4 minute read
Finding the essence of sustainable style and design
Chanté Bock
Four years ago, Chanté Bock released her graduate collection as a final year university student.
The collection was so impressive, it made The Namibian newspaper’s list of Three Fashion Students to Look Out For In The Future.
In the few years since presenting that collection, talented Chanté has come into her own, establishing herself as an eco-conscious designer who puts sustainability at the core of her production process. I caught up with her to talk about responsible fashion, her cool personal style and her hopes for the Namibian fashion industry.
Where it all started
As far as she can remember, fashion has always been a central point in her life.
Like many Namibian girls who love fashion from a young age, one of Chanté’s favourite things to do was to draw paper dolls and create clothes as cut-outs to attach to the figures. “As I got older it obviously evolved into more refined designs, where I started taking inspiration from my surroundings and used it to develop proper designs,” she says.
Finding her voice
Since graduating from university, Chanté’s perception of fashion (particularly the way in which the industry operates) has changed significantly. She now looks at emerging trends in a different way. She consciously reflects on her carbon footprint as a consumer as well as designer and continuously evaluates her contribution to the industry. Her work features sustainable textiles and natural dyes as she strives to be ethical and eco-friendly as much as she is creative.
On whether she feels that she has found her voice as a fashion designer, she says that it remains a work-in-progress. “I have spent the last three years searching for a new perspective and a voice in design. I had to revisit my business model so many times, and one thing that has definitely had a huge shift is the way I design and how it affects the environment. Sustainability has been a growing focus in my work lately.”
Chanté, the Style Star!
While she hasn’t yet found her voice as a designer, Chanté has already established her personal style which she describes as completely different from her fashion brand. “The only similarity between the two”, she says, “would be my minimal approach to ‘colour’.”
One interesting fact about the young designer is that the number one influence on her personal style is her hair. Follow her on Instagram and see in her carefully curated feed exactly how it changes colours and themes with every new hairstyle that she spots. She explains the interesting relationship between her hair and her wardrobe:
“I often find that whenever I change my hair, whether colour or style, there is a slight change in my way of dressing. I’m currently blonde, and all of a sudden I only want to dress in whites and nudes. Of course, I still fuse it with my grungy pieces. I’ve tried to move away from the edgy look to a more chic style, but I guess I can’t change who I am (lol).”
Chanté loves bringing fabric to life with prints and dyes that show off her artistic flair.
An advocate for sustainable fashion
Another cool thing about this bright star’s Instagram are the constant hacks, tips and information pieces that she shares with her followers. You’re bound to see her advice on going minimalist, upcycling or repeating outfits.
Her hope for the local fashion scene is to see Namibians move towards a sustainable fashion future and for it to be a space that continues to be available for creativity and development.
She also wishes to see more interdisciplinary collaborations like fine arts and fashion, or music and fashion. She also hopes that young fashion creatives in Namibia will one day be able to pursue niche careers. “A lot of people might have their strengths in something very niche but at the moment the industry doesn’t allow us to explore that.”
Her personal style is completely different from her fashion brand and it switches up with every new hairstyle.
Her top tips for consuming fashion sustainably?
• Shop second-hand
• Repair instead of replacing
• Quality over quantity (where possible, opt for natural fabrics such as organic cotton, wool, silk – satin is not silk – and cashmere)
• Have a capsule collection of garments that you can wear season to season.
Follow Chanté’s fashion story on Instagram @chantejenae.
Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Concept Engineer, PR Consultant, and fashion writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni.
Photography: Photon Photography
