Scouting the Highstreet: Monsoon

We are back with another Scouting the Highstreet, the series where I go in search for fairtrade, ethically made and sustainable clothes in our Highstreet shops. This week we are investigating Monsoon, the emporium of flowy garments and hippie-chic, and it isn't looking bad, not bad at all. 

Inspired by the traditional craft and colourful block-printed fabrics he saw on his travels through India, Peter Simon launched Monsoon and struck a chord with shoppers. There was nothing similar available in Britain at the time, Simon informs the Sunday Times. The first Monsoon shop opened as a small boutique in London in 1973. It and its sister store Accessorize are now a global chain to be found in almost every city with 400 stores in the UK and more than 600 world-wide. The model in the very first Monsoon campaign was none other than Jane Seymour, Bond actress and Simon's girlfriend at the time.

Jane Seymour modelling for Monsoon in the 1970s, Sunday Times

Monsoon has started taking steps towards more ethical fashion very early on. In 1994 the company launched the Monsoon Accessorize Trust, which helps disadvantaged communities in Asia by providing education, health services and income generating projects. Watch the video here if you want to find out more!

Monsoon was also one of the founding members of the Ethical Trading Initiative, signing the coalition in 1999. The ETI is an alliance of companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations who work together to improve the conditions of the poor and vulnerable across the globe. In 2010, Monsoon was awarded 'Leader' status by the ETI.
The company also funds the Esthetica ethical fashion section at London Fashion Week.


Monsoon is certainly proud of its ethical stance. In 2011 it launched the LOVE collection, an acronym that stands for the company motto: Living Our Values and Ethics since 1973.
Simon believes in trade rather than aid as a means to decrease poverty; by providing trade in small consistent and fair forms, women can be enabled to have steady incomes and plan for the future.

"Fashion can be beautiful and desirable and still be sustainable. Everyone has a conscience and consumers will appreciate knowing what their clothes stand for."

Shailina Parti, design director at Monsoon

Monsoon still uses a lot of natural fabrics along-side polyester and other synthetics, but to compete in the Highstreet, the company does not invest fully in organic fabrics. Although Monsoon is not strictly speaking fairtrade and  mainline garments are still mass-produced, the company has launched a fairtrade and sustainable range. The Boutique Range was developed with SEWA, a women's support group and trade union for home workers in India, and provides customers with colourful hand-crafted gifts and home wares. Most of the Boutique producers are members of the World Fairtrade Organisation and the Boutique range aims to be more sustainable by up-cycling and re-using fabric cut-offs.

You can find a Monsoon in Belfast in the cool out-door Victoria Square Shopping Centre and in Dublin on red-brick Grafton Street.

Scouting the Highstreet: Urban Outfitters

This week I'm starting a little series called Scouting the Highstreet, which will crop up every now and again on the blog. This basically involves me and my magnifying glass going out to explore the Highstreet to try and find fairtrade, sustainable or ethically made clothing in our every-day shops...

For my first try, I had a look around Urban Outfitters. This wouldn't have been one of my usual shops as everything in there is super hip and seems mainly aimed at teenagers and young college students. Also, all the shopping assistants look like they either stepped straight of the catwalk or just waltzed in from a night out. Needless to say, I feel a bit like a frumpy spinster in there. Anyways, I got over myself and asked a shop assistant, who turned out to be very friendly and helpful, whether they sold any fairtrade clothing. She informed me that Urban Outfitters used to have some fairtrade items, but that was a long time ago and there hasn't been any since. However, they did sell some vintage garments, she told me and pointed me in the direction of the vintage section. 

I didn't have high hopes for the clothes to be anything different from regular vintage fashion, but as it turns out, all of Urban Outfitter's "vintage" clothes belong to the Urban Renewal range. Urban Renewal pieces are created either by upcycling vintage garments or by using end of roll fabrics to create trendy modern fashion. The pieces are hand-made in Philadelphia or the UK and Urban Outfitters promise that they are one-of-a-kind, so you may not receive exactly what you see on their website. Cool!

The Urban Renewal range is very casual, so you're not going to find your office clothes there, but it's perfect if you are looking for a funky top to wear out, a cool bag or some casual (very short!) shorts. I particularly liked their sequined tops and the cosy knitted cardigans.

However, I fell in love with their little print dresses. Here's the one I chose to take home with me:

 It's a very simple cut, with an elasticated waste so it fits many different figures. I love the colour of the floral pattern and the length is perfect for me. (For someone a bit taller, it may be more of a top than a dress...)
To spice it up, it's got a cheeky slit down the back.

You can find Urban Renewal clothes in most Urban Outfitters or you can order them online. All in all my first Highstreet Scout was a great deal more successful than anticipated. Christmas Dress - sorted!