Selfridges’ ‘Bright New Things’ Promote Sustainability, Mindful Consumption

CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION: Selfridges is standing behind a new roster of up-and-coming designers, with its ongoing “Bright New Things” initiative.

For spring 2019 the retailer is once again putting the focus on sustainability and championing the likes of E.L.V Denim, Permanent, Good News Shoes and Stay Wild, as part of the initiative.

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Each brand is approaching the issue from different angles.

E.L.V, which is based in East London, is taking on denim — no small feat, given that the average pair of jeans takes 4,000 liters of water to make. The brand chooses instead to upcycle vintage finds and patching different pieces together to create new, distinctive styles, often featuring panels of contrasting colors or splatters of acid wash.

“The essence of my brand is that I take what is rejected by others, and turn it into something super-modern, sophisticated and with an incredible fit,” said Anna Foster, E.L.V’s founder.

Selfridges Bright New Things: A look featuring E.L.V Denim
Selfridges Bright New Things: A look featuring E.L.V Denim

Good News Shoes is another fledgling label on the list. Its founders Ben Tattersall and Nia Jones, said they wanted to put ethical and sustainable practices at the core of their business from the get-go. But the good news doesn’t stop there: Apart from using recycled rubber soles, organic cotton uppers and eco-lite footbeds to create its colorful range of sneakers, the brand also doubles up as charitable foundation.

Tattersall and Jones aim “to help provide functional footwear to migrants arriving in Italy” and have so far supplied 3,000 pairs of pre-worn shoes to the migrants and refugees.

Permanent founder, Iris van Melsen’s focus is to hit the reset button on consumers’ approach to shopping. “The youth are growing up in the digital age and have easy access to information about the clothes they wear. I truly believe the new generation could make a big shift,” said van Mersen, who hopes to tempt an echo conscious younger generation of consumers with a streetwear range that features T-shirts, sweaters and lanyards.

Selfridges Bright New Things: A look featuring Permanent clothing
Selfridges Bright New Things: A look featuring Permanent clothing.

British swimwear label Stay Wild, will also be joining the Bright New Things roster.

The brand is inspired by the ocean and the beauty of the female form in all of its shapes, and wants to celebrate both in perfectly cut swimwear.

It’s also working toward an ambitious zero waste policy, producing their minimalist swim wear by reusing waste fabrics, such as plastics from disused fishing nets. Their ultimate aim is to be able to provide a creative solution to regenerating the 12 million tonnes of plastic waste dumped into the oceans year on year.

The new brands this season will be joining other Bright New Things alumni, including KITX, Charlie Feist, Naadam and Ecoalf. They will be stocked both in store and on selfridges.com.

Selfridges Bright New Things: A look featuring a Stay Wild bikini
Selfridges Bright New Things: A look featuring a Stay Wild bikini.

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