Happy New Year! If you have been following the various word-of-the-year shortlists and design trends, you may have noticed that the Danish hygge has recently been dethroned by a new Scandinavian it-word – the Swedish lagom. Lagom is translated loosely into English as the Goldilocks principle of ‘not too little, not too much, just right’. While … Continue reading
Scarves are among the most versatile gifts, suitable for anyone from a hard-working assistant to a hard-to-please mother-in-law. And what could be better than a scarf in which every stitch has a positive story to tell? Recently I have come across three brands, all founded by women with a connection to Switzerland, which offer chic … Continue reading
Last weekend I was among the lucky visitors to the brand-new Louvre Abu Dhabi — a futuristic museum designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and the hottest new arrival on the global art scene. The museum’s concept is to show humanity in a new light, highlighting the commonalities across civilizations, cultures and religions. The crowd shuffling … Continue reading
As the last fiery autumn leaves give way to the first snowflakes, my mind is drawn to the events that took place 100 years ago this week: the Russian Revolution, which shaped much of the history of the 20th century, not least in fashion – back home and abroad. It might be a surprise for … Continue reading
Recently a budding designer asked me about sustainable and luxurious packaging options, and it made me think about this important yet often overlooked part of the product offering. Packaging is an $11 billion elephant in the room, according to the Sustainable Packaging Association, and it is essential to communicating the brand’s sustainability commitment. Although brown … Continue reading
By the end of this week, most students in the northern hemisphere have gone back to school. Yet learning is a life-long process, and the start of a new school year is a perfect opportunity to acquire new skills – be it basic sewing classes or a comprehensive university degree. Here is a roundup of … Continue reading
When I first got into slow fashion six years ago, I noticed a huge gap in the market for sustainable and stylish business wear. There was a dearth of great looking, ethical clothes that fit into our increasingly busy lifestyles: ones that require no ironing, are machine washable and easily transportable in one’s hand luggage. … Continue reading
Giving a talk at TEDxGeneva 2017 titled “Slow Fashion – Food for Thought?” was a dream come true! The experience was both nerve-racking and magical, and I am still under the event’s spell. It was a pleasure to work with the very talented and committed TEDxGeneva team and to bond with fellow speakers, each of whom had … Continue reading
From microfibres in your fleece jacket to the ubiquitous plastic straws, our oceans are choking with plastics. Each year, some eight tonnes of plastic are dumped into our seas. A portion of mussels could contain 7 micrograms of microplastics. And after years of scientists’ warnings, it seems that the dangers plastics pose to the marine … Continue reading
Horses for courses, as the saying goes, and lace rhymes with race. And not just any old horse racing event, but the race: Royal Ascot. Earlier this week, the Duchess of Cambridge caused a stir in her white Alexander McQueen lace dress on the opening day of this must-see event for both racegoers and fashionistas. … Continue reading
green stilettos 