Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week Highlights

Friday night marked the launch of the Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week in ‘green’ style, with an evening dedicated to sustainably celebrating the locals’ creativity marking beginning of an ongoing quest to elevate upcycling to progressive and meaningful fashion, a concept that promotes innovative and impactful designs that contribute to a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry.

Attendees were immersed in an evening of inspiring designs and forward-thinking style as local creators, innovative creatives, and passionate curators rook to the runway, showcasing the limitless potential of eco-friendly fashion; by encouraging people to be part of a movement that’s not just walking the walk, but striding confidently towards a greener future.

Set in the ever charming Free The Gallery* on Haynes Lane in the heart of the Crystal Palace Triangle, in south London, just a stone’s throw away from a plethora of high-quality vintage, independent and charity shops, and most importantly, a dedicated army of resident creatives, makers and menders. These individuals are on a mission to Rewear, Repurpose, Regenerate and Reconnect, showcasing the ‘the power of repair’ in support of the core values of Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024.

What is Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024?

SFW 2024 is a community-led programme that partners with organisations in different regions to inspire, upskill, and empower people to take action and boldly demand a fashion industry that is clean, green, and fair. The programme, which is split between its hubs, will take place between 23 and 29 September, with a special focus on celebrating the #PowerOfRepair, a concept that will surely excite and engage you.

Stretching across the UK and beyond, Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024 is a testament to the power of community action. All our activities are designed and delivered by the brilliant and inspiring people in our local communities, showcasing our shared values and strong sense of togetherness.

Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week, is a vibrant hub, has recently joined Sustainable Fashion Week. Renowned for its vintage shops, it’s a haven for those who appreciate second-hand, homemade, repurposed, and mended clothes.

Our very own residents, Hana and Jess, have come together to create a truly community-led programme for Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week. Their efforts, along with the support of several local points and organisations, are what make this event possible.

St Christopher’s Hospice shop in Crystal Palace sells premium pre-loved fashion and homeware. It is one of 24 shops in south London that raise funds for the Hospice.

Brown & Green Cafe From humble beginnings, the Brown & Green Cafe has grown into a beloved brunch kitchen, serving simple, generous, and honest food. With 8 locations in south London, it’s a testament to the power of community and good food.

Crystal Palace Artists Open House 8-29 September and 5-6 October 2024 is an opportunity for artists, designers and makers to celebrate creativity and connect with the local community.

Greener and Cleaner work to normalise a greener, more sustainable way of life for residents of south east London. Together, we aim to make a measurable difference to our environment.

Crystal Palace has now joined the ranks of sustainable Fashion Week, thanks to the tireless efforts of two local fashionistas, Hana Wild and Jessica Wenban-Smith. Their dedication, along with the overwhelming support of local businesses and tastemakers, has made this event a reality. This is a testament to the power of community and the shared commitment to sustainability.

The Runway Revolution fashion show is just the beginning of the sustainable treats in store. Sustainable Fashion Week Crystal Palace has a diverse range of events lined up, each designed to inspire and educate the community. From stash swaps to mending workshops, second-hand shopping tours to Get Ready With Me Live, there’s something for everyone to look forward to.

Featuring local designers and creatives featured in the fashion included The Curious Edit, Lady Boo, Christopher Wincott and Great British Sewing Bee 2020 finalist Nicole Akong who is poised to launch her new collection Sustenta Carnival with John Lee Brunswick.

Sustenta Carnaval – Nicole Akong & John Lee Brunswick

The collaboration between former finalist on The Great British Sewing Bee Nicole Akong, visionary designer, influential sewist, and London-based Canadian freelance fashion designer John Lee Brunswick can only be described as a fashion match made in heaven, judging by their collection of festival-inspired pieces and accessories made from reworked single-use Rio carnival costumes rescued from a landfill, Sustenta Carnaval.

@nicole_akong @johnleebrunswick

Haus of Wincott – Contemporary Nostalgia

With an emphasis on having fun, which was reflected in the colour pallet and the nostalgic Mickey and Friends iconography on the clothes Fashion Haus of Wincott’s collection Contemporary Nostalgia managed to utilise a cleaver range of materials such as an early 90’s sleeping bags and duvet covers in a bold colour pallet which played in to it playful and urban yet contemporary oversized aesthetic

@HausofWincott

@Lilsibwinnie

Walk with the Past into the Future! – The Curious Edit

sustainable clothing company The Curious Edit is known for creating unique clothing out of vintage collectable tea towels and linens with contrasting seams marrying style and nostalgia, resulting in a collection of one-off joyful repurposed garments from past treasures.

@the.curious.edit

Stitches&Seams – Emma

Utilising her past six years of experience designing and making wearable repurposing clothing for women using vintage clothing as well as remnant and deadstock fabrics, Emma’s collection showcased her talent for producing a zero-waste collection that is beautiful, wearable, and comfortable clothing for women. She used bed sheets and other offcuts sourced at various boot sales, embodying the famous term waste, not want, not.

@stitchesandseamscp

Fruitti De La Mare – Water Wear

Modelled by Pete of Basic Records, this waterproof suit, Fruit de la Mare, was created by Sherron @freethegallery by fusing discarded plastic packaging with preloved cotton material. It highlights the overuse of non-biodegradable plastics and the harm caused when they find their way into rivers and oceans. It is also a stunning example of how a creative mind can transform disused everyday leftovers into wearable art.

Watch this space for a collection of bags, purses, and other paraphernalia made from the unique process at the Freethegallery pop-up Christmas store in December.

@freethegallery on Instagram for those dates!

@textilesharon @freethegallery

Ralphie And Ted – Handmade Autumn/Winter Collection

With a background working and teaching in fabric stores, Ralphie And Ted designer Terri wowed the audience with a diverse and contemporary collection of clothing, all created using repurposed and vintage fabrics and such as vintage mohair blankets, vintage mother-of-pearl buttons and deadstock needle cord and channel in past year elegance with puff shoulders, frills and a line skirts keeping sustainability and recyclable key.

@ralphieandted

The Rainbow Reworked Collection – Naomi Purkiss Boutique

Through her one-of-a-kind garments in her Herne Hill studio using rare vintage fabrics, Naomi of Naomi Purkiss Boutique’s mission is to spread the slow fashion word and offer feel-good statement pieces that bring joy and confidence to the wearer.

Her collection, The Rainbow Reworked, was produced from used offcuts from an earlier collection of these Rainbow Reworked pieces from 1980 American bed linens.

Her’ Over the Rainbow’ collection was made using deadstock, the potential Naomi saw in the colourful remnants and 1980s velvet sourced in Japan, employing patchwork and appliqué techniques to produce a stunning and uplifting Autumn Winter collection.

@naomipurkissboutique

Lady Boo Salutes You And Mary’s Vintage Collab – Lady Boo Salutes You And Mary’s Vintage

Crystal Palace locals Sarah and Rachel of Lady Boo Salutes You and Mary’s Vintage, with their combined experience 20 years of selling experience between them, successfully collaborated to produce a mini edit of vintage looks showing vintage for everyone and is not to be saved for special occasions but worn and enjoyed daily seamlessly incorporating colour, texture and bold prints to rock the runway.

Both enthusiastic about sustainable circular fashion Lady Boo and Mary’s Vintage’s

collections can be found in the boutique at Haynes Lane Market and online via their websites or Instagram pages.

https://www.ladyboosalutesyou.co.uk

https://www.marysvintage.co.uk

@ladyboosalutesyou @marysvintage_mv

18.8 Eco-Techno – Zoop Retro Pete

When you blend reworked 90s garments, salvaged materials, reworked surplus denim, and alternative materials such as Tyvek paper and selvedge denim, the result is Trashion meets Techno, funky fun, and unapologetic Zoop Retro’s collection 18.8 Eco-Techno is not for the timid. It is in your face, brash, and too cool for school.

@retrozoop

Fabetpourquoipas

Models, Madeline and Fabrice bring designer luxury to Runway Revolution, draped in high-end, preloved designer pieces such as Kenzo, Moschino Dress, Jil Sanders, and Christian Dior. They are so fashionable, darling.

@ fabetpourquoipas

Maltpress Trading – Sal and Debbie

Based on the famous triangle in Crystal Palace, Maltpress Trading has been serving looks for years in its shop, which is full of wonders, beautiful things, and plants, and it is well set up among taste creators and vintage lovers in the know.

@maltpress_trading

Palace Mending Project – St Christopher’s

one of the first supporters of Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024 The shop manager, Teresa, was at the helm of the mending project, for which damaged preloved donated clothing clothes that couldn’t be sold, all of which were donated to the St Christopher’s shop by the good people of Crystal Palace are transformed into amazing mended clothes that were then presented to the waiting audience.

Since 2019, Christopher’s shop has been one of four charity shops around The Triangle offering premium fashion and homewares, but it feels like it has always been here!

For their collection, visible mending was employed, utilising the creativity of our Crystal Palace community to make a feature out of the history and wear of the donated garments, adding to their beauty using an array of unique hand-crafted mend techniques such as patches, embroidery, applique, etc., in turn reducing textile waste and raising funds for St Christopher’s.

Everything featured in Runway Revolution is available for purchase in the St. Christopher’s shop, and the proceeds will go to St. Christopher’s Hospice—a very well-loved charity that looks after people at the end of their lives and gives vital support to them and their families during difficult times.

@stchrishospiceshop

My thoughts about Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024 show Runway Revolution

I am not a resident of Crystal Place; however, I live down the road, and I was very surprised and proud to bear witness to the creativity and talent practically on my doorstep!

I was proud and surprised to see how much talent was nurtured on my doorstep.

Sustainable Fashion Week is a very cause, and it warmed my heart to see that so many people were willing to take time out of their busy lives to help spread awareness to their local community.

To find out more about the upcoming Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024 events, go to:

Insta: @sustainablefashionweekcp

Or check out the Sustainable Fashion Week website:

https://www.sustainablefashionweek.uk

And the Crystal Palace Sustainable Fashion Week 2024 programme here: