Designing 'Minimalist' Fashion Line, What Sets It Apart - WWD

Designing 'Minimalist' Fashion Line, What Sets It Apart - WWD
Worn Out: The Fashion Industry's Giant Waste Problem - Gizmodo
Jemkur seeks to promote female empowerment through fashion - Nebraska Today
I’m a Millennial, But These Are the 8 'Bad' Fashion Trends Gen Z Got Right - InStyle

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 09:03 PM PDT

The Made in New York circular fashion club gained another member.

Minimalist is a just-launched seasonless women's luxury brand rejecting the linear fashion system and, instead, anchoring itself in timeless design and circularity from the start.

"I've always known that I wanted to start my own label, but after 20 years in the industry, I also knew that the world didn't need another fashion brand that followed the same take-make-waste linear production model that most apparel companies use today," said Minimalist's founder, Tamara Davydova, a Kiev, Ukraine-born designer and seasoned fashion executive who has worked alongside the likes of Michael Kors and Monique Lhuillier.

The launch includes 10 core styles, including shirts and jumpsuits in an array of fabrications, like Portuguese viscose satin, Italian velour and Japanese organic denim. The jumpsuits are finished with drawstring waists and exposed zippers. (Davydova says she only employs functional closures when necessary to ease recyclability.) Prices range from $150 for T-shirts to $725 for jumpsuits.

Davydova designed the collection for simplicity, perhaps an early impression from her undergraduate years at Parsons during the height of '90s minimalism. Staying true to the city, the brand is produced entirely in New York's garment district in an effort to support local factories with fair wages and opportunities.

For good measure, "the two factories where we currently produce are both woman-owned," Davydova added.

Bolstering women is a continual thread, as Davydova said her customers are also self-described "women leaders," founders and professionals in the arts, fashion, beauty, law, medicine and sciences. Their singular goal is finding ethical, sustainable fashion that is still chic and streamlined.

"The focus is on simplifying a woman's life and to reduce stress from clutter and decision-making fatigue," she said. "Everything is curated, seasonless and versatile. I want my garments to instill a feeling of calm, simplicity and confidence. I also want women to feel they've invested in something consciously designed with sustainable ingredients."

Every "ingredient," (as Davydova prefers to call her materials) of the collection — including fabrication, trim components and garment bags — is certified to some of the industry's most-used standards. Among them are the Global Recycling Standard, Global Organic Textile Standard, Forest Stewardship Council, Bluesign and Oeko-Tex Standard 100.

This details-hungry, ingredient-led design thinking has become a repeat among new brands launching in the current climate, be it circular footwear brand Thousand Fell or sweater line Paradis Perdus, whose founders expressed diligent research before launch.

With reports increasingly shining a light on the woes of linear fashion, the case may be that if a brand is going to launch at all — it better be doing things the circular way.

For consumers hungry for the details, each product page on Minimalist's website Minimalist.nyc features a drop-down menu with "our ingredients" listed, where customers can learn about the content, origin and certification of the collection. The brand is also endeavoring to offer wholesale options, although no partners are counted to date.

Minimalist opts for organic and recycled content in its fabrications, using single-fiber materials whenever possible to ensure the highest potential for recyclability.

"We uphold the same standards for our trim as we do for our core materials," Davydova said. "Elastic is sourced from Austria and crafted from organic cotton and natural, biodegradable and recyclable rubber. Italian-made Oeko-Tex-certified zipper finishes are free of harmful chemicals. We use Chargeurs Sustainable 360 line shoulder pads and interlinings, which are made from GRS-certified post-consumer materials, which are recycled instead of heading into landfill. Even our garment bags are either compostable or water-soluble and marine-safe."

Minimalist is also teaming with Fabscrap, as a solution for its leftover production scraps.

minimalist, sustainable, ethical, design, fashion

A jumpsuit from New York-based circular label Minimalist. Courtesy

For More, See:

A Better Sweater: Paradis Perdus Launches With Unisex, Recycled Knitwear

'Thousand Fell' Toes the Line in Pursuit of Affordable Vegan Footwear

Worn Out: The Fashion Industry's Giant Waste Problem - Gizmodo

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 07:42 AM PDT

Spring is here, and I've been thinking a lot more about my wardrobe—and how sick I am of it. Even though I cleaned out my closet fairly recently, I still counted at least 25 clothing items that I don't wear regularly anymore. But what should I do with all my tired sweaters and dresses?

I know I shouldn't throw all that stuff away. If I do, chances are it will end up in an incinerator or landfill, both of which are environmentally devastating. Both methods release toxic and planet-heating pollutants into the atmosphere, and both kinds of facilities tend to be constructed in poor communities of color, creating an environmentally unjust public health burden.

I figured donating them to my local Goodwill would be a better option, and it is to an extent. But according to journalist Adam Minter, who wrote the book Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale, thrift stores only sell roughly a third of the items that end upon their shelves.

The other two-thirds doesn't necessarily get trashed, but rather enters a maze of global trade. Some of that excess clothing–though there's no data on exactly how much—ends up in vast, global re-use markets. Traders from around the world collect garments, grade their condition, and send them along to be recycled, worn again, or turned into cleaning rags and mattress stuffing.

There's a problem, though. Currently, the fashion industry is producing so much stuff that this global network is getting overwhelmed. Clothing production has doubled since 2000, and the fashion industry now produces 150 billion items a year. Society keeps up with all the new clothes in production by buying more: The average person today purchases 60% more clothing than they did 20 years ago.

G/O Media may get a commission

More new clothes also means older clothes are being tossed aside more quickly. Since 2002, the average number of times a garment is worn before it's discarded has dropped by more than a third, which means we're producing way more waste. Minter said one way to deal with this is to force companies to build clothing to last rather than the current breakneck pace of fast fashion.

"There's no question that clothing is made purposely made less durable," he said.

To combat this, governments could implement durability standards for clothing and outlaw planned obsolescence—sort of like what France has done for electronics—to ensure they're created to last.

But discarded garments aren't the industry's only waste problem. The industry also throws out a ton of unused fabric in the clothing production process. That problem inspired nonprofits like Fabscrap to collect unused material from brands like Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, and Eileen Fisher. The organization then sorts the fabrics and resells or donates them to artists and burgeoning brands.

But this shouldn't be a nonprofit's responsibility—the government should step in to help handle all this material and regulate companies, for instance by clamping down on the use of fabrics that are hard to reuse or recycle, like polyester blends.

If you're looking for ideas to lower your clothing waste individually, you could think about repairing torn clothes instead of replacing them, which is also a great way to save money. And if you're like me and you've got a bunch of stuff you're simply sick of wearing, consider having a clothing swap with your homies. We can't take on problem on the individual level, but cutting down on personal clothing waste is never a bad idea.

Jemkur seeks to promote female empowerment through fashion - Nebraska Today

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 10:24 PM PDT

Editor's Note — This Q&A is part of a weekly student conversation series that is celebrating Women's History Month on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Medium page. The series will feature students who are making impacts on campus and look to maintain that momentum in future careers. Learn more about Women's History Month coverage in Nebraska Today.

dropcap t

his week, meet Venn Jemkur, a Master of Arts in apparel design major with a minor in women and gender studies. Through her research, she examines the marginalization of large female bodies by the fashion industry and works to promote female empowerment.

Talk about presenting to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

The title of our talk was "Fashion Forward: A Roadmap for Gender Equality, Empowerment of Women and Fashion Identity." It was a Zoom presentation, and we were glad to offer as well as learn different perspectives on how fashion education can lead to an economic impact on women.

The UN Commission on the Status of Women meets annually usually at this time of the year in New York. The participants of the event(s) are people appointed through governmental channels. Alongside the UN CSW meeting, also on an annual basis, is a 2-week series of events and meetings for Civil Organizations, NGOs, Foundations, etc. who work in the space of gender empowerment, women's rights, etc. This event is called NGO CSW 65.

The presentation we gave took place in one of the approved events of the NGO CSW 65 Forum. The organizational sponsor is the Miss Caricom International Foundation, which primarily works in Africa but also has projects elsewhere globally.

How can fashion promote empowerment/gender equality?

Fashion education is part of a broader goal of developing local fashion industries that support women's leadership, economic autonomy, and prosperity. This in turn supports the same for their communities. Fostering a local fashion industry should necessarily promote traditional craftsmanship and thus also empower local artisans in textile and garment-related crafts. Often, but not always, these artisans are women. Developing the local industry promotes cultural heritage, raises the status of traditional craft practices as valued and important aspects of ethnic, regional, and national identities. Women artisans, tailors and embroiderers can take charge of their future. Women's financial empowerment balances the power dynamics of the household, it makes their voices heard and gives them the opportunity to make decisions for the family.

How have you gotten involved on campus to promote women empowerment or something else you're passionate about?

My Master of Arts project focuses on the marginalization of large female bodies by the fashion industry. My project focuses on the sizing and design lapses in the plus-size market. It discusses the century-long body size bias of the fashion industry and it advocates for a fundamental change in the practice of fashion through a trickle-up effect that can be achieved in fashion colleges and institutions.

I am involved in different communities on campus that help in meeting the different needs of all students regardless of gender. I am currently the academic affairs chair of the Graduate Student Assembly; I also represent the graduate students in the university's Student Health Insurance Committee. I also represent graduate students on the Library Committee. I am passionate about giving a voice to those that cannot speak for themselves.

What do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?

I hope to be a successful educator and I would like to proceed to Ph.D. here at Nebraska. I like my lecturers and I think there is a great deal I can learn from them that will get me set for the future. My dream is to effect change in the world through my research.

What or who inspires/motivates you?

I am from Nigeria, Africa. My state is Plateau state, and the capital is Jos. There are lots of times when I think or feel I can't go on anymore in school. When that happens, I think of my dad and my mum. They are so supportive of my ambitions; they encourage me to fly. When I think about my sisters and brothers back home, all I see is cheers for me to succeed. My family motivates me. I am grateful to have a legion supporting me always.

I am also inspired to be an educator because of my parents' educational background. My dad is a professor of archeology for more than 24 years now. My mum, on the other hand, is a registered nurse and counselor at the University of Jos.

What is your advice to others looking to make an impact?

I advise they believe in themselves and be determined to succeed. If they do not have a support system, search for people with like minds; there are helpers everywhere. You need to seek them out. Always think big, you can only make an impact if your ideas are useful and relevant to your community.

I’m a Millennial, But These Are the 8 'Bad' Fashion Trends Gen Z Got Right - InStyle

Posted: 30 Mar 2021 01:45 PM PDT

8 Easy Gen Z Fashion Trend to Wear in 2021 | InStyle

this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

Search This Blog

Clothes

"winter clothes for girls" - Google News