Who Made Your Clothes? | #InsideOut Fashion Revolution

Brothers We Stand - #InsideOut

Who Made Your Clothes? These words are not something we really consider on an everyday basis. In fact, most of us won't consider it at all. Unless we have close connections to a factory, manufacturer, or the industry we're unlikely to ever find out either. 

A lot of you will know that I'm very pro-local production and try to support small + independent business, (in particular the UK + US) whenever I can. It's very encouraging to see UK brands such as Mamnick, TRiCKETT, S.E.H Kelly and Hiut Denim, forming such a loyal following, and tapping into specific niches + needs across the clothing industry. Huit's jeans even get signed off with the marker's signature, so you whose hands constructed each pair. Same goes for our brand, Northern Goods Co. - any queries about our products, we can talk to you through the whole hand-production process.

TRiCKETT Lynch Socks - Made in Durham, England

Mamnick Commute Clip - Made in Sheffield, England

Northern Goods Co. Key Clip - Made in Blackpool, England.

24.04.14 marks one-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster, in which over 1,000 garment workers lost their lives, when their factory complex collapsed, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Fashion Revolution Day says enough is enough. 

So, Who Made Your Clothes? Fashion Revolution is asking us to be more curious about our clothes, and wear them #InsideOut - drawing attention to their labels, questioning who was it made by and in which country? You can share your images using the hashtag #InsideOut + @Fash_Rev.

Ethical menswear store Brothers We Stand have produced this series of images (see first image) to accompany the campaign, asking us once again how much we really know about the clothing on our backs. They'll be posting new photos on their Instagram throughout the day, so have a gander.

It's time to turn the industry Inside Out, so get involved! To find out how you can help out, visit Fashion Revolution  here.

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Onitsuka Tiger SS14 - My Town My Tracks

My Town My Tracks is the latest interactive campaign from the Japanese sports lifestyle brand, Onitsuka Tiger. This campaign follows some of the brightest young stars from around the world, documenting their day-to-day life, while highlighting new styles from the OT's SS14 collection.

First we meet up with Erik, a 22-year-old student from Milan, who knows Navigli like the back of his hand. This short video takes you through Erik's favourite hot-spots in the town; cafes + coffee shops, restaurants, weekend hang-outs and also telling us why his town is so special to him. He touches on the differences between Italian + Japanese cultures, the art of sushi making and why the area is becoming a creative hub, embodying the same street culture of the Onitsuka Tiger brand. 
  

Synonymous with street + sportwear culture, Onitsuka Tiger launches this series of videos for SS14 campaign alongside the amazing My Town My Tracks competition, "Snap Your Tracks". Throughout the campaign each individual wears a pair of the super snazz-looking Shaw Runner from the latest collection. If you happen to own a pair of Shaw Runners yourself you could be in for one of the biggest competition prize wins ever known to man!

Just upload an inspiring image of your OT Shaw Runners in your favourite neighborhood using the hashtag #SHAWRUNNER to Instagram/Facebook and you could be in with a chance of winning all of this:

- Four Return Tickets to Tokyo

- Four Night's Hotel Accommodation

- Entry to Two Museums or Local Events

- Dinner for Four at Two Top Tokyo Restaurants

Talk about prizes ay! As if that wasn't good enough - At the end of every week (for the competition's duration) someone will win a brand new bike from tokyobikes + an nifty Onitsuka Tiger t-shirt - Big time regretting not hanging onto my pair now to be honest!

Check out the new SS14 collection here + for more info on the competition and to enter click here.

The post is in collaboration with Onitsuka Tiger.

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Christmas #GoodDeeds with Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola Advent Calender.

As a part of Coca-Cola's #GoodDeeds campaign I was recently asked to join in and think of ways  we can help each other a bit more this Christmas. As you grow older Christmas becomes more about family, sharing and thinking of others, and less about what presents you might receive. Presents are still great, don't get me wrong but when you hit your teens the fuzzy feeling comes from seeing people's reactions to your well thought out gifts. Ok, presents don't always work out, let's just say Hollie didn't react well to her Victoria foot brush (I swear I thought it was a bottle brush!)

For some, like myself, Christmas Day is probably the only day of the year all the family get together. But this year #GoodDeeds extend more than to our the immediate family. Coca-Cola wants us to think about the bigger picture and how we can do small things within our community, which can make a big difference. 

The campaign really got me thinking about how we can spread a bit more joy the usual this year. It's easy to get stuck behind the computer screen, not having to think about anything else but deadline, so for my own personal #GoodDeeds I wanted to choose things which would make me stop and think. Tasks which would take a bit of planning to complete.

We came up with a few ideas 

- Take time out to listen to the Salvation Army Brass Band and donate.

- Make handmade Christmas Cards for friends, family and neighbors.

- Surprise service workers (Dustbin Men) with a box of chocolate and thank them for their hard work.

- Donate time to a local food bank

- Phone relatives we have little contact with to wish them a Merry Christmas.

- Bake mince pies for the neighbors.

- Create Christmas parcels for elderly neighbors.

Haven't made Christmas cards since I was a kid,  I think I've still got it!

Each #GoodDeets doesn't need to be big, just something that might bring a smile to someone's face and benefit others this Christmas. Up to now I've made some handmade Christmas Cards (hard not to go ott with them!) and started to put together Christmas parcels for a couple of elderly ladies on our street.

I'll follow this post up nearer to Christmas and give you an update on how we've got on. Are you planning any #GoodDeeds this Christmas, or maybe it's given you an idea for one? I'd love to hear if you fancy joining in!

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Pin It Forward

Pinterest, where would I be without Pinterest? I'm pretty sure my computer would be running at snails pace with thousands of images clogging up my hard drive. As part of the Pin In Forward campaign today I'm sharing with you the expansion of the UK based platform, which works in exactly the same way as the current version but is more tailored to our shores. If you haven't used it before, Pinterest is a place you can collect and share inspiring things from around the net; storing them all on boards for each subject. Browse the live feed for interesting things to pin and collate for later.

Style

I discovered Pinterest about 3 years ago when I was studying Fashion Promotion at uni, I started using it as a quick way to to store images and ideas for my projects instead of saving them to my laptop. It slowly turned into my online scrapbook, somewhere I could refer back to, dip in and print off stuff whenever I needed. Jump to the present and I'm still using it in pretty much the same way, mainly pinning things like Design Ideas, Travel, Food, Photography, Homeware and other little odds and sods.

Design

Maybe I'm using it as type of escapism and fantasy. I'm never liking to go to some unreachable hillside in Outer Mongolia, bake a cake shaped like the Sydney Opera House or successfully master the crab pose but you never know when you might try! My most frequent pins are based around Style, Design and Products I Love (which is quite trainer heavy) but I also use to to search for recipes, workout/fitness tips and interiors.

Products I Love  (Click to find original image sources)

So if you're not already on board you can follow me here or simply sign up using this link. Next up on the #PinItForwardUK gravy train is those dapper chaps at Individualism. If you've already got an account let me know what your Pinterest handle is so I can follow your boards.

Only 4 more weekends till our Orlando Holiday pt.2! We're getting there, it's just a shame the exchange rate is a bit pants right now. Happy weekend dudes.

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Advertising - VW's Bluemotion Ads

It's been a while since I featured some advertising on here, in fact I can't actually remember when the last time was. So straight back into it today with Volkswagen's recent Bluemotion campaign, to promote their "less fuel, fewer emissions" way of thinking. I may not be the best one to candidate for the the message they're trying to send out, as my emissions couldn't be lower, not having a car and all; but I know I like the general theme and style of the ads. I must have said it a million times, simple graphics work if they're easy to read, quick and get to the point quick.

My favourite thing about the series is the inclusion of the logo in each one, V,W and the O as the circle.   Love or hate car firms, we all use them and for VW to bring out a clean and simple series instead of all guns blazing flashing ads, well I doff my hat.

Designer - Pete Mould for VW

Image source 

Competition Reminder - The Hackett x GQ notebook giveaway is still open, closing date is Thursday, 28th June.

Advertising - Oreo's 100th Birthday

After a few days away in Brigthon I'm finding it a bit tricky to get back into the swing of things, but my spirits were lifted when I came across Oreo's latest ad campaign. I haven't done an Advertising post in a while and seeing that it's something I really do enjoy (and would love to be involved in, I'm very employable!), I thought it would be a good time reintroduce it. Oreo's celebrated their 100th birthday on 6th March and to commemorate the event they took a trip down memory lane. The series of ads looks at key events from the past 100 years and uses the sandwich cookies to display them. 

I always think the simple and clever approach to marketing works really well, it's easy to connect to and humor really does go along way. "Damn, what a cool idea" was my first reaction, the next was trying to decide which was my favourite. I think it 1969's Moon landing, genius. Which one do you like best?

Image from here

Ontour A/W 2012

Ontour, not a brand I have ever heard of but their lookbook for this coming A/W (sheesh I know, we are still in the last one) had some pretty cool ideas going on. Their garb seems pretty cool but it wasn't that in particular that I wanted to share, it was the accompanying tied up images.

I really like the way they have used an entire outfit and well..... tied it all up. For me this is more exciting that the outfit shots but purely from a visual point of view. Obviously you don't get a feel for how stuff fits when it's all restricted but it made me curious about the brand, which made me want to know more. Their plan worked!

The brand was founded in The Neverlands, 2005. Each season they base their collection on a particular journey (hence Ontour ay). A/W's effort is entitled "On the Rocks" and from the images I'm guessing it's a nod to rambling and camping out, which is where the rope motif comes in. Their previous collection was based on protesters and activists, which again has some really cool images too.

For more on the brand visit their site. Image source

Advertising - NTF Vast's Driving Ads

I think these ads by NTF Vast really do hit a nerve. Created for the Swedish National Society for Road Safety, they struck a chord with me, on another level to maybe what they may usually do. I've been learning to drive for about a month now and I've had my head stuck in the highway code in between some freelance design work.

This campaign reaches out using modern technology mixed with hard hitting data, to inform the audience just how dangerous being on the phone while driving is. I don't usually go down the serious route on here but with Christmas coming things like this couldn't be more important. Drive safely people.

Also, stay turned for my second Christmas run-up giveaway this week.

Bottega Veneta s/s 09 advert campaign

Perfectly elegant.