Fashion forward

By Dagmar Hoogland

Stylish. Sustainable. Socially Conscious.

It sounds like a winning combination, but is it possible to achieve? Following the last VivaCity piece on the gorgeous Sleeping Bags, someone else thinks it is too… Hell (oh) yes, is what Sheena Matheiken would tell you. Sheena is the founder of The Uniform Project and her mission is exactly this.

The project started in 2009 when Sheena got fed up with her career in advertising or to be more specific, with the “uninspiring demands of the advertising world” and decided it was time for something new.

She found her new challenge in fashion when she decided she was going to wear the same black dress every day for a year, and making this dress look different every day without buying any new clothes or accessories.

Pffffew, A pretty difficult task if you ask me. Not to mention the withdrawls one would have of not being able to give into that easy fix called retail therapy.

But she did it. And not only did she succeed on a personal level, the challenge was also designed to be an online fundraiser, raising money to send underprivileged kids to school.

The Uniform Project got lots of media attention all over the world and now is in it’s second year where the project is expending into a global platform combining philanthropy, fashion, sustainability and social commerce into an ongoing mission.

On their site you can choose the classic LBD (Little Black Dress for those not familiar with his term), the reversible LBD or you can buy the pattern and make one yourself. 

Another organization tapping into the issue of over-consumption in the world of fashion is TRAIDremade. 

TRAIDremade recycles, refashions and remakes textiles that would otherwise be thrown away, into beautiful bespoke garments and accessories. It is run by the UK based fashion recycling charity TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International development) and raises funds to fight global poverty through its clothes recycling and environmental activities in the UK.

Their aim is to create one-off garments for the fashion conscious using 100% recycled clothes, fabrics and vintage. During the school holidays or in the evenings over the course of a school term, TRAIDremade runs workshops where you can create your own recycled collection of clothes.

If you’re up for the challenge of being fashion forward not faddy fast fashion, try it out here .

why vivacity

This is the century of the city.

Over half the world’s population now live in cities. This is projected to rise to three-quarters of all people in 2050. With population increases, this means 6.75 billion of us will be city dwellers, an increase of 3.75 billion from today. As the future success or failure of mankind lies in cities, new ways of using them are needed.

The city represents an incredible paradox. We have never been closer together physically, but we have never been further away from each other emotionally. At vivacity we celebrate city movements around the world that change and re-define the way we interact with and use cities. Whilst cities cannot cope with the numbers now and the resultant strain on the world’s natural resources and eco-systems are already painfully evident, we believe that human spirit and endeavor will overcome, as it has done before.

vivacity promotes city movements that are connecting people & creating new types of communities. They are typically low impact, highly sociable, enabled by technology, using public and private spaces in new ways and empowering people to act locally.

vivacity promotes new ways of feeling alive, new ways of being invigorated, and new things to be a part of. We call it grassroots stuff in the city. We hope you get involved and share your experiences with us.

who we are

Andy Marks vivacity founder and editor

Social entrepreneur, lecturer, writer and curator, Andy Marks is an agent of positive social change practicing at the intersection or fault-line of business, society and culture. Andy is the founder of research and consultancy network Salad Worldwide, an advisor to some of the world’s leading companies on Corporate Responsibility and an advisor to a number of non-profit organizations. Andy is an expert on grass roots city movements, and a founding partner of an upcycling enterprise launching in 2010.

Julian Broadhead contributor

With a background in advertising, branding and corporate responsibility, Julian works with blue-chip companies from a wide range of industries and sectors, advising on strategy and new ways of connecting with people. He is currently developing a number of new opportunities in the environmental sector, with a particular emphasis on making environmental action more accessible.

Shane Solanki – contributor/distributor/carburettor/carbon-ara

Artist, writer, performer, producer and director, Shane’s first short film was commissioned by the BBC and directed by Peter Cattaneo. His first record was produced by Mercury Prize Winner Talvin Singh. He worked for years to forge the unique identity of independent record label Ninja Tune. We at Vivacity like to think of him as a grass roots detective, covertly operating under the pseudonym of the Last Mango in Paris; imagine him skulking around the world in a beige macintosh, recording and documenting our shift into a society where social responsibility and public creativity are norms.

contribute

become a vivacity scout

As more and more of us live in urban areas, individuals and communities can feel overwhelmed and isolated by the sheer intense-city of it all.

However we at vivacity believe that human spirit and endeavor will overcome as it has done so many times before. That is why we are celebrating movements around the world that are changing and re-defining the way we interact with the city. We would like to hear from you about grassroots movements or activities that bring people together face to face and use cities in new ways. The more original and imaginative the better.

Please email us describing a movement you would like to see on vivacity using a maximum of 300 words. info@vivacity.me