London Fashion Week September 2010: Day 3 – Best of EstEthica - Pamela Ravasio

Yesterday:Day 2 – The hidden gems at LFW & EstEthica: Young designers.
Tomorrow: Day 4 – Off-track: Quietly sustainable brands.

EstEthica‘s inaugural edition was staged during London Fashion Week in September 2006 – the organisers hence are just now celebrating its 4th anniversary; an occasion adequately celebrated with today’s EstEthica brunch that was well attended by the press, the designers themselves, as well as a number of distinguished guests from the Fairtrade Foundation, Monsoon, a few fashion world celebs, and the British Fashion Council.

For many years London had already been the home to a number of sustainable labels such as Junky Styling or Pachacuti – but it was not till early in the year 2006 that the British Fashion Council eventually took note of the potential these designers had, as well as of the growing importance to turn fashion into a more globally sustainable industry.

Curated by Orsola de Castro from ‘From Somewhere‘ since the inaugural edition, EstEthica has been strict on all levels: the commitment to sustainability of a brand, the strategy a brand is following, as well as crucially the quality of the designs to be allowed participation. A 2-phased application process, back-upped by an in-depth questionnaire and a design sample evaluation, makes sure that the products on show are cutting edge in all aspects.

EstEthica has over the years grown substantially – from only 13 labels in 2006, to a total of 37 designers showing their in the current autumn 2010 edition. In this, as it happens, it is LFW’s fastest growing segment. And that’s not even taking into account the sustainable labels I discovered among the general LFW exhibitors – but that’s already advancing the topic of tomorrow’s blog post.

Here now, very subjectively, MY favourites among the EstEthica exhibitors.

Personal discoveries:
– Lost property of London: Because their bags are just awesome design. They’re cool, they’re practical, they’re super sustainable, they’re durable. And did I say it? They’re just too cool!
– Ahilya: Because her Kashmir scarves are soft, softer, super soft. In lively as well as classic colours, with intriguing designs. Each one a master pieces, that makes you dream of your own loom and a lot of spare time. Oh, and they go well with the cocktail dress as well as the business suit.
– Maxjenny: Because her quirky jackets are great against the English winter rains and winds. And because the colours make you nearly look forward to the cold season.
– Camilla Wellton: Because I loved the cuts of her jackets. Classy and modern, for casual as well as business, at not the least – the cuts are great no matter whether you’re thin as a nail, or rather slightly better endowed.
– Nina Dolcetti: Because I’m not even a shoe-a-holic and liked her shoes, since she’s got cool ones without heels. And because it’s all pre-consumer waste, made in a small factory in Hackney.

From left to right: Lost Property of London, Ahilya, MaxJenny, Camilla Wellton, Nina Dolcetti

Established, but ~:
– Ada Zanditon: Because her designs and colours are just gorgeous. And that’s even before knowing the lengths she goes to ‘do the right thing’.
– Made: Because their back-to-the-basic jewelry is something so different than the bling you find in the main street. And because I wish I was fatter to be able and ware some of their massive pieces.
– Makeapiece Because I think it’s cool that this knitwear brand designers actually breeds the sheeps for the wool of her designs.

Discovered seasoned designers — From left to right: Ada Zanditon, MADE, Makeapiece

Classy classics:
– Junky Styling: Because their original designs are a must have. And because they ‘just to what they do, how they do it’ without talking about it. And all that successfully.
– From Somewhere: Because the designs are neverendingly interesting, intriguing, and ‘want to haves’. And because the designer lives her talks with every inch of her garments.
– Leblas: Because their filigree work is some of the most beautiful jewelry I’ve seen in my life. And because of the effort they’re putting in to change an industry that is rotten from the roots up.
– Pachacuti: Because I love hats – and theirs are a hat lover’s. And because they’re the best of all proves that social business can be profitable right from the start.