Steinway & Sons: 4 Sustainability Pillars to Piano Making

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 29, 2016

What makes an honest company experienced in the craftsmanship of a single musical instrument? In the world of sustainable luxury, for Steinway & Sons, 4 base factors are the key — tradition, green issues, transparency and durability. In this world crammed with disposable items in every aspect of life, Steinway & Sons, with more than 160 years expertise in piano making, reassures our confidence in quality, sustained craftsmanship and environmental consideration, and as if by accident, connects with the most talked about emerging trends in the current global luxury sector.

Steinway & Sons, 2016. — *Steinway & Sons, 2016.*

Transparency and environmental issues are no longer living in an extinct, faraway land only concerning the global fashion superpowers, but are widely prioritised on the consumer awareness agenda, whereas it is a no-brainer luxury brands get more exposure on revealing their behind-the-scenes. With #whomademyclothes increasingly trending on social media as a form of attracting sustainable fashion more visibility, even companies with tradition and history have been affected, due to popular demand, by a new wave of embracing transparency. Yet, what if there is nothing to hide? Steinway & Sons is a company that unintentionally stands in line with the global trend of stripping ‘bare’ in the luxury industry. We may still consider fashion as the most obvious example of an industry aspiring to turn a great degree greener, but also a great deal of craftsmanship and environmental consideration can be put into making a piano — a Steinway piano, made of wood from sustainable sources, can be played and enjoyed for decades, and — coming without an expiry date — even centuries.

“In today’s marketplace, brands like ours must continue to innovate in order to remain relevant to the world around us, but that doesn't mean that quality and craftsmanship can suffer.”

Steinway belongs to the segment of sustainable luxury products, but understanding the real quality and durability often takes more than just a fancy exterior — it is easy to plaster a product with a luxury label, without making sure the product actually delivers towards the sustainability criteria. At Steinway, in addition to aesthetic appeal of the instrument, the role of actual craftsmanship, skills and the quality of raw materials is taken with utmost importance, where there is no compromise — it takes about a year to make one Steinway piano. In addition, the company boasts only two factories world-wide, based in New York and Hamburg. It takes only a glance under the lid to reveal the complexity of the artisan-built musical instruments measured with great care, assuring the customer that they are not simply paying for ‘luxury’ label, the name.

Steinway & Sons, 2016: Painting of the logo.

Similarly to the flourishing #whomademyclothes trend, the answer to questions like, ‘Who made my piano? How well treated the workers are? Where are they based? How much are they paid?’ , lies in highly-skilled craftspeople and artisans treated fairly and ethically. As a customer, in addition to the basics, like how, where, and by whom the product is made, we shouldn’t discard the most important question — whether the expertise is actually there. Like many other notable luxury corporations, Steinway has chosen to downplay the ostentatious label and opt for a greater degree of transparency — many of their staff have been at its workshops for decades and there are generations of the same family who have dedicated their lives to Steinway. At Steinway, interactive approach is also the key — customers frequently visit the workshops before moving on to the factory’s Selection Room, where they can try out a variety of pianos to find the one that feels right for them.

Steinway is also highly dedicated to the exclusivity aspect — any experienced pianist can tell that every Steinway piano sounds slightly different. Over the years, they have introduced a variety of limited editions — the Steinway Crown Jewel Collection is a range of visually striking pianos created from unusual, precious woods that challenges the perception of the ebony high polish concert grand, is typical of this trend. In 2015, in partnership with Wayne Stahnke, Steinway Spirio, the world's finest player piano system, available exclusively on select Steinway grand pianos, was introduced as a remarkable innovation, which is expected to last the full lifetime of the piano.

According to the brand's spokesperson, “Since the founding of Steinway & Sons over 160 years ago, innovation and craftsmanship have served as the core tenets of the company. In today’s marketplace, brands like ours must continue to innovate in order to remain relevant to the world around us, but that doesn't mean that quality and craftsmanship can suffer.” Relying on these core principles of sustainability, craftsmanship, tradition and environmental responsibility, and more than a century worth of expertise, no wonder Steinway is the choice of nine out of ten concert pianists as well as countless professionals and amateurs.

For years on end, Steinway proudly serves as a company that, first and foremost, has its core values in place.

http://steinway.com

Gudrun & Gudrun — Funky Knitwear Extravaganza from the Faraway Faroe Islands

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 27, 2016

Gudrun & Gudrun, bringing sustainability to life using Faroese wool and traditional knitting techniques, is a fashion-forward knitwear brand gaining momentum with its bold heritage. Emerging from the faraway Faroe Islands, the remoteness of the geographical location inspired Gudrun & Gudrun to use the island’s scarce wool resources wisely, not to let them fade away. Adding a touch of women’s empowerment led thinking and mind-blowing creativity to Gudrun’s journey is what makes the brand as powerful as it stands today. We also never knew knits assembled of natural wool could look so good.

What brought together Gudrun & Gudrun and sustainability?

We didn’t start as some brands might start today, saying ‘we are going to make a sustainable brand’. We just discovered that all the resources on the Faroe Islands [located halfway between Norway and Iceland] were very limited and used poorly. We discovered that we must take very good care of the scarce resources, like in the old days. It’s to do with the heritage of the place, nothing can grow and it is very remote, so we just had to use what the nature has to offer — we have wool, we have sheep and we have fish, that’s all we have here on the Faroe Islands. Sadly, in the rapidly growing economy of the 1990s people didn’t care too much about the natural resources and the local produce, but thought that everything imported from abroad was much more valuable. We came to a situation where most of the wool was burnt and lambskins were destroyed completely, because nobody wanted to use them. Whereas we felt really upset about it, because these were not the values we were brought up with, what we had learnt to do. Then we thought we should put an end to it somehow, sooner rather than later, that’s where it all started…

So you would say that the isolation of your geographical position, Faroe Islands, closely connects with the story of the brand?

It has a lot to do with being from the Faroe Islands and seeing the natural resources go to waste, seeing that they’re not being used properly.

I see more and more brands turning to sustainability. What’s the importance of it, why do we need to move away from the fast-everything culture and mass production?

I think the answer lies in people being more conscious and aware after the financial crisis that really had an effect on their consumption habits. Getting through that crisis, we have learned not to blame the ‘others, or the big ones or the global superpowers’, which were the attitudes flourishing for long, but we have understood that we ourselves are to blame, and we have to take collective responsibility for changing the detrimental patterns. We are all a part of the world, so we all have to play our part in being responsible and making a change.

Also, you have a special kidswear range, which many brands have not thought of, or find too difficult to run. How did you come to this idea? It looks so playful… full of colour.

We started with womenswear only, but often the customers would be like, ‘Awww, I want this type of quality for my child as well’, because we are only using natural materials, and organic yarns, and on top of that, we have the contemporary design and modern thinking. So we have combined everything that has to do with sustainability with the modern, creative side, which is really cherished with kidswear. When it comes to sustainable clothing, I think parents are thinking, first of all, about their babies, who would need the comfort — clothes that don’t do any harm to them. The combination of having the sustainability element and also the design, the aesthetics, is what makes our knits so unique and popular. Kidswear is not found everywhere, but people often look for the quality, the natural materials and longevity, but with that often comes a high price tag, and people refuse to pay for it. Often it is the same price producing a kid's sweater and sweaters for grown-ups, but people are still looking to pay half the price for it. So we have reversed it.

How does the sustainability aspect come across in the production phase and use of materials?

We always use only natural materials. For example, Faroese wool — the sheep are in the mountains all-year round, they are never kept inside, so they are living on natural, unfertilised grass. The wool is not eco-certified, but just made using common sense and highest quality technology. For it to be the best possible [quality] is more important for us than just having a certificate to say that it is sustainable and organic. In addition to Faroese wool, we also use yarn from a lot of other places — we produce in Peru, using Alpaca wool from Peru, because that also makes sense for us to use the material from the place we produce and we learn a lot of techniques from the Peruvians… then we use organic Merino wool, for example. In addition, we use yarn from a lot of different places, from Italy, Norway, Iceland and Japan. But we always use natural materials, that’s one of our principles.

"We could not change the fact that the women have a specific role in the family and home, but we could help to empower them by giving them the opportunity to earn their own money."

That must be complex to produce. How big is the workforce?

All in all, we have about 100 knitters, and they are divided more or less equally between Faroe Islands, Jordan and Peru.

There’s also a link between women’s empowerment and your brand… what countries is it related to?

We have a group of women knitting for us in Jordan and Peru. The project in Jordan was started, because before Gudrun & Gudrun I had a completely different career. I was working as a consultant stationed in Jordan, namely as a UE expert, and I always met a lot of ambitious people, and we were talking about the possibility of giving those women a way to earn their own money, because when we are talking about women’s empowerment, we believe that earning your own money is the base of this, the first step.

"There are a lot of other brands that are so much better at making cheap T-shirts, but it’s not our field of expertise, so it is better that you concentrate on what you are good at, what you truly believe in."

In Jordan, for example, which is a restricted, patriarchal society, for a lot of women, it is difficult to get acknowledged outside the boundaries of their own home, so they are deeply ingrained in the role that they have to take care of the home and their children, there’s no option of having a career. We found that it would be a very good way, if we could fulfil that gap that they too contribute to the society. We could not change the fact that the women have a specific role in the family and home, but we could help to empower them by giving them the opportunity to earn their own money. I have been working with projects a lot and simple projects are often good projects that help to benefit the women the most. Also, for the husbands, it is not a threatening project, because the dinner is still served at the same time and they are still home by the evening, so that structure works for everybody. If it’s a project that the men will oppose, then the women would participate for a few times, and then they would not be allowed anymore, because they cannot take this discussion of freedom at home with them. They meet us in a charity organisation and surprisingly, some women, who started already 8 years ago, are still working with us.

"Getting through that crisis, we have learned not to blame the ‘others, or the big ones or the global superpowers’, which were the attitudes flourishing for long, but we have understood that we ourselves are to blame, and we have to take collective responsibility for changing the detrimental patterns."

Do you boast a global audience?

We have a very global audience, from Japan to Italy to U.S. We have our flagship store in Faroe Islands and pop-up shop in London at the time, and last year we had pop-ups in Oslo and Copenhagen as well, and then we sell wholesale to a lot of different stores.

What’s your message, how to give quality production more visibility and reduce the mass-production mania?

As a first thing, this is what we are good at — we are good at making hand-knit collections. We don’t know any other companies that make full collections in hand-knit, as it's not a machine, it is extremely difficult to execute and control. Quality production from natural materials is something that we have expertise in. There are a lot of other brands that are so much better at making cheap T-shirts, but it’s not our field of expertise, so it is better that you concentrate on what you are good at, what you truly believe in.

https://www.gudrungudrun.com

Sustainable Fashion To Die For — Eyglo

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 24, 2016

Be it the incredulous natural landscapes or modern design, Iceland does not cease to impress us. Reykjavik’s local design store Kiosk, run by 6 designers and named the best place to buy local fashion by The Reykjavik Grapevineun, makes a wonderful hub, providing the customers with latest fashions. From the Kiosk selection, Eyglo is a brand for a stylish and fun woman, led by designer Eygló Lárusdóttir. Her latest collection called 'Murder She Wrote' caught our eye and we were dying to know more.

Words: Johanna Raudsepp

*Eyglo Campaign 2016: Photography by Rafael Pinho.*

They say first impressions are everything. How would you describe the woman you design for?

I guess I don’t use anyone as a muse when I design. I basically do whatever I like. There’s a certain playfulness mixed with classics, I guess. My clients are women between 24 and 65. [They are] cool, classy and fun. I’d say it’s for women who like to experiment with something fun, but well-made at the same time.

You like using bold patterns, sharp cuts and pops of colour. What was the inspiration behind your latest collection ‘Murder She Wrote’?

The inspiration for my last collection was triggered by the series “Murder She Wrote”. I used to watch these kinds of TV series when I was a kid, so Jessica Fletcher certainly has a special place in my heart. It’s kind of strange to come from a place with almost zero crime rate and create a crime-themed collection. I feel that people from the U.S. can relate more to it in a funny way than us, Icelanders, do.

I’m into different ways of doing textile these days. I’m doing knitwear with patterns of victims on it — I laser-cut the images and peel the upper layer off, so it gives a 3D-effect, and I also use digital printing. I used to hate orange, but now it’s my favourite colour in the collections. I named one dress after the prison in Iceland, and another one is called Orange Is The New Black, Investigator, etc.

At Savant, we believe in sustainable living, which is applied to the fashion we feature as well. How do you feel about the issue that people often buy what they don’t need? Is there anything you do as a designer that could alter people’s perspective?

I think people should certainly be more aware of what they’re buying. I do understand people that buy their basics from these big chain stores, like H&M or Zara, but I cannot comprehend how it can be fun to wear any of the other stuff they make. It’s made in such huge quantities that you will become tired of it immediately. The same goes for IKEA. They might make nice items, but you get fed up with them within a few months. At least that’s how my brain works.

"It’s kind of strange to come from a place with almost zero crime rate and create a crime-themed collection. I feel that people from the U.S. can relate more to it in a funny way than us, Icelanders, do."

As a designer, I try to be aware of how I do things as well. Most of my fabrics come from Europe and the garments are made in Europe (Estonia, Lithuania, some in Iceland). I’m looking into attending a sustainable fabric fair early next year, as it can be very difficult to source fabrics when you live in Iceland.

I have a store called Kiosk in Reykjavik that I run with 6 other designers. We split the rent and the shifts, help each other with contacts and give advice. Kiosk has been named the 'Best place to buy local fashion' by The Reykjavik Grapevine for all of the 6 years we have had the store. We have been recommended by The New York Times, Vogue, Glamour, and many more. All this contributes to altering people’s perspectives in the long run.

Eyglo at Kiosk, Reykjavík. — *Eyglo at Kiosk, Reykjavík.*

We recently interviewed Milla Snorrason, one of your fellow designers from Kiosk. It comes to show what a positive impact such a concept store can have — everything fresh and IN can be found in one place. What made you create the store 6 years ago?

One of my friends came up with the idea shortly after the financial crash. We had finished art school few years earlier and wanted to give it a try. We teamed up with about 6 other designers — now it has been 6 years and it has grown so beautifully. I would love to see similar shops like ours in more cities around the world. We have been super lucky with the rent so far, but we are losing our space soon. The plus side of the tourist boom here is that we can sell more, but the downside is that the rent has gone seriously high. At the moment we are actually looking for another space, possibly bigger to add more designers in. So there are definitely exciting times ahead. We also have a pop-up shop in Copenhagen coming up and another one in Laforet, Tokyo, at the end of November.

Eyglo Campaign 2016. . — *Eyglo Campaign 2016. .*

Finally, who do you look up to as a designer? What kind of design makes you swoon?

I do look up to Vivienne Westwood for everything she has said about sustainability. Just buy less and better. Take care of your clothes. Design-wise I´ve always loved Bernhard Willhelm, Christopher Kane and Mary Karantzou, to mention a few.

http://www.eyglocollection.com

#WeAreTesting: Artisanal Apothecary by Evolve Beauty

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 21, 2016

Artisanal producer of green cosmetics, Evolve Beauty from Hertfordshire, UK, shares their expertise on the benefits of hand-crafted, natural beauty blends. Their organic apothecary range so far consists of facial, body and hair products. All their products are vegan, cruelty-free and produced in small batches, to ensure the freshness of superfood based ingredients.

*Hyaluronic Serum 200, Evolve Beauty UK.*

Savant tested their most popular products — Hyaluronic Serum 200 and Daily Renew Facial Cream with Argan oil for a week. The delicate pomegranate-infused serum with rose petal scent gave our skin a nice healthy glow and repaired the skin’s uneven surfaces when applied overnight. The Daily Renew cream, scented with delicate coconut aroma, offers 24-hour protection against irritation and is perfect for preparing the skin for winter, when it is more receptive to dryness and eczema.

What are the benefits of organic facial oils and serums?

Using Organic skincare is highly recommended. Not only are organic products better for the environment, containing no nasty ingredients or synthetic fragrances, but they are more earth-friendly and truly repairing your skin texture. Synthetic ingredients can cause irritation and, ultimately, ageing of the skin (inflamm-ageing).

What's the most popular product out of your own range?

Our most popular facial product is the Hyaluronic Serum 200. It contains 200mg of low molecular weight Hyaluronic Acid which has the ability to retain 1000 times its weight in water. It also contains Organic Pomegranate extract, which softens and protects. It has been delicately fragranced with organic rosewater.

What could be the reason behind our beauty counters turning more organic and fuss-free? Why do we now care about what we put on our faces as much as we care about what goes into our bodies?

Same as above really — fuss-free cosmetics give therapeutic and more effective results. Customers are becoming more and more aware of the effect of synthetic ingredients in they beauty products and are therefore turning to organic en masse…

"Plants that survive in very harsh environments have developed special coping mechanisms — think about the rainforest, where it’s very hot and humid… perfect place for bacteria to grow! Some rainforest plants have the ability to fight off bacteria when applied to the skin."

Name your other organic go-to products and brands that deserve a shoutout.

This is slightly biased, but I’ll say S5 Skincare! S5 is a range of organic cosmeceutical products based on ingredients sourced from the 5 most extreme ecosystems. Plants that survive in very harsh environments have developed special coping mechanisms — think about the rainforest, where it’s very hot and humid… perfect place for bacteria to grow! Some rainforest plants have the ability to fight off bacteria when applied to the skin. Fascinating!

Besides beauty, what other 'green lifestyle' principles are represented in your everyday life?

100% organic food! Also, cleansing products that are as natural as possible.

*Daily Renew Facial Cream, Evolve Beauty UK.*

How did you do the testing and find out which combinations would actually work together?

We work in very close collaboration with our ingredient suppliers, who advise us on formulation. Our little lab is also excellent at coming up with trump formulations! We are also running customer surveys to ask our customers, what they feel is missing from the range, and what they would like to see launched.

Who is the target audience for green beauty?

Anyone and everyone. I see more people, who were accustomed to using only conventional skincare, now slowly turning to natural and organic, so we see everyone as a potential customer.

The beauty of the healing effect of organic beauty is that, in order to see the difference, you need to religiously apply the products every day, but after noticing the visible, lasting results that help us feel good in our own skin, this becomes a second nature.

http://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk

COS x Agnes Martin at the Guggenheim

Sophie Breitsameter October 19, 2016

To celebrate their support of Agnes Martin at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, COS have created a limited-edition capsule collection.

*COS x Agnes Martin Capsule Collection, 2016.*

The collection features 12 items for women and men, inspired by the minimalist and abstract expressionist artist’s work. Well, we can’t think of a better collaboration. Martin’s soft palette and refined details correspond perfectly with the COS brand, who are well known for their minimal aesthetic.

“Artwork is a representation of our devotion to life.”

- Agnes Martin

The collection is reminiscent of Martin’s light colour wash canvases as well as the loose fit workwear she wore when in the studio. Just like in her work, the new COS collection is soothing and meditative, with subtle design details and interesting prints. We love the waffle knit jumper (softer than soft) and the folded wrap over skirt. The latter of which we can image Martin wearing at dusk in her studio in New Mexico.

COS x Agnes Martin – On display at the Guggenheim New York and available in selected London stores and online now.

Icelandic Designer Milla Snorrason's Take on Environmental Kindness

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 17, 2016

Hailing from Iceland, Milla Snorrason mixes unique woollen pieces with a touch of comfort. By creating sustainable fashion for a strong individual, for Milla Snorrason, quality and longevity are the key. We were so inspired by the Scandinavian simplicity and femininity of the Reykjavík-based label that we asked the head designer Hilda Gunnarsdóttir about her design process and her passion for environmental kindness.

Words: Johanna Raudsepp

At Savant, we believe in sustainable fashion and the complete traceability of production. Fast fashion is a craze, but it could be slowed down. What is your take on this?

The mass production of garments is a big problem nowadays. I always think our biggest restriction as regular consumers is our purse, but this needs to be perceived as power. Don't buy fast fashion products, as simple as that. Instead, do your research and try to buy from a company that cares about the conditions in the factories it does business with. It’s always going to be more expensive, but it was also never actually supposed to be cheap, [because it is fair and ethical]. I try to apply this philosophy to my production as well.

Milla Snorrason Campaign 2016: Sóley Sigurþórs by Rut Sigurðardóttir / Stylist: Anna Clausen / Hair and make-up: Fríða María Harðardóttir. — *Milla Snorrason Campaign 2016: Sóley Sigurþórs by Rut Sigurðardóttir / Stylist: Anna Clausen / Hair and make-up: Fríða María Harðardóttir.*

We love that you like using sustainable materials and wool. Where do you source your fabrics from? What is your favourite material to work with and why?

I love working with Icelandic wool the most, because it is a local product and I can easily visit its producers, which I always do. This inspired me to even start my range of woollen sweaters. I can see and judge with my own eyes, how the sheep are treated and also how the knitting factory's workers are treated. Icelandic sheep get to run around wild all summer, but in the winter it gets too cold, so they’re kept inside. However, I haven't yet reached that goal of using only sustainable materials. Milla Snorrason is still a very small company and, more often than not, sustainable fabrics have too high minimum orders for us. But I am doing a lot of research and taking one step at a time towards more emphasis on sustainability.

In Iceland, it’s difficult not to be inspired by the magical nature, the breathtaking scenery. Where do you draw your inspiration from when creating a collection for Milla Snorrason? Who is the woman you design for?

For every collection, I take a trip to explore more of Iceland. My favourite pastime is hiking. I take loads of photos and I mostly use these photos to create my prints. Iceland's nature is definitely what inspires me the most, but I also look at so many other things. Our surrounding visual culture inspires me a lot — I go to galleries, watch movies, I surf on the web and I take so many photos and collect them from everywhere. I am constantly researching my next collection. This spring I also went to Mexico and Cuba, which will definitely have its impact in a future collection.

“I am always inspired by people who treat animals with the same kindness as they do people. She is also a big advocate for environmental issues, which is something I take to heart, when deciding where and how to produce my clothes.”

I design first and foremost for myself, but also for my friends, my mother, her friends and any woman in the street who I think is inspiring, and I always wonder what I'd like to see her wear…

We all have people we admire, be it for their kindness, sense of style, or their lifestyle. Who do you look up to as a designer?

She's not really related to design directly, but the first woman that comes to mind is Jane Goodall. I think her work with animals is so beautiful and I am always inspired by people who treat animals with the same kindness as they do people. She is also a big advocate for environmental issues, which is something I take to heart, when deciding where and how to produce my clothes. Visually, I think female artists inspire me the most. They often don't really think about fashion in a traditional way and can have a fresh and interesting take on it.

“Our surrounding visual culture inspires me a lot — I go to galleries, watch movies, I surf on the web and I take so many photos and collect them from everywhere. I am constantly researching my next collection.”

Finally, let’s look through a crystal ball. What does the future hold for Milla Snorrason?

I will show my next collection in early 2017. It will be based on a four-day trip I took with four of my girlfriends to Iceland's highlands in August. It's going to be called Uxatindar [peak in South Iceland] and it's looking wonderful in my head! Past that I just let things flow naturally. My crystal ball doesn't seem to be working that well yet.

http://millasnorrason.com

LUMI: Uniting Nature + Science in their Tundra Range — #EcoBeauty

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 15, 2016

Our skin health is something we often take for granted in the approaching winter months. Yet we all want to look and feel forever young, and that takes at least some effort. Instead of turning to quizzical chemical-packed serums and moisturisers, treating your skin with natural, organic beauty products can help to boost your skin’s own glow and enhance that desired, sleek au naturel look. Could Estonian cosmetics brand LUMI be the next innovation in skincare, taking you a step closer to preserving your youth?

Words: Johanna Raudsepp

I had the glorious opportunity to test out their new product line called Tundra over the past two weeks. Consisting of the AHA-BHA cleansing milk, AHA-BHA moisturising cream and yarrow mist with salicylic acid, LUMI’s Tundra is a complete skincare routine set. Their natural components, like willow, rosemary and hemp seed oil, form a combination that instantly revives your skin. I have never felt so confident in my own skin — during the test weeks, I didn’t reach for make-up even once!

These all-natural products boast a distinct, aromatic scent — all three products take your senses into the tundra. It reminded me of a mossy forest and I could almost hear a crystal-clear river bubbling away in the background. What’s unique about these products is that the entire range is unisex, suitable for everyday use for both men and women.

Curious to find out more about the products that have given my skin a healthy glow (and even added a pep to my step), I asked LUMI a bit more about their new Tundra range and the secret of beauty, of course.

Aha-Bha niisutuskreem bottle + box, 72dpi.jpg

Aha-Bha puhastuspiim bottle + box, 72dpi.jpg

You have released your new Tundra line. What inspired this product line? What makes it special?

Our aim was to create products for acne-prone skin, which would rejuvenate and be effective, yet natural at the same time. Research has shown that up to 85% of people have to deal with acne at some stage in their lives — 20% of whom experience this in adulthood as well.

LUMI's Tundra is special because of its carefully picked natural ingredients and a wholesome skincare routine set-up. It restores and renews, and battles inflammation. Naturally we believe that great skin starts from the inside. Nevertheless, your skincare routine should work on different fronts.

"By mixing botanics with safe, lab-made synthetic compounds, we can create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly product. Integrity is also important — the harmony between our body, spirit and senses."

The metallic green design of LUMI's Tundra symbolises development, growth and the path to becoming someone or something better. Just like the permafrost in tundra rivers hinders erosion, the excess keratinisation of the skin hinders its natural processes, creating a good surface for inflammation. Forget about the scrubs and products with different chemicals — natural moisturising products are what the skin actually needs.

At Savant, we believe that slow lifestyle with all its nuances will slowly but surely find its way to our everyday lives. So much so, that one day people will make educated choices about all their product purchases. How does LUMI envision the future of the world of cosmetics?

We agree – people will definitely be making smarter, more conscious choices about what they buy. We hear more and more about cosmetics that fight skin-stress and pollution. As natural resources aren’t infinite, we think the future will see more sustainable cosmetics. By mixing botanics with safe, lab-made synthetic compounds, we can create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly product. Integrity is also important — the harmony between our body, spirit and senses.

"The metallic green design of LUMI's Tundra symbolises development, growth and the path to becoming someone or something better."

They say that first impressions are everything. If LUMI passed from us on the street, what would she look like? What is LUMI’s beauty secret?

LUMI is confident and sophisticated. She is an educated person, who has seen life, has good manners, but isn’t naive or stubborn. LUMI shares their knowledge and experiences with their friends, enlightening them with fresh ideas and new trends. LUMI is warm, open-minded, and Nordic in their mindset — modern and minimalist. The secret to her beauty lies in scientifically certified natural products, comprising of carefully picked ingredients, which she would recommend to friends or family any day. LUMI is inspiring, encouraging, motivating and enthusiastic, infecting others with their positivity. She is trendy, but always adds a personal touch to everything, making her unique.

http://luminordic.com/en/

COSSAC: Changing the Face of Everyday Eco Fashion

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 12, 2016

East-London based Cossac’s motto is to appeal to the mainstream fashion customer through attractive branding and accessible language. Brand’s founder Agata Kozak boldly believes that the aesthetic allure of fashion-making doesn’t come inseparable from acts of activism, breaking Cossac out of all things eco fashion cliché. Savant explores Agata Natalia Kozak's world of leading an everyday 'eco-hot' brand in high demand...

*Cossac AW16/17: model Ruth shot by Atisha Paulson.*

When did you decide that this cycle of fashion industry's mindless overproduction just can't go on anymore?

I started the brand only in 2014 — we actually have our second birthday in 2 weeks, which is really exciting. I studied Fashion Design in Istanbul and my previous experience was purely in mainstream fashion, both high-end and high-street. Back then, sustainability wasn’t really a thing in fashion. I don’t remember anyone ever mentioning it to me! When I moved to London right after university, here I became more conscious about sustainability as a form of living in general, so I started educating myself [on the topic], and I was applying it to everything — from my eating habits and the products I use to the kind of consumer I was. I thought that applying it to my job as well was just the right thing to do.

What were the main large-scale concerns that triggered you to create a conscious fashion brand?

[I quickly realised] there weren’t that many brands around that were doing something related to sustainability. Unfortunately, sustainable fashion is associated with certain subcultures, like hippies, and mainstream fashion people don’t really like wearing it, so I saw it as a gap in the market. COSSAC was born as a green alternative to the fashion industry, but our attractive and engaging sustainability element is more to do with the branding and styling, which is very important for us. That we appeal to our mainstream fashion customer is, I think, a key to our success so far.

You mentioned that initially there were not so many brands around, but did you have some idols that you were looking up to, some brands that made you think: Wow, they’re getting it right….

There were brands that I was admiring, like EDUN — they had well-established marketing and PR from the start — but I can see there are more now, mainly because I am in the eco fashion business every day and I live and I breathe it. Even though I was admiring the pioneering brands like PeopleTree, it was more because of the activism work they were doing, than about the fashion they had on offer.

Whenever I was actually trying to buy something sustainable, the offer wasn’t what I had expected it to be — for example, shipping charges of 30 per cent on top of the product is a bit of an exaggeration. Therefore, I was thinking, let’s do something about it…

What's your attitude towards the idea that eco fashion has certain negative connotations? As you mentioned earlier, it can be related to certain subcultures.

I’ve encountered that there are more brands growing now that actually understand how extremely important the image is… the way you sell your brand, the branding, styling. Even Alexandra Shulman [editor-in-chief of British Vogue] has said that: “First of all, you have to have a fashion product that has to look good”. [My interpretation is] that everything else comes as an addition to it, because people buy first into fashion, then sustainability comes as a bonus. I think that most eco fashion brands often get it completely wrong.

"People are still buying into fashion first and eco comes as an additional value. […]To me, obviously, sustainability is very important, I apply it to every aspect of my brand and my life, but I feel nowadays, for the customer, fashion — the visual appeal — comes first."

However, have you encountered a change in attitudes recently?

I think the attitudes are changing — for example, we are selling in Boxpark, Shoreditch, in a shop called UTTERCouture, where they don’t have eco brands per se, we are the only eco brand at the moment. They say that people really like the product first, then they read the story at the back, and they fall in love with it. I think the change is happening, but as I mentioned, we all have to remember that first of all, it is fashion, and everything else comes as a bonus.

Do you feel it’s also the reason why many brands get it wrong — they only focus on the sustainability aspect, leaving the fashion side secondary?

100%. Not to sound mean, but there is a difference between doing activism or being a charity worker and being good at fashion-making. I just cannot believe how fashion goes entirely missing sometimes…

More often, I see brands that actually have the aesthetics in place as well…

There are more brands like that. There are some cool, innovative things happening, like eco underwear and eco shoe brands. I think another problem with the eco brands is that sometimes the price is over the top, ridiculously high. But if you therefore want to appeal to the mainstream fashion customer, your price has to be quite competitive, because otherwise they will go to Zara instead! I understand that eco costs more, but you can still do it within reason, because I am doing it, so I know first-hand it is possible.

"If you talk to them in this accessible and easy language and prove to them that eco can be sexy — for example, our motto is ‘eco hot’ . This is very appealing to people."

Do you think that slow fashion’s high price will remain unchanged in the future?

It depends on many things, but my goal was to grab the interest of this customer who shops in high street, so the price needs to be more or less similar. It will never be as low as Zara or Primark, but it all is to do with where you source the fabrics from and where you produce. For example, if you do the production part in the UK, prices will be much higher and most of the materials are anyway imported, especially fabrics. I manage to keep the price low because we source locally in Turkey, where I produce, so I don’t have additional fabric shipping costs or import duty costs on the fabrics, everything is local. I think the price of eco products is one of the biggest issues, lately I wanted to convince my friends to buy eco fashion only… their reaction was that, not only are the clothes unattractive — not very sexy — but the price is also so high, I mean, who would buy it? It is possible to keep the price low, but it depends on quantities as well, so many, invisible factors must be taken into account.

Is it very difficult to find the right fabrics?

I used to live in Istanbul, it’s a wonderful city. I also know how rich their history is, when it comes to textiles. But they are used to working with big fashion brands, so the order quantities they want for fabrics are thousands and thousands of meters, and my small label can’t give them these orders, so they take longer to produce my fabric. I can find whatever I want, but minimum orders are a concern.

Do you feel that slow fashion is still targeted at the niche market? Who is the most typical customer of yours?

I think it is still a fairly niche market, but I believe it is changing rapidly. Even though my clothes are quite universal and ageless, I have thoroughly envisioned who [my target customer] is and what she does. She is between 25 to 35. She is ambitious, she lives in a city, she is very aware of the world she lives in. She admires art, she loves socialising… The most important, she likes to pay a bit more for a product that has something more to it, something of value — sustainability or longevity.

Give a London-based example.

I think [in London] people who come to Boxpark, Shoreditch, to shop are pretty much my key customers — they are creatives from East London, they have a bit more of disposable income, and they actually like to invest in pieces, which they wear more than 30 times, which is the magic number [you wear your clothes]. They don’t really buy throwaway fashion. From the next season, we will also be selling at 69b Boutique in Broadway Market. I think this is another ideal spot, as people who go there are more into shopping organic — there is a farmer’s market down there on the weekends, so it nicely relates.

Does the carefully selected presence add to the uniqueness of the pieces, would you say? There will always be people who don’t want to wear clothes that everyone else has…

The products are quite unique, because I do very small production rounds. I prefer to have less than restock, because I don’t think it’s sustainable to have stock left over. For example, I have sold out a couple of items of AW16/17, I had to re-order. I think it also adds to the exclusivity and creates a buzz around the brand, when it’s not so widely available.

"COSSAC was born as a green alternative to the fashion industry, but our attractive and engaging sustainability element is more to do with the branding and styling, which is very important for us."

What's the most complicated part of the process of educating people on sustainable fashion?

I think one of the problems with sustainable fashion is that… I always feel that it’s too pretty, too unreachable. I always feel that someone is telling me off [when talking] about eco-fashion. People hate that. After all, fashion should be fun, fashion should be sexy and playful, we don’t want to have anyone telling us, ‘You are a bad person, when buying Primark’. I think some eco brands still don’t know how to speak about the issues. The language we use [when interacting with customers] is very casual, like “Hey babe, here is some eco fashion for you…”. The kind of thing that feels very close to people and invites them to explore the fashions, what’s on offer. It is also something that people can relate to and it doesn’t seem that harsh, even though you speak about a very serious matter. For example, we hosted the screening of ‘The True Cost’ [the documentary] a year ago and obviously it is a very serious documentary, but it was all about the way we approached people… we hosted it in Hackney Wick, at a bar that my friend owns. I turned it into an evening with good food and great fun. I think the language you use is very, very important. I think people responded well to it.

You state on your website that you’re also reducing all the packaging and use of additional labels. Has this also appealed to people?

It does. This is actually quite funny because there are eco brands, which I have ordered a few times and the parcel came to me, and it had thousands of tissue papers and receipts. I was just standing there looking at all the rubbish, and thinking, ‘there is no need for that!’.

Do you feel that there are eco brands that are still not fully transparent when it comes to what they’re actually doing?

There are brands that choose to focus only on one aspect of sustainability, because to be honest, it is quite hard to apply all the aspects. However, even if they only focus on organic fabrics, then that is already a plus. I don’t want to be a hypocrite, so I try to execute [my fashion-making] on a fully transparent level, but it doesn’t change the fact that you live and you learn. 2 years ago, I even did my shopping at Primark, but as I became aware of the impact of the fashion industry on the planet, it is quite nice to observe that I grow with the brand, I learn every day.

Would you say you’re not buying high street anymore at all?

I try not to as much as I can. Recently I was shopping for knitwear and I was only looking at eco brands, like Everlane, because I would like those brands to grow and I’d rather support smaller businesses. I don’t want COSSAC ever to be an enormous H&M. It is not my goal to make it into a global superpower. I think small is beautiful, so I am all for smaller businesses.

But in the end, you have to sell to live? That’s perhaps the controversy.

My goal is not to get filthy rich. I don’t think that is sustainable either. If you are able to do what you love and make a living out of it… that’s already great, a goal accomplished. People can get too greedy on the way.

Sometimes I’m allured by a brand, and everything looks good on paper. Then I find out it is still ‘Made in China’. What does it mean?

Depends on where in China do they manufacture. I did work with some factories in China before and there’s nothing wrong — the factories I worked with have very good salaries, regulations, even obligatory yoga classes on weekends. There’s a difference between ‘Made in China’ and ‘Made in China’. Unfortunately it still has this negative connotation, but China is much high-standard now than it used to be… the more red-light areas are Cambodia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

We also live in an era that proudly advocates the cult of shopping. What do you think, what would make us invest in quality rather than quantity?

I think by making pieces that are quite universal and versatile. Then people will see themselves that they don’t really need to buy 3 jumpsuits, when they have one existing good quality, durable jumpsuit, which can be turned into something more interesting with the way you style it for different occasions.

If you talk to them in this accessible and easy language and prove to them that eco can be sexy — for example, our motto is ‘eco hot’ . This is very appealing to people.

‘Eco Hot’! Sounds fun. How did you come up with it?

We were looking for a catchy phrase, that would define shortly what I want COSSAC to be. I wanted it to be sustainable fashion, but I also wanted it to be sassy, I wanted it to be desirable. Every piece in the collection is a piece that I would personally wear… [the aim is that] you look at the design and you wouldn’t necessarily say it’s eco, and then you find out that it is also sustainable. The customers read the story and they feel better about themselves that they’ve made a more conscious choice, they contributed to creating a better world.

Eco aspect vs the aesthetics?

People are still buying into fashion first and eco comes as an additional value. It will change over time, but it will take years. At the end of the day, it is a fashion brand. To me, obviously, sustainability is very important, I apply it to every aspect of my brand and my life, but I feel nowadays, for the customer, fashion — the visual appeal — comes first.

http://www.cossac.co.uk

Starch Slides — Shoes of Up-Cycled Men's Shirts for The Girl On the Go

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 10, 2016

NYC-based Starch Slides is a unique footwear brand that has mastered crafting the perfect slide-on shoe, whereas proudly pairing the sustainability element of up-cycling men’s shirts with vegan leather. At Starch Slides, individuality is the key — no other pair for ‘the girl on the go’ looks the same, ever. Savant talks shoes and sustainability with its founder Shannon Crowley.

Particularly considering the environmental impact, what informed the creation of Starch Slides?

As I come from a retail buying background, I wanted to bring a brand to life that was eco-friendly without looking entirely “granola”. I woke up in the middle of the night with the idea of up-cycling men’s shirts as shoes, and I sketched [my vision] and took it from there.

What's your personal relationship with sustainability? How much does it reflect in your brand?

Starch Slides is very much my personal style — they are cool, effortless, comfortable and original. I have always been aware of green living, watching my waste and hoping others do the same. I think even doing little things make a huge difference over time, and not being sustainable is irresponsible at this point. Little things, like skipping the plastic produce bag when buying oranges, using a refillable water bottle, and washing and reusing plastic Tupperwares when ordering take-out can make a big difference.

"I have thought I dislike many styles of shoes, then I see a woman rocking them and looking totally cool. This has taught me not to judge."

Your design philosophy is to create a unique, one-of-a-kind pair of shoes that no one else has. Describe the woman who starts her morning routine wearing Starch Slides…

The Starch Slides girl is a girl of any age — our audience ranges from 17 to 60. The prints of a men’s button-up shirt resonates with all ages, as the shirts are so classic. A big trend has been for mothers and daughters to each get a pair (different styles, of course), the style of slides is so simple that the shoe really changes personality based on the shirt we used to make it. They are for the girl on the go — simply slip them on and run out. Also, they come in a reusable backpack and take up little room in a suitcase, so they are a perfect travel shoe. I bring at least 4 pairs to every vacation I take.

Could you elaborate on the concept of 'vegan' leather?

Vegan leather is made of polyurethane — it is durable, playable and breathable. We use vegan leather because we want to have as small of a carbon footprint as we can possibly get. We bind the fabric from the shirt to vegan leather so your foot stays secure and the slide is very durable. Trust me, I am bashing through the streets of NYC and I have yet to wear through a pair, and I am not easy on shoes.

"Little things, like skipping the plastic produce bag when buying oranges, using a refillable water bottle, and washing and reusing plastic Tupperwares when ordering take-out can make a big difference."

What's your opinion on the fashion and footwear industry exposing itself to a greater degree of transparency? Is there still a long way to go to acting completely green?

I think that consumers are doing a great job of asking questions, this is leading brands to expose the truth behind the process of their factories. I do think many brands are taking strides where they can to become green, which is a wonderful thing to see. We have a long way to go, but I think we will get there in time.

What do you hate the most about the mass production of shoes? What makes creating a sustainable shoe difficult?

I hate the cheap prices of mass produced shoes. It’s hard to work so hard to make sure your shoes all have their own, unique personality, then walk in a store and see shoes on sale for less than lunch. People need to continue to remind themselves, “who is getting paid?”, when they see prices that are too cheap to believe.

What's the type of shoe you hate to see or wear? What makes a shoe beautiful?

I have thought I dislike many styles of shoes, then I see a woman rocking them and looking totally cool. This has taught me not to judge. I definitely have my own style, it is rocker/boho. When I am not in slides I am in sneakers or motorcycle boots. I live in New York City and always need to be in outfits that transition from day to night, [that are] easy and understated. So Starch Slides are the perfect shoe choice for this girl on the go.

http://www.starchslides.com

MUD Jeans: The First 'Circular Economy' Based Denim Label

Hanna-Amanda P. G. October 6, 2016

The Dutch denim brand MUD Jeans has gained fame beyond making jeans — the foreseeing, conscious denim maker operates on a ‘circular economy’ based brand model, aiming to shift the perspective of completely guilt-free consumption as a mere utopia. This means you are not just blindly buying a comfy pair of everyday jeans, but renting them with a bonus of swapping your most cherished ones against a new pair every year. Never letting go of your favourite jeans forever whilst doing good for the environment… sounds like a fair enough trade!

Savant spoke to Danique Gunning, Marketing Manager at MUD Jeans.

MUD Jeans operates on the model of circular economy. What does it mean, to put simply?

We live in a linear ‘take, make and dispose’ system, although we know our resources aren’t infinite. [The reality is], in the textile industry, we throw away a lot of clothing. We even burn it. Burning clothing accounts for 10% of the CO emission worldwide. So we have to change the way we do business. In a circular economy, there is no waste. We use old jeans — the ‘waste’ — as the resource for new denim products. We have made the circular economy practical by introducing the ‘Lease A Jeans’ concept. Customers pay a membership fee of 20€ and after that the pay only 7.5€ a month. After a year, they receive an email from us, asking whether they want to continue wearing the jeans or if they would like to switch to a new pair. Around 80% decides to switch to a new pair. Doing business in the circular economy thus means that, above all, you build long-term relationships with your customers.

“Doing business in the circular economy thus means that, above all, you build long-term relationships with your customers.”

Why do you think many brands reject taking that responsibility of being completely transparent in what they do?

I think brands should be transparent in what they’re doing because people expect this nowadays. Even though a brand makes mistakes, they should at least be honest about it and explain that they’re striving for the better.

Can consumption ever be entirely guilt-free?

It can for sure. It all starts with not buying things you don’t need. But if you purchase a circular product, you know that the materials will be reused. Also, doing business in the circular economy creates a lot of jobs in the recycling sector. But above all, you’re giving the resources back to the Earth at the end of use. This is our understanding of entirely guilt-free.

What are the general attitudes towards fashion and sustainability among the Dutch?

People talk about it a lot and only very few of them actually act accordingly. But things are changing at their own pace. More and more people have become aware of the damaging effects of the fashion industry on our planet. I think people just lack the relevant education on the topic, and they have to learn that alternatives can be as fashionable.

“Our own jeans are first sold as vintage, if they still look great. Worn-in jeans can be very fashionable, especially if you give them a redesign.”

What is the most difficult aspect in terms of educating the customer about environmental responsibility? To what extent does the education aspect of marketing matter?

Nowadays, people are so overwhelmed with information already. So it is important that the information we give about sustainability and about circular economy is fun, above all. In May 2016, we brought 3,000 returned lease jeans to our recycle factory in Valencia. Have a look at the Recycle Tour Video (link to YouTube). Through this trip, we showed that practicing in the circular economy can be a source of creative ideas and incorporate a lot of fun, too.

What can we all do to fight against the harm caused by the increasingly polluting fashion industry?

We can make sure our products are designed in such a way that they can be recycled after use. For example, we have already instructed the designers in the production process to make a difference. We are also thinking about how to reuse the products after being worn, for that we have introduced several waste streams — for returned jeans from other brands and for returned MUD Jeans. Our own jeans are first sold as vintage, if they still look great. Worn-in jeans can be very fashionable, especially if you give them a redesign. That’s what we do — we redesign the jeans on demand.

http://www.mudjeans.eu