We should stop and really consider what it is that we’re wearing every day. And how we came by it and what it means to us, and what we are saying through what we’re wearing.
Professor Dilys Williams – Professor of Fashion Design for Sustainability, London College of Fashion.
It’s Fashion Revolution Week! This is an annual event that recognizes the anniversary of the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, where 1,100, mostly women seamstresses, died and 2,500 people were injured. FRW is a movement that seeks to raise our awareness of what’s really going on in clothing/fashion industry.
This week is an opportunity for all of us to think about our fashion and clothing choices. Where and how can we cut back? I believe what we wear matters and I’m taking Professor Williams’ quote seriously. Particularly, what we are saying through what we’re wearing?
This week I attended something fun – Sustainable Fashion Workshop – hosted by Sustainable Walnut Creek. It’s a well known fact that clothing production is a significant contributor to climate change; there’s currently a movement to buy fewer new pieces and thrift shop instead or use what we already have in our closets.
Around twelve of us showed up for the Sustainable Fashion Workshop at the Downtown Walnut Creek Library to hear about and discuss ways to reuse, repair, repurpose, and recycle our clothing. Ellie (SparkEllie on Facebook) led the discussion and offered advice. Some attendees brought in pieces they needed help repairing or repurposing and others came for inspiration. Ellie contributed a large bag of fabric scraps that we all enjoyed sifting through. Among the gathering of likeminded people was a five-year-old girl who quickly put together a pile of fabric and set to work designing something for herself. (Her enthusiasm was delightful to see.)
A local Walnut Creek resident found just the right white cotton ruffle to add to the bottom of a t-shirt. I asked for advice on mending a sweater with rips under the arms and got several great ideas.
If this is of interest to ODFL readers there’s another Sustainable Fashion Workshop coming up on Monday, April 15, 5-6:30 at the downtown Walnut Creek Library.
Do you have some clothing that could use a little TLC? Want to refashion some of your wardrobe? Just need some inspiration? I recommend popping into the Sustainable Fashion Workshop to meet some really nice people who also want to help save the earth, one item of clothing at a time.
This workshop is just one event in April to celebrate Earth Month. Among the list of fun is the Earth Day Celebration and a sustainable fashion show on Saturday, April 20th at Walnut Creek Civic Park, 11-4.
Turning Point in white. Photo courtesy of Geissler.
I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie Francois at a friend’s wedding in San Juan Islands last June. Our mutual friend (the bride – thank you, Vanina!) made sure that we met since Stephanie and I have fashion in common. It’s always such a treat to talk to another fashion person and we spent some time chatting about the business.
Stephanie studied technical design at Lasalle College in Montreal, Canada. When she mentioned to me that she was working on her own handbag line I was intrigued because, as I told her, she is the third person I know who is designing handbags. I invited Stephanie to do a Q&A with ODFL when she was ready. I was delighted to hear from her recently.
What inspired you to start a handbag business?
In my spare time as a child I would always go to my drawer of fabric scraps to imitate designs I loved from the magazines. And I just love handbags! The bag you carry, to me feels sort of like the intonation of a sentence. It has huge impact of the overall vibe of your look. Even just in jeans and a t-shirt, you can feel either edgy or sophisticated depending on your bag choice.
Creating wearable art has always been something I’ve come back to, and now I hope it will be what I can make a living from.
I completely agree with you about handbags and you say it so well with “intonation of a sentence.”
Your design, which I would call “sophisticated whimsy” is so unique. What would you call it and where does that sense of whimsical come from?
Sophisticated edgy is what I usually say. Very close to your description, which I love!
I’ve always really appreciated classic, timeless pieces like a good trench coat for example. But I could never walk out the door without adding something that would give a bit of intrigue. When I dress with an edge, I feel more confident and happier! I want others to feel that way too.
Your unique handbag paired with a trench = great style!
Geissler is a sustainable company, please explain why that is important to you?
Creating and expressing yourself through art is a beautiful part of life, but there are ways to do it without a negative impact. My personal beliefs are that we are one with everything and everyone. I feel it’s everyone’s responsibility to treat ourselves, each other, and the planet with respect and care.
Photo courtesy of Geissler.
Where do you source your materials?
Finding materials for Geissler is not a one stop shop. At the moment, my primary material is a PVC canvas. I contacted a company in Montreal that makes inflatable bouncy castles and they ended up having tons of material leftover that was heading to the garbage, so I purchased from them.
Otherwise, I approach any fabric store asking if they have end of roll fabrics that they are getting rid of. Takes some digging, but every once in a while a shop owner will bring me into the basement of their shop and show me loads of fabrics from previous seasons that they are soon throwing away.
You say on your website that you studied fashion design as an “act of rebellion towards traditional education” – please tell us more about that.
School is very cerebral. After finishing high school I was in desperate search of a visceral learning experience. Something emotional. I wanted to try to reconnect with our naturally human creative abilities. My parents strongly encouraged me to go to collage (which I am very grateful for), so I chose design hoping it would help me ignite that creative fire.
OK, now for a little fun. Please share with us three things you carry in your handbag (and so will I). Me – a tape measure, pen/notebook, and lavender oil.
Notepad, hand cream, gum. I use all three of these items multiple times a day. I feel naked without them!
Congratulations Stephanie! Thank you for taking time to chat with ODFL.
ODFL readers, check out Stephanie’s whimsical handbags on her website Geissler. I’m thinking what a perfect holiday gift for the handbag collector in your life.
A few days after our cup of coffee we meet again at the National Theatre. O’Connor is wearing a pair of black cotton Loewe trousers with some battered white Acne sneakers (he likes shoes to last him a minimum of five years), mismatched socks, and a T-shirt bearing a flower alongside the slogan “Antigrowth Coalition.”
Gabby Wood – British journalist.
This quote is from an interview Wood did with British actor Josh O’Connor (The Crown, The Durrells) for Vogue magazine, September 2023.
Five years!? I love that! But five years is nothing. I have two pair of Puma sneakers that are at least ten years old. If you buy quality classic styles, there’s no need to buy often. Unless, of course, you wear them to death.
Earlier this year I stumbled upon Vepublic, a boutique in Walnut Creek. Stocking only sustainable clothing, Vepublic works with companies that make their fashions with methods as gentle on our planet as possible. This includes upcycled denim, jackets made from recycled bottles, shoes made from plant leathers, tops and bottoms made from organic materials. They keep in mind minimum water use, energy use, safe dyeing methods, zero waste.
Vepublic offers well-made basic pieces mostly in cotton and silk.
I bought a pair of cute socks from a company in Sweden called Swedish Stockings. Made with recycled yarn, the pink and yellow plaid design will be my go to for spring. Now, I know, there is the issue of shipping items across the globe and all the harm that causes, but we’re not going to find perfection. We can, however, at least stay conscious and try our best.
Ourethos has always been about creating clothes that real women truly want to wear – revitalizing American classics to offer collectable pieces.
Catherine Holstein – American fashion designer and creative director of Khaite
Ms. Holstein was recently featured, among other up and coming American fashion designers, in Harper’s Bazaar magazine.
I like her idea of “collectable pieces.” I’m a collector and instead of buying more, I prefer to create new looks with what I already own. Since I create my own style, trends are not an issue. I’m more likely to weave in a trending color or accessory – for example hobo handbags are back and I just happen to already have one from years ago.
I’m concerned about the impact the fashion industry is having on our planet so I try to be careful about how much I buy.
Speaking of sustainable fashion, today kicks of Fashion Revolution Week, April 18-24, an annual event that recognizes the anniversary of the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, where 1,100, mostly women seamstresses, died and 2,500 people were injured. FRW is a movement that seeks to raise our awareness of what’s really going on in clothing/fashion industry.
From the Fashion Revolution website: Currently, there is a lack of understanding and appreciation of the true cost of clothing. Price tags fail to reflect the social and environmental cost of production, while as consumers, we don’t always care for our clothes in the way we should. We need to scrutinize what it is we’re really paying for. Throughout Fashion Revolution Week, we’ll educate and inspire our global community on the real value of what we buy and wear.
Thepleasure that I felt as a young adult when I’d shop for clothes at the mall has been replaced by the pleasure of selecting a pattern, choosing my fabric, and sewing a garment that fits perfectly. And the best thing about this process is that the pleasure is prolonged. I’m not engaging in a quick transaction. Rather, I’m spending days creating my clothing, enjoying the process as much as I enjoy wearing the finished garment.
Jen Hewett, Fabric designer and author of the book, The Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft Community and Connection.
This quote is from the book, Make Mend Thrift by Katrina Rudabaugh.
I completely agree with Ms. Hewett. I take great satisfaction from creating my own clothing and accessories. Every step from choosing the fabric to sewing on the last button is a pleasure. I take my time with every project (sewing only on the weekends as a special treat) and I enjoy looking forward to when and how I’ll wear my new skirt, dress, or what I’m working on now – summer handbag.
Fashion is having a moment. After years of binging on fast fashion the party is over and it’s time to find balance for the sake of our planet. For the sake of our future.
Katrina Rodabaugh’s book, Make Thrift Mend: Stitch, Patch, Darn, Plant-Dye, & Love Your Wardrobe (Abrams) speaks to this moment, offering guidance on how to make, mend, and care for the clothing we already own. She takes the reader step by step from pausing and really considering our clothing to sorting our closets and making choices on what to keep and what to pass along (and how).
Then the fun really begins with different chapters on: Sewing and altering clothes to reshape them into something new; Finding “new” clothing in thrift stores and personalizing them with a bit of natural dye; Mending! Ms. Rodabaugh (a Mills College alum) shows how to mend and this is not Grandma’s way. We learn how to turn a hole in a pair of jeans into an attractive embellishment. A rip in a woven shirt becomes an interesting patch. A beloved knit sweater will live again with colorful repairs.
Each chapter includes photos and an introduction to the concepts as well as commentary from various artists, designers, and authors who are part of the mending movement.
Making, thrifting, mending are the new trends in fashion. Pass it on.
Several weeks ago a fashion colleague (and friend) of mine, Tyese Cooper contacted me and asked if she could interview me for her new blog post series. Of course I was happy to agree.
Based in Paris, Tyese is a sustainable fashion designer, business woman, and creative mentor/teacher. In her blog series, How to See, she talks to various artists and designers about creativity (I am honored to be included in this accomplished group).
On a certain day, Tyese and I successfully erased the time and miles between us by meeting on Zoom. Approaching the conversation in her own unique way, we began with the word start and what that word brings to mind. From there it was a wonderfully unexpected ride.
Maybe it means you buy one less T-shirt each year. Or maybe it means you buy one of higher quality because it lasts longer. Or you only buy vintage, recycled clothes from secondhand shops. All of the above works, and that’s the beauty of it.
Stephanie Benedetto – co-founder and CEO of Queen of Raw.
This quote was taken from a Q&A with Mosaic magazine, November/December 2018.
Did you know that there are piles and piles of fabrics sitting in warehouses going unused? Brand designers sometimes overestimate how much fabric they need or a mill overproduces a particular fabric and voila – we have fabric overload. On occasion these fabrics find their way to fabric shops but sadly, more often the fabric is burned or buried, according to the Queen of Raw website.
Queen of Raw offers unused textiles for sale that would otherwise be destroyed, giving them a second chance and us a greener way to go in fashion.
What a great idea for holiday shopping! Check it out here.
Maybe it means you buy one less T-shirt each year. Or maybe it means you buy one of higher quality because it lasts longer. Or you only buy vintage, recycled clothes from secondhand shops. All of the above works, and that’s the beauty of it. 
OverDressed for Life 