For Norwegian fashion designer Kristofer Kongshaug sustainability means trouble, it means boring basics… and that’s exactly what he is hoping to change with his label.
“I think it is important, and that we all have some kind of responsibility. But it’s not my main focus. When we use sustainable fabrics, it’s usually a choice done with respect to the fabric style and not necessary because it’s a sustainable material.” Read more…
fashion by Friederike von Wedel, Photo: Özgür Albayrak Model: Anne Meister Makeup: Christina Roth Styling: Allessandra Coico
Asked what sustainability means for her as a fashion designer, Friederike von Wedel-Parlow says: “struggle and pleasure. Working with nature’s limits is a great challenge. New impulses and solutions are teased out by sustainability restrictions, by skrutinizing values, rules and goals of the fashion sector.” Read more…
fashion by Esther Perbandt, Photo: Sebastian Stottele, Model: Madlen Wilk / Seeds, Make-up/Styling: Konstanze Krischer
“As a consumer I am not pressurising myself. I know that sometimes I am a devil and that I could do better. Still I try to be aware and choose rather sustainable products. I wish that one day there will be no more price difference between sustainable and non sustainabl products.”
Fashion designer Esther Perbandt from Berlin knows: Sustainability is a big subject and the new trend at the moment. “I don’t like that at all. But the way I approached it may help others as well to do little steps. Sustainability for me doesn’t mean to change your complete lifestyle. It is about starting to think different and be aware and just try to do better. And if it is only that you decide to reduce the time of taking a shower from ten to seven minutes. Imagine how much water you save in one year. I can totally identify with the feeling of awkwardness you may have when you actually want to change something.” Read more…
bARBARA Í gONGINI, photo: Karina Jonson
For Danish designer bARBARA Í gONGINI sustainability is an important aspect in her work.
“This is my mind set within the industry – there are clear limits for what we will do to reach our goals… We will always produce in a fair trade production place, we will use all from 50 – 100 % organic fabrics in each collection, we will use bi-products within fur and leather production, we will use no chrome 6 in the dye process of leather, we will work with new aspects within the concept – such as making multifunctional clothing and de-constructing old or existing objects, cloths or fabrics. It is highly satisfying to find new ways within the industry that is not quite there yet, therefore smaller actions are as willable as bigger actions in this aspect. My aim is 100% sustainability… We want to be ban-breaking within Nordic design, demonstrating a stronger edge design with a strong political profile.” Read more…
Photo: Frauke Fischer, Model: Josefin Herrmann, Seeds, Make-up/Styling: Manuela Kopp
Julia Knüpfer says: “I am aware that everything I do has a certain environmental and social impact on our ecosystem. The negative effects of the conventional production of textiles are obvious and when I started my fashion-label it was clear that I would go a different way.”
In 2009 she founded her green-fashion-label ica watermelon. It combines the concept of sustainability with high fashion. It stands for emotional long- lasting designs and lots of love to detail. The subject of nature and environment plays a central role and is conceptually translated into garments. Read more…
Photo: Sebastian Stottele, Model: Madlen Wilk / Seeds, Make-up/Styling: Konstanze Krischer
I am a full time skipjack, “as a side job” I am leading a company of fashion design for womanswear and accessories, which requires a lot of courage and power. With these two main activities I often become a role model for other people. I want to pass this strength on to others. My aim is to circulate courage and power to think and act autonomously, to encourage going different or new ways and to act responsibly towards yourself and your environment. Read more…
Photo: Frauke Fischer, Model: Josefin Herrmann, Seeds, Make-up/Styling: Manuela Kopp
How and why do I engage in aspects of sustainability in my fashion design?
I am aware that everything I do has a certain environmental and social impact on our ecosystem. The negative effects of the conventional production of textiles are obvious and when I started my fashion- label it was clear that I would go a different way. Sustainable fashion design implies many things. For me the most important aspect is considering environmentally friendly, fair trade materials and a social production. Read more…
Naoto Niidome, photo: Ruut Lahdenmäki
How and why do I engage in aspects of sustainability in my fashion design?
In this aspect: I´m using sustainable materials as much as I can. I used ecological material for the first time in 2003 when I designed a collection for the Finnish textile and fashion brand Marimekko. The material was 100% bamboo. After that I have used sustainable materials such as milk, eco-cotton, eco-wool etc. Costs of those materials are still high but they are excellent. Nature has given so much and protected the human race for such a long time, it is time that we humans save the nature. Read more…
