April 22, 2020 at 09:46PM Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and fashion brands across the world are celebrating with the announcement of various initiatives and collections to help make fashion more earth-friendly. Here’s how some of your favourite Canadian fashion brands are marking Earth Day 2020: Hilary MacMillan Photograph courtesy of Hilary MacMillan Toronto designer Hilary MacMillan has announced the launch of a new sustainable basics collection today. The first item in the collection is the brand’s best-selling blouse, which has been reimagined in 100 per cent cupro, a biodegradable, cruelty-free silk alternative. It is available in sizes XS-4X and in five colours, each of which was achieved by using scrap onion skins, rice, bamboo, grapes and other natural ingredients. Going one step further, the fabric manufacturer used by MacMillan for the blouses received a 99.8 per cent zero-emissions rating last year, thanks to its use of fibre waste to fuel power generation. In a release, the designer said, “Since starting the Hilary MacMillan label, I’ve been consciously aware of our environmental impact and carbon footprint. As we evolved into a cruelty-free brand, it was a natural choice to further explore what it means to be a brand participating in eco-conscious and sustainable practices and I’m proud to say this collection is the beginning of a very important journey for [us].” Get yours here. Soia & Kyo Montreal-based outerwear brand Soia & Kyo announced the launch of a brand new earth-friendly category today. In a series of
Category: Fashionmagazine
This New Montreal-Based Instagram Account Lets You Buy and Sell Vintage Pieces
April 22, 2020 at 07:01PM In the 2019 version of its annual resale report, ThredUp projected that the second-hand clothing market would double in the next five years. More and more people are curious about buying used garments and accessories than ever before as statistics about the impact of new clothing production and our consumption habits are revealed, and there’s no shortage of platforms to help us purchase and sell used fashion pieces from around the world. The success of this emerging model of business is what encouraged Partners & Babe founder Emily Watts-Luciani to launch an Instagram feed for Montreal-based vintage vendors. After the COVID-19 crisis shut down the city’s second-hand stores including Local 23—a multi-vendor shop where Watts-Luciani’s brand, Amie Amie, counted about half its revenue sales from—and put a halt on local flea markets and other vintage-focused community events, she took inspiration from these sites to create a “gently curated” centralized place for her peers to sell their wares while we’re all socially distancing. “I was looking for a way for us to come together as vintage vendors and re-create that experience of shopping at a market, but online,” she says. View this post on Instagram Taille / Size: Size Large Prix / Price: $20 Marque / Brand: Simply Basic Couleur / Colour: Buttercup Yellow Matériel / Material: Unlisted, feels like cotton jersey Condition: Excellent Mensurations / Measurements: Bust: 42" Waist 40" Length: 21" Livraison / Delivery ($): TBD based on location Vendeur/euse / Seller : @daisyheadvintage Comment acheter:
Bare Market, Toronto’s Package-Free Store, Has Just About Everything You Might Need Right Now
April 22, 2020 at 05:30PM Back in 2012, Dayna Stein noticed a gap in the Toronto market for some of the most in-demand items as of late: package-free goods. “It was impossible to find all the things I would need in a day without the excess packaging,” she says. Fast forward eight years later and Stein has finally found a permanent home for Bare Market — her package-free shop offering everything from beauty products to household cleaners in bulk — which is now open to the public. Prior to securing the east end locale, Stein had been operating Bare Market — which officially launched in 2018 — via pop-up shops around Toronto. The events proved to be incredibly successful, which should come as no surprise, given the increase in environmental awareness and a push towards reducing our waste in any way possible. As a result of these 65 pop-ups, Bare Market was able to help reroute more than 7,300 containers from ending up in landfills. Photographs courtesy of Jake Graham Photography & Megan Glover Photography While this may seem like a minuscule number compared to the reported 120 billion units of packaging the cosmetics industry churns out per year, it’s a step in the right direction. In fact, the number of beauty brands opting for more sustainable packaging options (read: recyclable; refillable) appears to be on the rise. Setting foot into Bare Market’s new 2,800 sq. ft. home is like walking into an airy, Goop-inspired version of Bulk Barn. The
Celebrate Earth Day From Home With These Virtual Events
April 22, 2020 at 04:30PM With the coronavirus forcing us all to stay indoors to stay safe, our world has begun to exist entirely online. From virtual meetings to Zoom game nights to Instagram livestreams, we’re relying on digital devices to connect with our friends and community. Organizations, too, are going virtual—London Fashion Week just announced a new digital platform to connect designers with media, buyers, consumers and more, and celebrities around the world are teaming up for virtual concerts and fundraising events. Earth Day is no different. The annual event for environmental awareness has taken its cause online, with countless events popping up around the globe to raise awareness about climate change and the planet’s future. Read on for a roundup of some of these virtual events. Virtual beach cleanup with Free Flow and BOLO Free Flow Activewear, a new Canadian brand of athletic wear made from recycled ocean waste, had originally planned a special beach cleanup event for Earth Day. Due to the pandemic, they pivoted to an online event instead: today, Free Flow and BOLO, a Toronto-based fitness studio, are partnering up on a Virtual Beach Cleanup event live on BOLO’s Instagram. For each one of BOLO’s IG Live viewers participating in the four-hour event (filled with a range of workouts, movement and mindfulness activities), Free Flow will be picking up 1kg of trash off a beach worldwide. View this post on Instagram Buy local, support global. ??? . Every Free Flow purchase cleans up to 5
Burberry to Remake Items From Spring 2020 Collection With Sustainable Materials
April 22, 2020 at 04:00PM In celebration of Earth Day, which today marks its 50th anniversary, Burberry has announced the launch of a new collection made using sustainable materials. Called ReBurberry Edit, the collection consists of 26 pieces from the brand’s S/S20 collection, including capes, parkas, eyewear, accessories and the brand’s iconic trench coats. The new collection has been made using natural fibres, as well as scraps, industrial plastics and other recycled materials, like recycled polyester and nylon. View this post on Instagram Introducing the #ReBurberry Edit – a curation of pieces from the Spring/Summer 2020 collection, created from fabrics of the future . Our timeless Vintage check car coat, crafted from recycled polyester . #BurberryGeneration A post shared by Burberry (@burberry) on Apr 22, 2020 at 2:00am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Additionally, each of the pieces in the brand’s key categories will now be adorned with a pistachio-coloured tag which tells customers the amount of natural fibres used in the product and whether the factory in which the piece was produced offers a living wage to its workers, among other things. The brand is referring to these markers as “positive attributes” and it wants all of its products to have more than one by 2022. As it stands, two-thirds of its products (across menswear and womenswear) have at least one. In a statement, Pam Batty, the vice president of corporate responsibility at Burberry, said, “By inviting customers to learn more about the sustainable credentials of our products through our labelling program, we
Nudestix Introduces New Recycling Program to Celebrate Earth Day
April 22, 2020 at 03:00PM Canadian beauty brand Nudestix has announced a welcome new recycling initiative to celebrate Earth Day. Beginning today, the brand – loved for its multi-use, natural-looking products – is introducing the “Save a Tin” recycling program whereby customers will be able to easily recycle the brand’s signature black tins moving forward. The tins are made using tinplate, which the brand says “is incredibly durable for reuse and recyclability as a safe, clean and non-toxic material.” In fact, more than 90 per cent of tin plate is able to be recycled versus just 10 per cent of plastics. Additionally, the mirrors within the tins are “also recyclable in mixed metal streams and made from polystyrene, which is a non-toxic material.” The way the new recycling program works is that when customers place an order on the brand’s website, they’ll be given the option to add a free black compostable bag (made using 100 per cent Ethylene Vinly Acetate, a non-toxic, phthalate-free and environmentally friendly alternative to PVC plastics) to their order. Once customers have ten tins (that they aren’t using in other ways – such as for storing jewellery), they put the tins into the bag, seal it and take the pre-paid postage bag to their local post office to be sent directly to be recycled. From here, the tinplate is separated into bundle scrap mental to be used in new products. Speaking of the initiative in a release, Jenny Frankel, the brand’s CEO, said, “When we
Seven Upcycled Pieces to Make Your Closet More Eco-Friendly
April 22, 2020 at 02:09PM There are plenty of designers making old things new again—it’s a great way to curb the wastefulness of the fashion industry’s traditional production methods, and also results in garments and accessories that are incredibly unique. Looking to add something more environmentally-friendly to your wardrobe? Here are seven pieces of upcycled clothing (and a few accessories for good measure) to fit any budget. <div class="sjm-attachment-carousel–header gallery-container–vertical" data-slick='{"speed":400,"adaptiveHeight":true,"variableWidth":false,"centerMode":true,"centerPadding":"0","slidesToShow":1,"lazyLoad":"ondemand","prevArrow":"Previous”,”nextArrow”:”Next”}’ data-simplemodal=’false’ > 1/7 Aldgate dress ($492, The R Collective) This lightweight and versatile crepe dress will quickly become a staple thanks to its dreamy draped quality. Buy Now 2/7 Caravan mix flip flop bracelets ($16, Caravan and Company) Add to your arm party with this fun mix of bangles made from recycled flip flops. Buy Now 3/7 Dot insertion trouser ($365, Laugh By Lafaille) Spring forward with Montreal brand Laugh By Lafaille’s charming trousers, crafted with vintage textiles and a modern cut. Buy Now 4/7 Pop of colour t-shirt ($112, Zero Waste Daniel) Made from fabric scraps sourced by Fabscrap, a hub for facilitating a more circular fashion industry, this tee is anything but basic. 5/7 Cotton-blend jacket ($490, Myar) Everyone loves a good khaki jacket—this one comes with an off-beat Hawaiian shirt pattern on the back. Buy Now 6/7 Revivify blazer ($171, Blonde Gone Rogue) A boxy silhouette and asymmetrical detail give this blazer a business-meets-pleasure vibe. Buy Now 7/7 Meristem backpack ($554, Vanina) Food packaging refuse is a huge issue worldwide; this sweet bag made from a
Meet the Brands Giving Old Fabrics New Life Through Upcycling
April 22, 2020 at 02:00PM Canadian Julia Grieve pioneered the idea of upcycling when she founded Preloved 25 years ago; its offerings include T-shirts, sweaters and loungewear made with swatches of upcycled denim and wool. But despite the brand’s longevity and industry kudos, Preloved’s eco-minded ethos was eclipsed by the fast-fashion giants that dominated the 2000s. Now that the frightening facts about the environmental and ethical impacts of the garment industry have become inescapable, repurposing fashion has another opportunity to take hold, even at the designer level. “Upcycling is not something that is usually associated with luxury; however, I think this is changing,” says Natalie Kingham, fashion and buying director at MatchesFashion. “Brands such as Germanier and Chopova Lowena have shown that they can be considered incredibly fashion-forward in the luxury space and still have a focus on sustainability.” Whether it’s humble denim, vintage rugs or glittery lamé, there’s no limit to the textiles that today’s designers can breathe new life into. Here are some fashion brands that are upcycling their way into our hearts: M Missoni PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF m missoni In the fall of 2018, Margherita Missoni became creative director at the previously licensed M Missoni. “Before accepting, I started thinking about how I could give it a point of view while keeping it part of the Missoni world,” she says. She visited the storied brand’s archives and discovered a wealth of materials from its home decor line. The Spring 2020 collection features jackets and coats that incorporate
The Dos and Don’ts of At-Home Brow Maintenance
April 21, 2020 at 10:41PM Going to a salon for your regular wax, threading, tinting — whatever your brow-shaping fix — session is a far-fetched dream during this isolation period. And with more weeks of being cooped up at home in sight, many of us may feel the need to resort to taking at-home brow maintenance into our own hands. The last thing we want is for you to come out of quarantine with botched, over-plucked brows, so we’ve tapped local eyebrow groomer and makeup expert Haley Bogaert, who’s also the founder of Toronto beauty salon studio Haley Bogaert Face, for her top need-to-knows before you go pruning any hairs with tweezers yourself. And note: If you’re already dealing with too-thin eyebrows, this current WFH reality is a prime opportunity to let your brows grow. Read Bogaert’s tips for acing your at-home brow maintenance below: Beauty pro Haley Bogaert Set a guide and don’t go overboard: “The most common mistake is when you take too much hair off on your own and try to create a shape. My recommendation is that when doing brows yourself, only lightly tweak as opposed to over grooming. I find that people tend to go too far into the front and tale of the brow, which are the two most important areas. I always suggest staying one finger away from all parts of the brow when tweezing. Whether you are tweezing the top, bottom, front or tail of the brow, always ensure that you are
Here’s What Drake, the Friends Cast, and Other Celebs Are Auctioning for COVID-19 Relief
April 21, 2020 at 08:30PM The All In Challenge was launched last week by Philadelphia 76ers owner Michael Rubin and has already roped in names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Gwyneth Paltrow, Drake, Ryan Reynolds and Justin Bieber. “Together what we want to do is literally build the largest movement with all the best entertainers, celebrities, athletes, business titans, coming together to make a real impact on this issue,” Rubin said on Twitter when launching the initiative. The goal is to encourage celebrities to offer one-of-a-kind experiences and items in an “auction” that people can enter to win, with a donation as low as $10. 100% of the funds raised will be donated to Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry and America’s Food Fund, which directly benefits World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. Some of the items up for auction include a hand-beaded Calvin Klein dress that Gywneth Paltrow wore to the 2000 Oscars. “I’m donating a dress I wore to the Oscars (and that holds great sentimental value!) which I will personally hand to you over a cup of tea or a glass of wine,” wrote Paltrow on Instagram. View this post on Instagram In an effort to focus on organizations providing food assistance, I have joined the #allinchallenge which is raising money for @mealsonwheelsamerica, @nokidhungry, @wckitchen, @feedingamerica and @americasfoodfund. I am donating a dress I wore to the Oscars (and that holds great sentimental value!) which I will personally hand to you over a cup of tea or a glass