From fire-retardant infant sleep-suits to designer T-shirts, the use of chemicals such as teflon and formaldehyde in clothes is ubiquitous, while heavy metals including chromium are widely used in leather tanning. However while the presence of hazardous chemicals in cosmetics and household cleaning products is relatively well-known, consumer awareness of toxic elements is rather low when … Continue reading
Every woman I know has found herself at some point in her life staring into her bursting-at-the-seams wardrobe with nothing to wear. But rather than hitting the shops and adding to the growing credit card balance and piles of clothes in your closet, how about shwopping instead? Shwopping (clothes swapping), also known as swishing, is a growing trend … Continue reading
Leopard is the most popular print in the fashion industry. Worn by tribal chiefs and sex symbols alike, it stands for danger and glamour. But the biggest danger is faced by the leopard itself: it is the most persecuted animal around the world for its skin. Leopards’ survival in the wild was the focus of the Caucasus Cat Summit … Continue reading
From heirs to the throne to pop princesses, celebrities – especially royal ones – have a profound influence on fashion. From Grace Kelly’s ethereal gowns to Princess Diana’s fashion forward statements to the modern classics worn by Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, we take inspiration from queens of style past and present. Their fashion choices can launch … Continue reading
Once a delicacy of choice of French kings, Russian tzars and Persian shahs alike, wild sturgeon caviar today has all but vanished from the world’s finest tables. The reason? Sturgeons from the Caspian Sea are today the most threatened group of animals in the world – all because of our insatiable appetite for their unfertilized … Continue reading
It is hard to believe but we’ve come to the last letter in the A to Z green-to-glam ideas challenge. Over the past six months, we have covered trends and textiles, lifestyle and luxury, pioneers and pundits, as well as the trials and tribulations of sustainable fashion. The final article in this series, dedicated to letter … Continue reading
Let’s face it: fashion is among the most ageist industries on the planet. We are used to seeing models in their early teens gracing the catwalk, designers in their twenties taking on major fashion brands, and those in their thirties being referred to as veterans of the industry. When I started this blog at the … Continue reading
This week’s letter in the green-to-glam ideas challenge is ‘X’, and it is a special one indeed. First, because in the English alphabet ‘X’ has the least number of words beginning with it. Second, because it is the first letter of my first name: Xenya. A little while ago, I was extremely flattered to be recognized with … Continue reading
From wool and leather to perfumes and fine foods, wildlife is a major source of raw materials for the luxury industry. However, the very sustainability of this value chain ultimately depends on the survival of animals and plants in the wild. With one in four mammals and nearly one in five reptiles now threatened with … Continue reading
I have this very green-and-glam friend who has Italian style in spades with some French je ne sais quoi thrown in. As I was drooling over her zebra print bag one day, she nonchalantly said: “Oh, I have plenty more like these that my grandmother had left me”. Needless to say, I was intrigued. And … Continue reading
green stilettos 