SS18 / Gemme Atelier's Recollection of a Mystical, Mythical World Launches in Berlin: "All Forms of Art Should Breathe Together"

Hanna-Amanda P. G. September 27, 2017

With SS18 inspired by Greek mythology, recollecting frames from the Reneissance era and fusing the themes of 'rebirth' and 'Primavera/spring', Gemme Atelier invites us into their mystical, mythical world...

By Hanna-Amanda Pant

Everyday Ethical Luxury from Berlin: LUCKYNELLY Vegan Accessories

Hanna-Amanda P. G. March 24, 2017

One of my favourite things about ethical fashion is how it urges creators to think outside of the box and be innovative in their entire design process. LUCKYNELLY’s animal-friendly ethos focuses on bold, elevated everyday luxury accessories. Made in Berlin, yet produced in Milan, LUCKYNELLY is challenging the norm of sustainability. From bags to jewellery to silk scarves - yes, even including touches of ethical silk! - their everyday goodies are true show-stoppers. Christine Rochlitz, founder of LUCKYNELLY, shared her take on slow design accessories.

Words: Johanna Raudsepp

Your entire brand focuses deeply on ethical creation. What do you value most about sustainable design?

For me, sustainable design means a slower approach [to creating] where no mass consumption principles are implemented. I remember when I was a teenager, there was a denim store near my hometown. I loved to wear super skinny denim from Levi’s and, at this time, they were already quite expensive. I had one pair in blue and one in black. I wore them for a few years and was always so proud of my jeans.

Today, with all those big fast fashion chains, you don’t have the opportunity to ‘love’ your clothes because fashion and new trends change too fast, and it leaves you forever with an unsatisfactory feeling. Quality should really be more important than quantity. As Vivienne Westwood put it: 'Buy less, choose well, make it last.'

What's your take on slow living?

Slow living to me means that you focus more on things that are really important in life, like being happy, spending time with family and friends or pets, being outside, and spending time cooking. People are living at a fast pace every day, so they are always overwhelmed and their lives are non-stop, chaotic. I think it is time to enjoy life more and to flee of all this pressure.

"Today, with all those big fast fashion chains, you don’t have the opportunity to ‘love’ your clothes because fashion and new trends change too fast, and it leaves you forever with an unsatisfactory feeling."

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Nature inspires me the most. There are so many beautiful creatures and plants in absolutely fantastic colors and structures - for example, the Rose Chafer. For the Peace Silk Scarves [collection] I was inspired by images I took of flowers with my Canon Cam, and changed the colours and layers. But also my materials inspire me - working with things such as the genuine wood material, which is easy to work with, and the slate stone.

What is LUCKYNELLY's vision towards a sustainable future?

The vision of LUCKYNELLY is that people buy more carefully, thinking of where the clothes come from and if an animal or human had to die or suffer to create it, and truly act upon it. LUCKYNELLY also aims to demonstrate that vegan alternatives to animal leather are luxurious, fashionable, and fair-trade.

You can buy LUCKYNELLY accessories here.

Editorial: Pampa Outlaw by tHerapy Berlin

Hanna-Amanda P. G. March 13, 2017

We explore our Argentinian roots, our identity, history and popular culture. With this collection we want to rethink the local fashion industry.

Photo & Styling: Mariángeles y Paula Aguirre, @poli_aguirre
Model: Eugenia Robles, @eurobless
Full wardrobe: Pampa Outlaw collection by Therapy Recycle & Exorcise, @therapy_recyclexorcise_berlin
Locations: Región Pampeana de Córdoba, Argentina
Special thanks to Jorge Valinotto for taking us to these awesome locations, @jorge_valinotto

We concentrated on traditional icons from our popular culture, such as the famous pagan figure of the Gauchito Gil, a local gaucho from the 19th century who was both a martyr and a renegade.

The gaucho figure was our main source of inspiration for the aesthetic and concept of this collection. The gaucho, our local cowboy, was a criollo, the son of the Spanish colonizer and the aborigines. He was typically a rebel, an outsider who lived by his own rules, in harmony with nature and the original inhabitants of this lands, the Pampas. The gaucho defended national values, but even so, he was considered a rebel. He did not respect the ruling political class that responded to the Spanish crown. In many cases, the gaucho was considered a bandit for living isolated from society, a society that he considered corrupt and europeanizing.

By producing this collection we did not only avoid generating waste. We also used waste as our basic raw material. 90% of he collection is composed of leather and metal discards from the local industry of leather goods and footwear in Argentina, as well as discarded materials from the production of our own former collections and some customized vintage pieces of clothing. The other 10% of the materials is composed of new supplies necessary for the completion of the garments (rivets, eyelets).

The leather and metalic waste we used can be found in some rare deposits that sell these remnants. They are purchased by private individuals for personal use. There is no national policy for the treatment or use of this type of disposal materials, which end up in most cases in the trash can. We intend to open a debate about the sustainability of the fashion industry in Argentina. We are also aware that particularly leather production is highly polluting. We also intend to focus on this issue and ask questions that lead to possible sustainable alternatives.

500 kg of chemicals are needed to process one ton of leather. The production generates large volumes of solid and liquid waste with a combination of organic and inorganic compounds. Great leather industries in Argentina have not adopted effective strategies to end the problem of contamination of water by dumping of dangerous substances, taking advantage of lax local legislation and lack of controls. ACUMAR is the agency dedicated to monitoring and controlling the environmental situation in the area.