When this term is used in conjunction with ‘fashion’ this relates to the garment design, production and distribution.
‘Ethical’ fashion is a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot. It entices us into a brand and makes us feel like we are doing good by investing our cash into a ‘sustainable future.’ How do you know if you are actually buying ethically or are you being greenwashed? Are you being played for profit by the branding terms; ‘ethical’ ‘independent’ ‘handmade’? I’d argue this is the most unethical practice of them all.
Anyone can use these words. But do they show you how they practise this?
I’m going to lay down some home truths here. With the rise of ‘independent’ fashion brands this year (which is amazing); how many of you have been disappointed with your special purchase from a new brand you’ve excitedly come across on Instagram; when you discover it also being sold new on depop by 10 other vendors, a tag has been cut out, and ‘handmade’ actually meant it was made by real hands, but in an overseas unbeknown factory?
With Black Friday looming, I don’t want you to make the mistakes online shopping as I have. As a small clothing business owner, I know the tricks that brands use to make themselves look ethical. I’m sick of the dishonesty and cleverly worded advertising, which is why I’m going to reveal all. Enjoy!
I need to tell you something. Pretty much all clothing is made by a real pair of hands. The real message brands need to convey is WHO and WHERE your clothes are being made.
DO: Visit the brands ‘about us’/ ‘your story’ or Instagram. Do they state who makes the clothes? Can you see visual evidence of all the items being made either in house or in factories?
This is clever wording. There’s nothing wrong with the garments only being designed in house, but it does lead you to believe that the ‘manufacturing’ is also done in house when they don’t follow it up with where the items are made.
DO: See if you can find out where they make the garments on their website. If you can’t, question: why will they readily tell you what they do in house but not what they outsource?
This is a biggie. I’m about to rock your world and dismantle everything you thought you knew about ‘ethical’ shopping.
Some “handmade sustainable” brands cut out labels and replace with their own. They may buy in stock from Alibaba( China) and just replace labels. Or they buy in garments from wholesalers, sew patches of their own fabric onto the garment in their studio, cut out the old label and replace with their own.**
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with this but it depends what the brand is telling you.
POV: Do they claim that all their items are all ‘hand-made to order’ in house? Do you think an item is “sustainably” hand-made if they are doing the above and making out that they’ve made the whole thing?
DO: Ask the brand where the original item was purchased and the working conditions of that factory it was made in
** This doesn’t include re-worked brands**
Following from above. Brands use “handmade” when perhaps 80% is made in house, and 20% is bought in and labels cut out. Is it okay to imply to customers everything is hand-made when this is the case?
Brands will show you behind the scenes of the items that are made-in house to make it look like everything is manufactured that way. Don’t assume this is the case.
DO: After purchase, check underneath the brands labels for evidence of cut out labels. Check particularly at the waistband, neckline and side seams (for original manufacture wash labels.) Do all garments have the same labels? If some have factory standard wash labels (they may be bought in*) and some don’t; you can tell here what is made in house and what isn’t. Does the brand make this obvious on the listing when you’re buying?
** Re-worked brands may keep original labels of 2nd hand garments**
POV: Does the brand tell you where their fabrics are from so you can consciously choose what you’re buying? What do they do with their fabric waste? How do they minimise the impact the fabric has on environment?
This is more controversial topic. As a seamstress you could be paid hourly, per job tasks or by piece-rate. Pay- by-piece works really well as a way to receive pay per productive output you produce. However, it also has it’s drawbacks which could leave seamstress working for below minimum wage very easily.
Unless that pay-per-piece rate is calculated to allow for buffer time, it doesn’t cover you if something goes wrong. And I’ll tell you, the art of sewing is a temperamental b*tch at times: Machines need regular maintenance, if they break you can spend hours fixing them. Fabric doesn’t always do what you want it to do= unpicking/start over. Studio tasks/cleaning/packaging/ organising the stock = takes time. All these ‘buffer-times’ go unpaid, but it’s all work required to produce the items. This means you could work for 10 hours but only get paid for the equivalent of 7 hours solid sewing. As a result this would bring your ‘average hourly wage’ down low.
POV: Can you recycle/ re-use their packaging? Is it bio-degradable?
DO: Sit back and wait for Black Friday to reveal all. If brands can drop their prices significantly lower and still make profit * please question, how can they sell it for this price and who is paying the cost? The workers or environment?
** some brands will drop their prices to perhaps even below cost price just because they need to shift stock and improve cash flow. It may be case of desperation, instead of profit**
The re-sell market is a great place to investigate the brand authentically. If the re-sell price point is reasonably high, it may suggest that the quality of their clothing is great- and made to last.
DO: Read brand reviews, study how they engage with their customers on social media. Do they respect them? If they openly mis-treat their customers, how do you think they they treat their workers? How do their morals stand within business?
This is key. It reveals more than a word. It’s the act of showing you the proof.
DO: If you can’t find any information supporting their ‘ethical’ claims or need to follow up with constructive consumer concerns, send the brand a DM. Ask how they achieve what they claim and to see the proof. How do they respond? Their tone of response will confirm.
For a clothing brand to be 100% ethical is hard and it’s a bold statement to devise. While their may be no easy to way to measure this, It is the brands responsibility to provide you with as much information as possible back up their claims, so you can use this to consciously make decisions on where and what you shop.
TIP: if you notice clothing brands giving misleding information. Please directly message them, they may not even realise. You view our ‘shop fronts’ from a different perspective, but this why you are so valuable to us as you can spot the things we miss!
To conclude, I define a “ethical” brand is one that is continually working towards a sustainable future and transparently showing you that they practise what they preach. As consumers we all have personal levels of what ‘ethical’ means to us but I think we can all agree that deliberate dishonest business practises to mislead your judgement is very much unethical.
Please read our own ethical statement here
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Meet DR. Sheppard ( wearing Bellisa X ofc)
Q: I don’t understand why Covid-19 is worse than your normal flu, is it?
DR: Firstly, this virus is not like any other in the sense it lives on a surface for a lot longer that your normal flu- it can live up to 72 hours without human contact on a surface so this means it spreads very easily. Since it is a new virus, there isn’t a vaccination or wider knowledge of treatment like we have with the seasonal influenza. Secondly, you are infectious before you get the symptoms. This means people are spreading it before even knowing they have it.
Q: Are younger people at more of a risk of becoming critically ill that the news is making out?
DR: No, unless you’re in the ‘’at risk group’ of having underlying illness. The at risk group is everyone above 70 years of age, pregnant women and those below 70 with these medical conditions:
Q: Are people with type 2 diabetes prone to catching it easier? Should they be self-isolating?
DR: I think there is confusion amongst people as to what ‘high-risk’ means. No-one is at more risk of catching it easier than others (unless you aren’t self- isolating.) When we mention ‘high-risk’ group it means that, if you contract the virus you are at high-risk of more than mild effects from it. So, with type 2 diabetes, you should be isolating for 12 weeks to minimise the risk of you contracting it as you are in the high-risk group.
Q: Should I be more worried about it if I have asthma? If so, is there anything else I could be doing other than washing hands etc?
DR: There are many different types and level of asthma but if you do get CV-19 it might make your asthma worse. If you suffer with severe asthma (you will know if you have this) you are considered in the high-risk group and should be self-isolating. If you have mild asthma, you should take medication regularly if that’s something you usually do and always carry a blue inhaler that’s in date with you. But please don’t stockpile your inhalers as we need enough for everyone- and this is becoming a problem at the moment!
Q: I’ve read various confliction information on symptoms, is a runny nose one?
DR: A runny nose could be a minor symptom- but its different for everyone. The main symptoms to warrant complete self-isolation are: A high temperature and a new continuous cough.
Q: My dad has lung disease, should he be isolating?
DR: Yes for 12 weeks. He’s vulnerable and if he contracts CV-19 the effects for him may be more than mild
Q: Is working in a nail bar or any beauty place a bad idea? Should I be isolating?
DR: As long as you aren’t dealing with vulnerable people, have good hand hygiene and keeping as much distance as possible it should be okay- However its best to visit the government website for what employees should do as the guidelines change and update every day
If DR. Sheppard was to go into self-isolation she will be making many more crochet blankets like this one!
Q: Are the antibody tests going to be that useful? (For all those that didn’t know what this was ,like me, it’s a test to see if you’ve already had CV-19)
DR: For health care workers it could be useful yes as it means we wouldn’t need to keep self-isolating, because if we’ve had it before it’s likely we could be immune. * However it would be more helpful if we had tests to see if we had it currently
Q: If you get it once, can you catch it again?
DR: Scientists are currently researching this, they don’t know
Q: What do I do if I or a member in my household contracts it/ thinks we have it?
DR: The whole household has to self-isolate for 14 days. If you think you have it, you only need to inform someone if your symptoms are getting worse or haven’t got better after 7 days. From that point seek advice online @ 111 corona service. If at any point you become really unwell or are uncertain medically, call 111 or if you are dangerously ill call 999
Q: Does everyone go to hospital?
DR: No, for most people the symptoms will be mild. As a younger healthy person with no underlying problems it’s unlikely you will need hospital treatment. Just because you are young and your symptoms will be mild, Self-isolating is important as we are trying to stop young people spreading it to the old and those at risk of becoming critically ill
Q: What’s this all about the use of ibroprofen?
DR: There’s no strong evidence that it makes the virus worse but until we have more information, take paracetamol instead to treat the symptoms, just to be on the safe side
Q: Can I still visit the GP surgery normally now? (non-corona related)
DR: It’s best to check your own doctors’ website for local advice but for most you can’t go to the Doctors without a phone call first. If you have a medical issue non-corona related, you should call the surgery first and they will see if you need to come in to be seen by a doctor
Q: How can I protect myself?
DR: Washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water often, self-isolation & social distancing, don’t touch your face as it’s transferred via mouth, nose and eyes. Cover mouth when coughing, sneezing etc. Please visit the NHS website for more advice.
And to wrap it up we let the Doc have her final word.. “ What people don’t release that even if you’ve had it before; or think you’ve had it ; or believe you are immune to it- you can still carry it and transfer it from one person to another. It’s a super-spreader disease and by not self-isolating you may transfer it to the vulnerable who could become critically ill which will put more strain on the NHS. Please only take information from the NHS of government websites and use social media to boost morale and keep in contact with people. ”
To keep updated please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ on a daily basis as guidelines and advice changes all the time- It is likely to be updated 23.03.2020 with more information.
In time of crisis, we won’t let fake news break us and unnecessarily feed our growing anxieties. It’s so important to remain as calm and rational as possible and support each other. But for today this is enough serious #realtalk, and if you haven’t already, head to our Instagram to read all about ‘ReWerk- iT’ our new exxxciting limited edition collection launching 27.03.2020…. (b’cos it’s not all doom & gloom here!) - B X
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“Rebel for life” take over on the streets of Bristol. The remnants of the Stokes Croft XR Street Party.
B: Hey Izzy! I’m so excited to learn about this movement and as it stands at the moment I’m pretty clueless so lets start right at the beginning, who are XR?
I: Hey! So XR stands for Extinction Rebellion which stems from a campaign started by the organisation ‘Rising Up,’ set up to help bring awareness to the IPCC (intergovernmental campaign on climate change) report released last year, stating that we had 12 years left to stop the global warming of 1.5degrees, or face catastrophic consequences - droughts, food shortages, sea levels rising at a much faster rate, ecosystem breakdown, mass extinction etc etc.
B: Wow. 12 Years? That’s scary. I feel like all of these drastic consequences are happening around the world already with the Cyclone Idai hitting Africa last week killing hundreds of people- And yet seems like everyone is pretty blindsided by Brexit to even notice?
I: It is scary and without depressing anyone too much, yeah the environmental situation is pretty bad. Even with the ’12 years’ left, its likely to be even less time as the earth has already heated just under a degree in the last 50 years. 18 of the 19 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001. Sea levels are rising every year, and the rate at which they’re rising is increasing. Ocean acidification is happening - seas are warming, corals are dying, ecosystems are falling apart. To really get an idea of what is happening in terms of unpredictable climate, you just need to look at the news, maybe not the mainstream news because like you said that’s full of brexit, but if you look for it you will find it. And regards to Cyclone Idai what people don’t realise that now thousands of people will become climate refugees, displaced from their homes due to climate change related freak weather incidents destroying the places they come from. Africa is one of the worst hit continents but these things are happening all the time, but they’re not reported nearly enough in the UK, so people don’t know what’s going on. We live in a bubble, we’re lucky at the moment, but did you know England might run out of water within the next 30 years? Most of the food we rely on is imported from other countries, and this won’t be possible if things continue the way they are going.
B: To be honest our future already seems all pretty doom and gloom... where does XR come in?
I: Out of this whole catastrophe XR is actually something really beautiful which has brought people together to fight for a like-minded cause, it’s bringing awareness to something which needs to be talked about. It’s like a big old family, everyone’s equally as stressed and depressed but motivated and passionate.
B: What are their values?
I: XR have 3 main demands...this is what they are but very briefly…you can read more about it in depth on their website and various social medias...However, One of XR’s most important values is ‘wellbeing.’ They work on the premises of having a ‘regenerative culture’, limiting the amount of burn out people face after they dedicate so much time to the cause. We make it our number 1 priority to look after each other, for example - on actions there will be wellbeing teams to look after the people doing the actions, getting arrested. They will be there to make sure you are warm, fed, and just generally ok. Any money which is donated is used primarily for helping XR with materials, leaflets, travel, room hire, equipment. No one at XR is paid a wage, however there are sometimes payments called made under “compensatory budget” to help volunteers with living expenses. We need to make our culture more regenerative if we want to carry on. Permaculture is an excellent example of how we should live...sustainably. Give back as much as we take. This is a very stressful and emotional thing to be involved with, and it’s ok to tap into those emotions, but we need to know when to take breaks and regenerate. You are of no use to yourself or anyone else if you are too burnt out.
B: I see what you mean about XR feeling like a big ol’ family of people- I guess in some way you can look at it as a mass movement of people creating awareness by showing care and love to not only the environment but each other. And that really if we all just actually cared a lot more about everything and everyone on the earth we wouldn’t be in such a crisis?
I: Exactly. I think I first became so much more aware of this concept whilst studying my chosen degree Marine & Natural History photography at Falmouth. I love the marine and the terrestrial world, but we are constantly taught about ‘marine conservation’, ‘ecological conservation’, ‘animal conservation, so it seemed completely absurd to me that not many people, if any, on my course were talking about the climate crisis. Why are we trying to conserve all these places without tackling the biggest issue?
B: Is the point where you sought to take action?
I: Yeah, so I first became involved with XR when I decided to base my second semester film on them. I had heard about them through the news but thought I would never have been able to really feel a part of it living all the way in Falmouth. However, I then found a student group, which led to me meeting someone really amazing and dedicated to the cause, who then introduced me to more passionate people, who I am now involved with all around the country. I’ve never felt as passionate about something as I have with this.
The writings people did using the biodegradable blood we poured outside Downing Street, during “Blood of our Children”
B: I can definitely feel your passion .. it’s somewhat infectious ( in a good way!) Since joining XR what have you been involved in?
I: A couple weeks ago I visited London for the event “The Blood of our Children”. When I turned up to the London offices I was immediately dragged into mixing together 100 buckets of fake, biodegradable blood. The ingredients consisted of golden syrup, water, corn starch, pond dye, beetroot dye and cocoa powder - it tasted pretty good…
50 Volunteers then made their way to the gates outside downing street and poured it all over the road in an act of civil disobedience. The blood was there to represent the blood of past, present and future children affected by the climate crisis. This was a highly emotional fuelled act, and an emotional day for me - I shed a tear or 2. The atmosphere of a big action like this is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. However, this was very much a publicity stunt to gain attention, it got us onto to the front page of the Sunday Times which is amazing, but I’m very excited for more proactive actions.
B: Wow, that’s pretty… dramatic. I hate blood whether its fake or real so seeing something like that would definitely leave a lasting impression on me - so I’m sure , and HOPE, it did for everyone else.
I: It got people's attention, that’s for sure. It’s controversial...but we’ve tried petitions, we’ve tried the peaceful marches...they don’t get results. XR spread their message through NVDA - non-violent direct actions. This is so vital to the core values of XR “We start as we mean to go on” someone once said. Non-violence gains respect, no one who ever governed with violence was memorialised in a positive light. We just want people to take notice, to talk about it, and to make the government talk about it. Actions are organised all around the country by different regional working groups, there will be something happening wherever you are!! Look out for facebook events and the events section of the websites. Then there are very large events organised in big cities which are always pretty extravagant.
B: Gotta make a statement to heard ! When I was doing some initial research I found this quote online “this is our chance to get loud, get arty and get out there - we'll be designing artwork for flyposting, organising illegal raves, chalk spraying the streets and letting the world know April 15th is coming, it is coming and it will be fekking beautiful! What is the significance of’’ creative rebellion’ as an activist?
Marching band - Stokes Croft XR Street Party. Music is a vital part of many XR actions, we wanna make a point, but have a damn good time while we do it!
I: Activism is for everyone. Climate collapse will affect everyone. Not just the scientists who discovered it, not just the government who are ignoring it. I find the most effective way of connecting with people through Instagram is with art- they are definitely our most popular posts. Creative rebellion gives people opportunity for artistic freedom and you don’t need to know all the science to make a difference, you don’t need to be a public speaker to have a voice. You need to spray chalk the fuck out of places, you need to memorialize this amazing uprising, you need to put some fat speakers in the middle of the road and rave for the goddamn planet !! Make a statement. This is the kind of stuff which will keeps us going.
B: It seems like if you enjoy going to illegal raves and being involved with climate activism it all goes hand in hand?
I: I think so: both are rebellions against the current system, both represent freedom. When I’m not obsessing over the state of our climate and world, I enjoy going to raves and immersing myself in festivals - this is my time out (I can’t wait for summer!)
B: I can feel the build up to summer is bringing both excitement but a sense of anticipation. What else do you and XR have planned ?
From the 30th of March we began an action called ‘Paint the Streets’ bringing together people all over the world to cover the streets with posters, paintings, stickers and much more. This will carry on for as long as people carry it on...Bristol Bear Pit has been taken over with some pretty epic paintings I would recommend going to check it out!!
On Friday 12th of April there will be the third official YouthStrike4Climate. Another important one for your diaries. This happens every month, and last month it was estimated that 1.4 million children took part in over 2000 cities around the world.
B: 1.4 million children! That’s insane! I didn’t realise it had become so big. What’s happening April 15th?
I: On April 15th, alongside 27 other countries, we are taking back the streets. For a week (or 2) we will be blockading roads and pivotal places around London. Starting in parliament square and from there moving to various other spots, we will set up camp and stay for as long as it takes for the government to take notice. These camps will have more than just people camping, there will be music, theatre, poetry, speeches, wellbeing areas, kids areas, public assemblies and a different theme each day. We are fighting for our lives but having a sick time while doing it!
B: Will you be there?
I: Of course That goes without saying.. I’ll be in Hyde Park Corner from 11am on the 15th of April, this is where we want the youth to assemble and hold for the duration. We will doing a variety of other actions through those 2 weeks so keep your eyes peeled.
The procession of youths at “Blood of our Children” - during this action, adults were not allowed to speak, only young people.
B: You’ve mentioned ‘youth’ quite abit – is there different areas of involvement in XR?
I: After travelling up to London to visit the national XR offices and meeting some really awesome youth, I discovered they were branching out to create an XR Youth group. I was immediately interested - how many times has your voice felt inadequate because you’re too young? Too many times. Being part of a group of people who are all around the same age as you is refreshing, it is our future we’re fighting for after all, isn’t our voice one of the most important?
B: Too true. It seems like too many of OUR future’s decisions are being made by people who it won’t even effect. What’s your role in the youth group?
I: I’m currently part of the XR Youth Media and Messaging team, I mainly help to run the instagram. Using social media for something positive is really refreshing and engaging with so many inspiring young people is really rewarding. I have an online meeting every week with the team where we discuss our progress and how we can move forward.
B: Social media is SO powerful which is why I try and take the opportunity to use Bellisa X as a platform; a voice to spread positivity and raise awareness for all causes! Always room for improvement but this blog is a start. What events have you been involved in with youth XR?
I: I recently attended a youth weekend hosted by one of the members of XR Youth, where we discussed how we would run XR Youth, and upcoming actions to be taken. We have taken knowledge and wisdom of how the main XR group is run and moulded it to suit us. We have people as young as 13/14 working with us all the way up to 30, and each person has something to add. It’s a really beautiful set up. There’s even been talk of bringing XR Youth headquarters to Bristol which has got me all excited...but we shall see.
“I’m obsessed with animals, but also people’s stories and how people connect with the environment. Comedy and humour are one of the most important things in my life, without these I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. You have to give yourself time to laugh on a degrading planet otherwise you’d become really depressed.”- Izzy
B: Bristol heads! I know you’re reading this..Take note if this is something you wanna get involved!
I: It’s definitely something I’m keen to push! I’ve also attended 2 Youth Strike 4 Climate’s, the school strikes inspired by Greta Thunberg, one of the most amazing young woman to have graced this planet. A Funeral March - an act where a coffin is carried through a town centre with a procession of people and music. This is done to mourn all the species which have gone extinct and who are going extinct right this second - 200 species go extinct every day?! Another emotional day.
B: Extinction Rebellion seems like the actual definition of activism! I can see how its so empowering and inspiring being part of the movement. I’ve recently realised myself, that the more you do, the realise the more you can do and want to do – this can be applied to anything. The first small step of action opens up a powerful gateway to motivation and seems to be something that XR is really channelling – and most importantly all for an amazing cause. What can people reading this do to effectively help the environmental crisis?
I: I personally try to live an eco-friendly life, although it is hard on a student budget. I eat mostly plant-based, limit my plastic consumption, try to buy only from charity shops and independent businesses. When you become more aware of the effects buying certain things has, you can’t help but be more conscious in your purchasing decisions. BUT I’m not going to tell you to do the same, have shorter showers or turn the lights off when you leave a room (although this is also a totally normal thing) or even sign anymore petitions. It goes without saying...this kind of campaigning is outdated and ineffective, how many people would have to drastically change their ways to actually have an impact on the factors contributing to global warming? A lot. The change needs to come from the top BUT we need to demand it. Yes the future is going to be different, there will need to be big changes, but holy shit won’t it be worth it? It’s either face the change or face mass extinction.
Signs which can be seen all through the country - this one again in Stokes Croft.
B: Sooo, what are you saying?
I: Rise up with XR! We are always looking for people to help with various parts of XR Youth especially as it’s only recently been set up. We have media teams, outreach teams, actions teams, and wellbeing teams. Everyone has a skill set that will be of use to us. Follow us on instagram, follow us on facebook, check out the website and sign up through the links. Stay up to date and support it, and if you want to have a proactive approach then let us know. We have tons of chats that are always active, and online meetings every week for whatever team you’re in. It’s a really beautiful network of young people fighting for change.
B: And, as a brand what do you think Bellisa X can do?
I: Bellisa X is an incredible independent and sustainable brand, you’ve already done so much within your business to limit your wastage, like creating your epic trixi playsuit out of scrap material. There are more ways you can limit your own carbon footprint. Removing plastic packaging for instance, which I know is difficult for a business but there are alternatives...or even having a reusable packaging. Sourcing materials and fabrics from inside the UK...small things which make a business more eco-friendly and make your customers more aware of steps you are taking, so might in turn take steps themselves.
B: I definitely find it harder as a business to reduce carbon- footprint as opposed to my personal lifestyle but some steps we have taken are.. Our postage bags are recyclable and I am looking to swap to bio-degradable packaging on our next order. With our other padded envelopes I’d really hope that customers re-use them for their own parcels as they’re too beautiful ( shiny gold mmm )potentially damaging for the environment AND expensive to waste. Likewise we also separate our minimized waste into textiles, paper etc to be recycled. With regards our fabrics, that one is a little more tricky. As although nearly all our materials are bought in the UK I’m aware it doesn’t mean they were manufactured here. It’s something I’m keen to look into and share with my customers and then they can make the conscious decision with their purchase. I think its so important as a business to communicate honesty and transparency.
I: The main port of call is to raise awareness and put pressure on the governments to take action. But for now, the most important thing, like I said, is raising awareness on your platform.. So thank you for writing this blog !! There is a specific XR fashion subsection (@xrfashionaction on instagram) holding actions against large scale fashion manufacturers causing damage to the environment, as a brand this might be something you want to support or get involved with.
B: I feel that a lot of our following is full of creative people who love to make a statement in the for of fashion, festivals and free parties. So I’m hoping from reading this, they too will spread the message! Thank you so much for your time answering in all the questions in such extensive, inspiring and informative detail- as a final message what would you like to share ?
I: We need you. This is the most vital time for life on earth, this really is the tipping point. I can’t express enough how important this is...this is literally life and death. The climate is collapsing as we know it, just because it’s not happening on our doorstep doesn’t mean it’s not happening all over the world. It’s gonna be intense, it’s gonna be mad, but it’ll be worth it. Rise up with us and let’s take back the power !! And lets create a community of people we can turn to in our darkest hour, because if everything goes to shit, we’re gonna need each other more than ever.
The pouring of blood outside Downing Street. A realistic, uncomfortable sight.
Want to learn more? Izzy has put together some useful links for you guys to read/watch more about Extinction Rebellion and our Environmental Crisis.
P.S want to help but still don’t know how? Then share this blog post to spread even more awareness !!
Extcintion or Rebellion? - Video. 54 seconds.
Culture Declares Emergency - Video 2.25 minutes.
The MOST epic TEDx Talk ever by Greta Thunberg - Video 1.16 minutes.
Extinction Rebellion Youth Website
XR Parliament Takeover - Video 5.37 minutes
'Heading for Extinction'- Oxford XR Talk 1hr.46 minutes
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1. Fill bath/ sink with enough cold water to submerge the jacket in. Add a little washing powder and any nice-smelling fabric softner. Give the water a mix around.
2. Once bath is full, gently submerge the jacket in the water. ** Before you put the jacket in water it's a good idea to check all pockets are empty and pick out any bits of.. nature ( plants, twigs) that your jacket may have collected on it's adventures.
3. Gently swirl/ rub the jacket in the water for about 5-10 minutes. (The water should start go a dirty colour )
4. Lift jacket out the water. Please note it will be very heavy b'cos its soaked up all the water. Hold the jacket over the edge of the bath to let the majority of the water drain out. Ring out areas where large amounts of water have collected at the end. P.s the water will be a even gross colour now
5. Once the heavy bulk of water has been drained, lie jacket open and flat on a towel. The towel will soak up even more water. It's a good idea at this point to also brush the fur in the correct direction ( downwards) so that it drys neat. Leave jacket fot at least 6 hours.
6. Once the jacket has mostly dried- only dampness should remain and water should not drip from it when held up- zip and hang jacket up in a boiler room to finished drying.
7. Once fully dried, use a hair brush to smooth out the fur. Make sure you brush the correct way ( downwards.)
8. Your fluff is sweet- smelling and ready to be worn! You may wanna use a lint roller now to remove any extra bits that could be caught in the fleece. For best results, we'd advise to wash your jacket as little as possible to retain the fluffiess of fur. If still in doubt, take it to a dry-cleaners for them to work their magic! -B X
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I first discovered Daisy’s arts n crafts on the facebook page ‘ Bristol Ghetto Booty’ when they popped up on my home page- I’d never seen earrings like them before! As always, when I see something really unique and special that I personally love, I want to share it with Bellisa X customers, you guys. And hey, it does seem like you equally love Daisy’s creations since she’s been our best-seller releasing 4 sell-out collections on our website. But who is this mysterious Daisy? Why and how does she make her art? What are her plans for the future? We’ve put together an interview for you, to learn more about ‘Have A Rest:’
(Background info: We’d organised and launched 2 collections based on trust before even meeting in person and then at UKTEK in Wales earlier this year, we happened to bump into each other rig side for the first-time! Neither of us can remember it too well but this moment was also amazingly caught on camera , as a randomer happened to be filming the party at the same time. I’ve tried so hard to find the video to show you great but I really can’t remember where I saw it on facebook.. the search will continue! )
B= Bella/Bellisa
D =Daisy/ Have a Rest
B: Hey Daisy, lovely to speak to you again… so to start please can you tell us a lil bit about yourself- What are you doing at the moment?
D: Hiya! So I’m currently in 3rd year at UWE, Bristol studying illustration
B: Ah amazing, you must be very passionate about art to do a degree in it
D: yeah definitely, I love to paint and draw all the time and get stuck into new projects
B: Yeah I love to immerse myself into a good project too- do you create more art outside university?
D: Of course. This summer I did a lot of décor and artwork for festivals and since I love going out listen to music and meeting lots of lovely new people, everything all seems to go hand in hand!
B: Festivals, being arty n music the best combo! So more specifically, asides from your love of art how did you come about setting up your brand ‘Have a Rest’?
D: Well I haven’t quite established my brand fully, it’s still developing as I work out what I want to do, but I first started using fimo to create pendants when I was around 9/10-
B: Fimo? What’s that?
D: It’s the material I use to create all the earrings- a Polymer clay. I stopped using it for ages but a year ago I decided to get back into using it, and develop the techniques I knew further. I had a vision of the earrings and experimented with them a lot until I was producing ones I was happy with
B: Fimo seems quite specialist- like you need to work with it a lot to understand it properly
D: Yeah like I said, I experimented a lot to achieve the earrings I sell today. The whole process is very long and time-consuming but the end result is so worth it when I’ve created something so unique
B: Can you tell us any more about the process?
D: It’s quite complicated but I can try! So Fimo comes in lots of different coloured blocks but I often create my own colours by mixing them together. Then the next part involves a lot of layering, wrapping, slicing and more layering of the clay to create patterns before assembling the sections together to shape into hoops. They are then put into the oven and coated in varnish
B: Wow that certainly seems very full on with a lot of love put into it, but you can definitely see the amount of time that’s gone into the earrings especially creating the funky colourful patterns
D: It’s all a matter of trial and error really, as it takes a while to work out what colours go well together- sometimes they don’t work out how I hope or the colours may clash and merge like I don’t want them too which can be a shame if a lot of time is put into it, however it’s all part of the process. It also took a few attempts to what sizes and widths etc work well and are comfortable
B: Well I think you’ve got them spot on, I love mine! They are a perfect size so you can see all the groovy detail, but also aren’t too heavy. I also love that you know no 2 are ever gunna turn out the exact same, so they are all one-off pieces and you can choose which one suits you most
D: Thank you, it’s why I like to use lots of colour- colours for everyone so that there’s a variety to choose from to go with your own individual look whilst in keeping with my artistic style being colourful and wobbly. I also do different sizes and shapes, from chunky hoops, hearts and now the spikes
B: I feel that hoops are such a wardrobe staple… it’s so refreshing to see something very original and creative being done with them and the bonus of them being hand-crafted too
D: For sure, part of the reason I share what I do is because there is far too much mass production on this planet, so it’s lovely be part of Bellisa X Clothing as both our products are individual and handmade
B: Yup, this exactly why I think hand-made brands need to work together more, to tackle all the negatives of mass consumerism and production by introducing special products that you won’t find anywhere else
D: Yeah so this is why with the expansion of my brand ,I’d love to involve it with as many commissions and collabs as possible
B: Sounds great, do you have any other plans or future goals?
D: Well its quite daunting now I’m in third year at Uni as I feel like I’m at a crossroads with what to do next but I’d love to further involve my work with festivals and events. And with ‘Have A Rest’ aswell as experimenting with hoops, I also sell t-shirts and prints so I plan to create more t-shirt designs which I’m hoping to release in Jan/ Feb + next year
B: Amazing! I think you’ll do just great in the future as you’ve really developed such a defined, individual artistic style which is reflected across all your work- I can’t wait to see what you’ve created for your next launch on our website!
To shop the brand new collection by ‘Have A Rest’ by Daisy Flory-Bunting please click here.
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Bigger the Hoop first joined our group of accessories at the end of this summer along-side the release of our ‘Velour Couture’ Collection after I discovered the brand on one of my late-night depop stalking missions. (Anyone else do this?!) Firstly, I LOVE the clever name as much as I LOVE my big earrings and I envisaged how perfect they would go with Bellisa X clothing for our customers. So I popped over a email and well, the rest is history. Bigger the Hoop has now launched a 2nd selection of hand-selected stock on our website following the sell out of the first. And obvs I simply had to buy a pair for myself (peach melba,) which I’ve worn a lot. I love my fluffy hearts since they add fun, light-heartedness and smiles to an outfit. Yes, the fluff and the bright colours literally make other people smile at you when they see them (and you at yourself in the mirror!) They gracefully hang with colourful confidence and better still, they are so light-weight that I can’t even feel them in my ears. I’ve weighted my piercings so much from bamboo earrings that it’s great to be able to still wear big earrings – just without the pain! I wear them to both compliment my good mood or to lift the grey skies on a rainy day. On our Bellisa website we stock 4 varying colour combos to choose from.
Now I could most likely sit here all day and sing my Bigger The Hoop earring praises but It’s important that you know about the brand itself: Who, where and what are you investing your time and money into? It’s time to pass you over to Milly the designer and creator of Bigger The Hoop to listen to her story.
“Hiya! My name is Milly and I’m 22 years old; recently graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Biological Sciences and I’m currently travelling and working overseas, running Bigger the Hoop on the move from countries like Spain and Morroco! HOW is she managing this all from abroad I hear you ask? I’ll let you in on a lil secret… firstly, I made up a whole load of stock before I left for my younger brother to post out the UK orders for me ( thank you!) and then for anything he can’t do or has run out of- I make and send them to him from wherever I am. Wherever I adventure, so does a massive rucksack of equipment! The beads, sequins, marabou, pipe cleaners, different hoop sizes, pliers, envelopes etc are all organised into containers and packed into one bag- they surprisingly fit quite well. I source materials from all over the place and some I buy locally to save costs. Travelling with BTH means I can flexibly make orders wherever I am.
Whilst being flexible with production, BTH strives to be diverse with designs so that my creations can be interpreted by all different people to reflect their own style. There’s such a variety of products as I aim to have something for everyone and to suit all occasions – whilst still being expressive. However I would say the prominent theme at the moment is festival statement earrings to make people stand out- very much like the fluffy hearts I’m selling on Bellisa X. I want to provide people with earrings that they can feel confident in and be complimented on, so when I hear back from customers for the love of their purchases it makes me so happy! The whole process of coming up with new ideas and seeing the joy it brings to customers is the number 1 reason why I do what I do!
So how did I get to where Bigger the Hoop is now?
Since a young age I’ve always been very creative with a passion to collect as many things as possible to make other ‘things’ from them but really I was just a hoarder until I started making earrings. I’ve also shared a love of festivals and travelling which all coincides with my sociable personality. Originally, I started making beaded earrings for fun and for my myself and friends, but there’s only sooo much you can make for yourself! So on Dec 27th last year I took the plunge and embarked on a secret depop venture and set up BTH as a brand just to see if there was any interest out there. I was testing the water. But soon enough, after selling my first pair for only £2.50, I was immediately hooked coming up with many new designs due to such a positive response from the public. Fast forward a couple months and I was making money that really helped me to survive like a normal uni student. However it became a real challenge to balance my responsibilities running BTH (designing new stock, taking photos, uploading listing, making orders, social media etc) alongside studying and having a social life. It got very stressful (and still can) as BTH is never something I’m doing full time, its always been something I do in addition to my normal life. For example, I would often make earrings in whatever spare time I had, such as before a night out. This would leave very little time to just relax and do nothing and consequently I’d get overtired. Time is always a struggle and I constantly have a massive to do list that doesn’t always get completed (I’m working on it, I promise!) I make everything myself and some designs can be very time consuming therefore I have to price accordingly- such as a pair from the new definitive collection can take over 90 mins to make.
For the future my plan is to make mass stock (maybe even hiring people to help) to ease the pressure of making to order in busy periods whilst keeping everything up to date online so I can move BTH forward releasing new collections. Using social media to promote doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m learning and trying to love it. After the success of my first photoshoot recently, I plan to do many more alongside collaborating with other brands. I have so many ideas for new directions I’d love to take Bigger the Hoop in such as involving charity, sourcing materials local to home and creating recycled products to be more environmentally friendly. Since graduating I am excited that I now have more time to explore the massive list of evolving ideas I’ve had for ages and to combine them with all the influences from my travels too!” – M X
You can view and purchase our hand-picked range of Bigger The Hoop from Bellisa X here.
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Since you probably already know so much about Bellisa X through our social media feeds and previous blog posts, we wanted to take the take the time to introduce each of our accessory brands properly. We specifically chose to collaborate with each of the brands – Geo Fun Design, Bigger The Hoop and ‘Have A Rest’- firstly because we hope you love their creations as much as we do but also for what they represent. We want to help you to discover who you are buying from; learn about each of their own interesting journeys to where they are now and understand the processes and motivations of the brands so you can appreciate their hand-made designs. So, first up in the lime light is: Geo Fun Design..
Geo WHO
Neja is the designer, maker and owner behind Geo Fun Design. She moved to London 5 years ago for post graduate studies as SOAS University and currently lives between London and her hometown of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia!
Geo WHAT
Her designs use geometric shapes which incorporate lots of colour, texture and a dash of quirkiness. We only stock earrings on Bellisa X, but she also makes broches and necklaces.
Geo HOW
She first started making and selling jewellery at an occasional craft fair whilst studying at Uni for a double degree in Chinese Studies and Spanish Linguistics and Literature. Back then Neja would personalise nearly all her clothes to add her own personal stamp, so it became a need for her create unique jewellery to go with all the outfits too.
Neja finds working as a freelance translator, copywriter and analyst and constantly chasing deadlines can be very challenging at times so last year she rekindled her passions for designing colourful jewellery to balance out the day job. After a long day at work she looks forward to unleashing her creative juices with clay.
Geo INSPIRATIONS/ WHY
Travelling about South East Asia and living in South China for a few years in her twenties, greatly inspired her jewellery with the vibrant colour palettes used in the traditional crafts of the region aswell as the culture of the people, which she adores.
Another massive influence for her designs are Modernist artists such as Malevich, Kandinsky, Matisse and Robert Delaunay. On moving to London, Neja would spend ages excitedly exploring all the art galleries: wandering from one exhibition to the next and taking advantage of all their free entrance fees.
Geo FUTURE
At the moment Geo Fun Design is only sold on Etsy (apart from Bellisa X) but Neja has plans for the future to set up a website, sell in small gift shops pop-ups and start a line of ceramic jewellery. However being a ‘one-man brand’ venturing into new projects and restructuring her business presents quite a challenge.
With every new order Neji does a ‘happy dance’ inside and is extremely grateful to all her customers across the globe; as she recognises she’s one step closer to achieving her dream.
Furthermore, as an avid supporter of all campaigns that work with local businesses, slow fashion and handmade pieces, she will continue to support small business as much as she can.
To finish this insight into Neji’s, Geo Fun Design hand-crafted accessory label I wanted to share with you why we chose to collaborate. I first discovered GFD on etsy after searching for some unique earrings for myself; as along-side clothes, earrings are my go-to when playing with style and expression. Instantly I was drawn to the bold geometric designs with splashes of vivid colour. Furthermore, there’s something so aesthetically intriguing cutting fluid random patterns into angular statement shapes and pairing with metal- ware. A concept that somewhat structurally relates to Bellisa X panelling and clashing of block and pattern materials. I love how they are physically not too big and not too small as it’s normally very hard to find earrings at an in-between size and with a lot of detail. When wearing my Geo Fun Design, I notice how people do a curious double- take when glancing at the earrings. They create a mysterious yet confident statement. Likewise I love to style the earrings with any outfit as they add a sophisticated, contemporary yet playful twist to the finished look. The packaging is very thoughtful, and you can fully appreciate the amount of work that has gone into each purchase from the crafting to the delivery. Neji specifically designed our most recent Geo Fun Design launch for you, to complement with our new ‘Lady Marmalade’ collection: please take the time to check them out here.
Thank you for reading… and stay tuned for PT.2 with Bigger The Hoop- coming soon!
- B x
]]>As many of you should hopefully know: the X to Bellisa stands for our openness to collaborate in any direction with talents, creatives and ideas that compliment or relate to our label. So to end this year with something really special , we are SO excited to announce our first ever collaboration with another hand-made local clothing brand: Kingdom on Badmen (KofB.) Over the last few months we’ve been working extremely hard to bring you a limited-edition Christmas collection that perfectly captures both our styles: velour tracksuits, our exclusive bellisa print AND sequins. And with launch day just round the corner ( 06.12.18 @ 7PM GMT) we think it’s time to let you in on the behind the scenes details we’ve kept secret for so long…
THE BACKGROUND INFO
Cast your memories back to the summer; we held a poll on Instagram asking for what you guys wanted to see in the future for tracksuits and obviously the top vote was… sequins. Who doesn’t love abit of sparkle? Following on from this, I instantly thought of Romy (owner of KofB) and without hesitation slide into her DM’s and popped the question. At this point I hadn’t even properly thought out anything, but ideas were whizzing round my mind at million mph so I just had to propose the idea before I got carried away, to see if it would be something she was interested in. And she was! (If you don’t know how I first discovered Romy’s talent back in 2017, then please read our previous blog here.) During the following next few months we exchanged messages weekly discussing and developing our ideas for the collection. September 2018: is when the magic started to sew this idea into a reality. From September to November it went like this: I’d make up a couple tracksuits at a time, package them up to post to Romy who on receiving would start sequinning with her decided colours. During this whole period Romy and I worked on trust – since we’d only met once back in 2017.
With nearly all tracksuits sequinned it was time to do a final exchange and return everything back to Bellisa X HQ so that I could finish attaching the lining on the jackets. For this we met in Frome (half-way between us) to put the bin- bags containing safely wrapped sequin tracksuits into the boot of my car. Thinking back on it now, if a member of the public had happened to catch a glance of this transaction it may of looked abit dodgy to the suspicious eye…With our creations safely locked in the car we headed to The River House Café to discuss the fine details that had got lost in our creative excitement. We sat and talked for hours. Folders, pens and paper out and coffees on stand-by we discussed everything from pricing, packaging and marketing to picking models with their outfits and photoshoot ideas. We also took the time to properly get to know each other. And since you guys don’t know as much about Kingdom Of Badmen as you do about Bellisa, we also took the time to do a Q/A style interview! Since this is a collaboration between 2 brands and personalities, I feel it’s so important that you understand who we equally are. You can learn more about Bellisa through our previous blog posts but for KofB let the interview commence…
THE INTERVIEW
B ( Bella/Bellisa): Right, so lets start with the basics- who are you?
R ( Romy/ Kingdom of Badmen: Romy Badman-King, born in Bristol but have lived in Glastonbury for most of my life
B: Ah Glastonbury is such a unique town, and the festival too, do you think this has inspired your work?
R: Definitely. I am a huge fan of festivals and have been going to Glastonbury festival for many years now. I’ve always been fascinated by the change in fashion throughout the years there and even more so now. I think we are in a time of personal creativity where showing your own style is becoming more accepted. I want to support this idea and advertise that being yourself, wearing what you love because it makes you feel good.. because it’s a beautiful thing isn’t it?
B: Yes! Hit the nail on the head there! Exactly why I wanted to work with you and your brand so that we can create such unique and exciting garments together to encourage individuality and the confidence to express yourself. Asides from festivals, what else inspires/motivates you?
R: Ah so many things! Living in the countryside with such beautiful colourful surroundings and organic textures that I can experience with my close friends and family who motivate me every day. I am also massively inspired by music and dance – it’s why my pieces are made to reflect movement. And more specifically cabaret and burlesque. This inspires me to make clothing that makes people feel exceptional when dancing the night away.
B: I’m getting the impression that you love a dance yourself, I defo do to! How did you come about finding a way to channel your inspirations into a form of creativity that others could enjoy too through Kingdom of Badman?
R: Well I originally studied in London for a year at Chelsea Art College and from this went on to study music and drama at Liverpool Hope University and then went back to London to work at Proud
B: What is Proud- I’ve never heard of that?
R: Ahh its this most amazing cabaret club where I worked behind the bar and as PA for Alex Proud the owner
B: That’s cool and explains how it has inspired your work so much! So from this experience how did it lead you to an ambition to sew?
R: I’ve always enjoyed sewing from such an early age as I learnt this skill from my mum and was especially intrigued by shiny things so when I was moving about and trying different skills, it was always something in the back of my mind. Fashion and the art form behind it combined with textiles, textures and colours always intrigued me and has been a large part of my life. I find sequinning by hand not only an enjoyable process with a very rewarding finish that can’t be made by machine but also allows me to be very creative and make beautiful colour combinations which make every item I make completely unique.
B: Definitely agree there, it makes the end garment much more special and you can tell its been made with a lot of love, care and time when you’re wearing it
R: For sure, and I believe that if people buy items that they really love , then they will treat them with care and will last them many years rather than discard of the item when it’s hardly been worn. So that means I personally hand sew each sequin to make sure it falls elegantly and it’s in exactly right place to ensure perfect overlapping
B: Wow, you must have a lot of patience to do that – I tried that once with bigger sequins on a catsuit and it took f-o-r-e-v-e-r
R: Yeah it is very time consuming, but the end result is so worth it. As I briefly mentioned above I’m also very passionate about minimising waste, so by using individual sequins this saves waste of actual sequin fabric made on such a mass scale and yeah again, to make something that the customer will cherish forever
B: I’ve noticed this summer that the large sequinned mass-produced fabric has become very popular in the high-street—how are you going about tackling this in the future?
R: I know, its really disheartening to see so many large brands copying smaller designs and selling them made with much cheaper fabrics, but for the future I’ve started looking into using recycled plastic sequins to keep my work as ethical as possible. And again to minimise waste, I use any scraps for headbands and hoods
B: I love the idea of that! I feel like I’ve learnt a lot more about you and your aspirations of KofB. Before we finish is there any other fun facts you would want to share?
R: Hmmm.. well that’s tricky one on the spot but I’ll give it a go! ** thinks for couple minutes ** Well as I spent a fair amount of time in London, I was also an intern at Abbey Road recording Studios and I also got pulled into the busy London lifestyle and found myself spending £20 a day just on fashion magazines which as a result I found myself on more than a few occasions going without money
B: Wow, now that’s a lot of money on magazines but I can understand how easily done that could be. Anything else?
R: Ummm, I was the Wookey hole witch for a day and I actually really loved it!
B: Haha, I definitely wouldn’t of guessed that- that is indeed a fun fact
R: And also, when I met my partner I told him I would sequin him an entire onsie with a hood… 7 years later I still haven’t, as at the time I didn’t realise he was 6ft 6!
B: Yeah fair enough, that would require A LOT of time and patience haha. Don’t worry my boyfriend’s still waiting for his tracksuit a year on…. Well thanks for sharing- and what can we expect from KofB in the future?
R: My main goal for 2019, is to release a full collection inspired by nature contrasted with festivals where each item will be unique one-offs
B: Amazing- I can’t wait to see it all, and add a 3rd piece to my own personal collection from you!
THE PHOTOSHOOT
Fast forward 10 days from the café, we meet for the 3rd time but this time joined by 6 other models, 2 photographers ,7 make-up artists, further help on hand with Jade, Romy’s partner , Mel and… the 7 wonders: the final sequined outfits. It was show time. All our hard- work of planning and organising everything up to and including this day, was starting to fall in place and come to life. Obviously nothing is ever as simple and smooth-running as you hope ( few last minute cancellations which can’t be helped, also why I ended up having to model) but fast -thinking with minutes to spare is all part of the fun. The student make-up artists at BAMM had been practising their looks all week with their tutor Gozra Lozano to match our moodboard of ideas we’d previously submitted. They worked their magic and within a strict 1hr 30 minute deadline had transformed everyone into a squad of glamourous grunge models- when scrolling through our look book please take time to appreciate all their artistic hair and make-up skills. From here it was pack up, jump into cars and go, go, go off to our location. 20 minute drive and we’d all arrived... at my local pub ‘The Three Horseshoes.’ Guy, BAMM’s photographer had already set up all the lighting so that as soon as we got there, had all the models changed and accessorised asap for the photos to commence.
The day went considerably quick (perhaps aided by a pint or two…everyone, including myself, definitely made use of the pub location!) Models constantly swapped between both Guy and Liz ( 2 photographers;) with MUA’s on standby to retouch makeup inbetween; to get a mix of single shots, group shots and a contrast of staged and candid photos with all different props and backdrops. I definitely feel very lucky and grateful that we could operate at such free- reign across the pub that was also open to the intrigued public the whole time! At about 3pm we wrapped up with a final group shot, round of applause and headed our own ways.
WHATS NEXT?
With the launch of our collaboration VERY SOON, it’s time to reveal our exciting twist that makes this collection so much more meaningful. In Bellisa X style, we’ve decided to create a story to go with, but instead of a fictional one, we’re presenting every tracksuit with very short true snippets of each of the models. Why? This links back to our previous blog post, addressing some issues of social media and our felt responsibility as a brand to ensure we are positively influencing our followers. Both myself and Romy, feel so much passion to encourage individuality through what makes you different as a person: your interests, beliefs, strengths, weakness, attitudes, experiences etc as we believe this reflects in your creativity with your personal style. This means on introducing our models/tracksuits we will add info on their unique personalities, experiences and aspirations for you to read. Whilst all models will be beautifully made up and photographed at their best -we hope that you will be able to relate to, and understand each of the models as real people from the captions, rather than compare yourself to them. A ‘comparing’ attitude on social media can be poisonous to our mental health therefore instead we hope for you to see and feel a part of yourself in each of the outfits. Even though all our tracksuits follow a similar collection style all our models appearances and personalities are completely different; we want to show you that you can feel accepted into society by being your unique self. Through the endless love, time and trust that has gone into the craftmanship of this collection; the care we have taken to add real personality to the clothes and artistic flair that has been weaved into the stitching at every step of the journey; we hope you will love and appreciate this collection as much as we do.
We are so excited to present Bellisa X Kingdom Of Badman launching December 6th @ 7PM (GMT). In the meantime stay tuned for our daily release of our 7 wonders and please view the full lookbook here.
B & R XXX
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For all you sequin gals.. let me introduce..
I first discovered Romy on ETSY last summer when I was on a sequin hunt for something sparkly, fun but just that lil bit different and omg, I certainly found it… A hooded pink/pearly pom-pom playsuit! Unsure if the one made-up would fit me, I contacted Romy and we arranged to meet up so that I could try it on (based in Glastonbury this was local-ish to myself.) Within 2 weeks I found myself at the local café she worked in, locked in the toilets with my friend trying on this sequin beauty before proceeding to withdraw all funds from my bank to buy it! I instantly fell in love with the bodysuit and still am. Since then I have also bought an exotic orange/ yellow sequin strapless bikini top which had its first outing at Balter festival this summer. What I love about Romy’s pieces is that not only are they different designs, all the sequins are handsewn on by her to such a high quality. More so, the quality is carried through to the presentation, beautiful packaging, and extra attention to detail. For example, when I bought the bodysuit in person she hand wrote a receipt and when I received my new top it also came with matching orange glitter and bikini bottoms. It’s not just simply buying and receiving a garment – you can tell a lot of love has gone into making and delivering it. So if you are looking for that staple sequin item- then I would definitely recommend Kingdom of Badman by Romy!
PHOTO ABOVE: Wearing Kingdom of Badmen Sequin Top with Bellisa X Hotpants.
Etsy: Kingdom Of Badmen
Shop: https://www.instagram.com/kingdomofbadmen/
Psychedelic and graffiti- art lovers? Here’s your next wonder
It’s super hard to come across an active-wear/ festival/street wear brand all in one – but Piffy has nailed this. AND the best part? All textiles prints are designed by them and have a strong identity. They are bold and colourful and cleverly mix psychedelic with graffiti- style art. With a complete variety there is sure to be a print that you love. The collection features a range of set garments – from leggings to a shirt- which can be bought in any of the prints you like. (Men’s and accessories are available to.) I love how all items could be styled in a way that they would suit and add fun to any occasion. I am Piffy is a brand for all to enjoy. I am yet to buy a creation- as the only difficult part is deciding on what print design I want! Take a follow on their Instagram page for a very creative feed!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iampiffy/
Shop: http://www.iampiffy.com/
Are you a performer looking for an out-fit to make you stand out?
Jaimoda is an up and coming brand that I really love. I appreciate her energy to continually push the boundaries of pattern cutting to consistently bring you new and innovative designs. If you love complex panelled clothing, then Jaimoda is where you need to shop. Specialising in performance wear, Jaimoda can design and make costumes beyond your wildest imagination- one of my favourites is the GB ‘god save the queen’ numbas for Dollzentertainment. The geometric panels are so cleverly placed to not only flatter the body and look funky, but also inkeep with a theme.
Based across the pond in Washington, we have communicated a lot through Instagram and gotten to know each other’s work quite well. She’s also been so helpful in teaching me ways of social media. I feel like I can relate with Jaimoda on so many levels- the struggle to get people to understand designs which technically have a lot more skill than your average 1 piece of fabric top. Don’t get me wrong I wear tops like this, but as brands and essentially influencers we have to keep new ideas flowing. Such detail to intricate pattern cutting is largely over-looked in a lot of Instagram brands, but Jaimoda uses it to create some really imaginative, special pieces. This brand doesn’t get enough credit as it deserves, so head over to Instagram to follow her work- https://www.instagram.com/jaimodallc/
Animal lovers we got the puuurfect t-shirts for you…
Do you love Humour? Animals? Fashion? Tulas Threads brings you the 3-in-1 ultimate-t-shirt. A niche design yet suitable for anyone to wear, whatever the occasion, age or gender adding that lil bit of fun to your outfit. Being based in East London, they are inspired by street fashion and youth culture combining that style with unexpecting animals to create a quirky design. All illustrations are digitally-drawn by Tula and printed onto high-quality t-shirts for a fair price. In general, with most t-shirts the brand is what makes them, but what I love about Tulas Threads, is that they have such a strong personality. You’re buying this t-shirt because you love the design- not just because it has a certain tiny logo. With the popularity of t-shirts leading to sales overseas in Ireland and USA, this brand is sure to go far. Stay tuned for more wavey designs coming soon!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tulasthreads/
Shop: https://www.depop.com/tulasthreads
Do you seek to make a colourful statement?
Wearing my 'An Original Leroy' Top with Bellisa X AW17 Trackies
I was thinking of ways to perfectly describe this brand and what it stands for but nothing could really compare to their own description on Instagram… ‘Brash, bold and Unapologetic. Clothing brand for the movers, shakers and risk takers.’ !! ….. Amazing.
I first discovered An Original Leroy, when they moved into Rex, Bristol ( the shop Bellisa X used to sell in) and found myself spending a lot of time browsing through their pieces. I love how this brand has such a distinct style with dynamic sharp panelling, contrasting colours and funky prints. A style that’s carried across a complete variety of products so you’re sure to find something you like. They create clothes which create a smile, adding light-heartedness to the fashion scene. Based in London, keep an eye out for many of the pop-up festival and market stalls that they are selling at this summer for a chance to grab yourself An Original Leroy gem!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anoriginalleroy/
After something a lil bit different to compliment your Bellisa X with?
Wearing Skirt by Adele and BELLISA X NEW Stripe Bardot Top
It wasn’t until recently that I discovered Adele Catchpole’s clothing on Instagram. Although different to Bellisa X style clothing , I really admire the new collection’s contrasting textures, prints and pastel shades. All textile prints are hand-designed by Adele featuring a quirky mis-match of animal/ cat drawings, markings and fluid squiggles to create unusual shapes and printed onto high quality natural fabrics like cotton and cotton jersey. There is a lot of intricate detail in the textiles but they are so cleverly designed that it doesn’t look too much, or too over-crowded- the balance is just right. I now own a skirt (featured above) and since buying it I have lived in it because it’s so comfy (particularly on hot summer days) and will go with any outfit. Adele’s business is just starting up, so to purchase it’s best to message on her Instagram page where you receive very quick and helpful replies.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adele.catchpole/
And finally, Tracksuit lovers? Heres ya man..
The flyyyest tracksuits going- if you don’t know, then get to know! I was shown his work a couple of months ago by a friend, and wowza it’s definitely something very different, innovative and G. He’s mastering pattern cutting, experimenting with daring fabric choices (hello PVC) and every new piece he shares just gets better and better. It’s amazing to watch the sudden growth of a real creative making big movements, and more so, big impressions. I feel that Domoz doesn’t limit himself to the regulated fashion calendar but will introduce new pieces when he feels it – again showing off his limitless abilities. I love how every creation is so unique yet you can still clearly see his style coming through! For daily inspiration take a follow on his Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/fadednyc_official/
First point of contact is always a photographer. Someone who will capture, bring to life, and add their style to an idea that you have. Someone who will understand your vibe, confidently direct models, photo the garments in their best light and edit to perfection. Someone… who also happens to be my best friend! Sorted.
The vibe. I was set on a girl gang sparkle vibe to kick off the start of an exciting festival season in the UK. I also wanted to compliment the traditional English summer countryside with the vibrance of AUS, sequins and holographic fabrics. You would have thought it being summer time, and previously really hot in the UK it would be fairly straight forward to find a location? Location is always one of the hardest elements to source. Unless you already have somewhere in mind, to find a location that Is perfect, is difficult. It got to the point where I was changing location almost every day in the week before the shoot and driving round like a crazy person trying to find. .. the field or the woodland. 2 days before I found it. It was only then, that I checked the weather. Rain! The one day out of the whole month of clear sunny skies, it was going to rain! SOS. Another brainstorm was needed ASAP. It was then that Tula had the brilliant idea to use her families caravan – it’s waterproof and definitely has the vibe. Sorted.
Other elements that are so important for a photoshoot to work are the models and make-up artists. I’m always on the look out for models (this is also a part of my late-night Bellisa X social media stalk/research) so I generally have an idea of who would most suit the look I’m going for, but also like to open the opportunity to everyone who may be interested. I love diversity – to show that the clothes are for everyone. Alongside Cara, models Bonnie and Phoebe totally complimented the clothing and each other in their own unique ways. And didn’t they look fabulous!
But ah, who helped make them look that extra fabulous? Make-up artists Issie and Sophia.
For some reason, I always leave make-up to the last minute to organise and then completely panic that I haven’t sorted it sooner. In a fluster, I sent an email to BAMM (Bath Academy of Media Make-up) in search for last minute make-up artists (2 days last minute) and to my delight I had very swift replies. AND I AM SO GRATEFUL for how amazing these 2 made the models look, on such short notice, a very brief brief and how also professional they worked.
The photoshoot. So with a build up at least 6 months to this time, the day was here. (I’m sure I’m not the only one who can never sleep before a shoot – due to 50% nervousness – like is this gunna work ? have I forgotten something ? but also 50% excitement! ) I’d arranged for make-up artists and models to meet at my house to set up and get ready. Shortly after, Ariane arrived and myself, her and everyone else met for the first time! The kitchen was soon transformed into a hub of glitter, cups of tea and chatter. With beautifying in action, there was a very important part that had still not been figured out – styling, So Ariane and myself headed to the studio with her huuuuuge suitcase to work out outfit combos. We spent a good hour mix and matching items , working out garments that would go best , what outfits would compliment each other and to include a variation of colour, fabrics and sense of each of our brands.
Set up. As time is always a key factor in the organisation of photoshoots, we split into 2 groups. I headed off to the location to set up ready to start for when hair and makeup was finished. My car was literally full to the brim with clothes, props and of course people. Tula had spent the morning at another photoshoot and also clearing out the caravan. So that when we got there we set about getting artsy and crafty with décor to revamp the caravan into a cosy boho festival crib. And it looked pretty cute, don’t you think?
Shoot time. On the arrival of everyone else we quickly cracked on, dressed models in their first outfits, got them feeling comfortable in front of the camera and then snapped away. Working with a team of 2 designers, 3 models, 2 make-up artists and 1 photographer into a small caravan proved somewhat challenging at times. But we successfully battled through the hot ( body heat and portable heater) the cold ( outside and rain) all whilst running back and forth between the caravan and barn to swap and change outfits. All part of the fun!
The extra bits. To bring all the main elements together are the accessories and finer details and Ariane was great with this. She had come stocked with jazzy earrings to be styled alongside our Pompoms For Dayz and Shine Shack Gems- so that we could really create a complete look. Shoes are always tricky to source, so half the time I’m more than happy for models go barefoot and this fitted well with the festival hippy theme. BUT we did also use some snazzy authentic embroidered/pompom shoes of mine given to me by my cousin from her travels in Morocco! ( Thanks!) As mentioned, Ariane’s attention to the finer detail was impeccable – making sure that everything was always in place and clothing looked their best. When you’ve spent so long brainstorming, organising, sourcing, sewing, coordinating everyone involved it’s so important to make sure that on the day- the small details are there to make everything just perfect.
And that’s a wrap. Photos done, we quickly packed up and headed back to base camp and parted our separate ways. Everyone was exhausted. And I for one, slept the whole evening through to the morning. From then it was just a waiting game to get the final edits back. If you haven’t had the chance to look at the photos , then please head over to lookbook and have a browse. They are brilliant.
I am so pleased with how the photoshoot turned out after all the effort everyone had put in to make it so successful. So, thank you all! And also so appreciative of the warm responses to this collaboration from everyone on social media. And because we didn’t want to leave this magical meet up just as photos, Ariane came up with the great idea to hold a competition after. A competition is the perfect way to invite you guys to be involved with this unique collaboration. So if you haven’t already entered, then head over to Bellisa X Instagram to see what’s up for grabs! Competition ends 23.06.18 19.00 GMT. Good luck!
B X
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It’s nearly been a month since Bellisa X collaborated with the like-minded clothing brand Ariane Bingham Sparkles- to bring you sparkly inspo with a festival styled photoshoot! Apart from the fabulous photos ( taken by Tula.P;) sassy models ( Cara, Phoebe and Bonnie) AND funky make-up by (Issie and Sophia ) - what made this shoot so special? Well… in case we hadn’t already made it obvious over social media (hint: UK X AUS) Ariane, is based in Melbourne, Australia!
I’m hoping that a lot of you saw the BTS videos and photos posted across both our Instagram stories on the day– this is so that we could give you live sneak previews of the photoshoot, so you could see what was going on! And while it was sparkly and exciting- if you are only shown the photoshoot in action and the end results, how can you understand the amount of work that goes into making the photoshoot happen and as successful as this one was?! Behind EVERY Bellisa X photoshoot there is a journey and I’d love to share this unique one with you.
So, how did this shoot come about? I hear you ask.
At the beginning of the year, I think around January time maybe even before, I was on my night-time Bellisa X social media stalk mission which happened to lead me to @Ariane_bingham_sparkles Instagram page (go follow!) And after scrolling through her colourful clothing feed, I noticed that in the bio she had put up her summer travel dates. Although a long-time off, the idea to creatively collaborate and meet with another designer working in a similar market but on the opposite side of the world, really excited me so I very quickly sent a DM to introduce myself! So, since the beginning we kept in contact via Instagram learning about each other and our brands whilst brainstorming creative ideas. The great thing about technology and social media, is that this form of communication worked perfectly around the huuuuge time difference.
It wasn’t until much nearer the time that we agreed on a date, 21st May, that would best fit in with both our schedules to make this discussed magic happen!
Along the planning process there are SO many things to consider bringing a creative collective together on the day. I’ve always found it very challenging to organise photoshoots but also so rewarding when the final photos capture exactly what I’d envisaged and more. Since Ariane was travelling to the UK and I have local contacts, it made much more sense for me to do a lot of the co-ordinating. Of course prior to leaving, she had been working on lots of goodies to accompany on her travels (a WHOLE suitcase!) and also Cara, a friend and Australian model who was great to work with.
PT.2 of the journey to be continued.... stay tuned for photography, models,makeup up and the shoot day details..
- B X
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