The Film Awards season has begun so it is interesting to see what Livia Firth is doing this year for the Green Carpet Challenge. At the Golden Globes Cate Blanchett accepted her Best Actress award for her role in Woody Allen movie Blue Jasmine in a stunning pair of Chopard earrings from their Green Carpet Collection. The earrings have been set in sustainably sourced Fairmined gold from artisanal community mines in South America, supported by the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) – a Colombia-based charity and developer of the Fairmined standard – and adorned with 72 marquise cut diamonds representing delicate leaves. The diamonds are sourced from the IGC Group, one of the world’s oldest diamond firms, and their origin is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC).

I also came across a very interesting little film Livia has commissioned that makes you think about the story embedded in your clothes before you even wear them. Speaking about the film, Director Mary Nighy said: “Many people’s hands touch our clothes before we wear them. If we could see or speak to those people, we might think about them and our clothes quite differently. Handprint is a short film which imagines what it would be like if we could connect to the people who make our clothes, and encourages us to remember them.”

I have just watched Fabulous Fashionistas on Channel 4 - and been inspired! These amazingly stylish older women give me hope that I too don't have to wear beige or disappear into the woodwork! I particularly like Sue with her amazing coats, and 83-year-old supermodel Daphne, but they all have something incredible - not least of all their fitness and suppleness, which are way above my levels of either! But I like the idea that "I think the fashion industry isn't quite ready for us just yet".

It's about creating our own style and not worrying about trend! How liberating!

Fabulous Fashionistas

Really looking forward to the advertised Channel 4 programme next week - 6 women with an average age of 80 showing how to look good and stylish! The short video clip shows them as being pretty sassy as well as wearing some amazing clothes.

Offset Warehouse Garden Party

The Offset Warehouse Garden Party yesterday was a lovely affair in a beautiful garden in Hatch End - beds edged with natural logs, a pond with dark pink waterlilies and another with beady-eyed frogs watching the goings-on!

The place was bustling with people buying fabrics and patterns, eating very scrummy cakes, relaxing in the beautiful sunshine and enjoying fabric-related conversations. It was also possible to watch a spinner and an embellisher in action and pick up tips. It was altogether a lovely way to spend my birthday afternoon.








I didn't succumb to any more fabric but did buy a top from Riyka's first collection utilising reclaimed fabrics and leather with added embroidery and bead embellishment. It might need taking in for me, but I think I am going to wait till the cooler weather and try it over a polo-neck and leggings first.







It was great to chat with people studying fashion or who are already working in the industry and Rebecca (of Riyka) gave a very informative talk about the way her design process works alongside the reclaimed fabric she has available to create each season's lookbook. One person mentioned only having found Offset for sustainable fabrics in the UK so I was able to tell her about Fair Trade Fabric, which has a large range of cotton in different colours, stripes and checks. I have since remembered Greenfibres (mostly natural shades in a range of organic fibres inlcuding silk, hemp and linen as well as cotton) and Well Cultivated (who offer Oeko-Tex certified bamboo fabrics).

Autumn Collection from Nomads

I visited the Nomads stand when I went to Pure London last year and was really impressed with their interesting prints and embellishments (as well as their 'clothing without compromise' principles). I particularly liked their coats, but can't justify when I have a similar coat already! However there is a patchwork pinafore dress I have my eye on (though I can't decide if I prefer the purple or the green!), from this collection - and I have a couple of their drapey cardigans that have been a good buy as an extra layer in cooler weather.








Do go online and take a look: either view the whole collection on their own site, or some items at Pinterest and also peruse their ethical policies.

Cake and Fabric

What could be a better combination? And happening on my birthday too!

Ethical fabric sellers, Offset Warehouse, are holding a garden party on 31st August in Hatch End, with designer fabrics from as low as £2. Go to www.offsetwarehouse.com and look under Resources - Events.
 

Dress Agencies

I was recently tempted into 'dress agency' Shimto in St Albans - I had avoided it previously thinking it would be designer prices, as the sign outside states that they sell your designer garments for you. However I was greatly surprised, and will visit again! Buying second-hand has to be better for the environment than the millions of tonnes of clothing that go into landfill each year, and I suspect a lot of designer stuff only gets worn a few times!                        










I picked up a lovely Skunkfunk dress for only £27.  The stripes are so flattering as they take the eye across the body and miss out the lumpy bits! It's shown here with my 'happy beads' brought from Cape Town by friends, that happen to pick out the colours in the (now) retro print.





I love the little details like the badge on the bottom and the leather label in the back neck.

And I was even more delighted when looking up Skunkfunk on the internet to discover that they are a very environmentally-friendly company with GOTS certification and a commitment to improving the social conditions in the factories which produce their collections. That's great when Topshop, Gap and Walmart are still failing to sign the Bangladesh Safety Accord following the Rana Plaza factory collapse in April in which over 1000 people died, and others including Matalan and Benetton are refusing to pay compensation to victims despite their garments being manufactured in the factory.

They are based in Spain, so I am looking forward to Skunkfunk opening a wider online store so we can actually buy their clothes in this country!