LONDON FASHION WEEK AW 2011

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Written by Ishwari Thopte - Saturday, 05 March 2011

Green is definitely the buzz-word at every fashion week and when it comes to showcasing new talent, London is the place to be. The British Fashion Council founded Estethica, sponsored by Monsoon, five years ago to showcase the growing movement of cutting edge designers committed to working eco sustainably. This was my fourth season covering Estethica in a row so I was already acquainted with the majority of the designers presenting this season. There's no doubt that Estethica has evolved to become the hub of London's ethical fashion industry. The success of this initiative, internationally the strongest of its kind, is evident in its rapid growth from its first season of 13 designers to over 20 for AW11's Estethica collective.

Estethica is co-curated by Orsola de Castro, founder of green label From Somewhere, who I have been in touch over the past two years. She has been extremely helpful with my research projects and is always eager to share knowledge and resources. Her capsule collections for F&F Tesco and Speedo have both received extensive press coverage and have been a great success. Her co-curaters are Filippo Ricci and The British Fashion Council.

This season saw five new designers emerging onto the Esthetica platform. These include the Italian born Antonello and Jacob James in Accessories, Kumvana Gomani in jewellery and Dr. Noki's NHS along with Study NY in the Ready to wear categories.

ANTONELLO

Antonello's Sardinian inspired 'eco – luxurious' handbags made of hand-woven fabrics (produced in ethically managed factories & workshops entirely managed by women) is a colourful collection which broke the usual leather/ canvas mould and was aesthetically crafted. The bags themselves are reminiscent of the relaxed beach life and Sardinia's cultural heritage embodied through the exotic and intricate motifs woven on the bags. If you're planning a summer in the Mediterranean, look no further for your perfect tan accessory!

KUMVANA

Complimenting Antonello's bags are Kumvana Gomani's innovative and contemporary jewellery pieces made of recycled plastic and wood. Her designs follow simple geometric patterns making them an instant hit with a wide range of consumers. Her snowflake earrings are a definite winter must haves!

Amongst designer's from last season, Little Glass Clementine's AW'11 pieces were as creative and desirable as her last collection while Junky Styling's intricately tailored dresses and corsets made me want to head straight to their Brick Lane outlet and splurge!

PACHACUTI

Another interesting collection was Pachacuti's 'Carry On' range inspired by Latin American sustainable design and incorporating recycled plastic and sustainable straw to make some great bags and travel accessories. Looks like there are load of options when it comes to travel shopping this year.

But a visit to Esthetica is never complete without admiring Christopher Raeburns creative installations which are always a pleasure to discover. The only ethical designer to be chosen by Topshop for a NEWGEN sponsorship, Christopher now showcases his designs in the Newgen space. However, his coolest animal for this season (made from left over fabric scraps in his own studio and make great souvenirs!) the fantastic Mr. Fox (a massive blown up version in parachute) stood guarding the entrance to Esthetica. This cool mascot was also spotted at his exclusive on-schedule presentation at the old Aldwych underground tube station (rated as one of the best presentation venues this season) where he was joined by Mr. Hare, his mascot for last season. The collection itself was fabulous with an exciting mix of re-appropriated military and parachute fabrics, in bright reds, neutral blacks and greys and some funky 'Blast' printed jackets and parka's. My favourite pieces include the beautifully tailored black skater coat and the 3-in-1 silver pop out parka which is on my wishlist as the perfect weapon against the crazy London weather!