Over the weekend, I explored a facet of fashion that I hadn’t before touched ever.  A facet of fashion that supposedly we are all meant to be very much aware of, in these troubled times.  It’s ethical fashion of course.  I’m not about to get preachy (to the person who used to lecture me about what went into my chicken drummers, I didn’t appreciate the same tirade EVERY lunchtime…. I fully enjoyed my chicken drummers and ate them with gusto…) and lather this post up with gushy hopes about turning my back on fashion that is not organic or fair-trade.  I’m not even going to tell you that one day I’m going to be a fully ethical fashion consumer because, in all honesty, I just don’t think this is something that is feasible in the way fashion is produced, and I doubt it will fully change in my lifetime.  However, what I am saying is that the choices in ethical fashion are broadening in such a way that they would most certainly tempt the average fashion consumer and get them to be more aware of the whole ethical thang.

I was asked to self-style a shoot for the ethical magazine New Consumer (much more later about the horrors and embarrassment of modelling) and through that, a pair of Onagono jodhpurs made out of 100% organic cotton as approved by SKAL (whatever that means….) came my way.  These are part of Onagono’s new SS08 range which is also their first full collection as they were previously primarily designing T-shirts.  Looking at the collection as a whole, it’s clear that efforts are being made to push the boat out a little and make an interesting use out of organic materials. 

Ok, so you might cry ‘Ewww… jodhpurs…are like….so over…so last season.’  In all honest truth though, I never thought of jodhpurs as a seasonal wonder as I had similar shaped pants in my wardrobe prior to the Balenciaga AW07-8 collection and fashion stores in Hong Kong were rife with pants with added hippage and puffiness (incidentally, I never called my puffy thighed trousers ‘jodhpurs’ because I knew ‘jodhpurs’ to be quite tight fitting horse riding attire but that’s a whole other issue of confusion…).  Therefore I will just refer to these as my puffy-hipped trousers.  The cotton material and drawstring waistband makes these proper comfy but then it's all contrasted with the exaggerated rounded hips and tight tapered legs.  I especially love the buttons running up the sides of the hips and the calves.  The combination of material and shape makes these ripe for pairing with sharp tailoring and even sharper heels.  Ethical saintliness aside, there are great fitting trousers that will probably fast become an ideal ‘dress-up/smarten-up’ tool.

To add a rather sour note though…
P.S. To the lovely CM who very kindly left some sage bit of advice regarding my complete lack of inelegance.  I’m sorry that you’ll see that I’m wearing a Lanvin jacket and shoes in this pic because I know you are so very pained that I make Lanvin look ‘cheap and tatty’.  I’m very sorry that I haven’t brushed my hair nor have I got on any make-up – perhaps you could come and give me a lesson or two.  I especially apologise for my general repugnance to you.  I’m just full of apologies today that I don’t even know how to forgive myself.  I will sit in a corner now and reflect upon how to make myself the absolute picture of elegance for you and thus gain your total affection.  Please bear with me whilst I do that. 

Back to ethical stuff.  Yeah….go team ethical clothing….go go go!