Brand Showcase 2017: Directional Womenswear

DIRECTIONAL 

WOMENSWEAR 

BRAND SHOWCASE 2017 // LOOKBOOK 1 OF 6 

IMAGE: BAV TAILOR

“Make 

sustainability 

sexy and every 

woman will 

want to buy it.” 

ROLAND MOURET 

ETHICAL FASHION FORUM // BRAND SHOWCASE 2017 

2

Welcome to the first lookbook for 

the 2017 SOURCE Brand Showcase. 

Since the Ethical Fashion Forum was launched 10 years ago we 

have seen an ever-increasing number of brands marrying great 

fashion-forward design with sustainable materials and 

practices. 

The SOURCE members showcased here offer a range of 

womenswear – from luxurious knitwear to structured tailoring, 

directional daywear to unique evening gowns. And much 

more besides. 

All have a story to tell. Which – as Fashion Revolution 

co-founders Orsola de Castro and Carry Somers point out – is 

something customers are increasingly interested in. See our 

interview with them on pages 15-16. 

Luxury fashion and goods are a strong trend, and sustainable 

labels are perfectly poised to harness that interest. Read more 

about each label’s ethics on the individual showcase pages 

and about the sector in general on page 17. 

This is the first of six exciting lookbooks – enjoy! 

Clare Lissaman 

Director, SOURCE Intelligence 


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LUXURY KNITWEAR 

WITH A GENTLER TOUCH 

ALLY BEE KNITWEAR 

HQ 

London, UK 

USP 

Meticulously crafted British alpaca 

knitwear with a unique supply chain 

and luscious high quality touch and feel. 

PRODUCTS 

Sweaters, scarves, hats, and gloves for 

men and women. 

ETHICS 

Entirely sourced, woven, knitted, dyed 

and made in the UK with small-scale, 

family run producers. 

WHOLESALE PRICES 

£26-£100 

STOCKISTS 

Rtister, Graziashop.com 

CONNECT 

www.ally-bee.com 

info@ally-bee.com 


4


5

PRODUCTS WITH HEART 

MADE IN MALAWI 

MAYAMIKO 

HQ 

UK & Malawi 

USP 

Unique Africa-made fabrics with 

stunning prints in interesting, modern 

silhouettes. 

PRODUCTS 

Womenswear, yoga wear, 

home & gifts. 

ETHICS 

Made in Malawi in a zero-waste 

workshop using locally sourced materials. 


£15-£80 

STOCKISTS 

10+ Stockists including Fiercely Green, 

Enrou & Fashion Compassion. 

CONNECT 

www.mayamiko.com 

paola@mayamiko.com 


6


7

AEGEAN ADVENTURES 

CELEBRATING TRADITION & CRAFTSMANSHIP 

UMRAN AYSAN 

HQ 

UK 

USP 

Contemporary design combined 

with artisan techniques from 

different countries 

PRODUCTS 

Resortwear 

ETHICS 

Positive luxury butterfly mark, 

eco-friendly materials, working in 

collaboration with artisans and 

craftsmen 

RETAIL PRICES 

£90-£500 

STOCKISTS 

Wolf & Badger 

CONNECT 

www.umranaysan.com 

contact@umranaysan.com 


8


9

EVERYDAY ANTIPODEAN 

INNOVATIVE LUXE KNITWEAR 

UNTOUCHED 

WORLD 

HQ 

New Zealand 

USP 

Clever designs and exquisite 

knitwear using sumptuous natural 

fibres that stand the test of time. 

PRODUCTS 

Luxury everyday knitwear for 

women, mens, kids, and home. 

ETHICS 

Untouched World Charitable Trust 

touching the lives of 1500 young 

adults, full life cycle of products 

embrace sustainability from design 

to use of materials to end of life, 

Child Labor free accredited. 


Varies by country 

STOCKISTS 

Own webshop and stocked in retail 

stores across Australia and New 

Zealand. 

CONNECT 

www.untouchedworld.com 

peri.drysdale@untouchedworld.com 


10

11

SPOTLIGHT ON STANDARDS 

RESPONSIBLE WOOL 

Did you know there is a Standard to ensure the 

welfare of sheep and the land they graze on? 

The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) was 

launched in 2016 by Textile Exchange. 

The RWS certifies at farm level that sheep are 

treated well and that the land is farmed 

progressively to benefit biodiversity. it also 

provides a chain of custody system through to 

the final product. 

www.responsiblewool.org 


12

TAILORED ARCHITECTURE 

PIECES THAT RESPECT THE BODY 

BAV TAILOR 

HQ 

UK & Italy 

USP 

Sharp tailoring, geometrical forms 

with a sartorial minimalist style, 

Italian quality expert craftsmanship 

PRODUCTS 

Luxury jackets, tops, trousers, 

dresses and gowns 

ETHICS 

Working with fair trade producers 

in Northern India using natural and 

organic materials. 


Upon request 

STOCKISTS 

Yoox 

CONNECT 

www.bavtailor.com 

press@bavtailor.com 


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INTERVIEW 

What the 

Fashion Revolution 

means for retailers 

Carry Somers is the founder and Global Operations 

Director of Fashion Revolution – a post which, as her 

co-founder and Creative Director Orsola De Castro points 

out with a laugh, shortens to GOD. 

While not exactly omnipotent, there’s no doubting that 

Fashion Revolution is making waves as a movement to 

demand more transparency from brands and retailers. It 

was set up after the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory 

building in 2013 which killed more than 1,000 garment 

workers. In 2016, Fashion Revolution’s hashtag 

#whomademyclothes appeared more than 156 million 

times across social media feeds as consumers started 

asking the brands they wear to talk about the people who 

actually make the clothes. 

Brands are beginning to respond. More than 1,200 replied 

in 2016, up from a mere 250 in 2015. Clothing producers 

are responding even more, with 3,500 replying directly via 

#Imadeyourclothes. 

What does this mean for fashion boutiques and retailers? 

In advance of Fashion Revolution Week 2017 we spoke 

with Carry and Orsola. 

Fashion Revolution is a great consumer 

movement. What can fashion boutiques and 

shops, both on the high street or online, 

learn from this? 

C (Carry): Fashion Revolution shows that consumers are 

really interested about where their clothes come from. 

Last year on social media, 70,000 people asked ‘who made 

my clothes?’. Retailers should see that people are looking 

for accountability, and that their customers, particularly 

millennials, are more engaged in sustainability issues. 

O (Orsola): Boutiques should be looking at smaller 

businesses that have embedded sustainability into 

their processes from the start. They should also give 

space to younger generations, to artisans, to different 

projects. 

What if these businesses and artisans, 

however sustainable, seem too much of a 

risk? 

O: Taking a risk is what makes boutiques unique. It’s 

only recently that there is no diversity in the fashion 

industry, and people rely so much on known brands 

with huge PR budgets. What boutiques and 

independent retailers can do brilliantly is combine the 

two – the smaller, lesser known labels and the more 

established brands. 14

This is a risk worth taking. Just look at FarFetch – 

some of their brands are quite unknown but being on a 

platform alongside known brands works for both the 

brand and the platform. 

What can fashion boutiques and retailers 

do in Fashion Revolution Week? 

C: Download the Get Involved pack, full of fantastic 

ideas and resources and it’s available in English, French 

and German. 

And why should they? 

O: Because we are the revolution. This is the future. 

C: Their customers are starting to expect it. More and 

more brands are becoming more transparent. This is 

going to filter down eventually. For example, we’ve 

been working on the second Fashion Transparency 

Index. We’ve seen a huge momentum towards 

publishing factory lists since April 2016, so that 

particular level of transparency will filter down and 

increasingly boutiques and retailers will be asked about 

the supply chains of the products they sell. Be ahead of 

the game. 

People are also looking for different fashion buying 

experiences. Being able to tell the story about people 

who make the clothes you sell gives a USP – it 

personalises the buying experience in a landscape 

where buying clothes has become impersonal, and that 

makes the clothing sell better. 

Which fashion retailers do you feel are 

managing to be commercially successful 

as well as socially and environmentally 

responsible? 

O: Hostem is a top London high fashion boutique that 

comes instantly to mind. Their choice of fashion is 

very eclectic, they take risks. For example, they took on 

John Alexander Skelton – the new Christopher 

Raeburn – he’s careful in his choice of fabrics and the 

narrative behind his collections. They also have 

Geoffrey B Small – the oldest up-cyclist in the ‘hood’. 

Hostem is obviously a high-end boutique but they are 

achieving renown and a unique clientele. 

What advice would you give to a fashion 

retailer that wants to join the Revolution 

and be more sustainable? 

C: They should be able to tell the stories of who made 

their clothes. 

O: And they can do that easily by supporting young 

brands as they tend to know who makes all of their 

clothes. 

Fashion Revolution Week is 24–30 April 

2017. 

www.fashionrevolution.org 

What challenges do you think fashion 

boutiques and retailers face in stocking 

sustainable fashion? 

O: Sadly there is still a stigma about ethical fashion. 

People’s perceptions of it may not be great. So shops 

need to mix it up – don’t create exclusively branded 

‘ethical fashion’ areas but mix it in with other fashion 

labels. Because after all, ethical fashion is fashion. 

C: It used to be difficult to source great ethical brands 

but it’s so much easier now, there are many more 

brands out there. 

15

CRAFT & CHARACTER 

AS WORN BY EMMA WATSON 

BEHNO 

HQ 

USA & India 

USP 

Intelligently designed in NYC, made 

in India - chic, minimalist aesthetic 

for the worldly woman 

PRODUCTS 

Advanced contemporary RTW 

womenswear, minimalist dresses, 

separates, knitwear and accessories. 

ETHICS 

The behno standard: six social and 

environmental pillars; made in 

ashram MSA ethos in rural Gujarat 


$80-$700 USD 

STOCKISTS 

Bombay Electric, Elborne, Indelust, 

Urban Outfitters, Yoox 

CONNECT 

www.behno.com 

shivam@behno.com 


16

REPORT WATCH 

A BURGEONING 

OPPORTUNITY 

The luxury sector is strong, growing 

and attractive to investors. That’s the 

message from the Deloitte Global 

Fashion & Luxury Market 2016 report. 

Sales in Fashion & Luxury reached 

US$1.2 trillion in 2015 of which 

Personal Luxury Goods totalled 

around $5 billion. 

Whilst the sector has been 

dominated by large luxury houses 

its growth signifies a trend in 

market demand for fashion with 

strong design, superb quality and a 

compelling story. 

A trend that directional 

sustainable brands should be well 

poised to take advantage of as 

digital has smashed through the 

previously high barriers to entry 

enabling emerging labels to 

compete with established players. 

Also worth a read: Global Powers 

of Luxury Goods 2016 

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ROMANTIC COUTURE 

EVENINGWEAR WITH PURPOSE 

DANIELLE LARA 

HQ 

UK 

USP 

Luxury eveningwear inspired by 

dance, nature, love, and seduction. 

PRODUCTS 

Workwear, eveningwear, couture 

wedding dresses. 

ETHICS 

Fairtrade and eco-friendly luxury 

fabrics such as organic peace silk 

hemp that is traceable back to 

source, supporting artisan 

communities 


£250-£900 

STOCKISTS 

Made to Order, Own webshop 

CONNECT 

www.daniellelara.com 

debbie.moorhouse4@gmail.com 


18

MORTAL FASHION 

FOR THE CONSCIOUS FEMME FATALE 

HENRICA LANGH 

HQ 

UK 

USP 

Fashion combines with art to create 

directional ready-to-wear 

PRODUCTS 

RTW statement pieces, unique 

prints 

ETHICS 

Pieces are ‘mortal’ meaning that once 

the garment reaches the end of its 

life it is easy to take apart and 

dispose of with minimal harm to the 

environment. 


STOCKISTS 

Own webshop 

CONNECT 

www.henricalangh.com 

info@henricalang.com 


19

SUSTAINABLE FASHION INSIGHTS 

DYEING 

SYNTHETIC 

● Chemical based - can include Azo and Azo-free dyes. 

Azo-free produce fewer chemicals that are banned in 

many markets 

● Used in the vast majority of clothing 

● Require a large volume of water 

● Over 200,000 tons of dye, mostly unprocessed, enters 

the global water system each year from the textile 

industry 

● Produces 568 million metric tons of greenhouse gases 

annually (more than 94 million passenger vehicles) 

NATURAL 

● Made from plants, natural minerals, clay etc 

● Require large volume of water 

● Look for yarn & fabrics dyed without the use of heavy 

metal mordants (used to fix the dye, less polluting 

mordants are available) 

● It can take up to 13 acres of land to produce enough 

natural dye to dye one acre of cotton but that can also 

be income generating for smallholder farmers. 

AIR 

● 

● 

Innovative new techniques* mean it is now possible to 

dye without the use of water 

Air dyeing can use up to 95% less water and 86% less 

energy 

See also: Introduction to Fashion’s Key Environmental Issues 

*See references at end of lookbook 


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SEXY WITH A SOUL 

GET THAT CALI-VIBE 

HAH | HOT AS HELL 

HQ 

USA 

USP 

Making sustainability sexy 

PRODUCTS 

Swimwear, lingerie and beach 

lifestyle apparel 

ETHICS 

Investing in innovative eco fibres, 

fabrics, and processes that are better 

for the consumer and the life of the 

garments 


USD $14-$207 

STOCKISTS 

ASOS, own webshop 

CONNECT 

www.hot-as-hell.com 

jilli@hot-as-hell.com 


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INDUSTRY STATISTICS 

“89% [of respondents] say 

ethical sourcing and 

sustainability issues are 

more important in their 

company's sourcing 

decisions in 2016, compared 

to five years ago.” 

2016 Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study, United States Fashion 

Industry Association 


22

STYLE WITH CONSCIENCE 

CRUELTY-FREE OUTERWEAR 

JAMES & CO 

HQ 

Australia & Hong Kong 

USP 

Quality faux leather in classic and 

contemporary styles for animal 

friendly ladies 

PRODUCTS 

Cruelty free classic and stylish 

‘leather’ jackets 

ETHICS 

PETA-approved vegan faux leather, 

excess stock donated to Good360 to 

people in need. 


£30-£75 

STOCKISTS 

Amazon, Modalyst, Wanelo. The 

CrueltyfreeShop 

CONNECT 

www.jamesandco.boutique 

anne@jamesandco.com.au 


23

PRINT TO THE FINISH LINE 

BOLDLY QUIRKY 

KOMANA 

HQ 

UK & India 

USP 

Unique prints that tell a story 

combining contemporary designs 

with traditional print techniques. 

PRODUCTS 

Womens RTW 

ETHICS 

Organic and fair trade materials, non 

hazardous dyes, living wage, 

supporting artisan based textile 

crafts such as wood block printing. 


£20-£100 

STOCKISTS 

Madefair, Fly9 

House of Commons 

CONNECT 

www.komana-design.com 

info@komana-design.com 


24

ONE MAN’S TRASH... 

RECYCLED TREASURES BECOME FASHION 

RE-CYCLE-STYLE 

HQ 

UK 

USP 

Inventive creations using unusual 

upcycled materials. 

PRODUCTS 

Unique costumes and couture 

dresses 

ETHICS 

Made from totally disused, recycled 

materials like newspaper, plastic 

bottles, sweets packaging, 

supermarket shopping bags, old 

fabric, and kimonos. 


From £10 for small accessories 

STOCKISTS 

Made to order 

CONNECT 

www.re-cycle-style.com 

info@re-cycle-style.com 


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“Consumers approach 

shopping and item selection 

much differently than just a 

decade ago. Shopping starts 

well before a consumer walks 

into a store or clicks on a 

website. 

Brands and retailers who 

understand what their target 

consumers want and figure 

out how to engage both in 

and out of a retail setting will 

be the ones who thrive in this 

new normal.” 

Judith A. Russell, Global Marketing Strategist, Nilit - speaking 

at Texworld USA, Jan 2017 


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REFERENCES 

Examples of waterless dyeing 

● DyeCoo CO2 Dyeing 

● AirDye 

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access to this intelligence while non-members can still browse top level summaries and free 

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The SOURCE team can be contacted on info@ethicalfashionforum.com or +44 (0)20 3601 8863. 

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Brand Showcase 2017: Directional Womenswear

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