It smells different here. Tea tastes different.
Not necessarily better. Just different.
Irish?

GET THE LOOK: PRIVATSACHEN Silk Dress | ALEX + ANI Silver Bracelets I & II | BROTHERS VELLIES Ivory Talitha Sandals

It must be said that this dress, in its minimalism, exudes luxury, quality and method--in method I refer to the fact that one cannot help but consider the process by which the dress was made. As it lightly touches my skin I often had to check as to whether I was actually clothed, and this led me to evaluate what it means to have clothes that represent sustainability.

Privatsachen is a brand that prides itself in transparency, ecologically sound creation and dying methods and working with the hand. After 30 years, they have mastered the art of textile manipulation, which is demonstrated in their crushed silks and cottons. In order to do so, they had to push forth an ethos of deceleration--the antithesis of mainstream fashion--which is what fashion should get back to. I guess that's why when I wear this garment, I just want to savour every moment, pay closer attention to my surroundings, and enjoy that I am in that dress, in this place, with these people whom I love.

Two weeks ago, I attended The RSA's (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) event on THE SLOW REVOLUTION, based on the rise of the Slow Movement, which advocates the slowing down of life's pace "in order to meet fundamental human needs, while allowing for the earth’s natural regeneration to take place." The event brought together five advocates towards this cultural shift in a forum that explored the notions behind 'slow' and how this was relevant in fashion, culture, finance and our philosophical outlook.What follows is a reflection of the event.

During my two year stint living with indigenous people in the Amazon, I had been dubbed by many in and outside my village as one with an old soul; the one who had found herself back into this world with an antiquated view of how one should move through space and time. I had always known that I existed with a momentum that required the slowness that came with enjoyment--just like a connoisseur would slowly swish a teaspoon of wine in one's mouth until every single taste bud could relish in its glory, or perhaps an old man in Arxia Corinthos (I did a study abroad there as a teen) enjoying a long conversation with his childhood friend over trees, terrain and politics. 

When I lived in Edinburgh, I would often take myself to the Wednesday night open mic nights at Eighty Queen Street Jazz bar (it is still today one of my most coveted memories) and sit whilst strangers took centre stage with the live ensemble to perform their melodies. I would stay there for hours, drinking wine and making conversation with the elderly who were sometimes brought to the bar as part of their outings. I sincerely loved it. John (one of the regulars in his early 60s) would always find me, and we would talk of "back in the day" when he would play his sax with his old band, and how they would spend hours playing the same phrases (a series of notes, a sentence of music) over and over until they would all agree on the key, transitions, and alternate chords. Those were the days John!

When we think of African Prints, most of us reference the Ghanaian iconic colourful wax prints, forged from the transmigration of Indonesian culture to the Gold Coast (West Africa).  Now, Ghana is the main producer of these patterned textiles, which hold history and culture within each pattern made. They tell stories of legends of families and wars, sing of proverbs which hold today's generation accountable for their actions, and express emotions deep within the society's poetry. 
Wax print is a process that traditionally uses a manual wax resistant dyeing technique. First, wax is melted then applied to the material before being dipped in dye. The dyes will not imprint the areas where there is wax, leaving the original colour of the fabric to remain. On the parts of the fabric where there is no wax, this is where the the colours penetrate and make an impression onto the cloth. The fabrics are dyed several times, and are then hung to dry. Afterwards, it is rinsed in a solvent to remove the wax. And Voila!
These textiles signified wealth, family, status, relationships and political affiliations (amongst other things), and kept the Ghanaian export and local economy flourishing. However, Ghana's once booming textile industry is on the verge of a total collapse. Coming to forefront is the Africa-China trade relations and the need to regulate the scope of China's dumping strategy--i.e. shipping excess clothes, textiles and goods into emerging economies--which has had serious negative impacts on local businesses, and communities at large. Below, Abi Ishola reports on how the FOUR remaining manufacturers are facing unfair competition, due to cheap pirated fabric being smuggled into Ghana from China.