We're super pleased to announce our first Featured Designer of the year, a brand new stockist to join the Godiva family - Collect Me!
Collect Me is a handmade sustainable fashion brand created by fashion designer Zoë Yarwood. Every single piece is handmade by Zoë in her small studio in Frome, Somerset.
We're so excited to be stocking a range of Collect Me's gorgeous Peg Leg Trousers and Jumpers and can't wait to share them with you.
To celebrate, we asked Zoë all about her brand, ethics and collections to help us get to know her and Collect Me a little better.
Can you introduce yourself and your brand?
Collect Me is a slow fashion brand with myself, Zoe Yarwood, at the helm as founder, designer and maker, based in the small but mighty town of Frome in Somerset. After graduating in 2011, I was given the opportunity to intern at a sustainable fashion boutique with the chance to sell my creations in store, thus giving me the chance to put into action the brand idea I had started cooking up at uni! I have been growing the brand ever since, taking the plunge into full time business owner in the Summer of 2019.
Where did the idea behind the brand come from?
The brand idea was spawned after writing my dissertation on the impact of emotional attachment on the lifetime of clothes. I wanted to create a brand that focused on one-of-a-kind clothing - knowing that you have a unique piece of clothing and that there is no duplicate of it, only strengthens your attachment to that piece and allows you to love it for longer, helping to break the cycle of fast fashion. Using vintage and remnant fabrics enables this unique factor to happen - I rarely have enough of each piece of fabric to make more than one garment out of it and if I do, I make sure to change up the details or the design it is used for so no two are the same! I also offer a made to order service, which again adds an extra layer of love to each piece - if you have had a hand in the design of the piece yourself, this will add an extra reason to hold onto it forever!
How is sustainability important to Collect Me?
Sustainability is super important to me and my brand. I use vintage and remnant fabrics - remnants includes end of roll pieces, unwanted or unused fabric, deadstock, fabric with print issues and seconds. This helps to use up fabrics that are already in circulation or otherwise would go unused. Sustainability is a multi-faceted issue and I accept that no 'sustainable' fabric solution is perfect - without years of overproduction of fabric and clothing I wouldn't have the access to these remnant fabrics in the first place, however taking this approach helps to put these fabrics to good use in a responsible way that won't see them end up in landfill in a months time. I save the fabric scraps leftover from my clothing production and turn them into a range of hair accessories as well as giving them to local initiatives.
Pushing against the throw-away and trend dependant habits that fast fashion has created in us, without losing the fun and creativity of having your own style is, to me, the way forward in starting to change the way we buy clothing.
What influences your designs?
The key factors in my designs are versatility, comfort and creating flattering shapes - then I add in a touch of bright colour and print with fabric choices to crank up the uniqueness and fun! I want pieces that work together but also can be worn in a variety of ways, so the wearer can keep that excitement of wearing a new piece of clothing going for longer and throughout the seasons. I'm influenced by Japanese pattern cutting techniques and like to add a unique detail to each design. My signature use of contrasting panels of fabrics is also a practical way of helping to use up smaller pieces of remnants.
What's your favourite piece?
My favourite design is the Awesome Peg Leg Trousers - they are my dream trousers; flattering, comfortable and go with everything! I've sent a really varied selection of prints and colours to Godiva, but my favourite pair has to be the ones in the most amazing bright yellow satin backed crepe, with contrast heart print pockets, they're so cute!
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