One name going around all social media channels and headlines is: Zendaya. The young actress has most certainly made a name for herself. One of the many reasons why the world is currently talking about her is her ongoing collaboration with the luxury fashion house Valentino.

Valentino red bag. Spring 2022 Valentino Rendez-Vous campaign Zendaya. Ph. Jordan Nix, UnsplashPh. Jordan Nix, Unsplash

Zendaya stuns in Valentino’s new Rendez-Vous campaign for Spring 2022. Everyone was waiting to see Euphoria's star in this new appearance.

About The Campaign, Valentino's Rendez-Vous Spring 2022

Zendaya has been the face of Valentino for a little over a year now and the collaboration between the brand and the actress has seen great success, no wonder she is the face of the new 2022 Spring Rendez-Vous collection.

The focus of this campaign is all about a change of perspective. The highlight is mainly on the way fashion comes alive and real when it becomes your companion in your daily life. As an expression of the wearer's unique identity, the garment is met with the beauty of the imperfections of our lives. The creative director of Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli, has made it his mission to re-signify the Valentino codes with regards to life and truth and his desire to connect the past to the present. When it comes to promoting the campaign there is no one that can do it better than Zendaya.

As Piccioli describes it“Zendaya perfectly embodies and represents what Valentino is and stands for, today. She is a powerful and fierce young woman that uses her talent and her work to express herself, her values and her generation as well".

The Premiere Of The Promotional Video And Zendaya

Valentino announced their new campaign earlier last week and shortly afterwards released the promotional video featuring the actress. The video was shot at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles by Marcell Rev and Scott Sakamoto to the song “Crystalised” by The XX with choreography by Stephen Galloway.

The campaign presents Zendaya floating from backstage to the streets to convey a metaphorical journey. It is meant to represent a day in her life and how the garments are a part of that experience. Zendaya posted on Instagram a sneak peek of one of the outfits included in the video, as well as the green suit with a lavender shirt she wore for the press tour of the Spider-Man: No Way Home. We recognised two of the outfits seen in the video but the rest were certainly worth waiting for.

The promotional video did most certainly live up to our expectations, but this is only one of the big news around this campaign. The brand decided to launch pop-ups at four shops in Paris in Le Carreau du Temple from October 1st-5th to celebrate the new collection. Each shop will host exclusive products and events manifesting the Maison’s contemporary values. Keep your ears open because it seems like Valentino is getting ready for an exciting year full of surprises.

Published in Blog
Tuesday, 28 December 2021 10:57

Festive Skin? Make it Healthier!

Holidays are for relaxation and self-indulgence but your skin is not always that happy with it. Bruce Green, chartered scientist and founder of SOS Serum Skincare, explains why.

Fresh skin for the new year. Ph. Audrey Fretz, UnsplashPh. Audrey Fretz, Unsplash

Overindulging during the festive season does no good to your skin. Bruce Green, founder of SOS Serum Skincare, reveals how it goes hand in hand with some skincare dilemmas.


Holidays And Your Skin, What Bruce Says...

"First of all, we throw our healthy habits out the window and enjoy many alcoholic beverages, and eat more sugary treats, fatty foods. Alcohol is a diuretic, which forces water out of the body making it harder to rehydrate. It can cause the skin to look sallow and make pores and fine lines more visible. Sugary foods can result in a quick rise in blood sugar which can cause a spike in insulin. This jump can increase skin and hair oiliness leading to inflammation and potential breakouts. But this isn't me saying not to enjoy yourself! Here are a few tips that can help your skin this festive season."

Rehydration

Bruce Green's expert tips for healthy skin. HydrationImage courtesy of SOS Serum Skincare

"This is the big one. For every drink of alcohol, drink a glass of water – the one for one rule. Water flushes out toxins and restores your hydration levels."

Cleanse

How to make festive skin healthy. Ph. Ron Lach, PexelsPh. Ron Lach, Pexels

"I know it's tempting after a sparkly social evening to reduce or even skip your facial cleansing routine but DON’T! After hydration, this is the next most important factor to protecting skin from party fallout. But be gentle and use a non-alcoholic, mild or no perfume face cleanser. SOS Cleanse (£15) is perfect for this as it is lightweight and rehydrating."

SOS Serum Skincare Face & Body cream

"Give exfoliation a miss until your skin cell regeneration batteries are re-charged. Follow cleansing with natural non-fragranced serums and moisturisers like our  SOS Serum (£15) that delivers comfort, moisturisation and protection to the skin."

Rest

Bruce Green's expert tips for healthy skin. Ph. Kelly Sikkema, UnsplashPh. Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash

"Take advantage of an alcohol-free night in your schedule and have an early bedtime. Your body, mind and skin regeneration is crucial and you will instantly look and feel better for it."

Wait

How to have healthy skin for 2022. Bruce Green's skincare tips.Image courtesy of SOS Serum Skincare

"New cosmetics, skincare products and perfumes will often come to you as Christmas gifts but don’t slap them all on at once or your skin could have a freak-out! Wait until your skin has settled and balance restored before trying out a new skincare formulation; your skin could reject something for all the wrong reasons."

With these expert tips in mind, you can be sure that 'festive skin' can be healthy and glowy for the new year!

Published in Blog
Monday, 10 January 2022 14:58

How Sustainability Promotes Climate Positivity

Climate change is real and happening right now, right in front of everyone’s eyes. Hence, taking action is essential if you want to see the planet better.

HOW SUSTAINABILITY PROMOTES CLIMATE 1Ph. Edward Howell, Unsplash

Sustainability should be the new normal. If this should be our approach to fashion, climate positivity will ensure that there is something to hope for in the future.


Climate change is amongst us and should be tackled immediately. For better days to come, we must look at the broader picture: the agenda of how sustainability promotes a better environmentally friendly life for all and, particularly, how to create a change capable of adapting to all lives.

Climate Positivity

HOW SUSTAINABILITY PROMOTES CLIMATE 3Ph. Rio Lecatompessy, Unsplash

Climate positivity helps to minimise climate change while also promoting a positive approach in our society. Seeing a switch and aiming for a difference demonstrates a feeling of dedication. It embraces new sets of options and challenges in the hopes of improving the community, our society, and the ecosystem as a whole, so climate change will soon cause less damage. Eco-friendly, recyclable, and greenwashing are all keys to promoting climate positivity.

Sustainability And Us

HOW SUSTAINABILITY PROMOTES CLIMATE 2Ph. Francois Le Nguyen, Unsplash

As people of the world, we all have the power to make valuable changes in our lifestyle; it just requires simple knowledge and awareness of what has been affected: people's livelihoods, our communities, and current attempts to control the climate change impact.

When it comes to sustainability, it is frequent to hear about it but we have no idea about how it is made, where it comes from, or what the day-to-day manufacturing process entails. Durable development should encompass more than just crochet, knitting, and locally sourced materials; it should also include a thorough understanding of history, care, and the work process. To create something high-quality, resistant, and long-lasting, assuring that future consumers will only have one job: to care for their garments, which includes caring for the biosphere.

Sustainability is about more than just keeping the ecosystem clean and safe for everyone; it also recognises the importance of ideals like renewal growth and diversity, as well as striving for greater social justice and equity. “Doing nothing or doing just enough is not going to cut it. We have to act in this decade to avoid the most severe environmental and socioeconomic effects of a changing climate,” said Dickon Pinner, who is the senior partner and global leader of McKinsey & Company’s Sustainability Practice.

The process will be seen if you look at the future profit; in the end, you only have a successful income if you have reliable consumers. Sustainable living expands every day, and consumers grow and adapt to a more positive lifestyle; therefore, change and evolution are required.

The beauty of seeing different kinds of clothing is the beauty of the world of fashion, and everyone wants to be a part of a trend or a craze. However, many fashion brands are on the verge of wreaking havoc on the ecosystem by employing fast fashion, low-wage labour, and hazardous production methods. Why is it wrong? Delilah Smith, who has spoken on fast fashion's impact on the environment, said, “A fast-paced model requires fast-paced production, and unfortunately, quicker production gives way to an increase in environmental damage.” Therefore, these companies make and distribute their products is neither safe nor equitable.

Consumers: The Key To A Sustainable Lifestyle

HOW SUSTAINABILITY PROMOTES CLIMATE 4 Ph. Jess @ Harper Sunday, Unsplash

The environment versus high fashion, how will everyone protect it? And how will everyone deal with the consequences? Clothing can be made more eco-friendly but we can also choose second-hand vintage clothing found in charity and antique shops, as well as on websites like Vinted and Depop, which filter items based on affordability, preference, and like-ability.

There is no denying that in the fashion industry sustainability is the buzzword right now. It is about sending a statement to everyone and, in some ways, addressing all of the challenges that fashion and the environment have with each other, as well as producing a vital message to highlight, showcase, and encourage climate positivity. Biyya Mansoer has expressed in an article, ‘You are what you wear’, “the way we express ourselves through fashion can provide an influential platform to drive change towards more ethical and sustainable practices in fashion supply chains. Here is where self-expression through fashion has evolved into something bigger – a choice and our way of life.”

A study by Dunja Radonic on the ‘fashion discount’ has displayed the percentages are different in all age categories. For general statistics, “53% of men and 47% women in the UK buy from sustainable brands” and “mature women between the ages of 35-55 buy from sustainable brands”; therefore, this data demonstrates how sustainable trends are still snowballing.

Goal For Change

The changes required to combat climate change are possibly tricky but necessary. If something is at risk, it is bound to have a resolution. Sustainability is critical because it allows for positive change for the improvement of both people and the planet.

Published in Blog
Tuesday, 10 March 2020 14:50

A Conscious Gift Guide for Mother’s Day


A Conscious Gift Guide for Mothers Day resultPicture Source: Unsplash

For those who love the holiday season, the art and science of shopping for gifts for their loved ones is a treat and a pleasure. For others, however, the trouble of finding that perfect present might be more of a burden. You want to discover something unique, purposeful, something that the person for whom it is intended will love and genuinely use. Alas, the sheer volume of choices can be overwhelming, so you find yourself stuck with the typical selection of Christmas sweaters, a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day, and a bottle of her favorite wine for Mother’s Day – a safe, albeit mundane choice.

Why not leave your gift-giving comfort zone and choose something that is in line with your mum’s values? If your mother loves a gift that will make a difference and bring more than material, but spiritual value into their life, you can aim for such a present for this year. Here are a few worthy options to keep in mind for the motherly figure in your household!

The Socks That Keep On Giving

The socks that keep on giving resultPicture Source: Unsplash

Did you know that socks are the least donated item to the homeless, hence one of the most items needed across the US and wider? It turns out that you don’t have to stick to traditional design if you want to make this particular purchase. You can go for brands such as Mitscoots that make and sell gorgeous socks and other gear, and then donate items in the same value to those who need them most.

Plus, they go above and beyond to aid the community by hiring the transitioning homeless people. Alternatively, Conscious Step has other versatile contributions such as using their profits to provide treatment for HIV-positive expectant mothers, schoolbooks through Room to Read, and meals for starving children.

Add Some Sparkle With Ethical Makeup

Add some sparkle with ethical makeup resultPicture Source: Unsplash

Your mum loves to use makeup? You can easily surprise her with a little gift bag of your own this Mother’s Day, with items that are vegan, cruelty-free, and made sustainably to avoid harming Mother Nature – a perfect way to send the right message.

Axiology makes natural organic lipstick that still pops, so the aesthetics of their products loses no luster to their ethical measures. Other brands offer an equally stunning range of beauty items, so take your pick and impress the mom in your home!

Haircare With A Green Twist

Haircare with a green twist resultPicture Source: Unsplash

Wherever you look, there’s yet another beauty brand with glitzy products perfectly alluring and simple to procure for the inexperienced shopper. Still, these are the perfect proof that all that glitters isn’t gold, and that you should refine your search and opt for brands with higher ambitions to heal the planet.

For example, organic and natural hair wax by Zenz uses only certified organic ingredients that cause zero harm to the environment, and that will provide ample goodness for your mom’s locks without causing any damage. The founder herself had trouble with allergies caused by the chemicals in typical hair products, inspiring her to create a label that will help women style their hair in a natural way. With ingredients such as aloe vera, essential oils, and beeswax, your mom’s hair and scalp will love the treatment.

A Handmade Purse

A handmade purse resultPicture Source: Unsplash

If your mom is a great supporter of recycling and upcycling, then you can give her a long-lasting gift this Mother’s Day that is made with those precise principles in mind. Crossbody purses by Dagne Dover are as beautiful as their ethical efforts, while Cult Gaia uses natural materials such as wood in their bag-making processes.

You can also easily find brands that don’t use fur or support any other form of animal cruelty, while their creations are still lovely and up to par with the latest trends. It’s yet another wonderful way to express your appreciation of her style preferences, while you also treat her to something she likely wouldn’t buy on her own, and you can always easily check so as not to get the same one she already owns.

Responsible Apparel Brands

Responsible apparel brands resultPicture Source: Unsplash

Fast fashion is one of the greatest culprits of the climate crisis, and we can all make smarter decisions when we want to make our loved ones happy. Look for slow-fashion brands, those that give back, recycle, support different organizations, steer clear of water waste or toxic pollutants in their production lines, and the like.

Levi’s Water<Less Collection uses over 90% less water to make their jeans, making this a true leap forward in the industry. You can also look for other factors such as using organic cotton, recycled materials, and no harmful chemicals.

Finding the perfect gift is no easy task, but you can make the search a little easier when you keep your values in mind. Consider these gifts for your upcoming Christmas shopping list, and not only will you make your loved ones happy, but you’ll also help your purchases make a difference for the world.
Published in Blog