WARDROBE CRISIS with Clare Press

(Trigger warning: this interview contains a brief reference to suicide.)This week's interview is with brilliant writer and activist Professor Jennifer Finney Boylan. Her memoir She's Not There, A Life in Two Genders is a must-read, as are her New York Times columns.For many years, Jenny was the co-chair of GLAAD's board of directors. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kinsey Institute for Research on Sex, Gender and Reproduction, and she advised and appeared on the TV series I Am Cait with Caitlin Jenner. But wait - there's more: Jennifer Boylan's big TV moment was on Oprah, and you're going to hear all about that.We discuss the transgender experience, and the detail of Jennifer's journey. We talk about the role and limitations of clothes in communicating identity, how fashion represents status, the moral imagination, why Kris Jenner believes in the power of the stylist, and fighting bigotry in Trumpland. Join the conversation - follow Clare in Instagram and TwitterDon't miss the show-notes

Blue jeans were invented by Jacob Davis and Levis Strauss in the 1870s. They were worn by gold miners and cowboys, then James Dean, Marlon Brando, American teenagers and rock stars. If you want to talk about the history of cool, Levi's was there. From Debbie Harry and The Ramones to Jim Morrison - they all wore Levi's. And did you also know that Levi's introduced women's jeans in 1934, when skirts were the norm? The company has also been active raising money and awareness in the fight against AIDs since the '80s. So there's a lot to love about this brand.But how sustainable is Levi's? This week, we hear from Levi's Vice-President of Sustainability, Michael Kobori. He started out in human rights, and joined Levi's in 1995. He's seen the conversation move from sweatshops and corporate social responsibility (CSR) to new gen materials, life cycle assessments, worker wellbeing and carbon emissions. Join the conversation - follow Clare in Instagram and TwitterDon't miss the show-notes each week on clarepress.c

CHOOSE LIFE, EDUCATION NOT MISSILES, WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR BAN NOW, SAVE THE FUTURE, and more recently, CANCEL BREXIT...just a few of the iconic slogan T-shirts designed by this week's guest over the years.Designer Katharine Hamnett is one of the pioneers of modern British fashion. She invented the much copied slogan T-shirt, was the first winner of the British Fashion Council's 'Designer of the Year' award (in 1984), and championed organic cotton long before it was trendy. This year marks her 40th in the industry.In 1989, her research into fashion's environmental & social impact horrified her. She lobbied the industry to act for change, but with little success. She campaigned directly on issues such as the use of pesticides and the plight of cotton farmers, and badgered her licensees to reduce the environmental and social impact of her collections. But it was a war before its time. She took the decision to wind down her brand – ripping up licences – until production methods could meet her environ

We don't talk very much about mindfulness in fashion, but it's not like the two are mutually exclusive. If the opposite of sustainable fashion is thoughtlessly buying more and more clothes and getting rid of them after just a few wears, then mindfulness surely has a place.Fashion journalist Bandana Tewari is a former Vogue India editor who now writes for Business of Fashion, and speaks globally on India's rich tradition of fashion craftsmanship. This episode covers that but from a unique perspective: Bandana's been developing a theory around what we can learn from the great Indian activist Mohandas Gandhi (mahatma means high-souled in Sanskrit). It was Gandhi who lead the khadi movement, uniting Indians in opposition to British colonial rule around the issue of cotton production. How did he develop his sartorial integrity, and what can we learn from that in today's context of hyper-consumerism. As powerful argument as we ever heard in support of the idea that clothes do matter...Join the conversation - follow

In 2011, Arizona Muse landed a Prada contract and a 14-page story in American Vogue, with Anna Wintour comparing her to Linda Evangelista and Natalia Vodianova. She's since become a familiar face on Vogue covers everywhere (including Vogue Paris, British vogue plus she's graced 3 Australian Vogue covers). But these days Arizona has new priorities.Today she is using her platform to help the industry that she loves transition to a more sustainable future. She's been working with The Sustainable Angle, curating showcases of young sustainable designers with her friend Rebecca Corbin-Murray, and she plans to set up a consultancy.This episode is about following your dreams, diving into new worlds, reinvention, and learning. It's the story of a woman we knew for one reason, her beauty, changing the conversation around her, to focus outward. Join the conversation - follow Clare in Instagram and TwitterDon't miss the show-notes each week on clarepress.com - they're packed with links and extra info.See omnystudio.

Meet the millennial behind cult New Zealand label Maggie Marilyn. We hear a lot about how the Gens Y and Z are more woke, more into sustainability and of course more worried about climate change and the environment - why wouldn't they be? These are the generations that are going to inherit the mess that's been made. They are already inheriting it.Find out why designer Maggie Hewitt is determined to do fashion differently, how she sold her very first collection to Net-A-Porter and gets most excited about seeing her clothes worn by women she doesn't know in the street. Yep, even though Megan Markle, Kendall Jenner and Rose McGowan are fans.The brand launched in 2016, and is Made in New Zealand. Big on pink, but never simply pretty, these clothes evoke a sense of feminine strength and speak to the designer's passion for sustainable production and materials. (BTW, who wants to move to New Zealand?!)Join the conversation - follow Clare in Instagram and TwitterDon't miss the show-notes each week on clarepress.com -

The mainstream fashion production process is extremely wasteful. The whole system is built on over-ordering, taking a punt on how much will sell, and writing off over-production. This leads to shocking amounts of pre-consumer textiles and garments being landfilled or incinerated - according to some estimates, 1/3 of all the fashion ever produced it never sold.Australian made-to-order T-shirt company Citizen Wolf is using big data and algorithmic power to disrupt this. And they plan to take on the world. Can it work? How did founders Zoltan Csaki and Eric Phu build it? This thought-provoking discussion looks into the fashion crystal ball to imagine a leaner, greener, more responsive manufacturing future.For links and further reading, check out the show notes here.Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast in iTunes, and join the conversation on social media. You can find Clare on Instagram and Twitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fashion has a long association with craft, but what about fashion activism? Could we stitch out way to a better world?Meet the author of How to be a Craftivist and founder of Craftivist Collective. Sarah Corbett believes, “If we want a world that is beautiful, kind and fair, shouldn't our activism be beautiful, kind and fair?”This Episode is a call to arms for fashion change-makers, a demonstration of the persuasive nature of gentle activism, and the wonderful idea that together we might stitch a rebellion, sweep out the status quo and usher in a fairer world in fashion and beyond.Happy Fashion Revolution Week! For links and further reading, check out the show notes here.Are you a craftivist? Would you like to be? We'd love to know what you think. Find Clare on Instagram & Twitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As we gear up to Earth Day on April 22, we're thinking about living more lightly on the planet. This year's theme is Protect Our Species, and one of the quotes that inspired it is from Rachel Carson, who said, “In nature nothing exists alone.”This week's podcast guest is proof of that. She is Natalie Isaacs, the super-inspiring Australian movement builder behind 1 Million Women. Natalie is one-woman powerhouse who decided to harness that power of other women - heck, the whole of womankind! - to start a lifestyle revolution to fight climate change. We discuss connectivity, community and staying focused, plus the fact that the strangest routes can lead you to where you want to be. How did Natalie transition from cosmetics producer (and plastic polluter) to eco warrior? What kickstarted the process, and kept her going? How does she bring others along with her? And how can you?“We as individuals and as citizens of the world have a) and obligation and b) the power," she says. "We have g

Who's up for stopping our wasteful ways and reimagining trash as a resource? This week's guest is proving fashion can be made from entirely from recycled materials.He is Javier Goyeneche, president and founder of Ecoalf, the Spanish clothing company that pioneers high-tech new materials made from waste.If you're a sustainability nerd, you've no doubt heard of Ecoalf. It was Spain's first B-corp and Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan - a few years back she did a collab with them for Goop.They've developed fabrics from used coffee grounds, cotton waste from the cutting room floor, old fishing nets and car tyres and ocean plastic, and they've created a cult brand in the process, focused on timeless sporty pieces designed to last.We've all heard of recycled poly made from discarded PET bottles, some even collected from our shorelines and beaches. But Javier set his sights on cleaning up the open ocean. The Ecoalf Foundation has partnered with thousands of fishermen in Spain and Thailand to fish for the ocean plastic that's

Have you heard that phrase: from seed to garment? Probably, right? Because most natural textiles are grown in the Earth. Around 24% of textiles are made from cotton, while hemp, linen and wool all depend on soil. But how often does fashion get its fingernails into the actual dirt?Perhaps it ought to start, because according to the UN, globally, one third soil is degraded. If we carry on like this, we could lose all of our precious topsoil in 60 years. Fashion isn't entirely to blame, but it certainly has it's part to play. Our guest this week is Swiss-born Londoner with a Masters degree in sustainable agriculture, who is now taking on the fashion world. Nina Marenzi runs The Sustainable Angle, which stages the Future Fabrics Expo. It's all about what she calls ‘diversifying the fibre basket'  - or rethinking fashion materials.The Expo showcases 1000s of fabrics that can help lighten fashion's environmental footprint, from organic and eco-friendly versions of our staples, to recy

Is sustainable fashion elitist? Does fashion contribute to poor body image and eating disorders by perpetuating a single, unattainable beauty ideal? What can we do about fashion's diversity problem? How do we, as consumers of fashion, navigate all this? "You can't do it all at the moment,” says this week's guest. “You have to make choices based on your values and those are your personal ethics.”Sass Brown is an English designer, educator and the author of Eco Fashion. For many years, Sass taught at FIT in New York. She was the Founding Dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI). She has purple hair, is a dedicated thrifter and has her shoes made by hand. But actually, this is not an interview about a life in fashion...In this conversation, we focus on how fashion shapes our collective image, and how and why we allow it to dictate culture, and often get it so wrong.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See acast.com/privacy for privac

This episode is about purpose, co-creation and building a social enterprise with a friend. It's about fashion with a heart, and following your dreams. Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah are Studio 189, a social enterprise fashion, lifestyle and media brand based between New York and Ghana, that won the CFDA Sustainable Fashion Initiative Award last year.They work in countries with valuable skills but little infrastructure and limited access to markets, to help build the creative economy of the African fashion industry.You no doubt know Rosario for her film work - she was discovered at 15 sitting on her New York stoop by Harmony Korine, who cast her in his cult hit, Kids. Since then she's been in major movies from Sin City to Men in Black to Rent. She's also an activist. In 2004 she co-founded Voto Latino, to encourage young Hispanic and Latino voters to become more politically involved. She sits on the board of Eve Ensler's V-Day's One Billion Rising, a global protest to end violence against

You know it: Stella McCartney does the eco things first. Whether it's making all things green super-cool, proving non-leather accessories can compete with traditional animal leather in the luxury market, or bringing the circular fashion conversation mainstream, this fashion brand leads the way.So who makes all this happen? There's McCartney herself, of course - the designer is a visionary greenie. But no woman is an island. Claire Bergkamp has her back.Meet Stella McCartney's Worldwide Sustainability & Innovation Director. A self-confessed fibre nut, Claire started out as a costume designer in LA before switching lanes to study sustainability in London. There, she found her calling.Six years ago Claire joined the Stella McCartney brand to head up sustainability; she was a team of one. Today she runs a team based in London and Italy. Her work is disruptive and tend-setting - from rethinking traditional supply chains to working with startups on new circular materials, Claire is changing the way fashion is p

VOGUE once called him a “high-end scavenger”. Meet Dutch designer Ronald Van Der Kemp - the "sustainable couturier" behind RVDK. Fans include Lady Gaga and Kate Moss, Emma Watson and Lena Dunham.While he was still in college, Ronald wrote a thesis on fashion and nature, and designed a collection using vintage materials. He then spent two decades working in luxury fashion for the likes of Barney's, Bill Blass, Guy Laroche and Celine.Now he's come full circle. Today, brand RVDK - which shows at Paris couture week - focuses on sustainability, and uses reclaimed, vintage and archival fabric.  Ronald describes his approach to couture as: “Dressing ageless strong personalities that expect exclusivity, originality and high quality.''In this interview, recorded in his Amsterdam atelier ahead of his Spring ‘19 couture show, Clare and Ronald discuss the balancing ethics and integrity with glamour and fun. Yes, that is possible.Check out our shownotes. Links, pics and further readi

Meet London fashion star Amy Powney: an eco pioneer in polka dots and pearls, who grew up off-grid in a caravan and is simply not content to let fashion off the sustainability hook. Amy is the creative director of Mother of Pearl , a British sustainable luxury womenswear brand that celebrates individuality and authenticity.Known for its dark florals, satin bows, ruffles and outsized faux-pearl trims, you could never accuse Mother of Pearl of being homespun or beige. Amy's putting the glamour and fun into sustainable style. But she's also dead serious about making change and acting now to protect the planet.Most brands don't talk about sustainability at all. Those that do, tend to stick to a few obvious, safe things. But Amy's all like, let's take over London Fashion Week, and convince BBC Earth to make a film about the environmental impacts of fast fashion. Let's talk seriously about the future of this planet of ours, about climate change, about water use and about what needs to happen to turn

Fashion schools everywhere are full of eco warriors and bright, brilliant kids who are determined to do fashion differently. London is the leader. Long known for its fashion creativity, this is the capital that produces the most vibrant student shows and earth-shaking emerging designers. The big international and Paris-based design houses look to London fashion schools like Central St Martins and the London College of Fashion for their future stars - but will they be seduced?Many in this new guard are questioning the validity of the exisiting fashion system, and asking if they want to be part of it at all. Now is a time of reinvention - young designers are redrawing fashion and re-imagining the way it might work in future. In this Episode, we hear from 3 young London-based ones to watch: Bethany Williams, Matthew Needham and Patrick McDowell.Find out why they care about sustainability and how they apply it to their work, what they're doing to combat fashion waste and redesign the whole system.Furthe

Welcome to Series 3! This Episode is a treat! It features Orsola de Castro, is one of the warmest, most generous, most knowledgable people working in sustainable fashion today. You may know her as the cofounder, with Carry Somers, of Fashion Revolution. But did you also know that she is the queen upcycling?In the that 1990s, after crocheting around the holes in a much-loved old jumper that she couldn't part with (although it was literally falling apart), she founded the fashion label From Somewhere. Her designs used only discarded, unloved, unwanted materials and turned them into the opposite: treasured, loved, wanted, and highly covetable.From Somewhere was stocked in stores like Browns in London, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, Orsola and her man Fillipo, who was also her business partner, did collaborations with the likes of Topshop, Jigsaw and Tesco. Later, they ran Esthetica, London Fashion Week's hub for sustainable for fashion.These days, Orsola teaches at Central St. Martins inspiring the next generat

Livia Firth is the Creative Director of sustainability consultancy Eco-Age, and the founder of the Green Carpet Challenge and Green Carpet Fashion Awards. She is a UN Leader of Change, a founding member of Annie Lennox's women's advocacy group The Circle, and was a co-producer on Andrew Morgan's ethical fashion documentary, The True Cost. Livia is also a warm and wonderful advocate for ethical and sustainable fashion, and an absolute treat to interview. We are so grateful to Livia for kicking off this, our brand sparkling new series 3 of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast!In Episode, Clare and Livia discuss what it means to be a fashion activist, and why the world needs more of us (yes, including you!). We cover the big stuff - garment worker dignity, living wages, social justice - and the glitzy stuff - influencers, social media and the power of fashion to change stories.Livia shares about her childhood growing up in Italy in a pre-fast fashion world, being “a ballbreaker” and starting a business with h

From front row to front bench? Why not? It's time we stopped considering fashion as simply fluffy. The industry is a giant global employer with serious impacts on the environment, and yet it is not traditionally associated with being active in the political arena or central to government policy.Our guest this week, on the final Episode of Series 2, is Londoner Tamara Cincik, founder of the British policy organisation Fashion Roundtable, who is derminted to change this. Her timing's pretty good.In the UK in June, the Environmental Audit Committe (a select committee of the House of Commons) announced it would be looking in to fast fashion, inquiring into the carbon, resource use and water footprint of clothing throughout its lifecycle, and looking at how clothes can be recycled, and waste and pollution reduced. Over the next few months, loads of industry insiders made submissions, and the mainstream headlines hummed with fashion and politics. It's about time, says Tamara, that fashion stepped up its engagement