Independent Fashion Designers and Brands who have made big names for themselves over the past few years.
The fashion world, in its most recent state, faces micro trends and cycles in a constant rotation, ideas of style and coolness moving at a pace so fast the normal person can not keep up with, nor can an ethical brand. With a focus on ethos and sustainability, this listicle introduces a list of independent fashion designers who have made a big name for themselves in the last few years, fuelling and flourishing slow fashion. Aside from a step towards a far more ethical consumption, these designers and their brands offer a hand to individuality in a realm ruled by passing trends.
VIVI WEI
VIVI WEI is a fashion brand founded by Vivien Tang, based in South East London. The brand focuses on the sustainability of garments by the production process occuring in limited batches to prevent the waste of over production and the described process all happening locally in South East London, preventing the heinous exploitation that some outsourcers allow. As well as this, their commitment to environmental responsibility is revealed in their incorporation of fabric scraps into new designs, their ‘Jade Mini Skirt’ using the scraps of the ‘Ren Maxi’ and ‘June Midi’.
This past summer, they released a collection collaboration with influencer @susiegarvie, a face of the sustainable fashion world and a major advocate for self-expression. The aesthetic of the collection, and of the brand, takes inspiration from the 90s and 2000s, blending vintage inspiration with contemporary sustainability. A notable name upcoming in the UK fashion scene.
MOONKISSED COLLECTIVE
A personal favourite, Moonkissed Collective exists as a “multimedia platform that mirrors & highlights perspectives of young women as they come of age,” describing their brand as “an aesthetic vehicle for communication” [About – Moonkissed Collective]. Yasmin Bahrami, the creator, blew up on the internet when she printed a long lost love letter she’d written onto a camisole, decorated with kiss stains, a cult following emerging from the relatability, nostalgia and heartache of the piece.
Beyond inclusivity and artistry, they place an emphasis on sustainability – their ethos involves ethical production practice, using materials like organic cotton, vegan leather and recycled fabrics, and champions labour practices of fairness by ensuring a transparency of their supply chain.
COU COU INTIMATES
Founded by Rose Colcord, Cou Cou Intimates is an environmentally motivated brand, the brands main outlined goal to be a reduction of environmental impact. In the brand’s ‘about us’ page, they outline that underwear and intimates are one of the few pieces of clothing that simply won’t be resold, therefore preventing extended life of such pieces, with only 2% of underwear sustainably sourced. A design with the intention of longevity, the quality of sustainably sourced organic cotton that’s completely compostable prevent a life fated for landfill.
Beyond environmental ethics, Cou Cou offers varying sizes and styles to suit a diverse range of people, intent to appeal to the needs and tastes of as many as possible. Designs od elegance are paired with practicality, producing a product of functional luxury. Simplicity reigns their pointelle pieces, and a charm presents itself in the embroidered ‘lover’, ‘philosopher’, and ‘reader’ undergarments – style is not sacrificed to comfort nor ethics.
SUSAMUSA
Susamusa is an emerging fashion brand known for its vibrant, artistic designs and a focus on playful, unconventional aesthetics, established by Asal Tehrani. The brands roots planted in Depop, the biggest reselling site that is so beloved, and later expanded to feature Asal’s original designs beyond exclusively vintage pieces. The brand’s value of sustainability is clear in their use of eco-friendly fabrics and mindful production processes.
Inclusivity, too, is prevalent, approaching garments in a gender-fluid way and working with a variation of body types and personal style.
Visual inspiration is drawn from a collection of streetwear influences, different cultures and art movements. Often labelled as statement or quirky, Susamusa’s pieces are products of experimentation with cuts, textures and colours. The brands name truly has worked it’s way up in the fashion world, mentioned in a British Vogue article where it was listed as it girl Bella Hadid’s favourite depop shop, Susamusa’s dresses gracing the hangers of her wardrobe.
GOOD SQUISH
A fashion accessory brand to end off the list, Good Squish is run by siblings Phoenix-Blu Cronin and Billie-Jo Cronin. In recent years, Good Squish has taken parts of the fashion world by storm, playing on current loves for maximalism and over accessorising. The business is a small team of 9 who are based in Hackney and handmake every product. As well as such a localised production chain that ensures safety and fairness, the brand utilises eco-friendly materials of bamboo, organic cotton and recycled fabric, committed to values of reducing their environmental footprint.
Though both known and noted for accessories – the good squish scrunchie iconic in it’s larger than typical size and excessive layers, found in varying colours and patterns – the brand also produces a range 0f loungewear, activewear and intimates, gentle to both the purchaser and the planet. Flourishing on quirks and iconicism, the brand is one to note within the current fashion scene.