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We’re talking eco-friendly, recycled, regenerated materials with fashion designer, and businesswoman Kim Deuss of Beyond Now Apparel.

Kim is Bermuda based where she designs all her swimwear for her collection Daughters of Summer, her materials and fabrics are Italian for quality, and each individual piece is cut and sewn in New York City. A multi-cultural ethos that is shown through in each of her unique designs.

Let’s catch up with the busy designer to find out more about where her business is heading and what we can expect to find in her new collection.

Q. HOC. We see that you launched Beyond Now Apparel in 2017, did you come from a fashion, clothing, and design background prior to 2017?

A. Kim. Yes, after finishing my BFA in Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design, I worked as a designer for 8 years designing first menswear for IZOD, and then transitioning into womenswear designing for Banana Republic, Champion and Weather Proof.

Q. HOC. Has becoming a fashion designer always been your priority?

A. Kim. I have been passionate about designing and fashion since I was a young kid, but what has always been most important to me throughout my life has been to figure out how I can contribute towards the protection of the environment and supporting our communities.

Q. HOC. Your swimwear collection ‘Daughters of Summer’ encompasses the feeling of carefree days in the sun, is this what you had in mind when designing?

A. Kim. Yes, I wanted to create a swimwear collection that is versatile and functional but also has the look of luxury. The colours are playful and bright, and I chose hues that would complement a wide range of skin tones. The prints are bold yet feminine and youthful and the silhouettes were designed for different body types with each top and bottom being sold separately so that the customer can choose the size and style that best suits her figure.

Q. HOC. You use Italian fabrics in your designs, why did you choose material from Italy for your swimwear?

A. Kim. Italian fabric and the level of quality of Italian craftsmanship is famous for high quality. The fabrics I chose are particularly special as the solid colour fabric is ECONYL® regenerated nylon made from rescued ocean plastics, fishing nets and landfill materials and the printed fabric is made from recycled polyester from post-consumer plastics. The fabrics have the look of luxury and are incredibly soft. You’d never even tell they were made from recycled materials!

Q. HOC. Do you have a favourite piece from your current collection?

A. Kim. My favourite piece is the Sienna One Piece. It suits a variety of figures and is incredibly figure flattering. It’s sexy and comfortable, without being overly revealing. The Black is classic, but the Fire Coral colour is a great statement piece and flatters all skin tones.

Q. HOC. Your designs are flattering, fashionable and seriously on-trend how do you know what is going to be on trend when you design well in advance of that particular season?

A. Kim. I’m constantly looking at runway, looking at street fashion, influencers and bloggers. Trends can come from anywhere, whether it’s from new or old movies, art, music, culture, specific eras, or the political climate to name a few. I find it interesting that designers can foresee a specific trend simultaneously. Sometimes all it takes is an incredibly inspiring movie or one runway collection to create a wave of inspiration that creates a ripple effect through the industry.

Q. HOC. Can we ask when you are at your most creative design-wise? And, where do your design-ideas come from?

A. Kim. I draw inspiration from a wide variety of sources and interests. I love nature’s design and the art and design of different cultures and I’m constantly inspired by it. I’m most creative after being inspired by an art show or a concert. I also need good music playing when I design, as it gives me creative drive.

Q. HOC. If you weren’t a fashion designer, what would you be doing right now?

A. Kim. I always thought that if I didn’t go into fashion that I would have been a marine biologist. I love the ocean and I’m constantly in awe of its beauty and I want to help protect this precious resource. Being a diving enthusiast, I constantly see amazing things. Most recently I had a dive with a spotted eagle ray that wasn’t scared and swam just inches away from me.

Q. HOC. Do you remember the first piece you sold?

A. Kim. Yes! The first piece was the Isabel Top and the Ava Bottom in Stella Print in Hibiscus. I was so ecstatic to have my very first sale.

Q. HOC. You have gone down an eco-friendly route for your swimwear, how did you start using recycled and regenerated materials?

A. Kim. Daughters of Summer’s ethos of environmental and social responsibility is the driving force behind all business decisions. It is important to the brand to find the most responsible materials and trims possible. This is a constant research process, as we can always find better and more responsible fabric and trim options and I’m currently testing new alternatives. I also made sure to avoid the use of plastic wherever possible and I designed recycled paper tags and packaging as well as using recycled polyester labels.

Q. HOC. Did anyone offer you any valuable business advice before you launched your successful business, Beyond Now Apparel?

A. Kim. I am constantly receiving valuable business advice. The best advice I was given was to start as small as possible and grow slowly and organically. I think it is also important as an entrepreneur to be open-minded and allow a business to evolve as you learn to navigate the industry and as you learn more about your customers and what they want.

Q. HOC. What piece of advice would you give someone working towards being a clothing designer?

A. Kim. Know who your customer is, what makes you different from everyone else, and tell a compelling story. Believe in yourself and believe in your vision!

Thank you for taking the time to answer all our #WomenWorldwide questions for House of Coco Magazine online.

Visit Beyond Now Apparel or Daughters of Summer for more information. Check Instagram @daughtersofsummer or Twitter @kimdeuss for socials.

A unique concept store highlighting the best of India’s contemporary design launches at Bicester Village, Oxfordshire – 17th – 29th May, and #TeamCoco will be visiting the village to see all the Indian designs, and to sample some Indian street food.

This summer Bicester Village will showcase some of the most exciting talent coming out of India today as the country’s magical spirit and exotic charms sweep through the Village in a colourful celebration of All Things India. Whether India is one of your favourite destinations or you still dream of travelling there one day, you’ll be able to discover all the pleasures it has to offer at Bicester Village.

The Celebrating India concept store has been created to showcase the exciting new voices coming out of India today as well as celebrating established talents, curated by fashion connoisseur, businesswoman, and art purveyor Roohi Jaikishan and fashion editor Sujata Assomull. The unique concept store will welcome brands such as Manish Arora, Pippa Small, Beulah, Behno, Huemn, Dhruv Kapoor, Kanika Goyal Label, Kashmir Loom, Khosla Jani, SZ Blockprints, Tada & Toy, Tiipoi and more.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming a new wave of India’s creative talents to Bicester Village to commence the launch of our summer campaign ‘All Things India’. Collectively the designers showcased at the Celebrating India concept store are leading the charge and affirming India’s position on the international design agenda and, what more vibrant a highlight could we wish for than these six magnificent elephant sculptures honouring one of natures’ most celebrated icons. The Bicester Village Shopping Collection is proud to partner with Elephant Family in support of its valuable work in protecting these endangered creatures.” – Desirée Bollier, Chair and Chief Merchant, Value Retail Management, operator of The Bicester Village Shopping Collection.

Brands to note include:

Beluah – with an ethical ethos at the forefront of this luxury womenswear brand, its timeless feminine designs feature beautiful hand embroidery, sand-washed silks and screen printing. Through the development of ancient craft and economic independence, Beluah continues its mission to create a positive impact on the lives of the women behind its beautiful collections.

Manish Arora – one of the most celebrated and inspiring contemporary Indian designers and one of the Business of Fashion 500. Known for his craftsmanship, playful colour combinations and trademark palette of pink and gold, his eye-catching designs are not to be missed.

Behno – ‘Behno’ means ‘sisters’ in Hindi, which is how the female designers working for Behno are referred to. This globetrotting accessory hero offers modern silhouettes and its instantly-recognisable INA leather mini crossbody from £180. Choose from a palette of summer pastels, pink, saffron, sky blue or yellow.

Pippa Small – Discover the eponymous collection from sustainable jewellery designer Pippa Small, who’s known for her globetrotting adventures, artisan style and ethically sourced materials. Explore the beautiful collection of vibrant gemstones and delicate detailing of this handcrafted jewellery.

Tiipoi – Splitting her time between her design studios in Bangalore and London, Spandana Gopal creates beautiful minimalist interior accessories. Inspired by stories of modern India with touches of brass, copper and wood throughout, Tiipoi’s unique home accessories add the perfect finishing touch to any interior. Discover hand-woven rugs from £100 and quilted pattern cushions from £30.

Kanika Goyal – With its roots firmly in quality craftsmanship and refined tailoring, Kanika has established her brand as the go-to for millennials seeking chic pared-back style. Featuring bold patterns and provocative designs, her unique pieces are perfect for making a style statement.

SZ Blockprints – Seeking a modern reimagining of traditional patterns, SZ Blockprints partners with a multigenerational family printing studio based in Jaipur. Using one of India’s oldest printing techniques, each piece is lovingly handmade, making them truly unique.

Huemn – Former winners of the Indian Vogue Fashion Fund, designers Shyma Shetty and Pranav Mishra are the cool duo behind a unique collection of handcrafted, genderless garments. Discover oversized t-shirts, beautiful silk pieces, and denim staples.

“As someone who grew up in England, the heritage of Indian fashion always intrigued me. It was only after moving there that I realised there was such a cool factor to contemporary Indian fashion. It stays true to its roots yet is very trend and style driven. The fact that Bicester Village – a place where many Indians come to shop – is now celebrating contemporary Indian fashion, really is taking the story full circle. The Indian labels that Bicester Village is bringing to the Celebrating India boutique seamlessly work with international brands. I have really enjoyed helping put together the list of ‘Made in India’ fashion brands” Sujata Assomull.

As part of the Village-wide celebrations of All Things India, from 17 May to 11 June guests will be able to discover five spectacular life-size elephants, one of which will sit within the Celebrating India concept store. Handcrafted from natural fibres, the elephants will arrive in the Village to launch a partnership with Elephant Family, allowing guests from all over the world to join the fight to protect the Asian elephant.

“I am utterly delighted that Elephant Family is partnering with Bicester Village in celebration of magnificent India: the home to more than half of the world’s wild Asian elephants and immense artistic creativity. Together we will bring it all to life and raise substantial funds for the preservation of their greatest natural icon” Ruth Ganesh, Principle Trustee, Elephant Family.

Visit Bicester Village between 17th and 29th May to experience the Celebrating India concept store, and until 11th June to visit the life-sized handcrafted elephants.

www.bicestervillage.com for more info

The #TeamCoco writers occasionally have the chance to interview passionate business men and women, that often leave their mark on you and make you realise that going it alone in the world of business is one of the toughest, yet most rewarding things to do. Speaking to entrepreneur and founding CEO Nathanael Rush of Rush Fit Gear was not only an interesting insight to the world of fitness gear, but also an insight to being open to change your brand name until you find the perfect fit.

From men’s clothing, to women’s clothing, accessories and more, Rush Fit Gear is seriously taking the US by storm, and we’re hoping it will hit UK stores soon. For a greater and more in-depth look into Nathanael Rush of Rush Fit Gear, here’s our #BoyBoss feature by Rachel McAlley.

Q. Can you give a brief insight to Rush Fit Gear, tell us about what you do?

A. Rush Fit Gear is an athletic clothing company. The goal that I had for my business when I started it was to create athletic clothing that is durable, something that could last for years and still look and feel brand new. So by combing materials that allow for incredible stretch and be extremely soft I created a product that truly has a one of a kind feel. And most customers comment that it feels like nothing they own.

Q. When did you realise you were destined to launch your own business?

A. I have always wanted to own my own business. The idea of working for myself is something I have wanted since I was little. I never could see myself sitting behind a desk all day working for someone else. I always had a dream that one day I would own my own and make my own rules.

Q. What made you go into the fitness clothing market?

A. Like I said I have always wanted to own my own business but I never knew what I wanted that business to be. About 2 years ago began to get more and more into fitness. I have played sports my whole life but was never into working out in a gym until about 2 years ago. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion for me. I even went on and became a certified personal trainer. So when I thought about owning my own business again I decided to combine my dream with my passion. Originally I wanted to start “rush fit” as a gym but that overall start up cost was more then what I had at the time so I went with athletic clothing since I spent most of my day in athletic clothing.

Q. Was it a long process from making the decision to set up Rush Fit Gear to producing your first piece?

A. Short answer, YES! Although thinking back it wasn’t too long but felt very long in the process. So it took about a year for design and prototypes. Lots of trial and error and in the end I have an entire closet of clothing that will never see the light of day because the vision of my business changed or the clothing just did not meet the standard I wanted. After about a year and a half I finally got to the place where I was happy with the product enough to share it with the world.

Q. Do you design all your own pieces or do you have a team of designers?

A. I do create all the designs for Rush Fit Gear. This is one of my favorite parts about owning my business; I have hands on every element. Although I do have some key people in my life that I always run my designs by just to make sure that other people who aren’t involved with my business, therefore have nothing at stack, have a good reaction to everything.

Q. All your latest collections can be found on your website, do you also stock in any stores?

A. Not yet. Although that is definitely the goal. I would love to see Rush Fit Gear up there with all the other top athletic brands of the world.

Q. Do you ship your clothing worldwide?

A. Yes, we have shipped all over the world. This is something that I love about the growth of my company, seeing people in other countries enjoying the product!

Q. What is your most sought after item, and do you have a personal favourite piece from any of your collections?

A. The most popular Item is the Legacy Performance Shirt in Maroon. Which also happens to be my favourite piece. This Shirt turned out amazing because it has a feel to it that just feels luxurious. Most of the time once people feel it you’re immediately intrigued by it. And it’s hard to compare it to other athletic shirts because it feels that unique.

Q. If you were to expand the business today, what would be your next steps?

A. If I could expand it today, I would love to expand into stores. This is definitely a goal that we are working towards and I am looking forward to the day when that is a reality.

Q. Looking to the future, where would you like to see your business Rush Fit Gear in 5 – 10 years time?

A. In 5-10 years I would love to see Rush Fit Gear expanding into all areas of fitness. I want the business to be more than just great clothing but also I company that trains and conditions world class athletes for a variety of sports. And also being able to be the official sponsoring a professional sports team.

Q. What valuable piece of advice were you given before setting up your business that you still follow today?

A. I think the best advice that I have been given is to never loose sight of the values and principals I started my company with. Which it can be tempting sometimes to cut corners in business when it saves money but it also devalues the product and brand. Sometimes it takes longer to manufacture some clothing but it’s worth the wait if it means having a great quality product.

Q. What piece of advice would you give a budding entrepreneur now that you have launched your own successful business?

A. My advice would be to anyone starting out is to not be afraid of change. Change from product to brand and even logos, people have no idea how many different “lives” Rush Fit Gear has lived prior to it being what it is today. I spent a lot of time limiting myself to ideas or designs and even brand names rather than allowing my company to form an identity over time. Once I decided to accept the change of names and designs everything else began to fall into place. I wasn’t limiting myself to one thing. And it allowed me to be really creative. It’s great to accept that change for a new business is a great thing for a new business! The beginning part of a business is great because that when you can be as creative as possible and that’s what you should really take advantage of. This has lead me to a place where I feel like we are creating some amazing stuff.

Thanks to Nathanael Rush for taking the time to answer our #BossBoy questions. We love everything about Rush Fit Gear, and can’t wait to see this brand being worn by sports teams across the world in the future.

Here at House Of Coco we love stories and whenever we travel, we aim to uncover the tales beneath the instagrammable sights we snap. Our love of great stories extends to this Girl Boss series where, over the past few years, we’ve heard from incredible women making their mark and elevating other women around them.

Georgie is a fantastic example of a woman doing both of these things. She’s a true multi-hyphenate working across her own brand, Peony Vintage (peonyvintage.com), supporting other small businesses and also styling for fashion and commercial shoots. This autumn she’s launching her innovative new subscription box which is jammed packed with stories and nostalgia…plus, did we mention?! Her shop is the perfect pink palace in the heart of Margate’s Old Town: book those train tickets now!

HOC: Hey Georgie, so great to meet you! Tell us a bit about Peony Vintage and your journey from opening the business to launching your subscription box?

Georgie: I wanted to turn something I enjoy into something which can be shared for others and Peony Vintage is just that. Peony Vintage is a Margate based vintage brand specialising in women’s original vintage clothing and a carefully curated accessories edit. We are for women who create their own trends and are happy to give a nod to times gone by in their attire. We have grown enormously in two years!

Since opening the physical store in the heart of Margate , online stores have been opened, I’ve exhibited at London fairs and started my own career as a freelance stylist for costume and fashion, which is amazing. I’ve also design and make vintage inspired acrylic jewellery which is available in store and online. The subscription box has come from a place of loving good old fashioned post. It’s a nostalgic thing to receive love letters so why can’t we send them to ourselves with original vintage treats inside?

HOC: Couldn’t agree more! It’s so nice to receive post that isn’t from the tax man…. There are so many subscription boxes on the market at the moment. What does yours offer that we can’t get elsewhere?

Georgie: I haven’t seen any subscription boxes that are in the UK and deliver quality original vintage and retro inspired accessories so this is where mine comes in! This box delivers a nostalgic nod and bundle of smiles every month, with so much detail in the literature inside too.

All items have been personally sourced and handpicked by me and packaged up for lovely souls to open. Pieces range from original hairpins to handmade necklaces, earrings, screen printed totes and belts.Some pieces of my own jewellery range are also included. It’s only £19.99 per month, with some boxes having a retail value of £40. It’s one box per month and each dedicated to one particular era.

As it stands, this is only a 4 month subscription at the moment so can be gifted and also won’t feel like a lifetime gym membership for those subscribers that do fancy treating themselves. One box per month is dedicated to one particular era.

HOC: Wow. Sounds like so much work has gone into these and we love the sneak peeks of the inserts in this photo above! What makes vintage so important to you?

Georgie: Vintage is so important for style, fashion and reducing waste! People underestimate the impact fast and throwaway fashion can have and by buying true vintage clothing you not only know it’s been made to last, or made in a time where things were valued more, but you know it’s not been made in a sweatshop.

You won’t walk down the street in the same item as someone else, and it won’t be something you then are told by various media sources or shop windows that that item has ‘gone out of fashion’. With vintage you create your own trends, your own style, your own you.

HOC: Who is the ideal Peony Vintage customer?

Georgie: Ummm…I guess someone who is open to try new things or OLD things. No pun intended! Haha.

HOC: You clearly have a wealth of knowledge about vintage style. If someone wanted to learn more about vintage clothing and style how would you recommend them getting stuck in?

Georgie: For me, I’ve more or less grown up around vintage clothing as I was around a lot of musical theatre when I was younger. Shows like Sunset Boulevard and Phantom of the Opera have really inspired me and my outlook on fashion. Influences and knowledge can come from all different sources: for instance, I love Mad Men and I listen to Fleetwood Mac. Inspiration is all around us but as for one recommendation, I’d say get a book called ‘The Vintage Fashion Sourcebook’ : this was my bible when I first started.

HOC: And finally, can you tell us about a recent ‘Girl Boss moment’ you’ve had?

Georgie: To be honest, any time someone tells me the shop is beautiful or I make a sale is a ‘Girl Boss’ moment for me. When someone comes in and doesn’t buy anything but says how much they love the store this means just as much to me. It means my vision makes people happy. I love watching people smile about the past or hear a squeal of joy from the changing room when they try something on that makes them feel beautiful.

The Peony Vintage Subscription Box launches in September with the 1930s box and a few remaining boxes are available for pre-order now!

The subscription lasts for 4 months so is the perfect treat at £19.99 a month with a value of up to £40 per box. Each box is designed and hand packed to bring life to a specific era of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Each month is a surprise with at least 2 original vintage items and a retro inspired piece of jewellery designed and handmade by Georgie, complete with fun facts.

To snap up your box head to peonyvintage.com/subscription-box

If you are looking for a solid kick up your butt this week, our chat with Emma McIlroy is sure to deliver that in a swift and exacting manner.From starting a sorely needed brand, Wildfang (wildfang.com) , through her inspirational TedX talk on being a ‘yeah, maybe’ hustler, Emma is the person we need in our lives when things are getting a bit stagnant or complacent.

We spoke to her about the growing political stance of Wildfang, the unique collaborative environment of Portland, where she and the brand are based, and plans to continue the WildFang takeover.

HOC: Hey Emma! The well-documented story of the origins of WildFang place it as an epiphany you and your best friend Julia had while pondering why men’s style clothing wasn’t readily available for women. At the time you were working full-time at Nike – how did that set you up for entrepreneurship?

Emma: It’s really interesting as it was Julia’s idea and in that moment I thought, I can’t leave Nike but if you want to build this – I’ll help, I can work in your store at the weekends! I grew up in a small town in Northern Ireland and my dad was a retailer in that town. I saw how hard that is and that the level of service people expect is so high – you disappoint one person and that news goes right down the street! So I’d never wanted to do retail for this reason. However, the more research we did the more we realised it had mass appeal. While I was trying not to go into retail, the idea for WildFang had real merit!

At the time, I was working at Nike – which taught me both a lot and nothing! In terms of what I did learn a lot about, Nike is incredibly consumer-centric – every department is obsessed with the consumer! I worked on the Nike + products, which – as a new digital product- meant that everything went wrong. I remember a runner writing to the VP of the running department with a complaint and that VP took time out of his holiday to write a 4 page response. That really set the tone for me about how the consumer fits into the picture. Now, with WildFang, if we fuck up, I get right on the channels and apologise and we also listen, some of the best new ideas to come into our business have come from single consumers and a great idea they have.

So when it comes to knowing nothing… I thought I was really good at something as a Global Brand Manager at such an established brand. With that comes established doors of opportunity and a existing community to network with. I had a total John Snow moment when starting out with Wildfang – it was such a different proposition and I knew nothing!

HOC: And since then, the brand has evolved so much, recently raising $250k for RAICES charity through the sale of your “I really care, do u?” jacket in response to Melania Trump back in June this year. You say yourself that the brand took a different turn in 2016 and became more political, can you tell us about that?

Emma: Sure, it was really after the election that I realised we needed to use WildFang for good and make a positive impact. On the night of the election, I’ll be frank, I didn’t know if this company had a future. We’re a bunch of brand marketeers so we throw one hell of an event and we had 600 people at our election party [Editor’s note: ready to celebrate the first female president]. As you can imagine, it turned into the saddest party ever thrown with a room full of people crying who were utterly devastated.

I wondered if our brand and the target market we had in mind was all wrong and if we were way off the beat of what people wanted for this to happen. The next morning we held a team meeting to see how my team was feeling – everyone shared a feeling of complete despair, but for varying reasons – some of my team were worried about their rights to abortion care, a trans-man in our team was concerned about whether he had rights at all, another woman was terrified of what losing Obama care could mean for her and the mental-health medication she needed to live her life.

For the next 3 days we didn’t share anything commercial online – on newsletters of our channels. This wouldn’t be such a big deal for a large corporate but as we literally keep an eye on every dollar coming in, not sending out emails like our new arrivals one that comes out every Wednesday was a big deal. But we didn’t think it was right to push products until people had had a chance to find themselves again after the news. I wrote a letter via newsletter to our fans to share that we were also devastated and that they were welcome to contact us via social, email, phone – that we were there to listen.

Those 3 days were the our biggest 3 days of the year. I went from thinking ‘Oh fuck, did we choose a target market that doesn’t exist?!” to THIS!

HOC: That’s incredible, tell us a bit about the team you have around you at Wildfang?

Emma: My team work so hard and believe me I would pay them all the money in the world if I could, but we pay a totally normal salary. The reason they come to work everyday is that they believe they are genuinely helping women’s lives. We give tonnes of money back to charity and every level of Wildfang believes in what we are doing – it’s not just talk, we all live and breathe it.

I have to think about the decisions we make as a brand as a decision I make can affect my team. For instance, I wanted to run an IndieGoGo campaign to support the Sioux Falls Planned Parenthood Clinic in South Dakota where one of the options was to fund someone’s abortion. Obviously, that’s controversial but I’m pretty courageous as a queer, immigrant women!

I knew this would affect my team. It’s one thing if someone comes and threatens me at my house, but what if someone came into a store and threatened my staff? I brought my team together and explained what I wanted to do and gave them the opportunity to email me if they weren’t comfortable with it. Instead I got emails saying ‘let’s fucking do it!’. I don’t have 10 levels of marketing team so we can make decisions based on what feels right in our gut. Sometimes this means we make mistakes and we handle those mistakes with integrity.

HOC: How do you find the right people for your team?

Emma: Hiring has got to be the hardest part of my job. As we grow, it’s easier to understand the skill set we need but cultural and attitude fit is much harder. The best people have both hustle and personal accountability. Joining a start-up is hard and isn’t right for 99.9% of people. I don’t mean it to be judgemental but it’s not the place for most people!

We collect resumes as we go and recruit from our own networks. It’s also crucial that our team love the brand – that in itself tends to attract the right people.

HOC: You are based in Portland, how has the city shaped WildFang?

Emma: Wildfang would have looked very different in another city. Portland made Wildfang and shaped our brand values. It’s a very positive, can-do city and there’s a cheeky, quirky spirit to Portland; it doesn’t want to be LA or NY.

Collaborative spirit is an overused term and can come across pretty soft. But for us, here in Portland, collaboration isn’t about money or “doing good”. It’s about making a great product. We built our retail store here on a super tight budget, working with 12 artisan craftsmen and women. They all came together and decided that they would help us build it and worked on the part of the store they were most positive about.

We work on all kinds of weird and wonderful collabs with other Portland brands: last year we made a beer where everyone who worked on it was a woman, which is that industry is pretty impossible [Editor’s Note: see v12 of House of Coco for more on this] and a wine in a can with Underwood where 100% of the profits went to Planned Parenthood.

We’re not getting in a room and singing Kumbaya – we’re all obsessed with making a great product.

HOC: There seems to be more and more brands getting on board with political messaging, what are your thoughts on this?

Emma: You’re right, people say to us that they’ve seen the ‘Wild Feminist’ space explode since 2015 and hey, you know what, as long as they are walking the talk – considerate of body type, ethnicity, gender etc –they are welcome to the club, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’d love nothing more than people coming into the space.

I do get pissed off when we get copied by people without values, places like Forever21 have completely ripped us off in the past. We own the trademark for ‘Wild Feminist’ but lots of things aren’t copywritable.

HOC: We’re inspired by your story so far and look forward to what comes next. What’s happening for Wildfang for the rest of 2018?

Emma: We opened our second brick and mortar store in NYC earlier this year at 252 Lafayette alongside Maison Kitsuné, Scotch & Soda and Supreme. It was 5 years coming so is hugely exciting for the brand. We also launched our workwear collection this year so expect to see more from that…

With that, with dial off our nearing 1 hour conversation with the awesome Emma, fired up to step up, lean in and be more conscious consumers. How often can you say a fashion brand has had that affect on you?

Find out more about Wildfang at wildfang.com and explore more of Portland’s creative landscape at TravelPortland.com

Where do we begin with this amazing trip to Cheshire?

There are just so many elements of fabulousness for #TeamCoco to talk about when it comes to spending a weekend in the North West; from lovely spa hotels to dining out, local attractions to learning that Peaky Blinders was part-filmed in Cheshire, country pursuits, and an all important shopping trip to McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks, the UK’s largest designer outlet. This certainly was going to be a jam packed visit.

Our UK Travel writer and #TeamCoco stalwart Rachel McAlley took the difficult decision to visit beautiful Cheshire for this weekend of total exuberance and adventure ☺

It started with being let loose at the ever-evolving McArthurGlen shopping location Cheshire Oaks. Currently, Cheshire Oaks is going through a major £40m expansion to increase the retail offering by a further 25-premium fashion and restaurant brands by this coming October; could this place get any better, we think not!

This shopping spree was going to be a good one, Rachel set off with her budget knowing that with up to 60% off the RRP she was going to get some proper bargains. She took in the busy sights of the high street stores including Next, M&S, Nike and Gap, she meandered through her top end high street favourites; Coast, Cath Kidston and Fossil, and strolled past some of her fave cafes and restaurants including; Yo! Sushi, Patisserie Valerie, and Ed’s Easy Diner, on to the quadrant where dreams are made of, the luxury and designer stores.

Not only did Rachel enjoy every single second running around the stores to find some serious discounted offers from some of the world’s most well-known super brands, but she spent time chatting to the friendliest shop managers and front-of-house staff she has ever had the pleasure to meet. From Lacoste to The Kooples, Lulu Guinness to Mulberry all the staff she encountered were truly pleasant to be around.

Reality hit home and Rachel had to end her time on this super shopping experience and move to her next location, but first she had to be dragged kicking and screaming from Ralph Lauren ☺

The weekend visitors next destination was a short drive from McArthurGlen, where they checked into Craxton Wood Hotel for the night and headed for a relaxing Elemis spa treatment along with a swim in the pool and brief stint in the sauna.

Back in the hotel room post massage and swim it was time for Rachel to unpack all the shopping spree bags from McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks, play with all her new purchases, and prepare for an evening of fabulous cocktails and dinner in the hotel restaurant Craxton Wood Grill.

Rachel opted for a classic Prawn Cocktail to start with, after a rather nice glass of Kir Royale, and a couple of Cosmopolitans. She then chose Mushroom Ravioli for her main course, and cheese and biscuits for dessert, which ended the day perfectly.

Back to the room after a late night filled with cocktails and great banter with the other guests, and it was time to watch a bit of trashy reality TV (hoping for The Real Housewives of Cheshire)!

Morning encroached all too quickly, where she awoke surrounded by the previous day’s McArthurGlen purchases, much like you would expect to find a small child post-Christmas surrounded by all their toys!

It was time to pack the Cheshire Oaks purchases away and get ready for a day filled with rifle shooting and laser clay pigeon shooting in the grounds of Craxton Wood Hotel.

Rachel, who admits to not being gun savvy wasn’t expecting to win the laser clay event organised by the hotel events team, but she did, and she did it to much applause by the other members of the shooting party. #TeamCoco 1 other adventurers nil!

The day evolved from shooting clay pigeons and bottles to walking around the beautiful gardens of Arley Hall in Northwich with the head gardener, followed by a very cute afternoon tea complete with soup filled mini flowerpots! #totesadore

Arley Hall was one of the wicked locations for the filming of British TV Drama Peaky Blinders, and best of all the infamous bad lad Tommy Shelby had a major fight on the garden steps. The gift shop at Arley Hall now stocks Peaky Blinders beers for true fans to indulge in!

From Arley Hall, Rachel and her co-weekenders went for a little cruise down the Shropshire Union Canal where it meets the Manchester Ship Canal, with the team from the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. The team spoke about the history of the waterways and how food such as chocolate was transported many years ago. Who doesn’t need to know an odd fact about chocolate to wow our friends with, after all chocolate is life!

The weekend of plenty of excesses was about to end, after 2-days of shopping at the legendary McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks, spa relaxation, food and outdoor pursuits at Craxton Wood Hotel, a peaky blinders tour and afternoon tea at Arley Hall, plus a canal trip down the waterways of Chester, it was sadly time to leave this glorious part of the UK and head home dreaming of the next visit to McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks.

Rachel is counting down the hours until her next visit to Cheshire.

You may have caught our #TeamCoco writer, Anna’s adventures in Switzerland recently on our instagram where she explored the unexpected in Zurich; a location typically discarded as an expensive, and not-super-exciting travel destination for the millennial traveler. Of course, here at House of Coco we like to challenge our preconceptions and she got stuck into finding the unusual elements of Zurich – not least of all, the FREITAG factory.

FREITAG is a brand that isn’t particularly well-known in the UK but with the increased discussions on the eco and ethical impacts of the clothing we wear and generally what we consume, we feel this brand is tipped to explode on our shores.

Fourteen years ago, two graphic designers were searching for suitable bags to house their creative work as they travelled their home city of Zurich by bicycle. Taking unlikely inspiration from the heavy traffic route outside their window, they created their first messenger style bag made from up cycled truck tarpaulins, bicycle tubes and car seat belts. Their designs were loved by cyclists as a great option for a waterproof item with great eco credentials and since then their range has expanded to over 80 bag models and just 3 years ago they launched F-ABRIC – 100% compostable textiles from which they produce a range of clothing. This, dear friends, is the future of fashion.

On our writer, Anna’s travels, she was luckily enough to tour the factory in which these bags are made which was not the other side of the world but within Zurich itself, in the Nœrd industrial complex in Zurich-Oerlikon. Surrounded by other creative businesses, within a co-working space this is possibly one of the most forward thinking assembly lines you’ll come across.

The business itself follows a holocratic model which means that it does away with many of the hierarchical traps of your average business and empowers team members to make decisions. Touring the factory means hearing stories of how those cutting the tarps have the responsibility of how the final item will look, through their choice of tarps they use and the fulfilment team receive sweet treats from their delighted customers on the other side of the world as a mark of their appreciation.

What sets FREITAG apart from many other ‘up cycled’ products is their true attention to the eco and ethical impact of their work. Throughout the production process, decisions have been made to reduce their impact – not just are they reviving truck tarpaulins that fall out of use but they are cleaning them thoroughly with rain water, collected from the roof of the factory and they employ people locally in Zurich and elsewhere in mainland Europe to assemble the final products. We’re particularly excited to see where they take the F-ABRIC line…. imagine knowing that all our clothing products, including the buttons will compost completely, without a trace. Forget the cutting edge tech in the banks of Zurich, this is where the future is being built.

Today, 22nd March 2018, FREITAG are launching their latest bag, the F155 CLAPTON, a unique, waterproof commuter backpack with space for your laptop, comfortable straps and also five reflector panels to keep you safe on dark evenings. Plus thanks to the design creds of the team at FREITAG, we’ll think you agree with us that it’s a mighty fine addition to your wardrobe which is going to last you for a long time, no matter how much you cram into it for your pre-work yoga, work outfit and evening date requirements!

To learn more about FREITAG visit www.freitag.ch

If you want to visit the Zurich factory yourself hurry to purchase your own R223 BUSINESS BAG today (22nd March 2018) as you’ll receive a tarp ticket for a f-actory tour.

Fashion is taking centre stage in Leeds as the city showcases its own collection of runway shows, presentations and collaborations from some of the country’s most influential industry names.

From Saturday 28th April The Fashion Space, Leeds, will present a comprehensive programme of events from UK designers including Matty Bovan, Sadie Williams and Christopher Raeburn; alongside Fashion East alumni and Lulu Kennedy (MBE); Vogue’s Fashion Features Director, Claudia Croft and from the North: Fashioning Identities exhibition at Somerset House, co-curator Adam Murray.

The Fashion Space is housed on one of Leeds’ main shopping streets, Briggate, as part of this year’s Leeds International Festival, funded by LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District).

The Fashion Space programme aims to create an inspiring and educational series of high calibre fashion events, with both national and international credibility, bridging the gap between independent and high street retailers, designers, manufacturers and industry influencers whilst introducing the reality of the fashion industry to the public.

Cathy Dickson, of Cabba, part of the team directing Fashion in Leeds, said: “2017 saw the realisation of The Fashion Space, as part of Leeds International Festival – the idea of a converted shipping container in the centre of Leeds on a busy weekend was to provide a space that offered people a rarely seen insight into the fashion industry.”

“The popularity of the runway was such that we have introduced four days of shows as part of our 2018 Fashion events and cannot wait to work everyone again!”

There are so many events to choose from, here are a pick #TeamCoco’s fave few:

Sunday 29th April
Runway shows from independent designers 10am-4.30pm
FREE event

Tuesday 1st May
Christopher Raeburn Off Cut – T-Shirt Workshop
17.45 – 20.00
An opportunity for less experienced sewers to develop their creative skills by making a bespoke Christopher Raeburn Tote bag using some of his amazing animal patches.
Tickets: £40.00

Wednesday 2nd May
17.45 – 19.00
Sadie Williams – Bright Young Thing
One of the British Fashion Council’s NewGen’s ones to watch Sadie recently wowed LFW with her eclectic mix of 60’s silhouettes coupled with graphic panel arrangements and with a nod towards 70’s glitz. She will talk about her progression from her Central St Martin’s MA to her international success; what inspires her and advice for young designers.
Tickets: £5.00

Friday 4th May
16.15 – 18.30
In Conversation with Fashion East
Leeds International Festival Spiegeltent, Millennium Square
Talent scout and founder of Fashion East Lulu Kennedy (MBE) will be talking up and coming fashion with a selection of her successful alumni and current designers. These will include Matty Bovan, Per Götesson, Mimi Wade, and ART SCHOOL. Tickets: £10.00

Saturday 5th May
Runway shows from high street retailers 11am-4.30pm
FREE event

For the full programme of events, more information and to buy tickets, visit: https://www.leedsinternationalfestival.com/

When you get the dream assignment; you’ll just know. Vauxhall Motors approached Team Coco to work with them on spreading the joy behind ‘Vivaro On Tour’ – an incredible campaign which supports the UK heritage of music through granting up-and-coming bands with one of their ultimate wishes – no not a sold-out headline at Wembley – but their very own tour bus in the form of the brand’s supremely versatile and spacious Vivaro van.

Our mission with Vauxhall was to explore 2018’s Independent Venue Week (IVW) – a celebration of 190 of the UK’s historic and indie venues – in a brit-built Vauxhall. If you are a regular reader, you’ll know that we can resist a good colour co-ord so I wish we’d had a photo taken of our faces when our very own hire Vauxhall Adam was hand-delivered in ‘Mint Up Your Life’ and ‘Re-White My Fire’ (any 80s and 90s kids in the audience will appreciate the home grown music talent these names refer to). Vauxhall has sponsored IVW for the last four years, so it was great to have the opportunity to experience the life on the road, just as a band does.

We started our adventure up in Liverpool, a city that we’ll be exploring in more detail in our next print issue around the theme of Staycation’. The city is compact enough with an ace one-way system which will made city centre driving in our Adam an absolute dream as we zoomed over cobbles in search of legendary night out.

Our journey back in time began at The Jacaranda, opened as a coffee shop in the 50s; this venue brought the rock and roll of America to the northern city and almost certainly helped shaped the music of a little-known band, ‘The Silver Beetles’ who dropped the colour reference and changed a spelling and earnt them a Guinness World Record for the highest selling group of all time.

From musical heritage we scooted round the corner to The Zanzibar; a space that opened up in the late 90s whose walls have bounced around the sounds of everyone from DJ Grandmaster Flash to The Libertines and ended the night pogoing around at 250 year old cellar venue, EBGBs at a rare, intimate gig with Frank Turner. A real reverence exists with the bands playing at IVW for the history and legend of the venues they play in – if you asked Frank if he felt more proud of playing at Wembley or in a passion-soaked basement bar I think he might struggle to answer!

From the northern home of British music, to the capital, London we took our trusty Adam on a city road trip. The dancehall vibes of Bush Hall echoed both the delicate vocals and explosive choruses of The Oh Hellos, the cabaret-turned-punk venue The 100 Clubreverberated with the shouting of DEAD!and the rumble of the moshpit while Rolling Stones’ favourite boozer HalfMoon Putney hosted the OTT ‘Monkipunk’ stylings of South African band Boo!

Independent Venue Week is an absolute delight year, after year showcasing the quirky, the unusual and celebrating the awe-inspiring history of independent venues right under our noses. With the Music Venue Trust reporting that a 1/3 of live music venues in the UK have closed over the last decade it’s so important that we get out there and support the key cultural venues that have built the music industry and continue to inspire and give a platform to the up-and-coming bands of today. With Vauxhall’s support, of these exciting new acts, we at Team Coco hope that the music, the myth and legend of the UK’s music scene is here to stay.

Keep your eyes peeled on what’s set to ‘Mint Up Your Life’ over at www.vauxhall.co.uk/VivaroOnTour and when you pick up your trusty Vivaroand hit the stage, send us at Team Coco an invite? We’ve perfected our mosh pit etiquette.

We love catching up with our Girl Bosses at House of Coco and we were so excited to hear from Elizabeth-Yemi Akingbade about her brand Yemzi ‘s latest collection ‘The Wild Is Within Me’.

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Fresh and exciting for SS18, this collection is vibrant and timeless using the brand’s signature silk fabrics and silk jersey. The collection is made up of 8 looks taking inspiration from the late 80s/early 90s in three prints that take reference from exotic animals and wildflowers.

Yemzi ‘s brand ethos of blending the street wear style from Europe and West Africa is all over this new collection and we’re excited to snap up what we’re sure is going to become our new favourite cocktail hour outfit.

Head over to Yemzi.com in January 2018 to get your piece of this limited luxe collection.