JOANNE watkinson
LOOK BEYOND THE PRICE TAG
SOCIAL media can be both a blessing and a curse. My personal poison is Instagram, but the photo sharing app can be a vortex if you’re not careful. I have a made a pact with myself to use it more wisely after losing far too many hours of my life down a virtual rabbit-hole, finding myself looking at stills of other people’s lives rather than living my own. The main issue with Instagram is that it inspires comparison, which we all know is the death of joy. Used properly though, Instagram can be a great tool for education. In the last few months I’ve learnt a lot from some incredible people via Instagram who would not otherwise have had a platform, most notably about the Black Lives Matter movement.
More recently I have been following a trail of accounts that utilise Instagram to educate users on what sustainability really means, debunking myths, simplifying any confusing terminology and setting straight any misunderstandings. A frequent misconception about sustainable clothing is that, if the garment is expensive, then the likelihood is that the fabric is eco-friendly and those involved in the manufacturing have been treated fairly.
This is not necessarily true. If you care about where your clothes come from, their impact on our natural resources or the people who make them, then you look beyond the price tag. Brands who care will be transparent about their practices. A great example of a designer that cares both about their environmental footprint and believes in the fair treatment of people in their manufacturing chain is Stella McCartney. She has never compromised when it comes to sustainability, using recycled textiles, ethically sourced wool and re-engineered cotton and cashmere in her collections, setting the bar high for other luxury brands to follow suit.
Another common myth is that sustainable clothing is expensive. Yes it’s true the initial outlay is likely to be more expensive than say, something from a fast fashion brand, but you have to play the long game.
One of the pillars of sustainability is buying what you love and wearing it for years to come.
Cost per wear? That’s up to you.
Character Chelsea boots
£115, Dune
Nars Single Eyeshadow Fatale, £17, available from Nars
Marc
Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème Lipstick Oh Miley, £27, available from Harvey Nichols
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Train Bleu, £22, Nars
Alternatively, the crisp mini-wing at Richard Quinn is a really good starting point for newbies.
4.GOTH VIBES
PALE skin, black cherry lips, kohlrimmed eyes, or all of the above – that was the brief at a whole host of AW20 shows, from Rodarte and Anna Sui in New York, to Gucci and Max Mara in Milan. While going full-on goth with that make-up trio might seem a bit much, a deep berry lip is a softer way to try the trend.
5. POPS OF COLOUR
THE brightest make-up hues are usually reserved for spring looks, but there were some welcome splashes of colour on the autumn catwalks.
Pink was popular, with bubblegum pink eyes at Matty Bovan, fuchsia mascara at Off-White, and Eighties-style eyeshadow at Rixo, see main picture.
6. RED LIPS
A PERFECTLY painted scarlet lip never goes out of style, of course, but this season, matte red makes way for something with a bit more shine.
We’re not going so far as to say gloss is back – aim for a soft satin finish, as seen at Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs and Jil Sander.
7. STATEMENT HAIR
HAIR stylists went all out for AW20, creating some spectacular catwalk looks, from huge, wide wigs at Matty Bovan and sculpted braids at Ashish, to colourful stencilled locks at Emilio Pucci and slicked-back silver tresses at Erdem.
Obviously, these aren’t the kind of styles you can easily replicate at home, but the chic twisted knots and braids seen at Fendi and Rixo are a lot more wearable, while still offering plenty of wow-factor.