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How Fast Fashion Has Made Our Clothing Disposable.
Clothing is now disposable Thanks to the rise of fast fashion culture in the UK, we have made clothing disposable. We buy an outfit that we don’t need, wear it once, and then move onto the next trend that gets force fed via social media ads and influencers. Most of us probably have no idea where this piece of clothing began. Where was the cotton farmed and who stitched the lapel? What were the conditions like in the factory and how much did the garment maker get paid? Clothing has lost its value. In return, wardrobes are full of cheap, poor quality knock offs that still have their tags on.…
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The Designer Making Accessories Accessible
Seated design Lucy Jones is the designer making accessories accessible by putting disability first. The designer’s graduate collection, Seated Design, sought to make fashion adaptable and functional for wheelchair users. Graduating in 2015 from Parsons fashion design course, she won the highly regarded “Womenswear Designer of the Year” award for the collection. The following year, Jones was named in the Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2016. Therefore, already proving to be one to watch. Her pieces are interchangeable with an altering fit and shift in proportions. To enable a sleeker, more comfortable style, Jones has removed excess fabric and created extra fabric around the kneecaps and elbows. Her collection,…
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Use and Abuse: Fashion’s Mental Health Problem
Use and abuse culture Use and abuse culture facing graduates and young professionals as they enter the fashion industry is often the source of poor mental health. Having experienced several unpaid internships myself within the industry, I have seen first-hand how long, relentless hours can take their toll on personal wellbeing. Graduates and students bursting with fresh creative talent and youthful enthusiasm are over-used and thrown out on a continuous cycle. The high stress environment with constant pressure to stay ahead of trends and work at top-speed is impossible to maintain. Sadly, unpaid work in fashion has become normal. We see internships as the holy grail merely get your foot in…
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Valentina Sampaio: The Latest SI Swimsuit “Rookie”
Making history Valentina Sampaio is the 23-year-old model creating waves with her ground-breaking feature in the 2020 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. The Brazilian trailblazer has become the first transgender woman to appear in the magazine since its first edition in 1964. Sampaio, who has become the latest swimsuit “rookie” revealed for 2020, marks a turning point for the transgender community and Sports Illustrated. Whilst her Vogue Paris cover in 2017 was her first personal milestone, Sampaio has continued to succeed. In addition, in 2019, she became the first transgender model to walk in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Another huge breakthrough in a traditionally exclusive industry that is often set…
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Dress for Success: How Fashion Can Empower Women
Dress for Success: What do your clothes say about you? What does it mean to dress for success? Your clothes are a reflection of you. They are a visual statement of how you see yourself. The first impression you can make on a person whether that’s in the workplace or personal life. Clothes tell the world a story. They give strangers an insight into your values, personality traits, beliefs, and mood. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. Yet in reality several industries profit off our desire for beautiful product packaging, eye-catching colour combinations and appealing book sleeves. Thus, it seems although we are reluctant…