Conscious Revolution

I’m so delighted to be featured in the first-ever issue of the fantastic new online magazine – ‘Conscious Revolution

Detailing everything you need for achieving a more sustainable lifestyle and the changes we can all make for a healthier planet and future. With interviews, indie business features, recipes, healthy living tips, fashion, beauty and lunar forecasts… it’s an absolute must read!

To see the full magazine and be ready for February’s issue, head over to the facebook group here to download your copy and join the Conscious Revolution!!

The Vegan Closet: You Won’t Believe What Vegans Wear!

Guest post by Krystal Camilleri, animal rights campaigner and owner of the vegan boutique Vegan Scout

Vegans believe that humans, as a species, do not have a right to exploit and kill animals for their own means. Vegans support this cause in a practical sense by consuming a plant-based diet to avoid the brutal killing and exploitation of animals for meat, eggs and dairy. They also avoid animal cruelty by wearing clothes made from organic fabrics that don’t involve the use of animal skin or products. 

So practicing veganism doesn’t only involve a temporary change in your diet. Instead, veganism is about adapting a lifestyle choice that is as morally ethical as is practically possible. 

So, what clothes find space inside the vegan closet?   

What do Vegans Wear?

How many times have you seen a person wear a vegan slogan t shirt and wondered what it’s made from? There are high chances that the vegan slogan t-shirt you saw was made from an environmentally friendly and cruelty free organic fabric. 

In general, vegan clothing includes garments which do not contain any animal products at all. Below is a list of the natural fabrics which are highly popular among vegans for good reason. 

Linen

Linen is a well-liked fabric. The best part about it is that it gets softer and stronger with more usage, so it is a long-lasting fabric. Linen can also absorb moisture levels up to 20% of its weight before it starts to feel damp. This makes linen a perfect choice for vegans who live in high humidity areas. 

Moreover, unlike fabrics like wool (which involve animal cruelty), linen dries much more quickly. If you wear clothes made from linen, they easily release moisture into the air and keep you dry and cool. This is why linen is a very popular fabric in countries with hotter weather conditions. Linen is also known to be a non-allergenic fabric so it’s ideal for people with sensitive skin. 

Another impressive fact about linen is that it is environmentally friendly to grow. Linen crops actually require fewer fertilizers and pesticides to grow. The fabric is also biodegradable and recyclable. All these qualities make linen a perfect vegan fabric.

Organic Cotton

The next type of fabric that finds its way inside the closet of a vegan is organic cotton. Organic cotton is cotton which is grown without the use of harmful chemicals. As a result, it does not have any damaging effects on the environment. 

Moreover, growing organic cotton is actually beneficial for the environment because it improves the soil quality and uses less water. Organic cotton is also known for being easier to clean than other fabrics. It dries faster and also feels lighter and softer against your skin. Many vegans prefer to invest in clothing made from organic cotton as this fabric is well worth the price. 

Lyocell

Lyocell is a type of material which is made from wood pulp. It is produced through an environmentally friendly manufacturing process which re-uses production chemicals. This fabric is also easily recyclable and biodegradable which add to the reason of its appeal to vegans. Its incredible wicking abilities also keep the skin dry.

The best part about the fabric lyocell is that it is naturally wrinkle-free. Lyocell is a great alternative to silk because it feels very soft and also drapes well. Furthermore, lyocell can be easily washed or dyed. Lyocell is a fabric that can be made available in any colour you like, plus can be woven to mimic the qualities of various fabrics like wool, leather, and suede. 

SeaCell

The next popular vegan fabric worth mentioning is SeaCell. SeaCell is manufactured by grounding dried seaweed and introducing it into cellulose fiber. This material has a very porous structure which makes it a great breathable fabric. It is also a perfect choice of fabric for keeping yourself cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

The brown algae that is a component of this material is very good for the skin. It has many important benefits like activating cell regeneration, re-mineralizing skin, reducing inflammation and soothing itchiness. These skin benefits are the reason why vegans like to make this innovative fabric a part of their wardrobe. 

Modal Made from Beech Tree Fibre

Modal is a type of rayon fabric which is made from renewable fibre of beech trees. As the base material in this fabric is obtained from a natural source, this fabric is considered to be a ‘natural synthetic’.

Another notable quality of this fabric is that it does not need to be ironed. Modal is a wrinkle-free fabric and it is often referred to as “artificial silk.” It is a very silky and smooth fabric and generally drapes and dyes well.

Unlike fabrics like wool, the structure of modal fabric does not get weakened by exposure to water. This means clothes made from modal fabric will retain their shape and strength long into the future. 

Last Few Words

Choosing environmentally friendly fabrics in clothing is not as easy as it seems. 

Certain well-known fabrics that contain animal products, like leather, fur and wool, are easy to avoid. However, other fabrics may contain animal components that are not very simple to identify. It’s important for clothing brands to responsibly include detailed labels on their garments. Labels detailing the fabric’s components will help consumers make wiser decisions that are aligned with their vegan ethics. 

We hope this article has helped to introduce you to some new and impressive vegan fabrics. The next time you head out to buy a team vegan shirt, remember to double check that the fabric it’s made from is also vegan. This way, you can proudly wear your vegan shirt knowing you played your part in a kinder world and a cleaner environment. 

Author Bio:

Like most vegans, Vegan Scout founder Krystal Camilleri has an intense desire to empower humans to embrace a vegan lifestyle and create a cruelty-free, sustainable future. While living in North Queensland, Australia (aka Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest territory), and operating a boutique marketing agency, Krystal set out to develop a brand with a purpose. Vegan Scout have a wide range of vegan women’s clothing as well as men clothing. It is a brand that is kind to the planet that supported her values and had the potential to accelerate one of the most important social justice and environmental movements of our time – veganism. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, to the products we buy and the businesses we support, every choice we make is a statement.

Eco-Mischief​ back in stock

Being rude has never been so ethical
Fully restocked and now up to a size XL. 
The only naughty bit about these t-shirts is the slogan… All organic cotton and ethically sourced using natural eco dyes only.

Bring out your mischievious side and choose the slogan T-shirt that says it best for you!

See the full organic cotton slogan t-shirt collection here

Up to no good

I’ve been on the caffeine again! Here I am customising another vintage denim jacket. I love getting messy and creating something new out of something old. Reworking & up cycling vintage clothing is a passion of mine and the fact that I get to do it as my job is pretty cushty!

Been on the Caffeine again!
Been on the caffeine again!As well as making a mess and giving the walls a splash of colour, I’ve been busy painting vintage denim jackets. Revamped, reworked and revived, they’re in store now and ready to RoCk n RoLL!https://thestellarboutique.com/product-category/fashion/clothing/…
Posted by The Stellar Boutique on Wednesday, 13 November 2019

Check out my reworked, custom denim jacket collection here

I also offer a unique personalised customisation service where you can have pretty much anything you like on pretty much anything you like! See the ‘Customised your jacket‘ details here.

Turning Japanese

This lovely lady bought one of my vintage Japanese Kimonos at the weekend and has just sent me these fabulous photos! She had been looking for an original, full length silk kimono in purple for a long time and luckily enough our paths crossed! Here it is being worn so beautifully and traditionally in all its glory. Thanks krys, absolutely stunning 💜

Power To The Peaceful

Our original vintage military range, customised and reworked to promote love not war, are now back in stock and ready for some action!

Get yours here before they’re gone…

Reworked vintage military fashion

The Guardian – is vintage the most eco way to shop?

Totally delighted to have got my 2 pence worth in for an article on vintage & sustainability for The Guardian.

I’m thrilled to be part of such an important conversation in such a major publication.
Viva la Vintage!

See the full article here!

Like it or loathe it, when Kim Kardashian wears something, people take notice. With the reality TV star wearing secondhand Azzedine Alaïa to Paris fashion week, secondhand Jean Paul Gaultier to a party and a secondhand 1990s Thierry Mugler gown to an award ceremony, it suggests change is afoot. Who would have thought that Kardashian – a woman worth $350m (£270m), who usually wears Balmain and bodycon – would be making a case for sustainable fashion?

As consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, they are looking for a more sustainable way to shop. Could buying secondhand be the answer?

Vintage, it seems, is increasingly in vogue across the board, from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who wore 1960s Dior to a christening, to its appearance in British Vogue (the May issue asks: “Does your dress look vintage?”), to high street stores H&M, Arket and & Other Stories announcing they would trial vintage and secondhand clothes sales on their websites. High-end boutique Browns has also just launched the label One Vintage, which uses antique textiles to create new garments. Octavia Bradford, the womenswear buyer for Browns, says: “Sustainability is the loudest conversation in fashion right now.”

A study shows that, last year, 64% of women were willing to buy pre-owned pieces compared with 45% in 2016 – and it is thought that by 2028, 13% of the clothes in women’s wardrobes are likely to be secondhand. Fashion circularity, a new term referring to the recycled life of a garment, is projected to reach $51bn in five years, up from the current $24bn, according to ThredUp’s annual resale report.

The Stellar Boutique Press publicity image
 The Stellar Boutique Photograph: Publicity Image

Stella McClure, the founder of the online shop The Stellar Boutique, has noticed a shift. When she opened 20 years ago “there was still a stigma attached” – conjuring images of the yellow sweat patches and emotional baggage people often associate with used clothing. “But now (thankfully) it is not just acceptable – it’s cool and has completely captured the fashion zeitgeist,” she says.

Vintage has been venturing on to the high street in fits and starts – in 2000, Portobello Road’s Peekaboo Vintage was welcomed into Topshop’s Oxford Circus flagship store. In 2010, Asos launched its Marketplace, which helped to bring vintage wares to a much wider – and crucially, online – audience.

If the trend has waned of late, this has been purely about aesthetics – minimalism replaced boho chic, and modernity was more in demand than 1970s florals. But fashion has shifted. Aside from an increased awareness of sustainability, vintage fashion fits neatly into the wider mood of the Instagram age, where authenticity and originality – not being seen in the same outfit as anyone else – are highly prized. What better way to stand out than to wear clothes few others are likely to own?

Fashion tends to mine the past. But many of today’s most exciting young designers, from punk-revivalist Charles Jeffrey to James Theseus Buck and Luke Brooks of Rottingdean Bazaar, are looking to decades before they were born for inspiration. “High-end design teams are referencing past eras,” says Nicky Albrechtsen, the author of Vintage Fashion Complete. She refers to the prairie-style dresses of Erdem and Zimmermann, “reminiscent of the nostalgic fashions of the 70s”, as well as cult brands such as The Vampire’s Wife and Batsheva.

“Seeing such strong references on the catwalk gives confidence to fashionistas to embrace the original dresses and showcase original pieces in a modern way,” says Albrechtsen. According to Scarlet Eden, a vintage buyer at Beyond Retro, if the pieces the high street produces are based on vintage trends: “We’re able to offer customers the original looks.”

Vintage naysayers who may have been put off in the past by thoughts of rummaging around in jumble-sale-like basements may be persuaded by the ability to buy online. “The popularity of online vintage shops is great for those who don’t have access to everything a city such as New York has to offer,” says Gabriel Held, described by Vogue as “Instagram’s most celebrated vintage dealer”.

But it is not all rosy: opening up the market with numerous online shops has meant less quality control. Held sees “a lot of mediocre used clothing being marketed as vintage … Something doesn’t have to be 20 years old to be considered vintage, but, for me, if it’s not true vintage, then it should be something extraordinary.”

This is where the lines blur between secondhand and vintage. For Albrechtsen, vintage means any era up to the early 80s, while Eden and McClure consider it to be clothing that is more than 20 years old. Held says his definition “is not set in stone” – he even has some contemporary pieces in his own archive “that I know will be collectible in 10 years’ time”.

Virginia Bates, whose Notting Hill vintage emporium attracted the likes of Naomi Campbell and Donatella Versace before it closed in 2012, used to stock items from the end of the 19th century. Her definition of vintage runs “up to the 1920s, 30s, a bit of 40s, occasionally 50s … I don’t consider 60s vintage. I would never have sold that because I was there, I was wearing it.” But, as she says: “With another generation coming up, the 60s is the equivalent of what I thought of as antique when I opened my shop.”

Vintage 1970s Brown Tooled Floral Leather Shoulder Bag from Peekaboo Vintage
Vintage 1970s Brown Tooled Floral Leather Shoulder Bag from Peekaboo Vintage
Photograph: Asos Marketplace

Albrechtsen says: “Many professionals now include any [era]-defining garments – by which I mean iconic or clever designs.” This is where the resurgence and reverence of certain 90s styles comes in, arguably spearheaded by cult Peckham shop Wavey Garms. “Nineties sportswear is,” according to Albrechtsen, “very clever in terms of design … so it still works now.” Little surprise, then, that it has filtered down to more mainstream vintage outlets – Beyond Retro, for example, is always well-stocked with Champion sweatshirts.

The flames of this “less vintage vintage” are also being fanned by the rise of resale sites. According to the ThredUp 2019 resale report, resale has grown 21 times faster than apparel retail in the past three years. These luxury sites offer a glimmer of hope to those seeking a more affordable way to buy into designer fashion.

Not content to sit back and watch others profit from their vintage items, some luxury labels are relaunching decades-old designs from their own archives. Last year, for instance, Dior brought back its saddle bag because of the attention it was getting in the vintage fashion market. In February, Fendi brought back its Carrie Bradshaw-approved baguette bag from 1999 – luxury resale website Vestiaire Collective had seen a 558% increase in sales of the bag since January last year. “Every brand is currently developing a point-of-view on how to coexist with secondhand,” ThredUp cofounder and chief executive James Reinhart recently told the Business of Fashion.

Of course, for some, buying vintage will never feel quite right. “It’s really not my bag,” says Bates. There are obvious pitfalls – sizing isn’t uniform, and, she says: “You have to be so careful to look for holes and moths and rips.”

But being able to call a 90s hoodie, a Dior bag from the 00s, or a dress first worn by Naomi Campbell in 1996 “vintage”, might just help to keep the appeal going. As Bates puts it: “At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter … the most important thing is that it’s recycled – it encourages people not to go out and buy more.”

2019 Fashion Trend Report

 guest post by Ffion Lovelock

2019 Fashion Trend Report; the year of empowerment, femininity and exhibiting confidence. It is the year of feeling comfortable in your own skin and wearing adaptable pieces that can cater to every woman. So what pieces exactly are we introducing, or more so, what are we bringing back this year?

Well, 2019 certainly looks like the year of some old favourites returning to our shelves. From prairie dresses to padded shoulders, we are taking things old school as we edge towards a brand new decade. Quite clearly showing that vintage is set to be popular this year, why buy new when it has all been done before? When everyone is shopping in the same sort of stores, you could be wearing a one-of-a-kind piece. Take the boiler suit for example, the return of its utility design can offer both an echo of the 30s working woman that foreshadows the feminine takeover that this year’s fashion trends have forecast, as well as an 80s vintage vibe that reflects a time where women really started to wear whatever the hell they wanted.

Utility (Elle, 2019)

Furthermore, in terms of styles and accessories, Neo-tailoring is set to take off this year for both men and women, with its strong looks being debuted recently on the catwalks by the likes of Balenciaga and Dior. Again, this style echoes classic 90s chic and sophistication. Another reason to seek out your vintage stores this year. On the bag front, we are going for small, cute and totally impractical this year. Oh yes, it’s the mini bag; a style that is more of a street-style statement than of any use to holding things. Still, some of our favourite designers seem to love it and it seems like this year we are all expected to fall in love with them too.

Neo-Tailoring (Elle, 2019)

 

The Mini Bag (Who What Wear, 2019)

When it comes to print’s we are sticking with animal print this year, which shows that the trend really does live on forever and so you are always best to hang on to any past statement pieces since you never know when everyone is going to start rocking snake-print all over again. The catwalks have been showcasing a lot of elegant leopard prints and proving the versatility of the beloved feline design. On top of this, we can expect to say ‘hello’ to some patchwork and some potential punk or preppy looks with coloured tartan as these busy prints are set to grace our high street stores and make for a very visually busy and colourful 2019.

Now to realise just how colourful fashion this year will be, colour schemes and palettes this year are expected to boast beige and lavender tones – a sophisticated palette which oozes confidence and Parisian chic. As both soft colours, we surely can expect something a little more crazy in the year of being bold, right? Well, of course. 80s neon is coming back, and you can expect to see fluorescent oranges, yellows, pinks and greens (basically the usual colours within a highlighter pack) to be widely popular throughout the course of the year. The high-street is already jumping on the bandwagon, the catwalk is labelling it ‘The Prada Effect’ and any clothes you have left over from the ’80s could be put to very good use if you are wanting to express your inner Madonna or Cyndi Lauper.

Neon (Harpers Bazaar, 2019)

Lastly and most importantly, a trend in 2019 that is set to make a change is the ‘Global Citizen’, which takes into consideration our global footprint towards fashion and our behaviour as such frequent consumers of fast-fashion. With a wide focus on vegan materials, ethical fashion and being overall more ‘green’, introducing this ‘Wegoism’ to the fashion industry this year will hopefully be the starting point of a more positive worldwide outlook towards slow fashion.

So why not take a look at The Stellar Boutique for all of your 2019 throwbacks and take notice of how you could be a better ‘Global Citizen’ towards fashion through purchasing some vintage clothing that is returning to our stores this year. Let’s empower people to make a difference and to feel super confident, glam and on-trend in doing so.

By Ffion Lovelock @ffilovelock

Read more from Ffion on her blog – Life and Lovelock

Stellar New Year challenge

Setting new years resolutions is always a love / hate relationship. If you’re anything like me it generally goes a little like this… December 31st, reflect on the year gone by, feel motivated, inspired and full of promise for the year ahead, set unrealistic resolutions, and by mid January all recollection of those so-called goals have disappeared into oblivion and it’s back to the old routine! If this isn’t the case and you stick to your resolutions like glue then I applaud you! Carry on as you were (and please let me in on the secret of your success!)

But for the rest of us, following on from our previous post on sustainable fashion, set yourself a challenge to make this year count and (if you’re not already doing so) make a pledge to take steps towards a greener, kinder and more sustainable fashion future.

 Because let’s face it, you love the world of fashion (hence you’re here now reading this) that’s not gonna change and neither should it have to! But there are plenty of wardrobe changes (even if small) that we can make without going cold turkey on our fashion addiction. So let’s set ourselves an achievable New Years fashion resolution and stick to it. There’s so many simple but effective improvements to our shopping habits we can incorporate, whether it’s deciding to purchase quality over quantity and avoiding fast fashion, only purchasing from ethical brands, buying less but choosing well, recycling clothes by buying second hand items and thrift store shopping, keeping it circular (and interesting) by sticking to vintage fashion, making a point of wearing more of your ‘old’ clothes that you once loved but that no longer get a look in, upcycle, customise and rework tired old pieces, set up a swap shop with your friends to swap and share clothes so you always feel like you’ve got something new and keep your wardrobe fresh, do that big clear out you’ve promised yourself (you know, the one you promised yourself last January too) and take your unwanted clothes to recycle bins or donate them to a local charity. Whatever you decide, little by little, we can all make a big difference.

We’d love to know how you get on so tell us what you decide and keep us updated by sharing your progress using #stellarnewyear

We can all do our bit to stay more fashion conscious , keep fashion circular and kind.

So have fun with it and use the challenge as a catalyst to get even more creative with your wardrobe choices, upcycle, recycle, rework and rethink.

The possibilities are endless xx