Humanising fashion: An ethical approach to Black Friday
Whether you celebrate Christmas, or just enjoy the break that comes with the historical significance of Christ’s birth. The Christmas season shapes the biggest national holiday in the UK’s calendar. It is in those few days that people often talk about inwardly reflecting and if you're like me, you’re surely thinking about how the world around you has changed as we approach the end of another year.
Part of that thinking for me has been about how we sustain a business, that is seen by many people as the "outsider" or "other" in an industry that was built to thrive on capitalism and consumer persuasion.
After some time thinking on the last twelve months and the year ahead of me, it’s clear that my personal and professional approach to Black Friday and what we stand for at Lora Gene, as with all of our decisions, comes back to listening to the voice of our people and creating equity during one of the busiest times of the year in life and fashion.
Black Friday has quite controversial origins, and can certainly be linked to the frenzy that ensues after Thanksgiving in the US, borne out of a need for businesses to effectively “get into the black” financially. As usual, what you might be familiar with is the massive headlines as large corporations and tech companies drive up revenue and profit on something that already has huge profit margins and questionable ethics. For those of us at the small end of operations, we can choose to not engage at all - taking on an increased risk of not being able to sustain fair wages and trying to compete in a volatile and fairly unregulated market. But as Director of a sustainable business, I look at more than just the ethics of our clothes - I have to consider the sustainability of people being able to live too.
There are real people behind the clothing here. People that are highly skilled and often undervalued by the typical consumer.
So during the next 12 days, we'll be exploring twelve days of Christmas - the ethical way, and finding out about the lives of the people that bring these clothes to you. If you don’t know the song, The Twelve Day’s of Christmas, it’s about a series of numerous gifts given to one’s true love on each of the twelve days of Christmas. This, I think, is quite apt, this act of buying much more than we truly need, particularly during Christmas. My hope is that if you do decide to invest in a piece this Black Friday, you will know and contemplate the face of the person that had a hand in making it for you. We’ll be matching all discounts to top up the wages of the maker.
Images credit of @MariaDMarinova
“On the second day of Christmas, my true love bought for me…extra time with family.”
L: Who are you?
G: My name is Galia, I'm a garment tech and a factory owner in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Actually, my education is in engineering, but somehow life decided I'll be working in the fashion industry.
L: What would friends say about your personality?
G: I actually had to ask few friends. What they've sadi is: intelligent, beautiful, ambitious, creative, passionate in the things I do.
L: I confirm it! Galia is a cancerian woman which I really love. She has a great sense of detail and understand garment making in a very fine way.
L: How long have you worked in the industry?
G: Its over 25 years now, believe it or not
L: What are you passionate about in life?
G: My passion is learning new things. I love challenges.
L: That's so true. You will always challenge me to think of better technical solutions and, I am so grateful for that, becasue I've learned so much from you.
L: If you could name one technical part of the job you love the most, what would it be?
G: I love making buttonholes. That is the time I get to think about future projects.
L: What is the most difficult part about making clothing?
G: To manage the process. To try to coordinate all the different steps.
L: I wish people would understand how much management goes behind a single small unit. It's a whole universe of things.
L: What is one value, or saying you live by?
G: Everything is possible. But everything has got it's price.
L: Are there any traditions you keep for the Christmas period?
G: To spend time with my husband and kids, eat delicious food, and give out gifts. I like these simple things. That's what makes me happy.
L: It's the simple things, isn't it ?
L: What do you hope will change in the world next year?
G: It's trivial I know but I just want the whole Covid 19 thing to be over and done.
L: Yes to that! I certainly hope so
Image credit: Personal archive
“On the first day of Christmas, my true love bought for me, clothes that never compromised on quality!”
Adrian, garment tech
L: Who are you?
A: My name is Adrian, and I'm a garment technologist. I'm actually a designer by education. I've finsihed a fashion design degree.
L: What would friends say about your personality?
A: I am a free-spirited, sensual individual with a great sense of value and responsibility. My friends
would say I am honest, hearty, professional, funny, crazy in a way and most likely, a good friend.
L: How long have you worked in the industry?
A: 5 years
L: What are you passionate about in life?
A: Fashion, art, travel, eating, outdoor activities, and my family.
L: If you could name one technical part of the job you love the most, what would it be?
A: The construction of garments for our new collections
L: What is the most difficult part of making clothing?
A: Selling
L: That's the hardest bit isn't it? But only if you have learned first how to make the garments. (laughs)
L: What is one value, or saying you live by?
A: Never compromise quality for price!
L: We will solve all sustainability issues if we do that for once.
L: Are there any traditions you keep for the Christmas period?
A: I try to be as good of a human being as possible to the people that I love, giving love and
attention is a great Christmas tradition.
L: I'll take that as enough for me.
L: What do you hope will change in the world next year?
A: I hope we get out of the pandemic more refreshed, free, kind and inspired for new horizons.
Image credit @Zsuzsana Palmai
“To create, to look for new inspirations, to see the good results of my hard work. In all areas of life I love seeing the good things I can do.''
L: Who are you?
A: My name is Antoniya. I'm 46, a mother of two, Bulgarian, born in Varna.
Actually, I'm an opera singer by education and by heart (maybe passion too). I'm a dressmaker.
L: What would your friends say about your personality?
A: Hopefully, my friends and relatives will say that I am a passionate person. A good person.
L: I consider you a friend, and I confirm this is what I would say. Also, I think you are a great mum.
L: How long have you worked in the industry?
A: I think about 15 yrs now. But I started cutting all my grandma's fabrics and using her old-school Singer, secretly, when I was only 13.
That's how I get my big calves. (laughs)
L: What are you passionate about in life?
A: To create, to look for new inspirations, to see the good results of my hard work. In all areas of life I love seeing the good things I can do.
To see the smiles of my loved ones and their sparkling eyes when we get together.
L: If you could name one technical part of the job you love the most, what would it be?
A: Deconstructions- thats my passion. I've been doing this for years in London universities and some big companies, I love how you can create a completely new garment when you strip down the idea of the old one. I think my favourite type of work is to reinvent scraps and leftovers, waste can really be a valuable asset if you learn new perspectives and techniques of garment making.
L: What is the most difficult part of making clothing?
A: To capture the garment's personality and create a real connection with your customers, designers and final consumers don't trust professional garment makers enough. This needs to be fixed.
Because it takes a whole lifetime to learn that craft, its really not an easy job.
L: What is one value, or saying, you live by?
A: Treat others as you would like them to treat you. I know its a cliche but I trully belive in this. I also believe that everything you do, you should do with all your heart, passion and love.
Try to always be kind.
L: That's a great summary of the important things isn't it.
L: Are there any traditions you keep for the Christmas period?
A: Honestly not really, I use the holidays to clean my head and relax a little. It's a great time to spend with loved ones, and thats enough for me.
L: What do you hope will change in the world next year?
A: I'm very hopeful that we will finally get our heads out of the sand and start engaging more with real life and things that are meaningful. I hope the industry will start appreciating us more and there will be equal representation for garment workers, because in some ways we are all garment workers, aren't we? We all aspire peace and comfort and living our lives with dignity.
L: Definitely, we can't go without each other.
I would like to express my personal thanks to Maria Marinova for making all the beautiful images and shooting in the factories of our partners and our own team in Bulgaria, Dionne for helping me put my words in order, my amazing friend Zsuzsana Palmai for shooting Antonya here in London and everyone from the team who took the time to chat with me and tell their personal story for you.
Lora xxx