70 Fabric Revolution -‐ fabrics of the future? -‐ p.38 Swarovski: power collaborations -‐ p.42 Investment Plan: collectible accessories -‐ p.74 Intelligent Intimates: what’s underneath counts -‐ p.82 Hot Gloss: popping accessories ,Spring brights -‐ p.88 Tokyo Rose: lost in translation -‐ p.96 Sport Style: get on trend with sport chic -‐ p.104 BEAUTY Beauty Editor’s Notes -‐ Welcome the New Season -‐ p.116 SIX Loves… Intelligent Nutrients -‐ p.118 Technicolour Spring -‐ it’s all about the lips -‐ p.120 Make Up Trend: be a Golden Girl -‐ p.128 Polish Lessons: Top SIX Body Scrubs -‐ p.130 Beauty Tips: SIX to include and SIX to banish -‐ p.132 Vanity Case -‐ p.136 Spa: Ushvani -‐ Malaysian sanctuary in the heart of London -‐ p.138 Skin Gym: your skin workout -‐ p.140 HEALTH & NUTRITION Spices: for joy and health -‐ p.148 Supplements: accessory or necessity? -‐ p.142 Glow Yoga: good vibes -‐ p.146 LAST PAGE Wise Words: Henrietta Ludgate -‐ P. 160

SIX Tara Sugar Tara is a stylist and product development consultant based in London. She has created the Fabric Revolution piece on page 38. Having researched and written about high tech materials, she also sourced the fabrics and created three incredible outfits with them.

Camilla Harrison Camilla is studying Fashion History and Theory at Central St Martins, and is currently assisting in the archiving of one of the UK’s major fashion designers. Read her jewellery masterpieces review for our S&E Guide on page 50.

Sarah Ditty Founder of popular ethical fashion blog, Launderette and a Deputy Editor of SOURCE Intelligence magazine published by Ethical Fashion Forum, Sarah also has a master’s degree in Globalisation and International Development to show off.

Read her OAK jewellery and House of Hackney reviews on page 18 and page 152.

SIX 6

Karen Munnis Originally from Vancouver, Karen has worked internationally as a fashion stylist for clients like Sony Music, Britain’s and Ireland’s Next Top Model and MTV, and has dressed the likes of Chloe Sevigny and Lou Doillon. Karen styles Hot Gloss on page 88.

Martin Zähringer Martin first started by taking pictures of the bands he was working with as a music video producer: The Kills, the Mystery Jets, and Lana Del Rey to name a few. His later work in fashion has been featured on Vogue.com and Dazed Digital. Martin shot Sport Style on page 104.

Cassia Geller Cassia is a devoted cyclist and yogi, with an English Literature degree and passion for writing. Read her “Beauty Supplements: accessory or necessity?” on page 142, and her review of the new Glow Yoga trend on page146.

www.elkekramer.com

Úna Burke www.unaburke.com

on the

d r ra a

SIX It was evident from catwalk shows in New York to Paris that for SS12, designers are experimenting with a wealth of tactile fabrics. Surface texture was g i v e n as much focus in several designers’ collections as structure and form, proving that this is a trend that is sure to evolve as the season progresses.

After all, it was only a matter of time before textured fabrics took centre stage on, and off, the catwalks.

Lace has been a firm favourite of the fashion world for several seasons in succession, so, with the allure of sequins and velvet fading after the festive season, organic fabrics such as wool and leather (as a by-product of the food industry) are a perfect antidote to the winter blues.

In his SS12 collection, Michael Van der Ham combines colour and print with a range of 3D knits and jacquard weaves, with loose fabrics appearing almost crocheted. Mixing materials with different textures in one look intensified the visual contrast of forms, creating a feel of depth.

Meanwhile, Alberta Ferretti’s SS12 offering included suggestive yet subtle flashes o f f l e s h t h r o u g h s h e e r c h i f f o n p a n e l s , leaving just enough to the imagination. This was a common theme running throughout t h e collection, with combinations of opaque and diaphanous fabrics meshing to create a texture that was not so much about feeling as much as a visual journey.

Elliot Atkinson

Alberta Ferretti SIX 14

feeling

TEXTURES

With a seemingly endless scope of innovation, texture remains on the centre stage this season

by Madeleine McIndoe

L on d on-based L ondon Col lege of Fashion graduate Ada Zanditon is an ethically minded designer utilising a range of textured fabrics this season. Her SS12 collection, ‘Poseisus’, ranges from structured, origami-like shapes to flowing, draped dresses, trousers and tops. Some of the knitwear appears webbed thanks to the loose structure, creating a spidery effect in conjunction with the way it was been artfully sculpted around the body’s form. Layers of dip-dyed chiffon inject a feeling of romance into the collection, flowing playfully around the body in gossamer wisps.

Louise Amstrup’s beautiful, eclectic designs feature a mix of print and texture. By manipulating delicate fabrics to add extra dimension, (pleats are a c om m on de ta il th roug h out), Amst r up produces garments which reflect light and play peek-a-boo from under layers of silk and chiffon. Edgy prints and leather panelling toughen up each look - it is not hard to understand how Amstrup’s culturally mixed background has influenced her work.

Mixing photographic prints with wool jackets and flat, p a t t e r n e d f a b r i c s w i t h t e x t u re d b l o c k c o l o u r, A m s t r u p creates a feeling of classicism mixed with a JPEG Generation stamp.

Edun played on the texturised trend in a more toned-down manner. For example, the same fabric of varying dimensions was used to great effect.

Edun

TEXTURES

feelin

Piecing panels of large and fine gauge knitted fabric together gave sweaters a sporty-luxe feel, with the fine fabric resembling aertex, whilst the heavier fabric added on both matte and lustrous fabric creating a varied textile terrain.

Polish designer Asia Wysoczy style is realised this season throu differing structures. The limited co highlights the flawless cut of each g fabr ics used in her SS12 colle a key theme in print virtu surfaces trick the eye with opti density and mystery, ever chang Bright prints provided a visual con

Louise Amstrup

Elliot Atkinson’s design mission may but nonchalant, tough yet feminine; is anything but disjointed. Gentle la work with, not against, high-octane s Swathes o the body fabrics we criss-cross field of fabrics. Pr and wisel stage.

This part across clo this season thanks to design tha

SIX Asia Wysoczynska

Michael Van Der Ham

d warmth and bulk. A range of prints cs stood alongside embellishment,

ynska’s architectural yet poetic ugh the use of fabrics in widely olour palette emphasises this, and garment. The str uctural mix of ction amplifies contradiction, u o s o F l i k H a l l ’s w o r k . F l a t ical illusion prints, giving them ging with the alteration of light. ntrast against silk, wool and leather.

y be peppered with oxymorons: sexy however, the most recent collection ayers of chiffon in the softest shades spray-on leather trousers. of deconstructed fabrics fall from in waterfall-like torrents. Delicate ere ruffled, bunched up and layered, sed over one another to distort the vision through otherwise sheer rint and colour were used sparingly ly, letting surface texture take centre

ticular trend has manifested itself othes, catwalks and even continents n, reinterpreted and constantly fresh o the endless scope for innovative at it provides. §

SIX

OAK

by Sarah Ditty

T

aking inspiration from the idea of concealment versus a celebration of love, S&E luxury jewellery brand OAK’s new collection, ‘Love Letters’, comprises intricately carved script and an array of beautifully coloured gemstones.

Each piece of OAK jewellery is delicately crafted using fair-trade or recycled metals as well as ethically sourced gemstones. After working as designers in the fast throw-away world of the high-street fashion jewellery industry, founders Parul Tolentino and Jo-Anne Owdud wanted to design and create beautiful pieces that could be worn and passed down through generations. OAK was born in 2011 with a mission of being “super-luxe with a heart”.

Everything is made in the UK with special effort to support British manufacturing. This enables Tolentino and Owdud to ensure good and ethical work practices through their hands on relationship with its manufacturers.

OAK’s designs invoke a sense of nostalgia, and each piece holds a sentimentality that fuses elements of the past with a future timelessness.

The ‘Lovers Ring’ recalls the romantic sentiments of the Victorian era but is innovatively designed for the modern girl. Lemon diamond, opaque jasper, violet spinnel, emerald and ruby gemstones are subversively layered, cleverly fitting together to form the word ‘lover’. OAK’s thoughtful design approach delivers jewellery that can be worn on any occasion and that surely will be treasured for eternity. www.oakfinejewellery.com

X

Anthony Roussel

available at stylemews.com

Style Mews W

by Natasha Newing

hat do you get when you mix two creative minds, style, passion, and the London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainability? A unique fashion portal, Style Mews has erupted as the place to go for unique and inspirational fashion designs; often traditional pieces with innovative twists.

An original concept spearheaded by two friends back in 2009, Claire Gaudion and Kelly Bowerbank have nurtured their idea from its creative inception, right through to what we see today, a forward thinking, and innovative fashion frontier.

Foraging for hidden treasures, from fashion to unusual jewellery and accessories, Style Mews is a feast for the eyes. Supporting S&E designers, local production and skill bases makes Style Mews not only pleasing to the eye but customers can feel good knowing they’re supporting British-based designers such as Ruby Browning, Heidi Mottram and Simone Brewster.

Showcasing a wealth of up-and-coming designers, Style Mews is best known for contemporary fashion and hand-crafted brands, which push the boundaries by juxtaposing classic wardrobe staples with a modern twist and innovative garments that incorporate modern techniques such as lasercutting and deconstructed silhouettes.

Favouring eye-catching accessories with splashes of colour, unusual materials such as eel skin and intricate digital prints, Style Mews brands are chosen for their ability to bring to life even the blandest of outfits.

To g e t h e r w i t h t h e L o n d o n C o l l e g e o f Fashion’s Centre for Sustainability, Style Mews are hunting out burgeoning talent to share with the masses. After all, half the fun of fashion is showing those around you what you’ve discovered, enabling Style Mews to become a haven for the fashion forward. www.stylemews.com SIX 19

SIX

by Thea Natalie

TRIPPEN

F

or SS12, Berlin-based footwear brand Trippen is bringing a unique mixture of cultures to the forefront of S&E fashion with their ‘Happy Collection’.

With six stores in Japan, Trippen creators Angela and Michael have long been exposed to the creative stylings of the Tokyo fashion pack.

The new ‘Happy’ (for women) and ‘Box’ (for men) collections draw their influence from the traditional ‘geta’ shoe, a wooden sandal traditionally worn by Geishas. Combined with their made-by-hand approach to production, the shoes are both visually and literally works of art.

The Trippen story started in 1991 when creators Angela Spieth and Michael Oehler created a collection of 12 shoes to exhibit in a small Berlin gallery. The shoes were made from unused wooden soles the pair discovered in an old factory in the Harz Mountains.

The designs were received with amazement by industry leaders for their innovative design and carefully hand-crafted quality. Fast forward 10 years and the duo are collaborating with fashion icon Issey Miyakee.

To bring out your inner Geisha, visit the Trippen website for store locations, and more information on their sustainable approach to stylish footwear. www.trippen.com

SIX 20

Emesha

by Thea Natalie

D

o you remember a youth of fashion slavery to your parent’s uncool ideas of ‘cute’ and ‘girly’? Wishing that you could somehow convince the powers that be that your ideas of fashion were, like, so much better…?

Well as surely as we all once imagined ourselves to be fashion icons, one Emesha Nagy remembers her first fashion experience, and the journey to becoming one of the brightest S&E brands On the Radar.

“It was in my teenage years that I realised I wanted to design ... I remember clearly, as a four year old, refusing to wear a dress selected by my mother”, laughs the designer.

After a group project in university showed the young designer a glimpse of ethical design, she was hooked. “I always get really excited about new ideas, and [current ethical innovations] all seem to be really good!” This enthusiasm has certainly paid off, with her four consecutive showings at LFW receiving rave reviews.

Coming from Hungary, Emesha witnessed first-hand the effects that fast fashion was having on parts of Eastern Europe, and began to expand her thinking on fashion’s impact on the world. “I read many blogs and magazines, and try to attend seminars whenever I can to keep up to date with developments in ‘slow fashion’”.

In particular, Nagy is passionate about the use of only AZO-free fabric dyes, bringing clothing recycling into the mainstream, and advocating fair wages in production factories. It seems fitting that the designer really lives her philosophy, ‘There’s more than one way to be ethical (in fashion) ’. www.emesha.com

SIX T

he East London neighbourhood of Dalston’s recent surge in popularity could easily be mistaken for a trendy hipster takeover in the same vein as Williamsburg in New York. Organic cafes? Check.

An abundance of converted loft spaces? Check. A healthy population of fashion designers and other creative types? A wealth of hip young designers such as Christopher K ane a nd G areth P ugh h ave c hosen to hang their hats here, cementing Dalston’s reputation as a hub of originality. While its cool factor may be well established, Dalston’s importance within the foundations of cinema history and as the home of the Rio Cinema is less known.

In 1909, local shop owner Clara Ludski had the bold insight to acknowledge the power of the growing moving pictures industry. Transforming her humble auctioneer’s shop into an electric picture house, the b u z z s u r r o u n d i n g t h e c o n v e r s i o n p r o v e d s o successful that the neighbouring buildings were acquired in order to transform the property into the architecturally decadent Kingsland Empire in 1915.

Renovated in 1937 and renamed The Classic, the cinema house epitomised the evocative employment of art deco style by cinema architects during the period. However striking its décor, the cinema’s greatest success over the decades has been the relationship it has cultivated and maintained with the surrounding neighbourhood. Whether it was cartoons, KRUURU ¿OPV VWULS VKRZV RU PDUWLDO DUWV PRYLHV WKH cinema was able to weather the birth of television by remaining flexible and by collaborating with its patrons to accommodate their changing tastes.

It was with this ethos in 1977 that the Rio Cinema Working Party planned to develop the Rio, as it had finally come to be called, into a fully fledged community arts centre, expanding its cinematic endeavours to include video art and photography.

Dalston Rio Cinema

by M. Wray

Art Deco landmark lends its historical elegance to this trendy London neighborhood The Rio’s location some four miles east of London’s FHQWUH SURYHG EHQH¿FLDO IRU WKH H[SDQVLRQ RI WKRVH artistic scenes that were under-­represented or ignored at that time by the more established creative community found in Soho.Awarded an English Heritage Grade II listing after a major refurbishment in 1999, the Rio’s present day incarnation has the added advantage of a redesigned café, stocking a wide assortment of food and beverages, ranging from Monmouth Coffee to samosas, and heightened acoustics compliments of Dolby Digital surround sound.

While most of Dalston’s twentieth-­century art houses have now shuttered, the Rio continues to flex its muscles under the loving care of a board comprised of elected locals. The cinema focuses its program on one PDLQ ¿OP D ZHHN UDQJLQJ IURP DUWV\ LQGLHV WR EORFN-­ busters with a conscience. This arrangement allows for ample space within its diary for niche interests to be explored: “classic matinees” are shown monthly RQ WKH ¿UVW RU VHFRQG :HGQHVGD\ FXOW IDYRXULWHV DUH VKRZQ IUHTXHQWO\ DW PLGQLJKW DQG ' ¿OPV DUH VKRZQ at no extra charge.

1XPHURXV ¿OP IHVWLYDOV DQG VSHFLDO HYHQWV VXFK DV WKH DQQXDO 7XUNLVK DQG .XUGLVK ¿OP IHVWLYDOV FDQ EH found on the Rio’s schedule, as well as Q&As with local talents turned big league, and evenings curated by local curatorial team ‘At Home with the Ludskis’.

It seems that the original owners had it right all along, and the Rio is still as classic as classics come. §

SIX 22

SIX

the big

EGG HUNT

by Kate Stanbury

For weeks, Easter eggs have been filling the shelves of our local shops. Now they have taken over the city of London, raising money for conservation.

SIX 24

Maria Grachvogel

Rachel Freire Mary Katranzou

Visitors to the capital are invited to ‘eggsplore’ London’s streets in order to hunt down two hundred uniquely decorated eggs that are hidden around the city. The 2½ foot fibreglass eggs have been designed and created by a plethora of established architects, jewellers and designers, including Giles Deacon, Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes, Sophie Dahl, the Chapman Brothers, Diane Von Furstenberg, Rob Ryan, Mary Katranzou and Rachel Freire.

Members of the public can use their computers and phone apps, or conventional maps, to find clues and track down this unique collection of art. Online competitions add an element of rivalry to the event while bringing hunters together in the quest to find the coveted eggs. At the end of the hunt, the eggs, as well as a unique pendant, designed by the event’s main sponsor and egg expert Fabergé in collaboration with Nicky Haslam, will be sold at auction in an attempt to raise millions of pounds for Action for Children and Elephant Family.

Those who were in London during May and June of 2010 will probably have come into contact with one or two creatures, which they weren’t expecting

to see in Britain let alone on the streets of London. d i n a n a r r a y o f d i f f e r e n t d e s i g n s , including peacock feathers, leaves, spots, the Union Jack, pennies, photographs, polar bears and even one that resembled a London taxi were strewn across the capital in order to raise money for Elephant Family. And this year’s egg hunt is set to be even more ‘eggciting’.

The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt is destined to break the Guinness World Record for the number of participants hunting for eggs. On top of this, William Curley’s special egg design, which is expected to break the record for the world’s most expensive chocolate egg, will be the envy of all chocolate lovers this Easter.

The egg theme isn’t only apt because of the time of year. The symbol of the egg represents life and hope for the future something that the charities Action for Children and Elephant Family embody, as they bring hope to the lives of children in the UK and endangered species in Asia. § www.thebigegghunt.co.uk (opposite page egg - Ben Ashton)

www.martinaspetlova.com

SIX

titania

INGLIS

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Titania Inglis has apprenticed under such cult NY designers as Camilla Stærk, Jean Yu, and Threeasfour before launching her eponymous line. Inglis pieces are striking, move easily from day to night, from summer to winter, and occasionally metamorphosing with a trick of geometry.

Every garment is sewn in a small factory in New York from sustainably sourced fabrics including Japanese organic cotton, French vegetable-‐tanned leather, and dead stock wool from New York’s garment industry.

Storming on to our radars three seasons ago, Inglis has already earned a reputation as one to watch. SIX talks with the designer herself about vintage road bikes, lava beaches in Iceland and women who punch through walls.

SIX 28

I knew I wanted to work in fashion when....

in product design school, all of my projects ended up being wearable.

S&E fashion is close to my heart because...

I grew up in a town of waterfalls and gorges, in a landscape so beautiful I can’t imagine not protecting it.

If I wasn’t a fashion designer I would be.... getting a lot more sleep!

When a woman is wearing my designs... she

can punch through walls and walk on water. Or at least she should feel like she could.

The mood of the SS12 collection… is ethereal, but with a hard edge — like a black lava beach in Iceland under the pale midnight sun.

For inspiration... I like to escape the city and take

a stroll through the woods upstate. I guess most people would call that hiking, but for me it’s how I grew up, minus the mountain bikes and scraped knees.

My personal style… is reflected in my line: sleek, minimal, and androgynous.

One thing I can’t live without... is my vintage Peugeot road bike. It is beat-up enough to fly under the bike thieves’ radar, but it rides like a dream. §

www.silkenfavours.com

tokyo cool P. 96

JAPANESE S&E TAKES OFF

BR

gl

fashion sport style

RINGING SPORT TO THE STREET

hot loss P. 88

P. 104

GET BRIGHTER, SMARTER

FASHION editor’s notes

Victoria Sekrier

Prints: charming.

The print trend is by far the most ambitious since the mildly obnoxious Sci-Fi phenomena of a couple of years ago. Print is going strong, almost as strong as the never-ending Boho-chic - it carried on from SS11 to AW11 and back into our consciousness throughout the collections of 2012. I’ll even dare to predict its reappearance in the SS13 collections in some form or another.

If you ever feel like you need to make an entrance or impression, throw a print into your outfit.

Nothing draws attention as much as a bold print – apart from being stark naked. However, print is a tricky one because it has the ability to instantly stereotype: geometric prints will say ‘I am intellectual and know more about art than you might think’; whereas a floral print will say ‘I am fun and know more about festivals than I should’.

This season I am most fascinated by nature-inspired prints: from decaying metal to cosmic space, and vibrant paint splatter to sea creatures and reptile skins.

Favorite colours vary between earthy greens and browns to punchy violet and fuchsia.

For SS12 Mary Katrantzou wowed us with photoreal panoramic prints of aquatic life. Echoing cubism, Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga showed paint splatter pieces in bright red and blue. Joseph Altuzarra sent tanned girls down the catwalk in exotic fauna print dresses, whereas Dries Van Noten used tropical palm tree collage prints. Eugine Lin drew inspiration from rusted metals and decaying wood, presenting stunning digital prints.

Don’t be afraid, there’ll be almost no wrong when it comes to wearing prints this season. It all depends on your level of confidence. If you are new to print and are thinking of easing yourself in, be sensible and try wearing one print at a time and work your outfit around your central piece. If you are more of an expert and extrovert, throw in as many prints as you like.

This season is all about experimenting and expressing yourself ! To the printers!

SIX 34

Style In

Partimi

Malene Oddershede Bach

Michelle Lowe Baby Modo

Athena Procopiou

Dagmar Kat Maconie

Flik Hall

FASHION

I

t might sound like a list of breakfast items, but milk, sugar, bananas and crab shells are, in fact, the future of our wardrobes. A number of seemingly bizarre new textiles made from pre- and post-consumer waste, are being rescued from the rubbish heap, revolutionizing the fashion market.

These fabrics are surprisingly soft, comfortable, fashionable, and easy to work with: many boast wonderful properties, such as anti-microbial and breath-ability features.

Natural fabrics are generally made from either vegetable or animal sources, such as the hairs of animals, which, like our own, are protein based and in most cases obtained without harming the animal. Fibres like wool, alpaca, and silk are gathered, cleaned, combed and spun into yarns, which can then be woven or knitted into cloth.

Vegetable sources are made from cellulose (the chief constituent of most plant tissues). Cotton is derived from the flowers of the plant, however many other plant fibres are derived from the stems and are known as Bast fibres (these include nettle, linen and hemp).

These are harvested, softened (either by chemical or manual/mechanical processes) and then spun and woven or knitted into cloth.

Cellulose based fibres require varying amounts of water to grow and process, for example, cotton is particularly needy when it comes to soil nutrients and water for processing. Rayon and bamboo are made from a sort of wood pulp, these sometimes also rely on chemicals and high water usage, although new and old methods are all being explored to reduce impact. It’s important to check the labels and swing tags when shopping as these will explain the fabric’s ecocredentials in full, if any exist.

The next generation of fashion fabrics explores all kinds of unusual new raw fibre sources; here is our glossary to help you keep up to date.

Basho (basho-fu) fabric is made from the spent banana plant, after harvesting the fruit. It has long been favored for summer kimonos in Japan because of its airiness and smooth, crisp surface. Like linen, hemp, ramie, and other “bast fibers” basho-fu does not stick

to the skin in hot weather.

Traditionally worn by all to combat the summer heat, basho-fu is now a luxury cloth that is made in the village of Kijoka, on the island of Okinawa. New types of banana fibre cloth are currently being produced by Swicofil in Switzerland.

Crabyon™ and Tencel C™ are new fibres made from the chitin in crab shells blended with Rayon. Despite being an animal source, the crab shells are processed in a similar way to Rayon, resulting in a soft fabric made from waste. It is said to be beneficial to sensitive skin due to its anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties. It is currently commercially available as socks, undergarments and baby wear, but is likely to hit fashion markets very soon.

Ingeo™ has been dubbed a “natural synthetic”, often made from corn, but can also be made from almost any naturally occurring sugar, i.e. sugar beets, sugar cane and wheat. In the future, there are hopes to produce Ingeo from agricultural waste and non-food plants. Ingeo will biodegrade, so you can dispose of it in the compost pile, however, when exposed to high heat and moisture, it has been known to break down prematurely.

Lenpur™ is another Rayon type fabric made from white fir (pine tree) cellulose. Firs are a soft wood that is quicker to grow than most, and can be farmed fairly densely. The resulting fabric is exceptionally soft to the touch, and said to have thermoregulatory properties. Australian company Levant produce tights made from Lenpur.

Milkofil™ is a soft new fibre and fabric made from casein in milk protein. It’s relatively expensive, but feels wonderful, is highly durable with other benefitsit has humectant properties which keep skin moisturised, it is said to improve circulation and is naturally sterile.

Rayon, Viscose and Modal, Tencel, Lyocell are all made from plant cellulose but, are by some considered to be man-made as the transformation from vegetable pulp to cloth is often a long one. Newer developments such as Tencel are now made in closed loop systems where the only effluent is clean water.

SIX 38

FABRIC

revolution

by Tara Sugar

Milk, salmon, and coffee will soon be a part of your wardrobe.

This glossary will help keep you up to date with these tasty new fabrics.

§ There is no perfect solution yet, but much progress is being made, and exciting new textiles are entering the market every season.

S. Café™ is made from post-consumer waste coffee grounds which have been re-processed by Singtex in Taiwan. These performance fabrics boast luxurious high-tech finishes and textures, and are due on the market soon.

Salmon skins from food waste are being treated and tanned to create leather like products by ES Salmon in Patagonia.

Sasawashi a linen type fabric made from Japanese paper and Kumazasa herb, and quite new to the fashion market. Despite being made from paper, it’s durable and washable.

Seacell a new product made from seaweed cellulose (mixed with Lyocell).

Soya jersey is made from the fibres in soy husks (the little fuzzy peapods called “edamame”) It’s a luxuriously soft, comfortable, breathable jersey with great drape. Women’s tops and dresses in soya jersey are available from Komodo.

Stinging nettles produce surprisingly soft, cottonlike fabric, however, nettles grow like weeds (since they are!) without any need for pesticides and fertilisers, and on land which cannot be used for other crops.

This is a very old textile, currently being re-explored for commercial use, either as a fine cotton like fabric, or blended with wools to strengthen, and reduce shrinkage.

Trims and buttons are also exploring new and old materials. One World Buttons are producing beautiful unique and fairly-traded options made from found wood, natural rubber, carved bone and more unusual items like recycled glass.

The resale of leftover textiles is becoming increasingly important, with minimum orders for fabrics being high, and the economic necessity of selling overstock.

Beautiful Soul in London have started their own database, where hobby sewers and designers can buy quality overstock of beautiful S&E fabrics.

Many alternative techniques are being explored in the production of cloth, such as using ultrasound for dyeing, thereby eliminating the use of water entirely; and drying fabrics using radio frequencies rather than ovens, saving energy.

Softeners and finishing are two of many stages of high water usage in manufacturing textiles, however, in new processes fabrics are softened with combinations of beeswax, aloe vera and vitamin E. It’s important to know, there is no perfect solution yet, but much progress is being made, and exciting new textiles are entering the market every season.

By supporting these innovations, we ensure that more research and development will continue to offer better solutions, and exciting new fabrics in the process.

For further information on the fabrics mentioned in this article: Beautiful Soul fabrics database Dashing Tweeds Discovery Knitting: knitters of bamboo, modal, cashmere organic cottons and more Hempfortex: soya, hemp and organic cottons Fila Maclodio (Milkofil) Offset Warehouse (linen, hemp, bamboo) One World Button Supply: bone, horn, driftwood buttons and more Sasawashi Singtex: makers of S. Café™ Swicofil: banana, nettle and more. §

This page: Red-Natural dyed Fairwage Organic Cotton, White Sleeve-Handloomed Organic Cotton- Offset Warehouse Black/Red/White Print-Vintage Silk Kimono, Black Lace- Beautiful Soul Turban-Modal Cashmere blend Jersey-Discovery Knitting Button-Carved Bone Rose-One World Button

Styling: Tara Sugar Hair&Makeup: Laurey Simmons Model: Malgosia @ Select

fabric revolution

Opposite page: Teal Soya Jersey-Hempfortex Patterned Wools-Hills McDougall, Dashing Tweeds Button-Green Natural Latex-One World Button Supply Turban-Indigo dyed Fairwage Organic Cotton – Offset Warehouse Over Turban-Vintage Silk Kimono-Beautiful Soul

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a k e a s t r o l l t h ro u g h i t s g a l l e r y o f n i n e Konstantin Kakanias’ ‘Night and Day’ collection s u c c e s s f u l s e a s o n s : t h e Au ro r a B o re a l i s showcases the diversity of Swarovski crystal through crystals of British fashion designer Mary Katrantzou; colour and form. The collection plays on the paradoxes sculpted architectural pieces by Zaha Hadid; and a between the ‘Day’ colourway (the vibrant tones of touch of regal luxury from Christopher Kane in his yellows and golds in the sunflower Dorian ring) and fifth (to name (drop) but a few). the ‘Night’ colourway (the calming shades of blue in True to form the designer roll-call continues to grow. the sapphire Dorian ring).

With the tenth collection for SS12, Atelier Swarovski Borne out of his curiosity and fascination adds costume designer Zaldy, fashion designer Juan with Byzantine jewellery since he was a child, the Carlos ( JC) Obando, stylist Eric Daman, jewellery crystals are passionately assembled asymmetrically designer Philip Crangi and Athens-born painter and throughout the designs of the collection – reminiscent artist Konstantin Kakanias to the designer of his lifelong love for “mosaics in line-up.

Ravenna where the stones are put Nadja Swarovski, Executive Board Member of together in such a unique way”.

Swarovski Crystal Business, explains the story Alumni of the Studio Bercot in Paris, Konstantin Kakanias Kakanias’ award-winning illustrations behind the collaborations: “By collaborating with both emerging and established talent, we have been published in key titles, are exploring new and exciting avenues with including Vogue, while his painting, Swarovski crystal. Historically, Swarovski has drawings and sculptures are exhibited been collaborating with couture houses such at leading galleries worldwide. His as Chanel and Dior ever since the early 1900s ‘Night and Day’ collection features and it is amazing to bring to life the creative necklaces, bracelets, earrings and ideas of today’s designers and our cutting-edge grosgrain clutch bags paired with the crystal expertise.” signature crystal colours.

In his collection, established fashion designer JC Obando takes inspiration from the carabina shapes found in industrial climbing equipment. He marries this style with a touch of fluorescent colour to create an original JC Obando collection of chain link accessories.

Based in LA, the famed designer is one of the very few couturiers who can still say that every inch of a garment is his own creation.

Acclaimed for his attention to detail from the beginning of his career as creative director of advertising powerhouses, Obando understands the full value of hand craftsmanship. Stand out pieces from the collection include the full-offemininity Veststone earring and the Roxbury ring with its strong contemporary feel and high polish metal band finish. The collection is available in Jet with black ceramic, Pacific Opal with Celadon Green ceramic, Silver Shade with Fuchsia ceramic and Golden Shadow with Shining Yellow Ceramic.

Philip Crangi (right) is synonymous with innovative designs. His radical approach to jewellery using materials not often associated with traditional jewellery led the designer to scoop the CDFA Swarovski Award for Accessory Design in 2007. The American jewellery designer is sought after by the Alist, including Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow and has collaborated with Vera Wang and Jason Wu. Characteristic of Crangi, each piece in his atelier’s collection is handmade. Cuffs, necklaces and bracelets designed in leather and braided suede, interspersed with spherical crystals show an inventive use of crystal whilst being wearable and chic.

The beautifully crafted dark grey Laurel necklace takes centre stage in his collection - the laurel has long been a symbol of victory - which is available in Golden Shadow, Crystal Dorado and Crystal Silver Shade.

Inspired by textiles and embroidery, Crangi (a classically trained goldsmith) romanticises:

power

COLLABORATIONS

by Jacqueline Amankwah

Philip Crangi

Atelier Swarovski unveils the SS12 collection

Eric Daman

“I have always found common crystals really brought the cause with the art of couture and designs to life and stay true embroidery, both being perfect examples to my original native meets of the finest kind of handcrafted luxury. The modern inspiration.” softness of bows and braids rendered in luxurious For New York based designer suedes bring to mind the grandeur of 18th Century Zaldy, sculpted shapes with inlets, channels and European court costume, concave and convex points make up his while the rich sparkle and ‘Shadow’ pieces. With a focus on form and futuristic shapes of the outline, Zaldy’s collection features highly Swarovski crystals give the polished articulated bracelets, stackable pieces a modern feel.” resin bangles and ergonomically shaped Eric Daman’s accomplished rings with baguette crystals.

‘Native Modern’ collection There’s a sense of adventure Christopher Kane fuses an ancient theme about his Gisa bracelets with the pioneering spirit - available in a limited of Swarovski. His coral edition Crystal Sahara Tomahawk ring is a bold colour, and created statement of tribal-inspired style. Its specifically for SS12 large-scale mosaic crystals, bright hues, which adds interest and textural diversity polished with American depth to the design.

Indian aesthetics set the tone for the Explaining his creative rest of the collection - beaded necklaces, process, Zaldy says: “I bracelets, cuffs and earrings. tried to draw jewellery Daman - the Emmy award-winning stylist of Gossip designs but, was never happy with the renderings Girl and former costume designer for Sex and so I decided I would sculpt the jewellery myself the City - was inspired by the mosaic and ceramic out of Sculpey and set the stones within. This was stones found in Swarovski’s newest collection. He a breakthrough and allowed me to just creexplains: “Fusing the new technology with an ate pieces with my imagination using the stones ancient native influence seemed like the perfect and the clay as my inspiration…” combination. The rich turquoise and opals of their The collection, he says, “...just happened in the new stones combined with the brilliance of deep moment” § Indian reds and yellows punctuated by Aurora Borealis

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WWW.SWEDISHHASBEENS.COM

S accessori

From Anthony Roussel ‘s WOODEN bracelets which mimic the art of violin-‐ making , to Úna Burke’s leather belts INSPIRED by ancient Egyptian mythology, SIX is bringing you the BEST in S&E* jewellery, scarves, belts, shoes and bags.

GU

Heidi Mottram

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*sustainable& ethical

jewl er l y e In 1953 Marilyn Monroe purred that ‘diamonds are a girl’s best friend’, and even though this season it’s all about leather, wood and textile, jewellery still has a special place in the heart of a woman. Our SIX designers’ inspira-‐ tions range from an Art History degree and violin making to knitwear and even microscopic studies of plant cells. This is jewellery as you haven’t seen it before.

by Camilla Harrison

SIX 50

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Ruby Browning Emerging brand Ruby Browning is the creation of Fine Art graduate, Jennifer Roberts, an exciting new talent who specialises in statement jewellery that combines the softest leathers with intricate patterns to create bold and unique pieces. In the latest collection entitled ‘Panoptes’, the luxurious leather is adorned with Swarovski crystals, creating exquisite cuffs, bibs and necklaces, evoke a gothic tone through the colour palette of deep crimsons and jewel purples.

Marrying the modern with the traditional, each piece is lasercut before being intricately finished by hand. The leather is sourced from one of England’s oldest tanneries, and all products manufactured in the UK. www.rubybrowning.co.uk

Michelle Lowe-Holder

Michelle Lowe-Holder An amalgamation of tiny flowers, cream crocodiles, snakeskin and wings make up the SS12 collection from Michelle Lowe-Holder, a London-based Canadian designer renowned for her classic ‘folded’ accessories.

The designer’s exceptional eye for shape and detail is exemplified in the range of collars, cuffs and necklaces, using a combination of floral ribbons and leather off cuts.

Merging her innovative vision with ethical and sustainable concepts, Lowe-Holder focuses on upcycling by using ends of lines and ‘cabbage’ (scraps from previous collections), and producing locally in the UK.

Ruby Browning

www.lowe-holder.com

jewellery Elke Kramer Ada Zanditon “She finally emerges from the glistening crystal water, her outer skin transformed into a magnificent Kanaval dress as she steps onto the sand in human form.” Ada Zanditon’s latest collection for SS12 entitled ‘Poseisus’ is the result of an enviable imagination. Referencing everything from Greek mythology and an imagined creature comprised of Poseidon and Pegasus to the exoskeleton of British seahorses, Zanditon has created a collection of exquisite pieces.

Shape and form is integral to Zanditon’s work and she has explored the contrast between the silhouette of a seahorse and the female form. Fluid lines dance among strong angular edges and the fanned dorsal and caudal fins of the seahorse are represented as ruffled details on garments.

‘Poseisus’ expresses the interconnected global fragility of island coastal environments in linking British coastal life with the somewhat feistier spirit of Haitian island life. www.adaz.co.uk

Elke Kramer Best known for her self-named jewellery line, Elke Kramer is also an illustrator and art director, and has directed her own art and fashion zine ‘Lilacmenace’.

Kramer’s designs are always unique and innovative expressing her many creative skills.

Her latest collection, entitled ‘The Second Nature Story’, is inspired by the microscopic studies of plant cells by German biologist and philosopher Ernst Haeckel, with the ornate details borrowed from spores, lichen, mould and fungi. Kramer’s unique ability to unveil hidden beauty in the scientific elements of nature and translate them into modern, wearable pieces is a testament to her skill and creative talent. www.elkekramer.com

Ada Zanditon

SIX 52

Anthony Roussel Anthony Roussel’s jewellery is instantly recognisable by the designer’s signature flowing lines and layered wood in sweeping curves. The latest diffusion collection is the epitome of Roussel’s aesthetic: pastel shades adorn the meandering curves, whilst all the pieces are handcrafted in England from sustainable Finnish birch, and finished with natural milk-based paints. Roussel’s designs come to life through 3D modelling software and digital production juxtaposed with a focus on handcrafted work and traditional materials. Originally trained in metalwork, Roussel was inspired to work with wood after apprenticing with a violinmaker; the sensual curves of such an intricate instrument can be seen in his own work.

Roussel succeeds in creating striking pieces of jewellery, that appear as fluid as chiffon despite being cast from sturdy wooden structures, and could be just as easily regarded as works of sculpture. www.anthonyroussel.com

Anthony Roussel

A Alicia

A Alicia

Anna Alicia, the designer behind the ethical textile jewellery brand A Alicia, creates pieces that are charming and pretty, with the added bonus of being entirely individual.

Alicia’s 2012 ‘Mountain Necklaces’ are one of a kind, with each piece having a totally unique pattern on each knitted panel.

Strung on vintage ribbon and hand embroidered on organic fair-trade cotton, the necklaces centre around the panel, which is framed by hand cut pom-poms and glazed ceramic beads. Heavily inspired by her Art History degree past collections have ranged from chenille earrings to braid necklaces and hand-knitted brooches.

The craft element of Alicia’s pieces comes through as she cites various inspirations, including historical craft and Japanese design. Ethical and sustainable production is integral to A Alicia pieces, with materials and packaging being ethically produced or repurposed wherever possible. www.etsy.com/shop/AAliciaAccessories SIX 53

bags In times of austerity luxury goods and accessories such as handbags surge in popularity as women invest in a new accessory to update an old outfit.

From innovative use of second-‐hand fabrics to vibrant geometric prints and luxurious studded leather, there are six designers in particular who have cre-‐ ated an irresistible selection of handbags using the finest components in S&E

by Samantha Ramjoorawon design.

SIX 54

Carrieles de Colombia Husband and wife team Mauricio Rojas and Becky Erwood are the designers behind the label Carrels de Colombia. After visiting Cartagena, the style capital of Colombia, the pair discovered colourful South American bags and were inspired to present them to the UK market.

The “Carriel” is a traditional Colombian bag that dates back more than 400 years and is believed to be an adaptation of a type of European bag that the Spanish colonisers would have carried. Folkloric Colombian tradition states that a Carriel should contain no less than fifty items along with a number of lucky charms. These charms are traditionally said to have included a claw of a large animal to protect, a dice and cards to entertain, and a love letter – which is why the bags have been made with a number of secret pockets.

Perfectly complimenting the SS12 ‘tribal’ trend, each Carriel is handmade in Jerhico, Colombia, by a small team of skilled artisan handbag makers who have crafted these bags for generations.

Carrieles de Colombia

www.carriel.co.uk

Lost Property of London

Lost Property of London

Katy Bell uses second-hand fabrics to create a collection of bags that appeal to consumers with a keen eye for aesthetics and sustainability.

Teamed with luxurious leather, South American coffee jute sacks - the primary material in LPoL’s SS12 offering - have been transformed into one of label’s most practical and edg y collections yet. The designs can be found at stockists worldwide including the iconic Liberty store in London, whom Bell collaborated with on a limited-edition capsule collection breathing a new lease of life into Liberty fabrics. www.lostpropertyoflondon.com

bags Sophie Hulme The SS12 bag collection by Sophie Hulme fits in beautifully with the designer’s renowned clothing line, and is a mix of minimalist shapes, luxurious leathers and shiny hardware. Hulme has used a combination of technical and handmade methods to produce each piece, with inspiration taken from Bauhaus and basket weaving.

Soft as butter leathers, a by-product of other industries, bags are presented in a range of shapes in a subdued but classic colour palette: petrol blue, orange tan and buttermilk.

A standout piece from the collection is the patterned tote, which bears a strong geometric Bauhaus influence. To keep things interesting, each season a charm is presented with every purchase and this time around it comes in a shape of a biro lid. www.sophiehulme.com

Sophie Hulme

Tope Tijani Geometric textile prints are the predominant feature in the exquisite accessories line by Tope Tijani.

Using individual geometric shapes Tijani has created a collection of prints inspired by the bygone era of the nostalgic circus, combined with an industrial mapping technique.

For his latest collection Tijani has joined forces with Chiara Carnevale to produce a range of accessories and bags, handmade in her east London studio in Dalston. Holding their own as breath-taking pieces of fashion in both their pattern and, most noticeably, in their striking colour palette, each item displays superior attention to detail. The bright punchy hues make a play for our attention and you just can’t help but be mesmerised by these bags. www.topetijani.blogspot.com SIX 56

Tope Tijani

Tamzin Lillywhite

Tamzin Lillywhite It was while studying fashion at the University of Westminster that Tamzin Lillywhite discovered her affinity with leather, learning the specialised techniques of a saddler, immediately becoming hooked on leather and its infinite possibilities.

Lillywhite’s newest collection looks at saddles and bridles from different cultures within the equestrian field. For example, the parade horse has influenced the designer to use brass buckles and studding in her bags.

Each and every piece is personally handmade to order using the finest English leathers: Tamzin uses bridle leather from the only place in the UK that still produces this type of leather by hand. www.tamzinlillywhite.co.uk

Heidi Mottram

Heidi Mottram

An expert in the manipulation of eel skin, Mottram pleats, folds and pin-tucks her trademark material evolving new textural surfaces.

The SS12 collection ‘Superstition’ plays on the fact that eel skin is traditionally associated with good luck and fortune, and draws inspiration from fortune cookies, looking closely at their shape, wrapping and texture. Additionally, a talisman gift of a four leaf clover charm in sterling silver has been hidden in the inside pocket of each bag and purse.

Mottram only works with skins that are a by-product of food industry, ensuring that the fish are not harmed for their skins. www.heidimottram.co.uk

belts Belts are what ties this creative bunch of people together; a talented young group that includes fashion award winners and Selfridge’s favourites. Whether they found inspiration in Ancient Egyptian mythology or simply in office stationery, these designers are creating pieces that are for the modern woman -‐ someone feminine who is not afraid to portray a tougher edge.

by Dina O’Brien

SIX 58

Eye of the World Designs Eye of the World Designs’ SS12 collection is called ‘Candy’ and looks as delicious as it sounds. Travelling the world and collecting exotic objects influenced not only the name, but the designs, colours and materials that make up this collection.

Taking inspiration from playful candy and summer flowers, their multi-coloured belts are not so much about nipping in your waist as they are about embellishing it, adding a sculptural centrepiece to your outfit. Most of the wood for the belts’ components has been sourced from a 1950s cabinet, reclaimed from the Natural History Museum in London.

This season sees the addition of the new Mini Jigsaw belt, a twist on the best-selling Jigsaw belt. Imagine blocks of candy colours that appear to float around your body thanks to a transparent Perspex band. Ethically produced in London and completely unique, each belt is completed to the highest quality of craftsmanship, reaching you in its own handmade wooden box.

Eye of the World

www.eyeoftheworlddesigns.com

Úna Burke Irish designer Úna Burke has found inspiration for her SS12 collection in the spiritual and symbolic burial rituals of the Ancient Egyptians. Having spent time studying the mummification process, Úna paid particular attention to the removal of all internal organs with the exception of the heart, which was left protected.

Burke has translated her research into a collection featuring warrior-like bodice pieces designed to protect the heart. Accessories are prominent in this collection, with belts, bags and braces all referencing the wings of birds and scarab beetles, made using traditional leatherworking techniques from bright vegetable tanned leathers indicative of natural pigments associated with this ancient culture.

Úna Burke

Taking a seemingly dark theme and creating looks that juxtapose armour-like pieces with flowing chiffons, worthy of a fierce, yet feminine and sensual creature, Úna specialises in accessories for the strong. www.unaburke.com

belts Sonya Kashmiri Sonya Kashmiri began her journey studying footwear design at Cordwainer’s College, developing a love for design that incorporates natural materials. Having diversified into accessories, Kashmiri’s collection incorporates her unique sense of style, footwear construction techniques and her ethical approach to design and manufacture.

Sonya identifies two distinct art periods as her sources of inspiration: Art Deco and the 1960s.

Art Deco was famous for symbolising elegance and modernity, and for its symmetrical design aesthetic, all of which can be seen in Sonya’s collection. One of the central aspects of product design in the Sonya Kashmiri 1960s referenced by Kashmiri is the idea of using materials to create a piece with longevity: evident in the clear focus on strength, reflected through particular shapes and materials.

Kashmiri explains that her belts in particular are designed with this in mind. They are made up of a doubled loop pattern whose important rounded shape provides strength, where as a square shape loop would have four points of weakness.

Each belt comes in an antique pink, mustard or classic black, made from materials that are as close to nature as possible. Organic cottons and natural chrome-free vegetable-tanned leathers have all been sourced in the EU to create a collection that is both elegant and sustainably produced.

MOXHAM

www.sonyakashmiri.com

MOXHAM

Continuing the Ancient Egyptian theme is MOXHAM, a new eponymous brand designed by Londoner Madeleine Moxham.

Branded as “Wearable Construction”, MOXHAM’s eponymous line of accessories and jewellery combine leather with brass detailing, creating elegant pieces with an edge that are conceptual rather than punk. MOXHAM’s combination of the pliancy of leather with the rigidity of brass components creates an exciting juxtaposition of both the raw and the manufactured.

Hand-cut and assembled in her South London studio, MOXHAM contemporary accessories are inspired by Ancient Egyptian mythology and heavily feature repeating striking motifs.

The colour choices are interesting: black or nude leather shapes and patterns are held together with golden brass details: in Ancient Egyptian paintings, black symbolised regeneration and the beginning of new things. Gold was always used to depict the gods, symbolising eternal and indestructible objects.

MOXHAM has successfully shunned the generic in favour of oversized, constructed statement pieces that embellish an outfit for day or night. www.moxhamstore.com SIX 60

Sophie Hulme Sophie Hulme uses masculine influences and hard detailing to give feminine pieces a unique toughness.

The result is seen in pieces that are not quite military, but rather luxury with a hard edge.

This collection is her first to utilise print and patterned embroidery, giving a fresh twist to Hulme’s styles. Her belts are skinny, pairing leather (a by-product of other industries) with hardware detailing. Golden components and fastenings embellish Sophie Hulme these leather belts, turning them into tough jewellery for your waist. www.sophiehulme.com

Kirsty Ward

Kirsty Ward

Kirsty Ward has an impressive set of accolades under her belt: a Distinction for her MA Womenswear at Central Saint Martins, recognition as Vogue.com’s “Designer to Watch in 2011” and her own window display at Selfridges as one of their “Bright Young Things of 2011”.

Her chic yet tough-looking belts, part of SS12 collection, have been inspired the stationery cupboard, with Ward using paperclips and thumbtacks to embellish her line of accessories. Having developed a keen interest in unconventional structures with an emphasis on form, Ward’s SS12 collection is a continuation of her exploration and experimentation with sheer fabrics, multi-layering and heavy embellishment. All materials for Ward’s collection are sourced in the UK and the production takes place in the designer’s London studio. www.kirsty-ward.com

s h s oe

Shoes are timeless foundations for every woman’s wardrobe, and an essential fashion category in their own right. The SS12 collections place huge emphasis on footwear, with looks that embody trends from futuristic to vintage florals, with structures ranging from block heels to slip-‐ons. To SIX’s delight, many designers have also created collections that perfect the balance of S&E and design-‐led fashion.

by Nina Koo-Seen-Lin

SIX 62

MELISSA + Gareth Pugh Gareth Pugh and MELISSA have teamed up for SS12 to produce eye-catching and ultramodern theatrical designs that are straight from a sci-fi fashion adventure film.

Entitled ‘MELISSA + Gareth Pugh’, the collection was first launched during Rio Fashion Week in May 2011 where visitors experienced a remarkably interactive exhibition with the help of an architectonic installation, inspired by Pugh’s past collections.

Gareth Pugh is notorious for his directional design and use of materials such as knitted bin liners, rubber and vinyl, recycling them to make imaginative and subversive pieces that capture the attention of the fashion world.

Combined with MELISSA, a company that’s recognised worldwide for its trendy vegan shoes, the results are nothing short of spectacular. www.garethpugh.net www.melissa.com.br

FINSK The brand has charmed the very cream of the fashion crop including Manolo Blahnik, who’s described FINSK shoes as ‘perfect and divine’. Inspired by the landscape of the Finnish archipelago and conceptual images by Archigram - a 1960s group of architects the collection is one of creativity and contrast.

SS12 showcases block heels embellished with small structural highlights, and vertical wedges that are contrasted by the natural feel of the wood and the softer, often unlined uppers that are typical of FINSK’s unique directional style. Lundsten’s shoes are made ethically in Brazil, with all leathers used being by-products of other industries.

The shoes are embellished with skinny laces, pleated seams, heavy industrial zips and raw edge straps.

Incorporating flashes of colour on the heel including midnight sea blues, cracked metallics, bright oranges and yellows, the collection is anything but basic. www.finsk.com

S&Eshoes Hetty Rose Hetty Rose is a brand dedicated to making genuinely unique shoes by reusing and reworking vintage kimono fabrics sourced from Japan.

Combining the exquisite fabrics with soft recycled leathers and handcrafted wooden heels, founder and designer Hetty Samuels delivers the SS12 ‘Kimono Birds’ collection, inspired by the beauty and shape of bird wings in flight: the detailing of the wings on each item is exceptional.

With a mission to raise awareness of handmade and bespoke footwear, Samuels oversees every process of development in her London workshop and every pair is made to order. www.hettyrose.co.uk

Hetty Rose

Swedish Hasbeens

Swedish Hasbeens

Swedish Hasbeens is a brand known worldwide for their high-heeled retroinspired wooden shoes. For SS12 the label introduces a collection that re-imagines classic sport shoes from the forties and fifties.

Using sustainable materials the new collection combines vegetable-tanned leather, natural rubber, and cork.

Swedish Hasbeens continually apply an innovative approach to classic designs to create a winning combination of simplicity and fun in their products, resulting in an effortless and timeless aesthetic. www.swedishhasbeens.com SIX 64

Rose Choules Rose Choules There is a touch of artisanal approach to the making of a pair of Rose Choules shoes, who mixes traditional techniques with modern machinery. The result is a collection of whimsical creations featuring antique gold braids sourced in France from bygone interiors, hand-woven Indian Ikat textiles that create a delicately textured finish, and rich leathers produced by Britain’s only remaining traditional oak bark tannery.

All Choules shoes are handmade in a London workshop, featuring in-house designs and prints that are initially created as paintings before being digitally printed. The textiles and leathers are all sourced from specialist local suppliers. www.rosechoules.com

Kat Maconie Kat Maconie’s latest collaboration with the design duo Felder Felder makes for a phenomenal footwear collection. Both labels share a passion for metalwork detailing and strong edgy structures, which resulted in a capsule footwear collection that is feminine yet has a tough aesthetic embracing a rock ‘n’ roll style.

Maconie’s trademark chunky structured heels and heavy t-bars have been paired with Felder Felder’s touch of sequins, bullet embellishments and eisflower techno prints, resulting in an effortless brilliance, which only comes when two like-minded designers join forces.

The shoes are hand made in Brazil, with the designs concealing an insole that moulds itself to the shape of the wearer’s feet and retains the impression to create footwear that is ‘mould to measure’. www.katmaconie.com

Kat Maconie

scares v

Scarves are perhaps the most versatile accessory in your wardrobe, enabling you to instantly update a staple outfit with the season’s hottest colours or prints.

With an emphasis on preserving local crafts there are six brands in particular producing a variety of edgy pocket squares, neckerchiefs and turbans with S&E principals at the forefront of their design practices this season.

by Rachael Oku

SIX 66

Choolips Entitled ‘A Life Aquatic 1.2’, the SS12 offering from Choolips pays homage to water alongside Wes Anderson’s masterpiece, ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’. Referencing swallows, fish and the ocean waves through a colour palette of delicate pastel sorbets, silhouettes are understated, chic and versatile, which flows nicely into the capsule collection of unisex scarves.

With all scarves hand-printed by locals in Ghana, S&E practices come naturally to Choolips, seeing traditional tribal techniques such as batik and hand-stitching from West Africa and appliqué from Gujarat in India preserved.

Creating beautiful collections season after season, Choolips seamlessly blend diverse cultures with the backbone of sustainability, ensuring fair-trade and a low carbon footprint, with limited quantities of water used within production at SOKO. Split into two sub collections; ‘Golden Coast’ and ‘Planet India’ the former utilises up-cycled cotton, a byproduct resulting from local Ghanaian wax print production, with azo and formaldehyde free dyes used to create a cacophony of vibrant colour inspired by the streets of Ghana, it’s music and diverse community.

‘Planet India’ uses 100% Khadi fabric, handspun on spinning wheels and then handwoven and embellished with hand-stitched appliqué detailing. Khadi is a fantastic and environmentally-friendly fabric as it only consumes three litres of water for every metre of cloth in its entire production compared to a similarly popular fabric, mill cloth, which consumes 55ltrs for every metre.

German-born founder and designer Annegret Affolderbach beautifully fuses shades of lemon and pistachio with iridescent turquoise and aqua creating an inspired collection without limitation. www.choolips.com

Lucy Jay Inspired by Texas, Lucy Jay’s SS12 fuses a series of kaleidoscopic and psychedelic prints with strong borders and typography highlights. Eschewing the stereotypical cowboy and cactus themes Texas is commonly known for, Jay instead looks to the region of the Deep South drawing on personal experiences of the vast region.

A blend of bold digital prints, bright pop colour and intricate detailing, Lucy Jay scarves are statement pieces that liven up any outfit. Made from 100% silk crepe de chine, the colour palette includes rich reds, gold juxtaposed with strong black borders providing an elegant contrast.

Worn as pocket squares, neckerchiefs or head scarves, available in two sizes, each and every scarf is as versatile as it is symmetrical. With all production taking place in the UK, S&E fashion is at the heart of Jay’s brand seeing her collaborate with organisations as diverse as Amnesty International and Urban Outfitters, who stock her unique creations. www.lucy-jay.com

scarves Silken Favours A strong trend for the warmer half of 2012 is nature, seeing bright florals and foliage dominate the catwalks. This invigorating trend has filtered into the accessories design space, and nowhere more so than the scarf collection of London-based Silken Favours.

With a SS12 offering featuring intricate and kitsch hand-drawn prints of hedgehogs, insects, swans, flowers and ponies, the label’s creator, Vicki Murdoch uses illustration to capture flora and fauna in each of her unique and playful designs, ranging from 100% fair-trade silk scarves to bespoke turbans.

Using a traditional, intricate and time-consuming technique of pen and ink, each of the five handdrawn scarf designs from ‘The Heart Collection’ display a unique take on the theme with one aptly named ‘British Delight’ depicting the Union Jack filled with animals.

An intriguing quirk of Vicki Murdoch’s collection is the accompanying poem that comes with each of the five scarves, written by the designer’s mother.

A lovely personal touch, this sums up the ethos of Silken Favours, a brand with good core values that strives to keep traditional craft techniques alive. www.silkenfavours.com

Mia Jafari

Silken Favours

Mia Jafari Debuting for SS12, Central Saint Martins and Goldsmiths graduate Mia Jafari blends Eastern rhythms with cosmopolitan sophistication to create a delightful collection of hand-finished limited edition silk scarves.

Utilising a new technique which she has coined “digi-embroidery”, Jafari fuses traditional and modern techniques from the East and West seeing tribal embroidery juxtaposed with cutting-edge digital print. Preserving historic craftsmanship techniques, Jafari’s eponymous designs transcend boundaries to create scarves steeped in cultural history and the designer’s heritage.

Wittily titled ‘Ladybirds Love Strawberry Cosmos’, the stunning debut collection of nine designs takes the best elements of British and Iranian craft and culture and translates them to digital prints with great effect. Acid brights feature heavily throughout the range with neon lime and fuchsia pink adding a unique twist.

Peppered with iconographic images such as Christian Louboutin shoes aligned with hand-painted scenes of enchanted forests, Jafari’s work transcends the cultural gap, creating a unique middle-ground that perfectly shows of the stunning embellishment and handiwork of her Iranian forefathers. www.miajafari.co.uk

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Square Lust Square Lust is a brand that does not follow traditional fashion rules, shunning the accepted concept of seasons, producing eight collections since their emergence in 2009. This unique and independent ethos translates beautifully to accessory design, seeing the label produce an expansive range of scarves that are trans-seasonal and will outlast seasonal fads.

The brain-child of illustrator Artaksiniya and Nikita Evsuk, the man behind the Fear Konstruktor project, the current selection of scarves on sale are limited edition, with all design and production taking place in the design duo’s homeland of Moscow; ensuring ultimate control for the designers and a low carbon footprint.

Aiming to create unique high quality scarves with intricate patterns that stand out, the results are daring, fresh and playful designs with a twist: when a design is sold out it will never be reproduced, making designs collector’s items for keen followers of the brand. This also means that production runs are small, limiting wastage and adverse effects on the environment.

A combination of fashion and art, Square Lust designs feature the humorous works of Artaksiniya; expect to see a dazzling array of wolves, tie-dye effects and repeat patterns in blood reds, field greens and vibrant purples. www.square-lust.com

Square Lust

David Longshaw

David Longshaw Since David Longshaw’s debut in 2010, his self-titled brand has gone from strength to strength receiving numerous accolades and seeing him become a mainstay on the LFW schedule.

Having graduated from the Royal College of Art, Longshaw cut his teeth working in the Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara design teams before founding his eponymous label. With illustration featuring heavily in Longshaw’s mainline and accessory ranges, scarves are no exception featuring large-scale characters taken from his stories.

As a starting point for each season Longshaw creates a short story centering on the trials and tribulations of his chosen protagonist, translating accompanying illustrations of the main characters to fabric. With beautiful ink hand-drawn illustrations recreated on the finest silks, Longshaw is based in Cheshire, with all production and sourcing of material taking place locally.

For SS12, the theme is ‘Father Said...’, a tale about a girl who takes her boyfriend on a fateful seaside trip. As well as creating the story and illustrations, Longshaw also produced a short animation of the story depicting the main protagonist, Sophie wearing pieces from the new collection.

Walking a perfect line between tough and whimsical, Longshaw’s beautiful and characterful illustrations feature an array of beautiful inked colours such as grass green, regal purple and ocean blue. www.davidlongshaw.co.uk

FASHION

loves...

Kirsty WARD

This Aztec-‐evoking statement piece is guaranteed to jangle, its volume of metal and weight softened with a delicate ribbon tie and light brass chains, perfectly showcas-‐ ing the balance of contrasts for which Kirsty Ward is revered.

Kirsty Ward is gloriously coming into her own as an artist to contend with.

This embroidered neoprene necklace combines oversized Swarovski diamonds, turquoise and crystals, arranged in a unique bib-style formation, with earthy coppers and sky blue accents reminiscent of exotic holidays to faraway tribal communities.

Embellished with trademark Ward components such as metal hooks, rivets, hinges, spirals and beaded rings, the necklace also features copper twists reminiscent of oversized paperclips, each placed with precision and painstakingly sewn into the elaborate pattern.

Ward sources all fabrics and materials within the UK, and each accessory is handmade in London.

Large embroidered neoprene bib necklace, £840. www.kirsty-ward.com

by Rachael Oku Photos by Charles Moriarty

the necklace Kyle Hopkins’ striking debut collection focuses on the story and the journey behind jewellery, examining the emotional connections associated with pieces to create a truly unique collection.

Beautiful in their simplicity and purity, several of Hopkins’ pieces are comprised of a number of items interconnected, and it is this connection, displayed in the physical design, which reflects the emotional association that the jewellery creates between the receiver and the bearer.

Hopkins’ jewellery makes a dramatic statement and is already making waves in the fashion world, despite the designer not having yet graduated from Central Saint Martins. Sourcing inspiration from everything around him, Hopkins often recycles items he finds lying around to create concept pieces before he creates the final designs. For example, the ‘new tribal’ collection is a result of a selection of chicken bones Kyle found discarded on the pavement of a Brick Lane street.

Hopkins’ jewellery is not only visually stunning but each item carries a strong message. The SS12 collection boasts early classics that will gain value as Kyle Hopkins’ name continues to grow in popularity. www.kylehopkins.co.uk

the ring

SIX S&E* pieces worth investing in.

INVESTMENT plan

The winner of ‘Bright Young Gems’ in 2012 Imogen Belfield is continuing to impress season after season, with SS12’s ‘Rockoco’ collection being one of the most exciting to date. The undeniable skill and time spent creating each piece shines through, with the end result being a completely unique and remarkable collection.

Belfield creates pieces that will last a lifetime; her designs’ drama is timeless. Handmade in her UK studio, each piece is a testament to the true S&E luxury and the designer’s unparalleled talent. www.imogenbelfield.com

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PHOTOGRAPHER Fiona Garden STYLIST Victoria Sekrier MODEL Esther at Select STYLIST'S ASSISTANT Sabah Noore HAIR / MAKE UP Laurey Simmons

the headphones

Maria Vo Euler’s unique background in industrial design has contributed to making her headphone line, Molami, one of a kind. Vo Euler is the first in her field to sculpt headphones in a way that forms and enhances the features of a feminine face.

A combination of clever engineering and pure luxury, the BIGHT headphones work with the contours of the wearer’s head to ensure comfort, while the fabrics used add a sense of glamour and indulgence. Created from by-products of food industry waste, Molami use stingray skins to create the epic BIGHT earwear.

Working as an extension of your personality and style, Molami headphones are unbeatable in the design stakes as well as their technological abilities. Designed to serve you for generations, Molami headphones are a serious investment piece. www.molami.com

the glasses Kitty Joseph is fast becoming a key player in the fashion world. Her latest MA exhibition sold out and she is eagerly sought by several high profile trend prediction agencies to assist them in establishing colour trends for upcoming seasons.

Joseph’s futuristic Perspex sunglasses featured in her latest collection have already been snapped up by Lady Gaga, cementing the designer’s status on the international fashion scene. Each pair of glasses are ethically produced in the UK, alongside her textiles, in the production of which she uses a heat transfer method that creates considerably less wastage compared with traditional screen printing techniques.

Translating her passion for colour, Kitty Joseph’s sunglasses are both futuristic and at the same time, somehow reminiscent of the 60s, with a soft frame and a gentle flow of green and pink hues.

These are the frames to be seen in this spring, and they will double as a sensational vintage piece in seasons to come. www.kittyjoseph.com

the bag

Having studied the art of saddle making, Tamzin Lillywhite has a unique outlook on how to adapt leather and incorporate it with metal, creating new and exciting shapes.

Tamzin’s spherical ‘Aerion’ bag in Nude is part of a limited collection available exclusively through the designer’s website. There will only be 10 produced, handmade using the finest English vegetable-tanned leather.

Screaming for attention at first glance, a closer inspection reveals the talent involved in creating the bag: meticulous attention to detail and an exceptionally high level of craftsmanship, make the ‘Aerion’ bag one of our personal favourites. www.tamzinlillywhite.co.uk

the clutch

KAYU (meaning “Wood”) first emerged as an eyewear brand with their signature handcrafted bamboo sunglasses. However, since then the label has successfully expanded to produce ultra-sleek clutches inspired by the landscape and rich colours of Asia.

Handcrafted using sustainably sourced shell, the ‘Betty’ clutch is an investment piece to snap up while stocks last. Polished pieces of shell create an intricate geometrical pattern with a strong metallic finish, encompassing two of the biggest trends of spring.

Like all of the bags in KAYU’s SS12 collection, the ‘Betty Shell’ clutch is made by women’s co-operatives in Asia using traditional techniques, and 2% of revenue from each sale goes towards purchasing backpacks and school supplies for children in Cambodia. www.kayudesign.com

www.thelakea

andstars.com

intelligent intimates Whether your style is sexy, girly, comfortable or luxurious, here are SIX lingerie brands to fall in love with.

by Laura Greenslade

Fred and Ginger Sugar and spice and all things nice just developed a daring edge with the introduction of the ‘Candy Girl’ lingerie collection for SS12 from Fred and Ginger.

Founded at LFW in 2007, V i c t o r i a H o l t ’s b r a n d i s renowned for classic timeless glamour with a contemporary twist.

This collection dares to be sugary sweet with a mixture of tempting pastel colours and eye popping brights walking the line between girlish innocence and sexy vixen. This playful edge is a move forward from the more traditionally romantic and dramatic collections of the past.

Delicate Italian Chantilly lace trimmings and the luxury silk lame chiffon give the whole collection a sophisticated feel and ensure that femininity is evoked throughout. While the ribbon bows and frilled edging add a frivolous playful energy that epitomises the bygone era of the 40s and 50s. Each and every piece of lingerie from Fred and Ginger is the ultimate in charming indulgence.

Designed in London and manufactured entirely in the UK, Fred and Ginger are keeping it local, with a monitored manufacturing process and low carbon footprint. www.fredandginger.com

Bordelle For SS12 Bordelle once again dare to move away from the conventional to stand alone and be different; curvy, womanly, with a unique and strong presence this really is distinct statement lingerie. Renowned for their trademark hourglass figures, Bordelle create innovative and practical structured designs which playfully toy with the idea of bondage and S&M, in a wearable and practical way.

A key trend continuing its success of last year is underwear as outerwear, which Bordelle has been experimenting with for years, with strong contoured designs heavily featuring the body-con shape. The staple colours for this season are all classic; nude, beige and cream dominate the collection alongside the ever-present black. It is a tantalisingly sensual collection and the designs are still strongly rooted in the visionary and creative minds of London-based founders Alexandra Popa and Javier Suarez.

The pieces are handmade in the UK using the finest materials to deliver the high-quality investment couture pieces. Bordelle promises ‘true craftsmanship’ and also make bespoke pieces. www. bordelle.co.uk

Nichole De Carle With a focus on body contour and bridal wear, Nichole De Carle’s eponymous designs concentrate solely on the fit, tailoring and shaping lingerie to its wearer’s body: there is no greater luxury than a well fitted yet opulent indulgence.

Split into ‘Bespoke’, ‘Autograph’, ‘Classics’, ‘Signature’ and ‘Exclusive’ ranges, the SS12 showcases are sophisticated and elegant without being too simplistic. A true S&E ambassador, De Carle founded her brand on the principal of moving away from a mass-produced industry, looking back to a time where craftsmanship and attention to detail were the primary factors in design.

All the pieces are handmade in Chelsea, London, and as all orders are custom-made (Nicole De Carle only produce as much as requested) they can take up to four weeks to arrive. But then there is pleasure in anticipation, n’est-ce pas?

Taking inspiration from buildings and architecture, De Carle’s work is adventurous playing with themes of form and structure through linear detailing and panelling. From the use of the finest silks through to the intricate detailing of lace trimmings, Nichole De Carle lingerie truly embodies luxury of the highest order. www. nicholedecarle.com

Who Made Your Pants This is an ethical lingerie brand taking the industry by storm with its use of upcycled materials: the underwear is made from remnants and end-of-roll fabrics transformed into wearable pieces.

The brainchild of social entrepreneur and human rights campaigner Becky John, last year Who Made Your Pants was a finalist in the UK Lingerie Awards Ethical Brand of the Year categor y. Supporting women in need with employment opportunities and safe houses, Who Made Your Pants is run like a co-operative in Southampton, with strong ethics forming the driving force behind the brand.

The aim of Who Made Your Pants is to highlight women’s social issues and raise awareness through brightly coloured and fun lingerie, encouraging women to engage with the products they invest in, and more importantly the women who produce them. www.whomadeyourpants.co.uk

Hanky Panky Infamous for its ability to be comfortable, high quality and still sexy, Hanky Panky is renowned for being the wearable underwear of choice for many women.

This year celebrating 25 years of their much loved Original Thong, the American brand have been revolutionising the style and fit of underwear since 1977 and are once again back with a fun and fresh collection made from the softest cotton.

In 1986 Hanky Panky released its now famous wide band thong for the first time to great success. The style was not only more comfortable than its competitors, but also more flattering to different body shapes, eliminating the baneful visible panty line. The comfort comes from the carefully chosen materials that are selected for their stretchy qualities: the fabrics are always sourced in the USA with production taking place locally.

As well as being dedicated to customer comfort Hanky Panky is also dedicated to being an environmentally-friendly brand, donating 100% of their unused fabric cuts to arts and crafts groups as well as being eco-conscious with packaging and recycling at headquarters.

It is the brand’s strong determination to continue to make lingerie comfortable as well as attractive along with the playful designs that ensure that Hanky Panky remain a key competitor in the industry and a must have in the drawer. www.hankypanky.com

Lascivious Walk the line between a dangerously seductive and teasing temptress with this year’s SS12 offering from ethical lingerie designer Lascivious. Founded in 2004 by Chloe Hamblen, Lascivious stands out from its competition due to the unique blend of seductive styling juxtaposed with a demure air creating underwear staples that marry different emotions: sexy and elegant, sophisticated and passionate.

The collection includes a variety of pieces that range from tiny fine fabric forms to scandalous thongs, while bodies are made from daring sheer materials. Offering luxury to women who are looking for the ultimate affirmation of their femininity, Lascivious are all about empowering women through their dress. Think big hair, bold make-up, suspenders and heels and you have the perfect look to accompany these original pieces.

Lascivious prides itself to be a British brand supporting the UK manufacturing industry, designing & producing all of their beautiful lingerie ethically in this country. www.lascivious.co.uk

FASHION

hot gloss Photography by Fiona Garden Styling by Karen Munnis

POPPING ACCESSORIES FOR SPRING BRIGHTS

Dress HENRIETTA LUDGATE Collar URBAN CODE Necklace SARAH ANGOLD Bracelets SARAH ANGOLD Ring PEBBLE LONDON

Swimsuit WE ARE HANDSOME Necklace PEBBLE LONDON

Dress SUNO Bracelets ELKE KRAMER Clutch LOST PROPERTY OF LONDON

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Dress URBAN CODE Earrings PEBBLE LONDON Bracelets PEBBLE LONDON Clutch BEYOND SKIN

Hat GUDRUN SJÖDÉN Necklace ELKE KRAMER Swimsuit GUDRUN SJÖDÉN

MODEL Julia Oberhauser at M&P STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: Liza Jugolainen HAIR Stelios Chondros at Vision using B&B MAKE-UP Kristina Vidic using Laura Mercier

Dress KOMODO Harness FANNIE SCHIAVONI Necklace worn as bracelet FANNIE SCHIAVONI

Dress EMESHA Earrings SARAH ANGOLD Bracelets PEBBLE LONDON Clutch BEYOND SKIN

FASHION

Dress MOTONARI ONO Necklace-Gold PEOPLE TREE Necklace-Onyx & Shells HASUNA Rings FLAKE Earrings PEOPLE TREE Shoes NORITAKA TATEHANA Glasses, Socks STYLIST’S OWN

tokyo rose

Photography by Katsuhiko Kimura Styling by Chihiro Yono

JAPANESE S&E FASHION RISING HIGH

PHOTOGRAPHER Katsuhiko Kimura at D-CORD www.d-cord.com STYLIST Chihiro Yono www.chihiroyono.com MAKEUP DAISUKE at SIGNO www.signo-tokyo.co.jp HAIR MORITA at AVGVST www.avgvst.com MODEL Amanda at BRAVO PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT Juan Carrera STYLIST’S ASSISTANT Hideyoshi Goto

Top PEOPLE TREE Blouse KEITA MARUYAMA TOKYO PARIS Necklaces PEOPLE TREE Rings FLAKE

Dress XPARTYS Head Piece MISA HARADA Necklace JUTIQU Bracelet FLAKE Cuffs FLAKE Ring(right) FLAKE Rings FLAKE, JUTIQU Shoes G.V.G.V.

Blouse G.V.G.V. Skirt G.V.G.V. Neck Piece FLAKE Gloves FLEA STORE Shoes G.V.G.V.

Top MATOHU Hat MODISTE Cuffs FLAKE Ring(right) HASUNA Rings FLAKE

FASHION

sport sty

P

GET Y

Pink dress ASHLEY ISHAM Necklace DUFFY Earrings LARA BOHINC AT HARVEY NICHOLS Bracelet J. MASKREY Ring CLAUDIA PINK Shoes RAOUL

Parka and Vest – both WHITE TENT Cropped Top - KIRSTY WARD Skirt - DAGMAR Sandals - WONHUNDRED Bracelet - MICHELLE LOWE-HOLDER Bracelet - MOXHAM

t yle

Photography by Martin Zähringer Styling by Victoria Sekrier

YOUR KIT ON

Jumpsuit - MARYLING Anorak - LAVENHAM Trenchcoat - XO Shoes - ELLESSE Necklace - ADA ZANDITON

FASHION

Make Up NATALIE PIACUN Hair RANELLE CHAPMAN Model BEX @ PREMIER MODELS Stylist’s Assistant SABAH NOORE

Bodice - BODYEDITIONS Jacket - EDUN Ring and Bib - MICHELLE HOLDERLOWE Bag and Shoes - SWEDISH HASBEENS Cuffs - COOEE SIX 106

Suit - EMESHA Parka - STELLA McCARTNEY Earrings - KIRSTY WSneakers - ELLESSE

Dress - EMESHA Sweatshirt and Vest – both WHITE TENT Jacket - STYLEIN Necklaces - MOXHAM Bracelet - ADA ZANDITON Bracelet - MICHELLE LOWE-HOLDER

Dress - JEAN PIERRE BRAGANZA Jacket - STELLA McCARTNEY X ADIDAS Vest - WHITE TENT Glasses - DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN Ring - ADA ZANDITON Sneakers - ELLESSE

Dress - TENGUR Jacket and Vest – both DIANA ORVING Trousers and Parka – both WHITE TENT Shoes - ELLESSE Necklace - BJORG

Sweaters, Dress, Trousers – all EDUN Shoes - SWEDISH HASBEENS Necklace - MARIA FRANC Necklace - KIRSTY WARD Glasses - DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN

SIX

The Shoe: eth artisans in B

Wooden WEDGE

FINSK

by

The renowned FINSK wooden wedge is already a 21st century style icon, and no wonder: its creator Finish born Julia Lundsten has won the prestigious Manolo Blahnik Award two years running.

Wedge: made from a locally-sourced sustainable wood.

SIX 112

hically handmade by Brazil.

“I am CAPTIVATED by her work. It is like nothing anybody is doing at the moment: exquisite, divine, PERFECT.” MANOLO BLAHNIK

Leather straps: sourced from leather industry waste and vegetable tanned.

springlips

VIBRANT, ETHICAL P. 120 PIGMENTS

beauty&body

spas, scrubs, and spices

S&E HEALTH AND BEAUTY, P. 130 REFINED

Photo - Mike Blackett // Make up - Louise Dartford // Hair - Paul Donovan // Model - Elina at Elite

BEAUTY editor’s notes

by Lou Dartford

The instant brightener

One product guaranteed to give immediate results is a good blusher. rms beauty’s Lip2cheek’s mineral colour is entrenched in coconut oil and beeswax, nourishing skin while adding a gorgeous healthy flush. Apply with your fingers up along the cheekbones to lift the face, draw attention to the eyes and awaken skin with a youthful glow. www.rmsbeauty.com

The glow

OSKIA’s Glow Facial will help revitalise tired and lacklustre complexions and is great for all skin types. First, skin is cleansed and exfoliated using OSKIA’s nutrient packed products. Steam and extraction are next in the rejuvenation process, followed by lymphatic massage to boost circulation. Stimulating blood, muscles and collagen production, it will put some spring into your skin. A brightening mask is then applied while more massage eases away any tension in the neck and shoulders. A shot of antioxidants is given to signal the end in the form of half a passion fruit – a very nice touch. www.oskiaskincare.com

Essential reading

No More Dirty Looks – The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics Dynamic duo Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt have done all the hard work and devised this guide to help you spring clean your beauty regime and get it in order. Including expert opinions from both sides of the ring, they give the lowdown on controversial ingredients. With chapters covering hair, skin, make-up, body and nails, the book tells you what to avoid and why, and offers tried and tested alternatives including recipes for your own products. www.nomoredirtylooks.com

Manicure with a conscience

Priti NYC is a luxury nail brand responsible for many of the runway nails in NY and Miami. With over 100 shades they have it all covered. All of the polishes are non-toxic and contain no toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DHB) or formaldehyde (the suspect three that many nail polishes contain). The colours are also fast drying and hard wearing. Try their divine smelling Soy Nail Polish Remover too, made from organic soy and corn it melts away colour while moisturising nails leaving them ready for the next instalment. www.pritinyc.com

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Shake away those winter BLUES and welcome in the new season with FRESH skin, a cleaner make-‐up bag, and a FLASH of colour.

New shopping destination

The change in season is a perfect time to shake up your skincare and if you’re not sure where to start, visit one of Melvita’s eco stores. With two in London and many more across the globe, they are a haven for organic beauty. All are complete with a living wall to enhance your shopping experience.

www.melvita.com

BEAUTY

SIX 118

loves...

The product: Certified Organic Volumising Spray, a new breed of natural hair care from Intelligent Nutrients.

Horst Rechelbacher, the pioneer behind the brand is also the brains that started Aveda.

Multi-tasker: Not only will this gem add volume and body, it can be used to enhance curls and reduce frizz. It also works brilliantly as a finishing spray, style reactivator and a quick fix between shampoos.

Good for: Anyone who wants to style their hair safe in the knowledge that the product they are using is good

for them and the environment. All profits are put towards cancer and medical research as well as environmental projects, so many will benefit from the sale of this hard-working spray.

Wonder ingredients: Organic Acacia gum is used for hold instead of petrochemical resins, plasticisers or

silicones. Antioxidant Intellimune Seed Oil Complex is the star that features throughout the whole product range. A blend of black cumin, pumpkin, red grape, red raspberry and cranberry seed oils, it is a powerful synergy to repair and protect. With all ingredients non-toxic and food grade, the spray is truly good enough to eat – best kept for the hair though!

End result: Great looking hair that feels good too. No product build up or stickiness, just beautifully styled tresses that you’ll want to run your fingers through. www.intelligentnutrients.co.uk

by Lou Dartford Photo by Charles Moriarty

BEAUTY BEAUTY

Aveda Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Colour in Butternut (£12) SIX 120

technicolour spring Photography by Mike Blackett Make Up by Lou Dartford

This season it’s all about the lips.

Red, purple, blue – any colour goes!

Lavera Organic Lipstick in Sunset Orange (£10.90)

Hair by Riccardo Andrenacci @ Good Old Days London Model by Kazia McKevitt @ Next

BEAUTY

Beauty Without Cruelty Moisturising Lipstick in Sweet Pea (£9.99)

BEAUTY BEAUTY

8VH .RUUHV (\HOLQHU 3HQFLO LQ } WR ÞOO LQ \RXU OLS WKHQ DGG D VKLQH ZLWK 2UJDQLF Glam High shine Lip Plump in Crystal (£17.86) SIX 124

Beauty Without Cruelty Moisturising Lipstick in Deep Plum (£9.99)

The Organic Pharmacy Organic Glam Lipstick in Nude (£17.95)

BEAUTY

1

bareMinerals High Shine Eyecolor in Rose Gold - £15 for 1.5g Nail the precious metal look in a flash with just one sweep of this highintensity rosy hue. Use it to enhance, add depth and contour. www.bareminerals.co.uk

2

rms Beauty Mineral Cream Eye Shadow in Magnetic - £19 for 4.25g Blend all over the lid for pared-down metallic chic. Ideal for dry or aging skin as the extra moisturising formula doubles as an eye cream. www.rmsbeauty.com

3

Organic Glam Liquid Shimmer Highlighter in Warm Gold £19.96 for 5ml Add a touch under the brow and in the inner corners of the eyes to lift and brighten. Pair with lashings of mascara and a wash of bronze eye shadow for a truly gilded gaze. www.theorganicpharmacy.com Vapour Organic Beauty Mesmerize Shimmer Eye Treatment in Sugar - £15 for 3.4g

4

This handy shimmer stick contains anti-inflammatory ingredients to treat the eye area. Use as a base-coat under a mineral powder shadow to create an illuminating glow or wear alone for a subtle sheen. www.vapourbeauty.com

5

Terre d’Oc Natural Powder Eye shadow in Iridescent Copper £12.95 for 0.8g Made from mother-of-pearl and pomegranate powder, this versatile formula is inspired by traditional Indian bindis. For a shimmering take on the classic smoky eye, blend all over the lid and below the lower lash line.

www.terredoc.com

6

L’Wren Scott Spring 2012 by

Jane Iredale Liquid Eye Liner in Copper - £18 for 6ml This liquid liner features an extra long handle for controlled application and contains nourishing essential oils. Line the upper lash line with a slick of copper extending up at the outer corners to elongate eyes. www.janeiredale.com

Pewter, platinum and molten catwalks. Just Cavalli model worked metallics to the max w think shimmer, sheen and hig

y Lancôme

BEAUTY

1

3 2 4

golden girl 6

by Amber Ascroft

n gold, metallic eyes reigned supreme on the SS12 ls sported glistening golden hues while Fendi ladies with foil-‐embellished lids. For a spring-‐suited look, gh lustre.

5

BEAUTY

BODY

As we approach that coveted season of springing daffodils and freshly cut grass, it’s time to take action and prepare for the skin-‐baring, sandal-‐wearing months ahead of us. The benefits of a good body scrub are plentiful; brighten, tone, invigorate, increase circulation… the list goes on. To celebrate the arrival of spring and the multiple benefits of this great beauty accessory, we’ve put the best BEAUTIFYING BODY SCRUBS under the microscope to bring you our top SIX

by Jess Latapie ultimately delicious favorites.

scrubs

123 Balance Me Skin Brightening Exfoliating Body Polish - £15 Great for: Refreshing and toning

Green People Sensuous Organic Sugar Scrub - £19.99 Great for: Giving dry skin a treat

The Organic Pharmacy Cleopatra’s body scrub - £37.96 Great for: Indulging

Salt based and spearmint scented, you can expect the unexpected.

Being of a finer and gentler consistency than many other body scrubs, it was hard to believe that this was going to be able to polish one’s skin. But Balance Me have certainly got it right - and 100% naturally right too. Not only does this scrub smell highly delectable, its gentle combination of sea salt, sweet almond and coconut oil works kindly with the skin to buff and refresh while feeling soothed and visibly toned.

Raw sugar cane acts as an exfoliant while shea butter, rosehip oil and coconut work deep to moisturise the skin thoroughly. This scrub is handily sized and beautifully scented with protective jojoba oil among many other anti-oxidant and moisture rich beauties. A delight to use and a real hard worker on those stubborn dry areas.

This sugar and salt combination is truly fit for a queen; It comes jam packed with an infusion of ylang ylang and rose as well as real rose petals for a really indulgent touch.

Not only does this work hard to exfoliate and improve circulation, but leaves your skin feeling moisturised. Beautifully packaged containing a small spatula for application, this is a real treat!

www.balanceme.co.uk

www.greenpeople.co.uk

www.theorganicpharmacy.com

SIX 130

Tip: Use your body scrub for MAXIMUM effect

Always work your body scrub from your feet upwards in circular motions towards your heart. Using this technique will not only improve the appearance and feeling of the skin, but will also help increase circulation and thus assist the body in eliminating the daily buildup of harmful toxins.

5 4 6 Weleda Birch Body Scrub - £9.50 Great for: Replacing your daily shower gel

Pure Lochside Organic Sugar Body scrub - £23 Great for: Nourishing the skin

Burt’s Bees Sugar Scrub with Cranberry & Pomegranate - £12.99 Great for: Invigorating

A scrub with a twist – this unique combination bases its exfoliating roots in natural plant wax pearls and pure plant oils to truly revitalize the skin. The tube is perfect for every day shower use and Organic Birch leaf extract works alongside various essential oils to add moisture while you scrub.

Upon opening this tin of golden glowing organic sugar, a blast of orange and citrus scents tantalises the senses and uplifts the spirit.

A beautiful infusion of organic macadamia, sweet benzoin oil, vitamin C and omega 3, 6, 7 and 9 collaborate to form a highly nutritious feast for the skin. While the sugar is quite coarse, this scrub has an oily consistency, which leaves skin feeling nourished with no need to moisturise after use.

A juicy concoction of sugary goodness that smells good enough to eat. The seeds of vitamin C rich Cranberry and antioxidantchampioning pomegranate can be found within this body quenching scrub, working together with the coarse sugar texture to deliver a truly invigorating experience.

www.weleda.co.uk

www.purelochside.com

www.burtsbees.co.uk

SIX

beauty tips

After a LONG WINTER , skin can become dull and congested. Boost your regime with the latest natural skincare ingredients from the ‘SIX to Include’ list.

Start now for HEALTHY , RADIANT S K I N in time for summer.

Expert beauty tips by IMELDA BURKE, owner of Content Beauty Wellbeing, London’s leading natural and organic apothecary.

SIX to include...

Give dull winter skin the nudge with an exfoliating spring cocktail of strawberries, blueberries and pineapple. Packed full of exfoliating enzymes bromelain and papain these fruits also contain phyto-nutrients and antioxidants to help brighten the skin. The DR ALKAITIS ENZYME EXFOLIATING MASK contains these super fruits to revive dull congested skin without the side effects associated with chemical peels.

Lovely in tea and often eaten as a sweet, licorice is now used to brighten the skin. The main component glycyrrhizinate is not only an effective anti-inflammatory, reducing redness, but also brightens and lightens the skin. This is the perfect ingredient to incorporate for those prone to developing hyperpigmentation. Stock up on licorice for spring beauty with the AMALA REJUVENATING COLLAGEN MASK and prepare your skin for summer.

SIX 132

Nourish dry skin with Silver Ear Extract, a Chinese fungus, which according to legend gave concubine Yang Kuei-Fuei her beauty. One of the latest ingredients to appear in skincare products, it has an intense moisturising action, which has been harnessed by Absolution Skincare in their new Youth Activator mask, LE SOIN REPULANT. It replenishes the skin’s water content and restores its natural barrier.

Refresh skin with the toning and brightening effect of Orange Blossom Water. Also known as Neroli, this extract stimulates circulation and skin cell regeneration to promote a luminous complexion. Pai Skincare has incorporated it into their LOTUS & ORANGE BLOSSOM BIOAFFINITY TONER. Spritz often for additional healing properties, such as reducing the appearance of thread veins and scars.

Boost radiance with Raspberry Bush Oil, rich in Omega 3 and 6 and vitamin E. The Intelligent Nutrients (IN) certified organic range includes this rich oil in its Intellimune Oil, which forms the base of its products. Try the IN Certified ORGANIC ANTI-AGEING SERUM for its high content of vitamin E, known to play an important role in skin repair and conditioning, preventing ageing and maintaining your skins radiance and suppleness.

The Aboriginal bush food known as the Kakadu Plum as been reported as the world’s richest natural source of vitamin C, making it an excellent ingredient for skincare. Vitamin C is renowned as a skin brightener and is also needed to ensure collagen production. Australian skincare brand Stem Organics uses the Kakadu Plum in their FRESH START SERUM, great to add to your regime in spring.

www.beingcontent.com

BEAUTY PARABENS – used as a preservative in a

wide range of products. Controversy over their safety still remains due to a small study which found they were stored in breast tissue.

Parabens have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone oestrogen, which may contribute to a greater risk of oestrogen dominant conditions. Further study is needed to establish any direct links to illness, but it is possible to easily avoid these ingredients as many natural and organic skincare brands now use natural preservatives or safer synthetic preservatives which have been approved by organic certifiers.

SIX t

F RAG RA NC E – rules for the term

‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ are different from other ingredients. Due to perfume industry ‘trade secrets’, brands do not have to reveal the list of ingredients in a fragrance. So how do you know if it’s natural? Firstly, go for reputable natural brands you trust, or those that are certified. Secondly, natural brands will generally asterisk the ingredient and place a footnote on the label explaining that it is made from 100% natural ingredients.

Perfume lovers should opt for brands like Strange Invisible Perfumes, Tsi-La and Tallulah Jane.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL – a synthetic

ingredient, which comes up often due to its use in the automobile industry as an antifreeze and brake fluid, is commonplace in everything from basic face wash, to some of the beauty industry’s favourites. It is generally considered a skin irritant and is often associated with contact dermatitis and may in fact trigger it. Switch your face wash to Nude’s Clarifying Face Wash or Suki’s Creamy Hydrating Facial Cleanser for a Propylene Glycol free cleanser.

SIX 134

Brighten up -‐ give your beauty regime a sprin clean. Start by overhauling your bathroom cabinet and banish the items on our ‘SIX to Avoid’ list.

to avoid...

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MINERAL OIL – derived from

petroleum, and also known as paraffin oil or liquid petrolatum. Used as an emollient in a wide range of skincare products (think of oil-based products: baby oil, stretch mark oil, petroleum jelly, moisturisers etc).

Emollients are used in cosmetic products to form a protective waterproof layer of oil or wax on the skin preventing the evaporation of water from the skin’s surface.

However, with mineral oil it may stop your skin from ‘breathing’, blocking pores and hair follicles. Natural emollients such as certified organic cold-pressed oils and natural waxes such as unrefined beeswax, shea butter and cocoa butter, are great alternatives as they do not restrict the skin’s respiration in the same way.

ARTIFICIAL COLOURS – luckily now there is no need to use harmful synthetic dyes and colours in cosmetics. Labelled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a colour and a number, some synthetic colours are deemed more harmful than others, so do your research. Alternatively, limit the risk by choosing brands that use mineral or fruit and vegetable colours such as rms beauty, Vapour Organic Beauty and Intelligent Nutrients.

SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE (SLS)

– commonly used in shower gel and shampoo, this chemical has also recently popped up in foundation. Considered an irritant to both eyes and skin, studies have shown it may worsen skin problems in individuals with chronic skin hypersensitivity. Switch your shampoo to brands like Less is More and Rahua to avoid this ingredient. §

BEAUTY

AVEDA FLAX STICKS DAILY EFFECTS BRUSH SET contains two essential brushes for beginners: blusher and eye shadow, as well as a dualended brush for tidying brows and lashes. The handles are 30% natural flax fibre and 70% polypropylene (of which 90% is post-consumer recycled resin), and the wonderfully soft bristles are 100% taklon fibre.

S LIM C ERA IS Japan’s most popular facial roller. It is great for cleansing the pores whilst massaging the face. The device is made from tourmaline, quartz, and approximately ten different minerals to stimulate the skin; its diamond cut mesh rollers are designed to have the same effect as a therapist’s hands. Store the roller in the fridge for the ultimate refreshing first thing in the morning.

Take a few minutes before bath or shower to dry brush your body with G REEN P EOPLE ’ S B ODY B RUSH .

With a handle made from natural birch wood, the soft brush helps to gently slough off dead skin cells and stimulates the circulation. Any body lotions or creams you apply afterwards will be more deeply absorbed into the skin too.

If you’re going out after work, and your face is shiny from being trapped in the office all day, a great handbag essential is a pack of T AT C H A J A PA N E S E B L O T T I N G P A P ER S . The papers are natural and biodegradable and contain none of the synthetic ingredients found in similar SIX products.

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va CA

A VEDA ’ S W OODEN P ADDLE B RUSH with extended scalp-stimulating bristles is great for a soothing head massage. A gorgeous addition to any dressing table, the brush is made from sustainably sourced honey wood and comes with a reusable clamshell carrying case, keeping it free from dirt and damage.

Not only is YING YU’S JADE FACIAL ROLLER one of the prettiest beauty tools we’ve ever clapped eyes on, but the pure jade that it’s made from has some serious skincare benefits to boot. Having been used in Chinese medicine for centuries to rid the body of impurities, it helps reduce puffiness and boost the complexion as well as relieving stress and tension.

anity ASE

by Viola Levy

S IMPLY G ENTLE ’ S 100% O RGANIC C OTTON B ALLS AND C OTTON B UDS are derived from cotton grown without chemical pesticides that can damage eco-systems as well as contribute to species of insects dying out – a threat that is currently facing the poor British bumble bee. The cotton buds also win another eco-brownie point for having a recyclable tub.

BEAUTY

Ushvani is quite unassuming from its exterior, a contrast to the ornate interior of the Grade II listed Edwardian townhouse situated in the heart of Chelsea, in West London.

Once inside, a team of fresh smiling faces, a majestic tank of golden parrot fish and a warming facial towel infused with the spa’s own-‐ brand signature aromas, helped brush off the bustle of the city for the hours that followed.

a temple OF PEACE SIX 138

by Jess Latapie

U

spa

sha Arumugam, former high-flying lawyer and founder of Ushvani (“usha’’ meaning “dawn” in Malay and “avani’’ being “earth” in Sanskrit), has created a Malaysian sanctuary adorned with dark wood and beautifully warm orange coloured fabrics, which make for a truly authentic Asian spa experience.

This, coupled with a range of beauty products rooted in botanical ingredients are the fruits of four years of meticulous research and dedication to creating a unique and high quality experience – and it shows!

Launched in 2009, Ushvani boasts a bright and spacious Yoga studio which holds Vinyasa flow Yoga classes and one-on-one Yoga tuition, a wonderful addition to aid the holistic well-being of its visitors.

Facilities include a tranquil spa pool, complete with hydrotherapy jets, a steam room and a treatment shower, separate from other shower facilities, offering different experiences at the touch of a button (including a tropical storm). After making the most of all that Ushvani has to offer I took myself off into “Damai’’, an aptly named room which translates from Malay as “peace”, for some complimentary fruit juices, dried fruit and water to rehydrate before I was greeted by my therapist.

Once in the treatment room I was taken through my options for the type of treatment and experience I was looking for.

From knotted shoulders to a consistent poor posture due to sitting at a desk every day, it was clear I needed some help to relieve the tension in my back. The Balinese massage was the outcome of the discussion; a deep pressured treatment to uplift, ease tension and restore vitality. I was assured this was a popular and powerful treatment that also aided circulation.

Although massages are not the only choice of treatments at Ushvani, they do offer a delicious and different menu of Eastern inspired massages from pregnancy specific to scalp focused. You can also book yourself in for body scrubs and wraps, facials or a full two hours of treatments of your choice as part of a package in the Asmara (“Love”) suite, a selfcontained area that caters for two people.

Back in the treatment room, as my therapist worked through the tension in my back, the scent of Ushvani’s coconut and hibiscus oil created harmony with the dulcet tones of Asian inspired relaxation music and

sounds of the ocean. Ushvani balm was applied to the shoulders and neck where Eucalyptus and other oils worked to reduce inflammation and revive the senses.

After the initial focus on the back region, the massage was then extended to the rest of the body to ease tension from head to toe. If comfortable with the idea, the stomach can also be massaged. According to Eastern philosophy, massaging the abdomen promotes better physical and emotional health from our centre and I would strongly recommend giving this a try.

After the massage I was given some advice on the workings of my body, before being invited upstairs for some Hibiscus tea – Hibiscus being a p r e v a l e n t ingredient within the Ushvani products as the national flower of Malaysia. Discovering I was quite dehydrated, knotted up in my stomach and that I had a sensitive spot in the ball of my foot, which directly linked to the tension in my neck, was a revelation and it was extremely useful to get some advice on how to make the symptoms a little better myself at home.

The efficacy of the staff is to be commended as is the attention to detail, evident in small things such as the Eastern inspired beads on locker keys, and products available for use while changing, such as Ushvani’s own facial cleanser and toner which was a welcome addition to the pampering session.

All products produced by Ushvani are totally free from parabens, SLS, SLES and also mineral oils that are known to sit on the skin’s surface and block the pores. The range includes face masks and scrubs using such ingredients as hibiscus and rose, a body butter made from coconut and kemiri (a nut native to Indonesia), papaya and cane sugar body scrub as well as body balms and oils infused with active ingredients such as Eucalyptus.

Each product prides itself on ingredients native to the East and is available to purchase at the spa or on-line so you can take your experience home with you too!

Once I was changed and bid a very pleasant farewell I floated back into the city night feeling revived, relaxed and ready to greet the Western world again. § Treatments are priced from £60: the Balinese massage starts from £180 for a 90 minute session. Further prices and information can be found at www.ushvani.com

skin GYM Triyoga: your skin workout

by Georgie Wolfinden

S

pring is the time to switch your full attention to your skin, especially if it’s been rendered dull and dehydrated by the drop in temperatures, or has just lost its luminosity over the winter months. The brand new Skin Gym at triyoga is a dedicated facial treatment menu which focuses on achieving radiant skin, fast.

Using a special skin workout it combines a set of flowing face movements, Reiki, deep breathing, live skincare products and warming “heart energy”, which occurs when the therapist is in the present moment with you and uses good intention during your session.

The Skin Gym workout is the brainchild of über facialist Charlotte Colwell, which she created exclusively for triyoga: Charlotte was inspired to create a range of holistic facials, which work to treat and understand the skin through the emotions of patients. As a dedicated yoga and Reiki practitioner she believes that our skin is affected by how we are feeling and the lifestyle we lead.

Charlotte’s skincare philosophy is based around supporting you to relax deeply which helps balance your emotions.

The aim is to nourish the skin topically with live products that deliver astounding results creating nourished and flawless skin. Charlotte is one of the few therapists in the UK who use Eminence; the leading organic Hungarian skincare line that is cold pressed and bursting with restoring fruits, vegetables and herbs. Expect your skin to feel, act and become more alive as it glows with radiance.

The Skin Gym workout technique effectively stimulates and detoxes the skin by pumping fresh blood around the face and exercising the muscles. This helps lift and tone the skin, contouring the face and giving a more youthful, plumped-up appearance.

Available exclusively at www.triyoga.co.uk

Éminence Skin Care

eco TOOLS

by Jess Latapie

A

plethora of cosmetic brands competing for the ‘softest’ and most ‘effective’ brushes has created a minefield of choice. Unfortunately, a large percentage of products are created using animal fur that, in some cases, inflicts un-imaginable cruelty on the animals involved.

Having the right tools to work with is essential for any artist, and as beauty is an art in itself, it’s important to know where to get yours. A great place to start is, in fact, EcoTools – it’s all in the name!

As a brand committed to the well-being of the planet, EcoTools is to be commended for their total dedication to the production of S&E beauty implements, while donating 1% of sales profit to EarthShare, an organisation that supports over 400 environmental and conservation charities.

EcoTools don’t fall short of celebrity support either, showcasing a make-up bag range designed and endorsed by Alicia Silverstone, who donates a percentage of sales to Wildlife Alliance for the protection of forests and animals across the world.

All cosmetic brushes are made from bamboo, recycled aluminum and 100% cruelty free taklon bristles. This S&E ethos on materials expands into the bath tools, cosmetic bags and even the eco conscious packaging it is contained in. Not to mention the bath and body care range, which is prided for being paraben and phthalate free, whilst utilising many natural and cruelty free ingredients.

Foundation brush The Bamboo foundation brush (£7.99) is an essential tool for a fresh-faced look. Use it to apply your base make-up. Place a small amount on your brush and use gentle strokes across the face, blending into the skin for an even and glowing complexion. www.ecotools.com

BODY BEAUTY SUPPLEMENTS:

ACCESSORY or necessity?

A

ccording to postmodernist theory, ours has become a ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ society. Religion, politics, lifestyle… we pick the parts that make us happy and discard those parts that don’t, formulating tailormade belief systems guaranteed to slot smoothly into each era of our ever-changing lives.

I first arrived at this concept long before my political stance was called into question, in my local corner shop. And when strawberry laces lost their appeal, my pick ‘n’ mix needs were met nearby – at the chemist. A delectable array of goodies beckoned, packaged with promises to make a willing recipient healthier, happier and, most alluring of all, more beautiful.

But beware, our postmodernist friends warn, one of the pitfalls of this culture is precisely what first made it so appealing: choice. A surplus of choice, that is, and one certain to send us spiralling into the depths of despair and, ultimately, indecision.

This is acutely so with those captivating capsules that line chemist shelves. Which could be your best friend, the ultimate beauty accessory that will leave you glowing from the inside out? Or, quel horreur, will any? Do we need supplements? Or is each new miracle product simply another fad that will leave you out of pocket and down in the mouth?

Experts affirm that there is proof to be found in the pudding. Nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer explains that nowadays, ‘we cannot get all the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants we need from food alone. A lack of these nutrients leads to blotchy, spot-prone skin, brittle nails and dry hair’.

While processed foods are part of the problem,

by Cassia Geller much is beyond our control. To Susan Curtis, Head of Medicines at Neal’s Yard Remedies, the issue begins at the root: ‘intensive agriculture means soil levels have depleted remarkably in recent times’; just 20% of the zinc level found in food 50 years ago exists today. However militant we are with our diets, our food just isn’t delivering. And while lotions and potions help, only ingesting these nutrients can get to the heart of the matter, which is why supplementation has become so important – if we want to swish our hair with pride again, we need to up our intake.

It should come as no surprise that what goes in matters. Organic ingredients aren’t only good for the planet, but good for us: ‘the body can begin to absorb the goodness straight away, without having to filter out any unwanted chemicals first’, says Juliet Brazil, Herbs, Gardens and Health owner. The closer a supplement to its natural state, the better we can process the nutrients within it. However, you’ll be missing a trick if you blacklist all but the utterly organic; ‘it’s incredibly hard to deliver meaningful nutrient levels from solely plant-based supplements’, explains Susan Curtis.

Naturally, one size rarely fits all; despite this general dietary deficiency, different bodies need different things. But the postmodernist position holds true, there are a lot of options, so we’ve selected some of our favourites from people working in line with the SIX ethos and in tune with the needs of the modern person on the tireless quest to look their best – proving that beauty is not only more than skin deep, but ultimately attainable.

It should come as NO S U R P R I S E that what goes in, MATTERS .

O R G A N I C I N G R E D I E N T S aren’t onl y g o o d for the planet, GOO D FO R US. but

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Pure MSM Somewhat of a beauty breakthrough, MSM is particularly close to Oskia founder Georgie Cleeve’s increase joint mobility, Georgie used it for her own knees, and found the effects remarkable: not on heal, but her skin greatly improved, including huge reductions in her eczema symptoms. This is bec cartilage is made from collagen, which also gives skin its strength and structure. MSM supplies the materials for collagen production, promoting healthy, smooth and firm skin, which Oskia offers completely free from extra ingredients. www.oskiaskincare.com Udo’s Oil Organic Udo’s Oil provides the essential fatty acids lost in food processing and cooking.

These friendly fats allow skin cell membranes to retain water, moisturising skin from within, giving hair a new lustre and strengthening nails. The oil is gluten, cholesterol and fish oilfree, making it vegan. For make-up artist Jemma Kidd, it’s been a blessing: ‘I saw improvements instantly – my concealer has been made virtually redundant!’ www.herbsgardenshealth.co.uk Beauty Boost The jaw-dropping list of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Beauty Boost entirely explains its popularity. Organic antioxidants pine bark and grape seed nestle against anti-aging beta-carotene, MSM, vitamin C, zinc, iron and Boswellia. Boswellia, or frankincense, is renowned for its rejuvenating properties; used for millennia, it reduces the effects of enzymes linked to inflammatory diseases, allergies and ageing. Something of a supersupplement, Beauty Boost supports the underlying structures of healthy skin, hair and nails. www.nealsyardremedies.com

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s heart. Initially taken to nly did her cartilage cause joint raw

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INVEST WISELY for radiant skin, LUSCIOUS LOCKS, and N A I L S A S H A R D A S … N A I L S

GLOW... the new flow After years of shivering through downward facing dog in draughty halls, then boiling in Bikram, the Goldilocks of the yoga world are embracing a form that may well be ‘just right’.

by Cassia Geller

BODY Glow Yoga sees the recent trend in hot classes coming down a few degrees – promising to warm the body and heart alike without leaving you in a sweat. Nahid de Belgeonne, founder of London-based Good Vibes and champion of the ‘softly softly’ approach to heating, explains that classes are held in an environment ‘warm enough to enhance your practice, not hinder it’.

Heated to a comfortable temperature, the body can safely open and relax, lessening the chance of strain and injury while increasing flexibility and improving metabolism.

Yoga, the Good Vibes ethos goes, should ‘nourish the mind, body and soul, rather than being an endurance test’.

Accordingly, studios are ‘gently warmed to feel like a sunny day’, using infrared heating panels to safely penetrate the skin, increasing blood circulation and loosening the muscles. This process achieves a myriad of wonders for your sun saluting self, lowering blood pressure, stimulating toxin release, boosting the immune system, improving skin tone and texture, and accelerating that all-important calorie burn-off – all without the overwhelming effect of high-octane heat.

Technical finesse is put to further use to ensure that the bespoke bamboo studio not only feels like a sunny day, but looks like one too; ambient SAD lighting casts a sunshine glow over the space, creating a much-needed light source in the heart of the city. And lest things get a little too balmy, a state-of-the-art exchange system keeps air fresh and energy high.

Things aren’t, however, all tech, no technique. Glow Yoga is based on sound anatomical principles, combining the smooth moves of Pilates with the traditional teachings of yoga in the Vinyasa flow form. The perfect antidote for office-bound bodies, British Wheel of Yoga trained teachers move fluidly between poses for dynamic classes which are fast-paced but precise, paying particular attention to the breath to connect with the present and with one’s own body. Expect a challenge, without intense strain or sweat, and a refreshing emphasis on good will to yourself and others; classes begin with a mind-focusing setting of personal intentions, and an introductory ‘namaste’ to fellow yogis.

You can also expect a session free from the perfunctory grimaces at your glowing, upturned face, as mirrors are banned from the studios in the belief that making the ‘right’ shape is meaningless for different bodies and abilities. This is a space, then, free from judgement. The message? ‘It’s not about temperature, it’s all about love’. Saying that, it feels a lot easier to be loving when the temperature’s right.

Good Vibes offer a range of classes and courses for various timetables and skill levels, including an invigorating morning class, bite-size lunch time sessions, and a restorative candlelit evening class. Six week beginner’s courses are also on offer to shed some light for newcomers. www.goodvibesfitness.co.uk

edible

EXTRAS Words and Images by Kyra de Vreeze

BODY

U

spice

sing accessories to enhance and define our features is an ancient practice. In fact, the earliest fashion accessories discovered go way back, to the unbelievable date of 80000 BC. What accessories are to fashion, herbs and spices are to food. They liven up a meal and enhance what’s already there to love. Like fashion accessories, herbs and spices too have adorning qualities. By using them in our food preparation we gain taste, joy and health.

Herbs and spices have, for many thousands of years, been used for medicinal purposes. Possibly long before those first fashionable beads were left in an 82,000 year old Moroccan cave. Each herb and spice has its v e r y o w n m e d i c i n a l p ro p e r t y ; r a n g i n g f r o m energizing or calming to diuretic or hydrating.

Some spices strengthen the immune system. Others are known for their cleansing power.

On top of that, herbs and spices aid digestion, making us healthier than ever before. When we can properly digest our food, we are able to absorb the nutrients in the food and are truly nourished. Just eating healthy foods is not enough. When we are unable to adequately digest food, absorb nutrients and eliminate waste, our system holds on to the waste (which is toxic material) causing all sorts of complaints. Our inner and outer beauty is not enhanced.

The herbs and spices did not get the chance to work their accessorizing magic.

To make full use of the herbal power available, here are the five herbs and spices that’ll aid digestion and adorn you on many different levels.

Golden Turmeric

Cures colds and respiratory problems. Its compound Curcumin has been shown to relieve all sorts of pain such as arthritis. Turmeric has a strong flavor and combines well with garlic, coriander, cumin and citrus. It’s essential in curry paste.

Ginger

Reduces inflammation and soothes an upset stomach.

It is the king of digestive aids and heats the body from the inside out. Ginger pairs well with soy sauce, citrus, chili peppers and garlic.

Cinnamon

Stabilises blood sugar and can thus help to prevent binges. It’s great in both sweet and savory dishes and combines well with cloves, nutmeg, allspice, chocolate, fruit and nuts.

Mint

Perhaps best known as a stomach soother, it relaxes stomach muscles making stomach and bowel cramps magically disappear. Mint pairs well with melon, cucumber and chocolate. It is a great addition to fruit and salads.

Parsley

Both flat and curly Parsley are rich in anti-oxidants and therefore prevent physical deterioration and keep you fresh and young. All leafy veggies contain a great amount of chlorophyll. This green colorant distributes oxygen throughout the body, giving you extra energy and vitality. To retain taste and nutritional value, add parsley towards the end of the cooking process.

WWW.ELEPHANTFAMILY.ORG

HOME

House of Hackney

by Sarah Ditty

More proves to be more as traditional British homeware is reinvented

F

or the discerning shopper who seeks to imbue every facet of life with refined style and eclectic pastiche, all fingers point towards emerging interior design label, House of Hackney. Described as ‘Colefax and Fowler on acid’, wallpaper, bed linens, and furniture are transformed into maximalist works of art.

The brainchild of husband and wife team, Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle, House of Hackney represents a turn away from the beigey, conformist homeware trend that dominated the last several decades and channels the exuberance of bygone eras.

You can immediately deduce that both Gormley and Royle worked in fashion prior to their excursion into interiors. House of Hackney speaks to the trenddriven younger generation utilising eccentric motifs, dip-dyed textiles and whimsical illustrations.

In their first offerings, they’ve launched five distinct but entirely consistent collections inspired by the local haunts of Hackney, the neighborhood lauded

by Vogue Italia as a hotbed of fashion and culture.

‘Hackney Empire’ unites quirky koalas, medallionwearing parrots and banjo-performing squirrels with high-end luxury furnishings. This illustrated animal print is something out of The Jungle Book and has been incorporated into everything from wallpaper and a Victorian-style chaise to porcelain teacups.

‘Flights of Fancy’ carries on the animal theme but spreads its wings showcasing the beauty of the feathered variety. Described by House of Hackney as “a symphony of exquisite British birds set against a duck-egg blue sky”, the collection also incorporates a classic stripe.

‘Dalston Rose’ is evidently inspired by the classic toile print, which typically depicts a pastoral scene of some variety, but instead House of Hackney uses delicate roses in various shades of blues from dusty cornflower to deep midnight navy. This collection is decidedly more feminine and comprises of intricately carved headboards, elaborate candelabras and ruffled bed skirts.

‘Queen Bee’ is the most subdued of the four collections, with its charming bee motif in a palette of soft golden ochre, sage green and pale grey-blue. The effect is an ethereal, dreamy sort of comfort. Like the rest of the collections, ‘Queen Bee’ juxtaposes unorthodox prints and finishes, using both satin and cotton.

For those more akin to a sexy and slightly lascivious abode, ‘Wild Card’ features a sophisticated leopard print in luxurious golds, blood reds, and carnal blacks.

In addition to wallpaper, the range offers curiosities that could have been collected from visits to foreign lands including porcelain Bengal tigers, gilded pineapple sculptures, a mirror covered in horns and a clay-like urn.

maximalist IMPACT

In many ways, House of Hackney is developed as a response to the little worth we collectively tend to put on items in our home. Think about how many times we have rushed out to Ikea to find a coffee table, chair or lamp that “will work”, only to throw it out the moment its poorly designed structure breaks or for the sake of convenience in our next house move.

Conversely, House of Hackney seeks to deliver well-crafted homewares that are traditionally made and that can be lived in, loved and passed down. Steeped in true British tradition and craftsmanship, most products are constructed by specialist factories in the UK. Gormley and Royle are also adamant that beautiful, well-crafted products should not cost the earth. To this end, House of Hackney offsets its carbon footprint by supporting the Woodland Trust in creating new native woodlands to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and creating new habitat to help wildlife adapt to climate change.

Already stocked in Liberty and Selfridges and across Europe, Australia, Japan and the US, House of Hackney has quickly become the interior label to lust over. www.houseofhackney.com

in IN ARZU Studio

by Alina Raetsep

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he beaut y of an ARZU r ug shows the craftsmanship that goes into creating the complicated patterns, skillfully hand-carded and hand-spun from wool or cotton.

Vibrant coppers and blues, deep wine reds, calm beige and mossy greens mix and intertwine creating unique ornaments that are so stunning ARZU rugs should be hung as decorations.

ARZU don’t use chemicals in their processes, instead opting for natural dyes, derived from plants and fruits, such as madder root for red, pomegranate for yellow and walnut for beige. Yet, there is more to ARZU rugs than beauty and craftsmanship. ARZU, meaning “hope” in Dari, is a not-for-profit organisation that empowers Afghan women by providing fair-labour,

nvesting HOPE

Hope rugs are no ordinary home decor pieces.

artisan-based employment and access to education and healthcare.

By creating jobs in rural villages in Afghanistan and producing export quality products ARZU supports Afghan weavers in the form of fair wages and social benefits. Today, ARZU supports tens of thousands of Afghans in Bamyan and Faryab provinces.

ARZU rugs are an investment: their prices are high to match the quality and the cause. By purchasing one of the rugs, you will not only be investing in a piece of the highest quality that is likely to outlive not only you but also a generation or few after you, you will be investing in hope – for a better life and brighter future. www.arzustudiohope.org

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Illustrations by Michalis Christodoulou

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ive the HOTTEST S&E designer and IX, and be among the first to read our n up to our newsletter HERE.

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wise WORDS

Henrietta Ludgate Portrait by Charles Moriarty

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Leaving her heart in the Highlands, Estethica favourite Henrietta Ludgate’s new Work-‐Shop and creative retail experience in central London sells original Post-‐Modern furniture which also double as shop fittings, alongside an inspired SS12 collection of Schiaparelli pinks and hot oranges that are so bright they make her smile and dance around the studio.

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oth my grannies were involved in the fashion industry: one was a womenswear buyer and the other a costume designer. I made my first dresses from the off-cuts and scraps from my gran’s cutting room floor.

She had an incredibly zany style. Her house reflected this and was filled with black and white stills and scripts from various film productions which she had worked on.

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applied to Central Saint Martins without my parents knowing. My Grandmother signed my application form as my parent. A few months later she called me at school to tell me that the letter had arrived, and asked if she should open it. I will never forget this moment. My grannies were incredibly strong women. They both cooked using produce from their gardens and ate fresh from the sea or field. Waste was an anathema and recycling a natural default. In addition they were creative, smart and chic.

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y favourite city for shopping has to be the little village of Vicchio in the Italian region of Tuscany. I was working there during a hot August. The village was filled with little cobbled streets and very small specialist shops. The villagers spoke no English and I spoke no Italian so charades was the method of communication. I went from shop to shop acting out the items on my list and was touched by the generosity and kindness of the village, as each shop keeper would lead me by the hand to the next shop to purchase the next thing on my list.

Henrietta “

My Granny was a COSTUME DESIGN style. Her house was filled with b from various film product

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y oldest garments are a steamer trunk of Victorian dresses I found in my granny’s loft, trimmed with the finest lace. I imagine my great granny and great aunt stitching by the fire in Scotland in my great, great grandfather’s weaving loft. They must have spent hours producing their wedding trousseau everything from night dresses long and white, to daywear and evening wear. They are kept in their original tissue paper and ribbons – truly outstanding craftsmanship.

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ivia Firth and Laura Bailey are two women who inspire me and make me want to do better…. And they are both unbelievably beautiful!!

Laura is an incredibly impressive woman; a tireless ambassador for ethical fashion and truly passionate about the causes she supports. She was one of the first people to discover my work and has constantly championed my label since; her dedication is an inspiration.

Livia’s commitment and contribution to eco fashion has succeeded in so many ways. From her exquisitely curated shop, Eco Age, to The Green Carpet Challenge which has brought ethical fashion to the foreground on the worlds red carpets. I find the success of her Green Carpet Challenge immensely encouraging, now even big fashion houses like Armani are taking an interest in sustainable fashion.

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absolutely love vintage clothing and it plays an important role in my line. I find it inspirational, I like to imagine why these pieces have been cherished, what backstory they have, what parties have they attended, and which countries they have travelled to. We use vintage materials, buttons and trimmings when we can.

a Ludgate “

NER and had an incredibly zany

black and white stills and scripts tions she had worked on.

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