Editor’s letter
Welcome to the Big Fashion Issue,
Over the past year, we have witnessed retailers take a huge bite into sustainability; something we never thought they would ever do, all things considered. Hiring a dress when you can buy one? Bravo!
Selfridges took the lead as the first department store to hone in on rental, with former cover girl Victoria Prew and her gigantic fashion rental platform HURR. You’ve heard of trying before buying, well now you can try before you rent with the exciting partnership.
Also joining Prew last month as part of Selfridges’ Project Earth sustainable strategy, was cover girl Sabinna Rachimova and her eponymous brand SABINNA which allowed customers to shop an exclusive collection of its conscious pieces.
Cover girls Vanessa Jacobs, Emily Rea and Thais Cipolletta who are the founders behind The Restory, also join the Selfridges roster as its official aftercare provider for any of its luxury mishaps.
We’ve also seen Harrods take sustainability in its stride, as cover girl Tina Lake who is the founder of MY WARDROBE HQ, partners with the iconic shopping destination to allow customers to get their hands on the latest luxury duds, for a fraction of the price.
As retail leads the way with fashion rental, we are excited to learn what other industries will join in on the sustainable revolution.
From rental to desk sharing to co-living, it seems like the world has gotten kinder and we’re here for it.
I’ve personally pulled myself away from the countless white t-shirts that I would almost stock pile in my closet, for those all important Zoom meetings and instead, I’m finding more ethical brands to push. You’ll find quite a few of those brands dotted inside this issue. I’m excited for you to learn more about them.
In the midst of an exciting month for fashionistas and fashion-lovers everywhere, we open conversation on the area of sustainability, all whilst uniting the women leading this fashion revolution: Sabinna Rachimova, founder of SABINNA; Tina Lake, the co-founder of MY WARDROBE HQ, the UK’s first fashion rental marketplace; a leading destination for renting and buying contemporary and luxury womenswear fashion; Ceanne Fernandes-Wong, CEO and co-founder of luxury handbag subscription service, COCOON who cemented its position in the UK’s circular fashion space, with investors including global luxury group Kering and Depop founder, Simon Beckerman; Mother and daughter duo Dina Ibrahimova and Hanushka Toni, founders of Sellier Knightsbridge, the UK's most trusted reseller of authentic Hermès bags and finally, Vanessa Jacobs, Emily Rea and Thais Cipolletta, who are the founding women behind leading aftercare solution for luxury fashion The Restory.
We shot each of our sustainable cover girls in some of their favourite pieces, directly from their own wardrobes which they planned to keep and wear for a long time.
With the release of our new fashion issue, also comes WOTC Fashion Week, our four-day event featuring intimate talks with global leaders and friends of the magazine such as FLOWERBX founder Whitney Bromberg Hawkings and True Fit’s Sarah Curran-Usher MBE. We also take the time to honour and support the incredible Malaika foundation, founded by former covergirl and dear friend of the magazine, Nöella Coursaris Musunka.
A very special thank you to my amazing interns DeeDee, Anastasia, Cyann, Kaydria, Lily and Morgen who helped to make this issue possible.
Happy reading!
Phadria x
