Forever Fashion: Barking mad for Bow Wow pumps

Italian designers Moschino and Kartell have teamed up to create a colourful collection of recyclable shoes. These woven plastic ballet pumps, complete with the iconic Moschino bow, come in an array of eye popping colours to go with any outfit. Out in shops to buy now, I think mine will have to be worn with tights until the winter chill retreats!

Click to find out more.

Poppy

Forever Fashion: WRAP UP AGAINST POVERTY WITH CELEBRITY COAT AUCTION

Top celebrities are helping the fight against poverty by donating their coats to the Wrap Up Against Poverty winter coat auction being held by Elizabeth Finn Care.

Look as uber-trendy as Sienna Miller in her signed Anya Hindmarch for Barbour jacket which she has generous donated. Or follow the military trend in Christine Bleakley’s ultra-chic olive green coat with on-trend military detailing from Monsoon Fusion, or Tamara Ecclestone’s sophisticated black military style coat with gold buttons and frill from Daslu Sao Paulo.

Fearne Cotton has donated a funky faux fur hooded grey leopard print coat from her Very range and fashion house Burberry are offering a VIP shopping trip and the choice of one of their iconic trench coats up to the value of £800. Liking to be different fashion’s favourite Dame has donated a pair of Vivienne Westwood Melissa Lady Dragon Cherry-Green shoes!

There are 13.5 million people living below the poverty line in the UK and Elizabeth Finn Care is hosting the auction because it knows how difficult it is for people in financial need to afford essential winter clothing. Shockingly some 72 per cent of the people the charity helps had to go without new clothes before they came to Elizabeth Finn Care and the aim of the auction is to raise money to help buy more people in financial need essential clothes.

Britain’s Next Top Model finalist Joy McLaren modelled all the coats to show how stylish they can look and she said: “I loved all the coats, they all looked amazing. Hopefully people will cough up the cash, so as much as possible goes to this wonderful charity.”

The auction begins on eBay on Monday January 31st. Visit www.elizabethfinncare.co.uk.

Forever Fashion: SS11 Lu Flux Launches ‘Over The Hills and Far Away’

Ethical designer Lu Flux have just released their Spring Summer 2011 collection 'Over the Hills and Far Away' which quite frankly gives me butterfly's in my stomach.

The collection features collaborations with illustrator Neil O'Driscoll and footwear by Lu Flux for Green Shoes. With an emphasis on symmetry, pattern, intricate patchwork and floral details...this is what I'll be in come Spring!

Chuck

Forever Fashion: Glamourous Celebrities Highlight disadvantaged West African cotton farmers

It’s a star-studded bandwagon and now they’re on the march. Lisa Snowdon, Andrea McLean, Ali Bastian, Laura Bailey and a dozen other famous ladies have signed up to a major new Fairtrade Foundation campaign to shake up British fashion.

They are challenging Britain’s clothes buying public to help make fashion fairer to improve the lives of the 10 million West African people who rely on cotton for their livelihoods.

Today most West African growers and their communities suffer abject poverty because of unfair global trade rules. Lisa, Mica and Ali want to change that.

The plight of West African cotton farmers will be highlighted in a hard-hitting Fairtrade Foundation policy report launched at a reception in Central London in mid-November.

The report will reveal the billions of dollars in state subsidies given to rich American and European farmers enabling them to undercut the West African cotton industry which cannot hope to offer the same support to its poor farmers.

To show us all just how beautiful Fairtrade cotton can be and how easy it is to swap your look to Fairtrade, acclaimed photographer Trevor Leighton is working alongside hairdressers Darren Ambrose and Errol Douglas MBE, makeup artist Charlie Duffy, celebrity stylists Rachel Fanconi and Cheryl Konteh. Trevor has photographed the celebrities wearing part of a collection of Fairtrade cotton clothing from a range of retailers and brands. The collection of beautiful black and white photographs will be displayed at the fifth anniversary launch event in mid-November. It will then be exhibited in London after which it will tour the 500 Fairtrade Towns and colleges around the country.

The cotton campaign will also be a highlight of Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 (28 February – 13 March), when millions of people will campaign to draw attention to disadvantaged West African cotton farmers. Fashion lovers can look forward to seeing the launch of many new Fairtrade cotton clothing collections, including ranges designed by Emma Watson for People Tree and a range of designer Fairtrade cotton t-shirts for Sports Relief. For more information about activities on cotton in your area, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk .

The global financial crisis has affected the amount of cotton that Fairtrade farmers have been able to sell over the last year as consumers move towards low-priced, fast-moving clothing. But without consumer support, Fairtrade farmers may have little choice but to sell cotton for whatever price they can get. This increases the chances of families getting into debt, leading to a vicious circle of ill health, incomplete education and chronic hunger.

Forever Fashion: Ada Zandition at London Fashion Week

Images by Paul Perksy

Images by Carly Gordon

Amidst an industrial setting within Victoria house in Bloomsbury, the models of Ada Zandition’s newest collection slinked into the depths of their audience. A mix of inspired gothic floor-length gowns, archectuctual dresses and sharp tailoring all with a futuristic twist sashayed around artfully placed object d’art.  The stark white of the walls created a perfect blank canvas for this new collection of muted tones highlighted with bursts of colour and geometric pattern. Taking inspiration from architecture and the mathematics of nature, we saw structured dresses with 3d panels and shoulder pads take to the floor. This interesting mix of print and manipulated fabric were used to create almost kaleidoscopic effects throughout the collection whilst still managing to remain soft and feminine.

Aside from her unique use of design we also admire Ada for her take on today’s fashion. One with a strong environmental conscience, she uses organic and sustainably sourced fabrics that are dyed with non-carcinogenic pigments and cut with minimal waste in mind. The idea of sustainability plays a great role in both her design and the execution of her garments, all to stunning effect.

Poppy

Forever Fashion: Winter Coats for 2010

Looking for a warm and stylish winter coat that's eco-friendly, ethical and planet-loving? Then look no further...We have rounded up the best coats of the season for you lovely readers! All to suit your own personal budgets and ranging from recycled, upcycled, vintage and eco. No need to thank us.

From Left:
1. White Herringbone Vintage Coat, Rokit:  £55.00
2. Grace Fleece Jacket, People Tree: £65
3. Eco Life of Riley Coat, Lu Flux: Contact for prices & availability
4. From Somewhere Upcycled Coat: £640
5. Grey Felt Recycled Coat, Oxfam Online: £50
6. Red Vintage Cape, Rokit: £45
7. White Eco Coat, Bodkin: Contact Bodkin for details
8. Cosy Black Cape, Think Boutique: £95

Rachel

Forever Fashion: London Fashion Week, St Erasamus

Wow! London Fashion week 2010, what an amazing time we all had. This year myself, Carly and Poppy all managed to go and check out some fashion shows, get papped for style blogs and visit the ever-growing exhibition at Estethica.

There are some brilliant new collections and some new fashion labels that we discovered, which we will be posting up shortly. For now I want to show you the gorgeous St Erasamus SS2011 jewelry line, which I literally coveted from the second I saw it!  I visited the stand with the gorgeous Miss Eco Glam, who also models their collection and her lovely friend talented singer/songwriter Jo Briggs.

We all had great fun trying on the jewelry for (ahem) research purchases and the lovely designer Pieter on the stand indulged our every whim. I'm going to recommend these to any personal clients going to a big event and looking for some added wow factor!

The collection is all handmade and made under ethical circumstances with their workers. Pieter has previously worked for designers Givenchy, Matthew Williamson, Roberto Cavalli and Alexander McQueen. I'm sure his new collection will do just brilliantly for SS2011.

Rachel