Paris

Next stop lunch at Merci 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais

1-3. Home-wear floor 4. Fashion floor, for a sustainable life & style 

A view from above

Lunch was followed by a spot of vintage shopping (I couldn't resist) and a coffee in the cafe (below), where you'll never be short of a book to read!

Merci, which opened in Paris last March, was founded by Marie France Cohen and husband, who created the chic children's wear brand Bonpoint, has now been dubbed the new mecca for design and fashion lovers. 

The first 'magasin solidaire' in France, meaning that 100% of their profit will go to a charity, they pledge to source sustainably and stock brands such as Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Laurent to name a few, as well as designer vintage and end of season at up to 70% off. 

Not to be missed!

Paris

Heads of Paris fashion week are determined to make Paris the capital of ethical fashion, along side couture and pret-a-porter. So, off to Paris I went...

To read on click here

 

Moving in...our perfect maisonette in Montorgueil, the 2nd. THANKYOU David.

(Found on the brilliant Air-bnb)

First stop Sweat Shop "Less buying - more trying" No. 13 Canal St.Martin

Run by the lovely Martens Duss (fiery red, above) Sweat Shop is fashions answer to a cyber-caff, where you come and go as you please, using the singer machines to make or mend and the communal table to work or as I did, natter away over coffee and cake to one of the many young actresses, artists and fashionistas that drop in and out throughout the day.

Jewel's

Fair Trade Beaten Gold Dove Studs by Cred

White Chilli Pepper by Made

 

Heel's

Day by Terra Plana

Night by Nina Dolcetti

My Top 4 who have it all...

At no 1. Stella McCartney

'I always touch on an element of a sustainable or eco collection in everything that I do.'

No 2. Christopher Raeburn

The new S/S trench. A patchwork of recycled military parachutes.

No 3. Ekyog

Parisian luxe at it's best.

No. 4 American Apparel

The sustainable edition.

Design excellence without compromise. That'll be the day when,

style & quality = sustainability

Fashion Junky

From Up-Styling to Junky-Styling 

From Somewhere...

ORSOLA DE CASTRO

She curates Estethica, an initiative in association with the British Fashion Council that showcases eco-fashion brands and created her own brand 'From Somewhere' in 2001. Using factory floor cut-offs from brands such as Yves St Laurent, Chloé and Karl Lagerfeld she makes use of the waste to create the most beautiful collections, pure genius... 

Livia Firth's Oscar dress 2010 by From Somewhere

To see more by Orsola click here

Black Kites

GABRIEL OROZCO

Graphite grid on human skull. Orozco uses found objects in this case he explains, 'I was intrigued by something real, that is not fake' ... spot on.

Tate Modern 19 January  –  25 April 2011

Sunflower Seeds

AL WEIWEI

Intricately hand-crafted in porcelain, millions of small life-sized like sunflower seeds, each apparently identical, but actually unique. They are the effort of hundreds of skilled hands from the Chinese city of Jingdezhen, poured into the Turbine Hall, the 100 million seeds form a seemingly infinite landscape. 

Well worth a visit... Tate Modern 12 October 2010  –  2 May 2011

The one who got it right...

EDUN

Founded by Ali Hewson with the help of husband Bono, eco-fashion label EDUN was launched in 2005. Inspired by the beauty of Africa, its distinctive, contemporary collections come with a clean conscience, proving that style and sustainability needn't be compromising.