SPRING/SUMMER 2009
RAGS AND RICHES
AUTUMN/WINTER 08/09
CONFORM
Trade-fair fashion made from organic or sustainable fabrics that have been ethically sourced.
Catch us in the November issue of Marie Claire, You magazine (30 November) and in Grazia (20 October) - please see our press page for the articles. For enquiries on any of the featured items please contact Jenni Asiama at the AMA Consultancy on:
Tel: +44 (0)20 8778 8824
Email: info@theamaconsultancy.com
British designer Julia Smith creates designer fashion that ‘just happens' to be ethical. Julia sticks to her ‘trade-fair' philosophy by using only organic or sustainable materials, as well as supporting local trade by producing all her mainline collections here in the UK. Julia wants to encourage people to buy less often and to buy a better quality which will last - an investment for the future: ‘Buy beautiful' she says.
Having completed an MA at the London College of Fashion Julia was immediately snapped up by Alberta Ferretti in Italy. She left Ferretti to go to Ghana to work on a fair-trade design project, with women's co-operative ‘Global Mamas' - the resulting collection was a real hit in UK high street giant Topshop. It was only 14 months ago that she started ‘Julia Smith', yet already she has been highly acclaimed by fashionistas and journalists alike.
Julia Smith's ‘Rags and Riches' collection pays homage to the ethically-minded fashion-conscious woman.
Rags and Riches is an elegant, feminine collection which reflects a subtle contrast to Smith's signature masculine tailoring. While the emphasis is on rich textures and natural and sustainable fabrics - the subtle, decorative, details also play a pivotal role in this collection.
The 1920's are the main inspiration behind Rags and Riches; the decade when women first started liberating themselves from constricting fashion and when women's clothes changed along with their roles in modern society. Pleats and slits were introduced to skirts and dresses to allow motion into women's clothes and designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli began incorporating art deco into their fashion designs.
Featuring an array of pleats, frills, layers, along with beautiful, delicate, hand-painted, botanical embellishments and art deco digital prints and appliqués, Rags and Riches is the personification of British elegance and simplicity.
High-quality natural fabrics, such as hemp and silk/charmeuse, contrast sharply with matt hemp finishes, and soy and organic cotton mixes, while palettes comprise hues ranging from soft pastels to intense fuchsias, turquoise, lush greens and natural tones. Key looks include; tiered corset dresses, flapper-style dresses, tiered pencil skirts, retro mini-dresses and organic sheepskin leather belts and cuffs.
After completing her MA in Fashion Design and Technology, at London College of Fashion in 2006, Smith was head-hunted by the Italian designer, Alberta Ferretti, and was recruited to work on her ‘Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti' line.
In 2007, Smith collaborated with high street brand Topshop and ‘fair-trade' manufacturer ‘Global Mamas' - an international women's co-operative, which assists women in Africa to attain economic independence - which helped shape her eco-friendly and ethical leaning towards fashion.
All fabrics used in her collections are organic or sustainable and ethically sourced. Certification bodies include SKAL and the Soil Association. Smith supports local trade by manufacturing the entire collection in England.
In March 2008, the London Environment Centre awarded Julia Smith Level 1 of the Green Mark Environmental Award Scheme, for her dedication towards running and environmentally friendly ‘green' business.
Julia Smith exhibited in London and Paris from September - October 2008:
Atmopshere's Printemps/Ete - 3-6 October 2008
London Fashion Week
EFF Innovation stand at Estethica
