ABOVE Niomi
combines style
savvy with a focus
on sustainable
fashion; Niomi
at the Bora Aksu
AW18 show
during London
Fashion Week5 QUESTIONSNIOMI SMART
Niomi Smart has amassed over 1.6
million followers on Instagram and has
nearly two million followers on her
YouTube platform. The author is also
currently the face of Oasis and has
teamed up with the brand on her latest
passion project. She recently appeared
in a BBC documentary alongside Stacey
Dooley about fast fashion, in which they
lifted the lid on ways we can become
more sustainable when it comes to our
wardrobes. Here she tells us more...
Why did you start to champion
sustainable fashion?
I have always loved fashion, whether it’s
discovering new brands, styling outfits or
admiring London street style. I’ve become
increasingly aware that fashion has a
hugely negative impact on the environment,
from all of the toxic chemicals used to the
improper disposal of fibres. So I realised
it was time for us all to rethink fashion.
There are brilliant sustainable brands using
innovative, eco-friendly fibres to create
their clothing, but one of the best ways to
be sustainable with your fashion choices
is to buy less frequently, and only purchase
items that you adore and know you will
wear for years to come.
What do brands need to do to
support sustainability?
For established brands, it isn’t easy to
change their business strategies from how
they have been producing clothes for years,
to suddenly becoming sustainable overnight.
Small changes, step by step, can make
a huge impact, especially from large
companies. They can create ways to reduce
their waste of clothing and fibres by, for
example, recycling unsold items and turning
them into a different item, rather than always
using new fibres. Brands need to have a
transparent process from thread to rail, and
know exactly where and how the clothes
have been made. From there, they can
reduce their water consumption, prevent
improper disposal of toxic wastes and
start to introduce eco-friendly fibres.
You hosted a clothes swap recently –
tell us more...
Many women have clothes at the back
of their wardrobe that they haven’t worn in
a long time and probably never will again.
We’re under constant pressure to keep on
top of trends, with new collections being
released every few weeks, making us feel
like our current clothes are old-fashioned,
even if they’re only a few months old. I had
the idea to gather women together for a
Smart Swap party with Clothes Aid, to
swap each other’s clothes instead of going
out and splashing the cash on new items.
One person’s ‘old’ becomes another
person’s ‘new’.
How do you spread the message?
I have always tried to use my platform
as an opportunity to spread positivity.
As I’ve become aware of sustainable
fashion, I have taken my audience
on that journey with me, to share the
process and hopefully inspire others to
also adopt more eco-friendly habits. I’ve
been uploading videos on my YouTube
channel, sharing sustainable shops that
I’ve discovered, posting my outfits and
starting conversations around this topic.
What advice can you give HFM readers?
An easy and fun way is to rediscover
vintage stores – you can find some
absolute gems, and as they are pre-loved
items, they are sustainable. You could also
host your own Smart Swap party at home.
Simply invite your friends around and ask
them to bring a set amount of clothing with
them (ten items is a good place to start).
Lay everything out and let everyone take
what they love. Make sure to provide
drinks and nibbles, too!
To find out more visit clothesaid.co.ukSustainable beauty
Make-up artist Justine Jenkins’ clients include
Fearne Cotton, Elisabeth Moss and Ophelia
Lovibond. She’s a cruelty-free cosmetics
ambassador who champions sustainable
brands. Here are her favourites...The Body Shop
“I’ve been wearing the
Body Shop’s Fresh Nude
Foundation, £16, since
I discovered it earlier this
year. Fantastic for mature
and younger skin, it gives
good coverage and lets
skin glow. The company’s
ethos is to be the most
ethical and sustainable
global business.”Neal’s Yard Remedies
“The London-based brand
became the world’s first
carbon-neutral retailer this
year. It trades sustainably
and ethically and the
Wild Rose Beauty Balm,
£40, smells like heaven
in a pot. I use it as a
cleanser, moisturiser,
highlighter and all-round
skin softener.”