Is Vegan Leather Actually More Sustainable?

When the term “vegan” was first coined in 1944, you’d have been hard pressed to find a soy-based cheese in your local grocery store. But today, with more vegan restaurants, brands and products popping up everywhere, commitment to a plant-based lifestyle has become increasingly accessible — and popular, especially among Gen Z. But while it’s been proven that vegan diets can lower our carbon footprint, the case is a little more complicated when it comes to vegan fashion.

Vegan leather, which was once considered a cheaper material and derisively labelled “pleather,” got a rebrand about a decade ago when brands started marketing it as a more ethical alternative to leather. Some of the first beloved fashion houses that helped popularize its use include Stella McCartney and Nanushka, a Budapest-based label that’s known expressly for its soft vegan leather. Now, the vegan leather industry — with its applications in fashion, footwear and upholstery — is reportedly set to be worth a whopping $89 billion by 2025.

According to Kering’s 2018 Environmental Profit & Loss sustainability report, the environmental impact of vegan leather can be up to a third lower than real leather, and that’s significant when compared to the fact that, according to PETA, over a billion cows, pigs, goats, sheep, alligators, ostriches, kangaroos and even dogs and cats are slaughtered for their skins each year globally. Turning that skin into leather also has a significant carbon footprint and requires a “toxic brew of chemicals” — including mineral salts, coal-tar derivatives, formaldehyde, oils, dyes and finishes, some of them cyanide-based. Tannery waste itself contains water-fouling salt, lime sludge, sulfides, acids and many other pollutants.

With this information, it’s understandable that increasingly informed and discerning consumers have been easily sold on leather alternatives. But, there’s a catch: while better, these materials aren’t exactly good for the earth, either. The most commonly used pleathers are made of petroleum-based plastic, and come in two forms: polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU). Fossil fuels like petroleum are not only toxic to humans, but also contribute to climate change. PVC also releases highly toxic dioxins during its production, use and disposal and is considered by Greenpeace to be the most environmentally damaging of all plastics. And, according to the World Health Organization, during the manufacturing and disposal of these materials can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancers.

To top it off, neither PVC nor PU are biodegradable, which means they’re likely to spend years in a landfill releasing toxic gases. In fact, according to Canada’s Waste Reduction Week, 85% of North Americans’ clothing ends up in a landfill, which amounts to over 10.5-million tons. It’s worth noting, too, synthetic fibres from clothing are one of the biggest sources of micro-plastic pollution in our oceans, and they shed even while we’re wearing and washing them.

Hana Kajimura, sustainability manager at eco-friendly footwear brand Allbirds, says vegan leather has always been a bit of a “false promise” in the sense that its name suggests it’s a sustainable material when its most common iterations are petroleum-based plastics. She adds, “The footwear industry disproportionately relies on synthetics for the materials that it uses, so most of the shoes we wear are made from plastic and plastic comes from oil.”

Allbirds already uses renewable resources like wool and eucalyptus fibre, as well as recycled plastic laces for their celeb-beloved sneakers, and later this year it will release its first plant-leather product, which has been several years in the making.

Allbirds has developed a sustainable plant-based leather that will be released as part of a new shoe collection in December. Photography courtesy of Allbirds.

“This was really about rediscovering and reintegrating natural materials into this industry that had become too dependent on fossil fuels,” says Kajimura. Made from vegetable oil, natural rubber and other bio-ingredients, the material — called Mirum — is entirely biodegradable and naturally pigmented, and is set to be the first 100% natural, plant-based leather on the market. Allbirds says it has 40 times less carbon impact than real leather and 17 times less carbon than synthetic leather made from plastic. It’s the output of a $2 million investment Allbirds made to support innovation firm Natural Fiber Welding, Inc., an Illinois-based company that uses clean technology to create and enhance plant-based textiles.

The Allbirds team says the new shoe they’ve designed using this material is not only the most durable they’ve ever made, but they also describe the plant-based “leather” as a soft, supple, easy to clean textile that can take on various aesthetics thanks to its ability to take on different textures and finishes.

The company’s hope is that the product and the new material will encourage other brands to follow suit and focus more on eco-conscious innovation as a better solution for all.”Allbirds is on a mission to reverse climate change through better business, which means that we have to imagine a world in which we emit zero carbon, or hopefully negative carbon,” says Kajimura. “To do that, we need to focus on materials because that is the biggest source of emissions for any fashion brand. And within materials, we have to imagine that they can be carbon negative. This investment in this new material fills a new market need, it’s unlocked a new category.”

For Toronto-based cruelty-free womenswear designer Hilary MacMillan, these types of innovations are a welcome addition to a global textile market that until recently did not offer many truly ethical options. “Being a small company, [I] only have access to what the mills have made available,” MacMillan says. “We [as designers] don’t get to lead the development of materials, we have to work within what’s available to us and push our mills to look into alternatives and encourage them and tell them that the demand is there.”

After searching “high and low,” MacMillan says she was able to source vegan leather material for her spring 2021 collection that is dimethylformamide-free and made entirely from recycled plastic, polyester, nylon and cotton, even down to the linings she used. “We’re fortunate this season that recycled leather became an option for us, it’s just a better form of vegan leather than what we were using in the past.”

Her collection includes several items in the innovative textile, such as a shawl collar blazer, trouser, pleated hem dress, shacket, drawstring skirt, cropped jacket and cord tie trench. Each piece is buttery soft and MacMillan says it’s also just as durable as traditional vegan leathers, which tend to be thicker but had limitations to how they could be applied.

Shawl Collar Blazer, $250, hilarymacmillan.com

MacMillan says that in additions to being “very engaged in finding alternatives that are better for the environment in real ways,” she thinks carefully about a material’s “end of life.” She explains, “It’s about where your products are going when they’re finished. We’re looking at that from a business standpoint, making sure we’re producing so there’s never any excess, which is especially tough for small businesses because there are minimums you have to meet.”

But the work is worth it, says MacMillan who, like the Allbirds team, operates from a collective conscience in hopes that the same will be the case for even more fashion brands in the near future. “It’s really important to me to be in the vegan space, start a conversation about finding better solutions and being aware of our waste and overproduction — for us, for the consumer and for the world.”

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Are Subscription Boxes Unsustainable?

I was about to hit “place order” on a beauty subscription box when I was seized by a too-familiar feeling: guilt. I halted my shopping to think about why, and to examine the contents of the box.

It had glittery pink lettering and contained a few products I had been lusting after: hello, Bum Bum Cream! But upon closer inspection, I couldn’t deny that I didn’t actually need anything in the box. It contained mascara, which I already owned. The sample size lotion included enough product to cover my body approximately one-and-a-half times. There was a bright mini lipstick, a set of lashes. I’m pretty androgynous: if I’m really trying to impress, I’ll put on a little tinted face oil, add some rosy lip balm, and fill in my brows.

I came to my senses and closed my cart. I had clearly just been shopping to cover up a case of the sads. Shopping releases dopamine, and my brain needs all of the happiness-inducing hormones it can get right now, being cut off from loved ones and everything I usually look forward to. Still, I felt guilty that my purchase would likely just contribute to the heaps of waste already lying in landfills. But I also wondered if I was being extreme, knowing choices made at the individual level are hardly going to fix environmental woes or the beast that is late-stage capitalism.

When I relayed this story and my conflicting thoughts to Tim Gray, executive director of Environmental Defence, an environmental advocacy group, he laughed and said “Good decision!” Buying boxes full of things we don’t need and having them shipped to our house is easy, but it leaves a long trail of damage.

“Every time you get a box of stuff from that you didn’t need, there’s a whole chain of pollution impacts that start in your neighbourhood and go all the way back to the people that are involved in manufacturing it [often] on the other side of the world,” he says. Your stuff has to travel by truck, by plane or ship, then by another few trucks to reach you. It adds up.

In Canada in 2019, 25 percent of greenhouse gas emissions were from the transportation sector alone. And this was before everyone who could was having everything delivered, both out of convenience and by necessity (hello, pandemic). Not only do subscription box orders contribute to this, but what’s in them often ends up in the landfill: unloved products, foods the family doesn’t like. Then there’s the plastic packaging and the fact that less than only 10 percent of plastic ever gets recycled in Canada.

Of course, it’s also easy to make broad strokes criticisms about the harms these boxes can cause, especially when those ordering them don’t actually need the contents. It would be better for the environment to just go buy what you need from the store. Preferably local! Preferably organic! But this isn’t accessible to everyone, and applying judgment to subscribers overall creates unnecessary harm, especially these days. According to one survey of American subscribers by Coupon Follow, 20 percent of those ordering subscription boxes over the past year did so simply to have products available to them throughout the pandemic, and the most popular categories of the 3,500 or so boxes on the market were food and pet care. Even Gray says food is a clear exception to his critique.

Jewelles Smith, a communications coordinator with the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, thinks so too. She has a compromised immune system, and since the pandemic began, she’s been in a version of lockdown: it’s too risky for her to go out and potentially be exposed to the virus.

“It’s incredibly stressful to be out in public,” she says, with people flouting distancing protocol and reaching directly over her body at the store. “For me, delivery has been amazing.”

So she’s been ordering food from local farmers through Vancouver’s SPUD for the past year. Like many other subscription box companies, SPUD is working on sustainability: they deliver food in reusable bins, and plan their delivery routes to reduce emissions as much as possible. Other enviro-friendly subscription options include the Toronto-based Mama Earth Organics, who reuse their bins when they deliver local organic food, prepared meals and products, and 2Peonies, who deliver simple, elegant bouquets, reusing the same glassware with each delivery.

While food is an obvious exception, Smith cautions non-disabled people to hold their judgment regardless of what other people are ordering and why. People with disabilities may not be able to go out and browse for personal care products in the same way folks without disabilities can, and subscription boxes can fill in the gap. Also, she says, people with disabilities think often about how to mitigate waste, since they’re regularly managing disposal of bottles, EpiPens and other supplies that are essential for their health.

There are other reasons people may sign up, too. Chúk Odenigbo’s love of fashion stems from his connection to his culture, both as a Black man and a Francophone person. He’s also passionate about the environment: as founding director and director of ancestral services with Future Ancestors, a Black and Indigenous-owned, climate-focused research, advocacy and consulting organization, he cares deeply about sustainability. Managing these passions isn’t always easy, but Odenigbo does it with care.

“Being Black in Canadian society, we’re often dehumanized. And so fashion is often used as a tool by Black people to sort of regain their humanity and be seen as valuable human beings, which is why a lot of really interesting fashion trends happen to be Black,” he says. He’s done a lot of advocacy to eradicate the trope that, to be a true nature lover, one must adorn oneself in shapeless khakis only. This idea, he says, is unnecessarily restrictive, and creates divisions where none exist.

For Odenigbo, it’s a beautiful thing for men and boys to be able to order clothing via subscription boxes, because it helps them to explore their identity or presentation at home.

“What I love about subscription boxes is that they give people a safe space to decide if they’re going to change themselves,” he says. When we feel permission to explore and express our true selves, it can help us to feel more relaxed and able to open up emotionally, he explains, which in turn can lessen the hold of toxic masculinity on these boys and men.

Odenigbo suggests buying what you actually need, and shelling out for the best quality you can afford, even if it means saving up for a while. That way, whatever you buy has a better chance of being well-loved, and when you’re done with it, it’s likelier to see a second life outside of the landfill. He also stressed the importance of kinship, or making sure the brands you’re choosing have a harmonious relationship with the environment and workers. If people are paid properly, environmental harms are reduced as much as possible, and the items you’re ordering are getting used, the guilt becomes a pointless emotion. He advises those looking to do this to pay careful attention not just to whether a brand claims to be sustainable, but to how much information it offers up: where was the item made, of what materials, by whom, which practices were used?

Even makeup shouldn’t be labeled as frivolous. For some, especially queer and trans people, it can be crucial to identity and self-expression. And for low-income disabled folks — a too-high proportion of this population — freebie sampler or trial boxes may be necessary, too. “I think it’s kind of fun, and it gives people access to things that they otherwise wouldn’t have,” Smith says.

As for me, I’ll probably keep feeling guilty about these choices. But the next time I’m sick or stressed, you just might catch me carefully assembling a veggie linguine from a box.

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These Brands Are Turning to Refillable Beauty Products to Cut Down on Excess Packaging

More and more, skincare and cosmetics brands are turning to refillable beauty products as an answer to the urgent calls from consumers demanding more sustainable packaging. What was once a niche, hard-to-find category is now actually quite common — and we love to see it. The best part? These beauty brands aren’t compromising on quality, offering the luxe, reliable products we know and love in refillable options that are better for the planet, our wallets and our Marie Kondo-esque dreams of minimizing the sheer amount of stuff in our bathroom vanities.

Below are some of the standout refillable beauty products that we love.

Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat

 

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Charlotte Tilbury is no stranger to creating enviable full brows. The makeup artist has been sculpting and defining some of Hollywood’s most iconic arches for decades. (Think A-listers like Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek and Amal Clooney.) The latest addition to the brand’s brow wardrobe is Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat ($32) — a micro-precision pencil, available in eight shades, with a wax tip that’s so fine it’s nearly impossible to create anything but light, feather-like strokes. The best part? Brow Cheat is refillable, so when you eventually run out (which won’t be for a while), you can simply slip a new refill ($19) into the pencil and go about your routine, perfect brows and all.

Kjaer Weis Red Edition

 

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Makeup and skincare brand Kjaer Weis has been a pioneer in sustainable packaging since its debut. Launched by makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis, the products — which are all refillable — have become instantly recognizable thanks to their heavy, luxurious and made-to-last metal packaging. To celebrate the brand’s milestone 10-year anniversary, Kjaer Weis has released the Red Edition ($8), an ultra-lightweight version of the refillable compacts, made of compostable and recyclable red paper instead of metal. Red Edition packaging is available for several of the brand’s existing offerings, including blush, bronzer, foundation, eyeshadow and more.

MOB Beauty

 

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What do you get when four beauty industry veterans (including legendary MAC’s founding chemist, Victor Casale) join forces on a mission to minimize the industry’s environmental impact? You get MOB, a new cosmetics brand that spends as much time on sustainability efforts and packaging solutions as it does on product formulations. Everything in the line is refillable — the brand’s customizable makeup palettes can hold a combination of eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, highlighter and eyeliner — and the product packaging is made from post-consumer recycled materials and can be composted or recycled after use.

Rose Hermès Silky Blush

 

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Following the 2020 launch of Hermès beauty products — a collection of satin and matte lipsticks — the brand’s sophomore release, Rose Hermès Silky Blush ($103), has arrived and, like its predecessor, is a master class in sustainable luxury makeup. The eight blush offerings (all varying shades of pink) are housed in sleek compacts (adorned with Hermès’s signature emblem) that are begging to be displayed — and reused. The refillable cases feature a powder pan (which can be purchased separately for $55) that pops effortlessly in and out, so you can find your perfect rosy hue without building up your compact collection.

Kora Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer

 

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Supermodel Miranda Kerr-founded skincare brand Kora Cosmetics has just dropped its latest launch — Turmeric Glow Moisturizer ($75). Available in luxe, heavyweight gold packaging plus a refillable pod, the rich moisturizing cream features nourishing and anti-aging properties, plus the brightening benefits of the superfood turmeric. And just like all Kora Organics products, the launch is infused with a crystal during the manufacturing process. This time, it’s Citrine, believed to support self-confidence, abundance and positivity.

Tata Harper Water-Lock Moisturizer

 

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Come for the hydration, stay for the sustainable packaging. Tata Harper’s Water-Lock Moisturizer ($85) is lightweight yet ultra-nourishing, making it a must-have for spring. It also boasts plenty of priming and smoothing benefits, achieved with orange peptides, pomegranate spheres and macro hyaluronic acid. The cute neon green refill pod ($78) pops easily into the jar when it’s time for a re-up.

Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette

 

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The beloved earthy, woody Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette ($95) is now refillable, so when you run out, simply pop the fragrance’s 10 oz. refill (which is made of recyclable aluminum) into the striking midnight blue cologne bottle and just like that, the days of a bedside table cluttered with empty fragrance bottles are over. The brand has even released a special film series called “Tales of the Wild” in celebration of Earth Day, which you can watch here. In a statement, the brand explains that the film series “is dedicated to giving voice to nature’s watchmen and watchwomen from all over the world, to help give light to their conservation efforts and raise awareness to the parts of nature they work to protect.”

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Swatch’s New Bioceramic Watches + Ten More Looks to Shop this Earth Day

We’ve seen a host of brands recently racing to innovate and update their product offerings to satisfy a growing demand from consumers to be more sensitive to sustainability. From totes made of cactus leather and upcycled fabrics to the new Bioceramic collection by Swatch, here are 11 new pieces to purchase in the name of mindful consumption. But, as sustainability advocate Aditi Mayer points out, buying nothing actually makes the biggest statement of all.

1/11

Swatch

Big Bold watch

($165.00, Swatch)

Made from a mix of ceramic and bio-sourced plastic (meaning it’s not petroleum-based), this watch is truly ahead of its time.

Buy Now

2/11

Fendi

Basket bag

($790.00, Fendi)

A bold gesture in more ways than one, this mini-bag is fashioned from recycled plastic.

Buy Now

3/11

Numi

Ida top

($140.00, Numi)

This Canadian brand’s range of soft separates are crafted with a combination of silk and Naia — a yarn made from pine and eucalyptus trees.

Buy Now

4/11

Call It Spring

Lexx lace up sneakers

($40.00, Call It Spring)

Whether running errands or running a track, these shoes have comfort in mind thanks to insoles made from recycled materials like mattresses and cushions.

Buy Now

5/11

Fossil

Kier tote

($429.00, Fossil)

Cactus leather is a very buzzy “ingredient” being explored by brands right now thanks to the low-impact production involved. For that reason, this roomy shoulder bag deserves a thumbs up.

Buy Now

6/11

Emporio Armani

EA 4163

($220.00, Emporio Armani)

The future can look bright, and these sunnies — crafted from bio-acetate (a material partially made from natural sources) — prove it.

Buy Now

7/11

Essen

The Foundation Flat

($325.00, Essen)

To ensure minimized waste, these limited-edition snappy flats are made-to-order.

Buy Now

8/11

Coach

Ergo shoulder bag

($745.00, Coach)

Upcycling is one of the most sustainable practices around, and this charming bag brings that energy thanks to being made from salvaged leather scraps.

Buy Now

9/11

Penningtons

Space-dye tank top

($33.00, Penningtons)

With its new Responsible line, this Canadian plus-focused brand is highlighting pieces made from a variety of eco-minded materials, like this sporty tank fabricated from a material composed of recycled PET bottles.

Buy Now

10/11

Reebok

Floatride Energy Grow shoes

($150.00, Reebok)

Give your get-up-and-go an eco-minded boost with kicks made from plant-based materials.

Buy Now

11/11

Goodee

Bassi Medi Market Tote

($286.00, Goodee)

Given its success since launching last year, Goodee’s take-anywhere tote — fabricated from organic cotton or recycled PET — now comes in a new mid-sized style.

Buy Now

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Get To Know Photojournalist and Sustainable Style Activist Aditi Mayer

With an avid group of followers and brands taking notice of her unique voice, Los Angeles-based photojournalist and sustainable style activist Aditi Mayer is pushing the dial when it comes to the dialogue around the environmental and ethical impacts of the fashion industry. With a focus on decolonization, garment workers’ rights and consuming less, not just better, Mayer — who counts Canadian brand Poppy Barley as one of her favourites — is a force to be reckoned with. Read on to learn more about how she grew a passion for photography into a life of purpose.

Describe your relationship with the fashion world before you started your advocacy.

Growing up, I wasn’t someone who had a ‘passion for fashion’; my passion lay in photography. But I became interested in the use of design to communicate my identity. As a South Asian woman, I was really into the idea of fusion and bringing in ideas of East meets West in terms of my style. Back then, my relationship with fashion was definitely dictated by trends — these arbitrary ideas of what is ‘in’ — but I was also into thrifting from a young age. This was before it was the cool thing to do; it was really an economic necessity for me, but it was also something I genuinely loved. It instilled an idea of thinking about personal style when you’re not presented with a mannequin to tell you what to wear. You have to do more soul-searching.

What was the turning point for you in terms of seeing fashion differently?

Rana Plaza happened when I was a senior in high school, and it was a reckoning that got me thinking about the politics of fashion. I learned that the day prior to the factory collapse, structural cracks had been identified in the building and it was deemed unsafe, but because of the pressure from upper management to complete orders, people were ordered back in to work. That’s what did it for me: the avoidable nature of it and the way speed and output were normalized at all costs — they came at the cost of over 1,000 lives. I started a blog the summer before my freshman year of college as a response to the collapse and a way to explore the idea of sustainable fashion, which was a young concept at the time. During my four years at school, I started digging more into the topic, particularly within my own locality in downtown L.A. So I’ve navigated the worlds of journalistic storytelling, sharing my own journey with consumption through my blog and doing grassroots organizing. All of these identities have blurred together to inform my approach to journalism, which is about building relationships with my subjects and trying to understand issues not as isolated incidents but with a historical context in mind.

 

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Who are your biggest fashion photog­raphy inspirations?

When I think back to high school, one of my biggest inspirations was Tim Walker; there’s a large element of escapism and beauty there. As I started questioning the fashion industry more, one of the first things that became apparent to me was the lack of diversity and how that was reflected in the imagery it created — that became a point of contention. As I got deeper into learning about sustainability, I saw the same narratives and power dynamics arise, where women of colour were always seen as the labourers but the models were always white or Eurocentric. That informed my exploration of the question ‘Who’s behind the camera?’ My favourite photographers today include Simrah Farrukh, Ashish Shah and Bharat Sikka.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned on your sustainability journey?

I think it’s the amount of information we’ve been fed that suggests the solution to this issue is consuming more. That’s not to say I think conscious consumerism isn’t important — it very much is. But when it’s reinforced that the way out of the problem is consumption, it limits who can engage with this movement and how. I think we’re at a critical juncture; people are starting to see beyond the lens and looking at policies as well as consuming less and using what they already have.

How has what you’ve learned affected your own consumption habits, especially throughout the pandemic?

On the one hand, I’m realizing how much joy I get from the art of dressing and the art of being seen — putting on a cute outfit and going out into the community. But the pandemic has also instilled a sense of self-sufficiency in many people — and in me — in terms of fashion and beyond, whether it’s starting a garden or learning how to sew. I busted out an old sewing machine, and my mom has taught me some skills.”

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The Most Iconic Oscars Looks Ever, As Chosen By FASHION Editors

The 2021 Oscars are right around the corner and while the ceremony will look different this year because of the ongoing pandemic, there will still be a scaled-back red carpet (because who couldn’t use a little fashion fantasy right now?). In anticipation of the April 25 ceremony, FASHION Magazine editors chose their picks for the best Oscars dresses ever. Read on for why these unforgettable Oscars looks will go down in history.

Cher in Bob Mackie (1986)

Photography via Getty Images

And the award for Fashion Revenge goes to…Cher! The Bob Mackie creation might not be so shocking today, but in 1986 it ruffled more feathers than in the headdress that topped the wild and witchy look. Miffed at not being nominated for her role in Mask, the singer asked Mackie for a design that would convey her annoyance for not being taken seriously as an actress.Two years later she beat Meryl Streep, winning Best Actress for Moonstruck. —Bernadette Morra, editor-in-chief

Billy Porter in Christian Siriano (2019)

Photography via Getty Images

We’ve seen many women sport tuxedos and suiting on the red carpet, but Billy Porter’s turn in a custom “tuxedo dress” by New York-based designer Christian Siriano stole the show in 2019. No stranger to going completely — and authentically — OTT with his event ensembles, Porter’s captivating look (a velvet tuxedo jacket and frilled, french-cuffed shirt mixed with a lush full-length velvet gown) was a major move forward for the notion of genderless dressing during one of the world’s most-viewed moments. A breath of fabulous fresh air, indeed! —Odessa Paloma Parker, fashion news director 

Gemma Chan in Valentino Couture (2019)

Photography via Getty Images

Simply put, this Valentino Couture gown that Gemma Chan wore to the 2019 Oscars is a statement. There’s no hiding when you have a starched, ruffled collar emerging from billowing layers of punchy pink taffeta. But Chan wears it almost nonchalantly, thanks to the hidden pockets which she later revealed were holding cookies and rice crackers, a little something to get her through the three-hour ceremony. —Sarah Mariotti, contributor

Céline Dion in Dior (1999)

Photography via Getty Images

Céline Dion goes down in the fashion hall of fame for her backwards and backless tuxedo and matching hat by John Galliano for Dior. More than 20 years ago, the look received backlash and was considered inappropriate on a red carpet dominated by glitter and gowns. Looking back, Dion’s game-changing ensemble was way ahead of its time — traditions and rules are meant  to be broken! I hope we have more of these moments going forward in Hollywood. —George Antonopoulos, fashion and creative director

Halle Berry in Elie Saab (2002)

Photography via Getty Images

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of using the word iconic far too loosely, but Halle Berry’s Elie Saab number at the 2002 Academy Awards (the year she won Best Actress for her role in Monster’s Ball and became the first Black woman to win the award!) is definitely worthy of the title. Between the jaw-dropping (for 2002, at least) sheer panelling, the silk skirt in that unforgettable rich burgundy shade, the beautiful embroidery work and Berry’s pixie cut that’s equally iconic (sorry but also undeniably true!), it’ll forever be a red carpet look that lives in my head rent-free. —Souzan Michael Galway, acting beauty director<

Lauren Hutton in Halston (1975)

Photography via Getty Images

Maybe it’s the fact that I’m longing for a ridiculously glam night on the town, but I could cry a river gazing at this disco dream on gap-toothed babe Lauren Hutton. The magic of this Halston look is that while it’s emblematic of the disco era, it would look just as fun at a fancy fête today (swapping the chubby fur for a faux option, naturally) as it did in 1975. Those layers of pastel rainbow chiffon! The plunging neckline and skinny belt! I may have COVID-induced Saturday night fever, but someone get me on a dance floor, stat. —Jennifer Berry, digital director

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Dreaming of Getting Away? New Toronto-based Loungewear Line Anushka Inspires Travel Fantasies

“Everyone’s dreaming about travel,” says Anya Georgijevic, creative director of the newly launched resortwear line, Anushka. Georgijevic is an avid globetrotter who calls Toronto home. And it’s there, pre-pandemic, where she started musing on an approach to a fashion label that spoke to wanderlust and liberation. Bodily, that is.

Comparisons between fashion and interior design have been made throughout the decades; but for Georgijevic, the correlation takes on particular significance since prior to founding her brand, and her years spent as a style and design-focused writer and editor, she studied architecture at the University of British Columbia. Fast forward to years later when she was earning a Master’s of Fashion Studies degree at Ryerson University, where she found herself approaching her class work with an architect’s eye.

“I’d draw garments as a planned view,” she says. “Then I’d cut [them] apart and rearrange things and re-assemble them.” As her design chops developed, Georgijevic gravitated towards creating flamboyantly voluminous garments — pieces that “encase the body differently than a structured garment, yet are very sculptural.” Designs, one can see, that are reminiscent of those worn by Elizabeth Taylor, one of Georgijevic’s style icons, in movies like the much-maligned Boom!.

“She wore some amazing things in that film,” Georgijevic asserts, adding that as an ’80s kid, the decadent glamour of the 1970s — from Bianca Jagger’s ensembles and disco duds, to stylized cinematic offerings like the James Bond franchise — were extremely potent in helping her form a fashion point-of-view (Georgijevic is also the creator of the social media account What Alexis Wore, which catalogues the looks of Dynasty’s most notorious fashionista).

Photography by Renata Kaveh

Combining these luxe and free-spirited references with the intention of crafting garments that speak to ease of wear and a go-anywhere attitude, Georgijevic conceived of a variety of ideas for Anushka’s offerings — about 20 designs to start — but has launched with two to begin with. The pieces, which are available for pre-order so as to avoid wastefulness, are produced by a small team in Toronto. They are currently made from one of the more eco-minded materials out there, linen, which is renowned for its durability and low-impact cultivation process (the flax plant that linen is derived from is less resource-intensive than other plants used in textile-making).

The Vera robe dress — which Georgijevic says took influence from her grandmother in both name and design, as it’s based on a dressing gown she used to wear — has a particular of-the-moment appeal given that it intertwines elegant detailing with a sense of self-soothing. But the idea is to eventually wear Anushka’s pieces beyond the confines of one’s home — whenever that is — and feel confident you’ll look wonderful whether poolside, sightseeing or going out to dinner.

“I’d like to encourage a bit more glamour,” Georgijevic notes about her label, referencing its inspiration point of “resortwear with city flair.” And to this end, there’s another consideration in the effortless appeal these pieces possess — one that’s much closer to home for this creative. Georgijevic gave birth to her first child last Spring, and says that she wore mostly kaftans and tunics throughout the Summer.

Photography by Renata Kaveh

“As a new mom, it’s nice to have something very simple that you feel polished wearing,” she says of how these chic, amply-proportioned designs would attract busy mothers as well as world travellers. She says that there are many people she’d love to see wearing something from Anushka, calling out Chloë Sevigny in particular. “I’d love to see her wearing one of my pieces while strolling down the beach with her baby.”

With such modern style mavens present in mind during her design process in addition to icons past, Georgijevic says she aims to contemporize sack-like garments and make them appealing to a hip new generation. “I want people to see kaftans in a new light,” she says, referring additionally to why she chose Renata Kaveh — a Toronto-based photographer with a decidedly sensual approach — to capture her inaugural designs. “They ended up looking very alluring,” Georgijevic says. And if travel is just a desire for the foreseeable future, at least we can harness the appeal of freedom with our clothing for now.

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