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Ethical fashion has infiltrated the mainstream, says Barney Jeffries. He talks to two designers and entrepreneurs exhibiting at this year’s Clothes Show Live to find out more about ethical careers in the fashion industry. Not so long ago, ethical fashion was an oxymoron. For an industry obsessed with beauty, little attention was paid to the ugliness of its environmental impact and business practices. Ethical clothing, where it did exist, tended to be a fringe concern, all shapeless smocks and scratchy fibres. No longer: ethical fashion has infiltrated the mainstream. Consumers spent some £43 million on ethical clothing in 2005. This may be a drop in the ocean compared to the billions spent in high street clothes shops, but the ethical sector is growing rapidly. Not only does this mean a better range of clothes for us to choose from, it makes the prospects for an ethical career in the fashion industry brighter than ever. Clothes Show Live A new generation of dynamic designers and entrepreneurs are determined to prove that doing good and looking good can go together. Several of these designers will be exhibiting at this year’s Clothes Show Live, which for the first time will feature ethical fashions in its “Fashion Conscience Zone”, and in the “Ethical Boutique” at the Eve Style Show, running alongside the event. A perfect time to start “The Clothes Show actually invited us, which is a great step forwards,” says Erin Tabrar, managing partner of Amana, whose designs are hand made from organic and eco-friendly materials and fairly traded. “The standard of ethical companies is getting better and better all the time. When we started, about 18 months ago, we really struggled to find suitable ethical fabrics, but now there’s some lovely stuff around.” Erin, 24, and creative partner Helen Wood set up Amana not long after graduating. Erin studied fashion management at the London College of Fashion, where she wrote her dissertation on fair trade fashion, while Helen, 25, had become interested in sustainable textiles and natural dyes studying fashion design at Central St Martins. “We wanted to do our own thing, and knew that if we did, it would have to be ethical,” says Erin. “There seemed to be a gap in the market for clothes that were ethical and also beautiful and fashionable. It was really a perfect time to start – there’s so much interest around.” Growing demand Phoebe Emerson, managing partner of ethical fashion company goodone, also exhibiting at the Clothes Show Live, has been similarly overwhelmed by the upsurge in interest. When ethicalcareers.org speaks to her, she’s just talked to The Sun, who want to feature some of goodone’s designs in an ethical fashion spread – an idea that would have been inconceivable just a couple of years ago. Having never seen herself as an entrepreneur, Phoebe’s surprised as anyone at goodone’s success. “If somebody had told me when I started university that I’d be doing this in a few years, I’d never have believed it,” she says. Starting out Phoebe, 25, studied history of design at Brighton, where she spent many an evening talking with her best friend, disaffected fashion student Nin Castle, about the negative side of the industry. “There were so many bad companies about, we decided we should start a good one, recalls Phoebe. “The name started off as a joke, but eventually that’s what happened.” Phoebe and Nin, 26, decided to concentrate on using recycled materials – an answer to the fashion industry’s inherently unsustainable obsession with newness and, more practically, a cheaper alternative to ethically-sourced fabrics. Already they’re struggling to keep up with the demand, and have been able to take on two fashion students on placements. An ethical advantage While the ethical fashion industry is growing, so too is the number of job seekers. “Demand definitely exceeds availability at the moment,” says Erin. “We get a lot of job applications, and from such good candidates. We can’t afford to take people on at the moment, but hopefully in a year or so we will.” This shouldn’t deter anyone who wants to make a go of it, however. “Start off interning somewhere,” suggests Erin. “Be prepared to work for little, or nothing, and grow with the company. Or do it yourself, like we did. People in the ethical fashion business are really nice, helpful and supportive.” Phoebe also encourages would-be fashion designers to set up their own ethical business. “I think we’ll be seeing many more young companies,” she says. “Make the most of the fact that you’re ethical, because it actually gives you an advantage from a press and PR point of view. But ethics alone aren’t enough – you’ve got to have a good product too.” Influencing the mainstream What about the rest of the fashion industry? Even in mainstream companies, there are increasingly opportunities for people who want to make a difference, particularly working in the supply chain. Big names like model Lily Cole and designer Stella McCartney have championed ethical and environmental issues, while global brands and high-street retailers have reacted to demand by introducing their own organic and fair trade lines – although so-called “ethical” standards vary greatly. Supply chain and demand “A lot of companies see the potential in the ethical market,” says Erin, “but unless it goes all the way through their supply lines and production methods, it’s really just a marketing thing.” Phoebe agrees that big changes have happened. “Huge high-street players are really taking notice now, but there’s still so much work to do,” she explains. And as if to prove the point, recent reports highlighted the use of child labour in factories making clothes for high street store Gap, which had introduced an ethical code three years ago. There may be a long way to go, but one thing seems certain: ethical clothes won’t be going out of fashion.
Amana goodone Clothes Show Live Fashion Conscience Zone London College of Fashion Central St Martins Gap
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