Outsider Fashion stands for a concept combining a unique sustainable shopping platform and ethical collection line by designer Noorin Khamisani. The UK-based brand is proudly using only natural, sustainably sourced fabrics, such as organic cotton, merino wool, hemp, bamboo and tencel. Outsider Fashion believes that the key to shopping ethically is to replace all of your negative purchasing strategies, such as opting for cheap, low quality items providing zero supply chain information, with more positive ones, resulting in less waste and quality-controlled standards offering more versatility and longevity when it comes to your personal wardrobe. The founder joins Savant to discuss the future of fashion and changing consumer behaviour post the pandemic.
Words: Hanna-Amanda Pant
Image: Outsider Fashion
How did the unique Outsider Fashion platform and fashion brand start out?
While still working for conventional fashion brands, I started to question the way in which garments are produced — the materials used and the relationships with factories all over the world. Many companies do not seem to realise that people on the other side of the world who stitch our garments are human beings just like us, and they deserve to be paid a fair and good wage for their skill and hard work. Conventional cotton farming harms the environment and farmers, many other common fabrics will never biodegrade and pollute our atmosphere in landfill. A growing awareness of cause and effect essentially took hold and I wanted to show that there is another way to make fashion. I also had the good fortune to work with designers, like Susan Cianciolo and Jessica Ogden, who were working with an ethical approach before it was the common term we use now.
What are the main sustainability parameters or ‘shopping philosophy’ Outsider Fashion stands for?
I started Outsider in 2009 using sustainable fabrics and ethical production practices to make timeless designs. I was part of the first wave of independent sustainable fashion brands in the UK. Since 2011, I have also moved towards a signature collection that is available online, no specific seasons or big sales, to encourage a different way of thinking about fashion. Essentially, I design for longevity and hope to encourage my customers to value the pieces they own.
“We live in a world of peak stuff, there is so much stuff, we need books to tell us how to get rid of stuff. We need to move away from a throwaway culture and begin to value what we have again.”
Image: Outsider Fashion
In what ways has your social mission / activism work had a direct impact on encouraging change within the fashion industry?
The conversation about sustainability in the fashion industry has been getting louder the last few years and I think it has been independent brands leading by example that has helped to push this.
The world as we know it is currently rapidly changing and bringing us along, as we all care about our safety and wellbeing more than ever, to the point where it is said the world will never be the same again. How do you see fashion evolve post the global pandemic?
I think there are some very interesting discussions happening now due to the pandemic, even the fashion industry has been forced to pause and reflect on the lack of sustainability within its current system. Finally, the conventional designers and brands are talking about slowing down, making less, evolving beyond seasons. I think we will see more change for the better in the fashion industry after the global pandemic.
Why is encouraging a shift toward making sustainable, long-lasting fashion purchases and quality investments a norm perhaps relevant in this day and age? How can platforms, such as Outsider Fashion, perhaps support sustainable brands to gain more visibility?
We live in a world of peak stuff, there is so much stuff, we need books to tell us how to get rid of stuff. We need to move away from a throwaway culture and begin to value what we have again. At Outsider, we design timeless versatile pieces to encourage our customers to wear their purchases, over and over again. We feature real women wearing our garments on our blog, styling them in different ways, under the title “Who’s Wearing Outsider”. This helps to further inspire our customers to experiment with how they can wear their purchases.
Image: Outsider Fashion
What could the fashion industry (and why not, the whole bigger industry selling us a better version of ourselves!) at large learn from the 'times of living with the virus’?
We do not need fast fashion or new clothes every few weeks, we need much less but better quality and better design that offers the wearer flexibility. If the whole industry moved beyond seasons and fast moving trends, we could see a much more sustainable fashion future.
Truthfully, have you witnessed any drastic changes thus far concerning operating your business during the times of a global pandemic?
I have stopped sending out marketing newsletters which I feel are inappropriate during a pandemic. At the same time orders have reduced, not a shock, and that actually helps me as a designer to have a pause. As I have designed for longevity, rather than a trend driven season, I can sell my styles this year and next year. I hope orders will increase as and when it is safe for people to leave lockdown.
“Even the fashion industry has been forced to pause and reflect on the lack of sustainability within its current system. Finally, the conventional designers and brands are talking about slowing down, making less, evolving beyond seasons.”
Image: Outsider Fashion
You've also dedicated a section to organic and ethical beauty on your platform. Could you tell us more about the brands you've selected to include and what makes them unique?
To compliment our ethical fashion styles, we offer haircare from Tabitha James Kraan and skincare from 1001 Remedies. Both brands have been selected as they offer high quality organic products which I use myself and can confidently recommend.
What are your plans going forward with Outsider Fashion?
I plan to continue offering an alternative to conventional fashion brands, continue showcasing real women that wear our styles and next year to add in a few new pieces to the signature collection. All being well, there will also be some fun pop up events alongside other independent designers.
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