In order to get a little more insight into her methods of ethical consumerism, we spent a day with Martiene and her husband & photographer Albert in their humble Berlin abode – talking life, style & sustainability. Our in-house makeup artist Svenja and former makeup intern Insa prepped Martiene for a photoshoot collaboration – wearing Amazingy products from cruelty-free, green beauty brands (such as Tata Harper Skincare, HIRO Cosmetics, rms Beauty) & fair-trade clothing & accessory pieces from ethical brands like Philomena (Germany) and Julia Thompson (UK).
“What inspired you to begin curating the raven collective?”
My love for fashion goes way back. Even when I was younger, I was already fascinated by fashion – never from the design perspective, but rather with drawing it. Later on during my time in art school, I got to know the world of fashion forecasting and trend-watchers… and that still fascinates me. Fashion is so much more than the clothing we wear; it is about your personality, your status.
Five years ago, partially due to a cool project I was performing for Philips in which I had to set up an extensive style segmentation about men and style, I dove back into the world of fashion and street style again. I wanted to create new looks for women, as well – based on items I searched for on online stores, worldwide. Yet it did not satisfy me. Why show expensive pieces, shipped across the world – without any clue about where they’d been made, who made it, or under which conditions?
So I started scouting for upcoming labels across Europe with sustainability in their DNA and created new looks online on a daily basis, proving that you can wear stylish and feminine looks based on better alternatives than what the conventional industry is offering – in massive amounts.
raven collective is still based on that same philosophy: we continue to scout for new labels, and we aim to inspire by showcasing trends and telling the stories behind innovative designers – as well as the pieces they create. As a marketplace, raven collective now offers the opportunity to buy and sell in the same place, as well.
“And is ‘curating’ the right word? Or how would you explain your selection process? Which criteria need to be met for each piece?”
At raven collective, sustainability is a given. We understand sustainability is a concept of equity – referring to the equilibrium between social, environmental and economic perspectives, as well as within and between generations.
We also understand sustainability as something real. There is no such thing as 100% sustainability. There are better alternatives, and we can choose them well. Small collections, recycled and environmentally friendly materials, or pieces that are made-to-order only – to reduce waste.
“What are a few fair fashion brands that you feel are making some of the larger strides towards building a more sustainable industry?”
That is an unfair question… There are many – the market is growing, and for the better. I have a lot of respect for these designers: translating your idea into a wearable piece that needs to be functional, look beautiful and is also produced in an ethical and environmentally friendly way. At the same time, they have to have a clever business mind, with a strong focus on marketing and sales… It is much more than just a creative process, and this is often not ‘seen’ by the customers these days.
“Are there any ‘ethical red flags’ you can share with those of us who are trying to become more conscious in their consumption practices?”
A good guideline is usually the price. It is a well-known quote: “If you’re not paying for it, someone else is.” Meaning if you buy a 10€ shirt, someone – usually the people at the bottom of the chain – are not getting paid in a fair way.
“What is one of the main goals you’d like to achieve within the first year of this new online venture for the raven collective?”
To give these labels a stage, and offer our customers a trusted place to come back to – finding inspiration for a long-lasting wardrobe with a conscience.
“How does your work with the raven collective fit into your overall artistic (or altruistic) vision?”
Thinking and working like a trend-caster is an essential part of me. Scouting for new labels, lovely styles is not work, that’s always a delight.
“What is your hope for the more immediate future of the fashion industry?”
Needless to say, I hope the way that fashion is sourced, produced and too easily bought changes. It is the responsibility of the consumer, the government and the industry. On a more personal note, I want to see greater change in how we value what we wear. If your wardrobe is not just full of disposable or anonymous pieces, but with garments whose sourcing and production you’re fully aware of, it will change your perspective.
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Tags: Behind the Brand, Conscious Consumer, Fair Trade, Fashion, Guilt-Free Fashion
J. R. Thesis Smith is a mixed-race millenial in the dawn of their 30s & a wordsmith of sorts. They've spent most of their waking life in the U.S. – in the urban sprawl of NYC that is New Jersey, in the depths of its suburban echoes – but always dreamed of making their way across a bigger pond, to a place where opportunity would knock a little more often. After completing their training at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (effectively spending three poor years in NYC) as a dance major, they gifted themselves a semester of studying abroad in Berlin, and in doing so kept a vow made in early adolescence – thereby inciting a metamorphosis of promise into full-bodied intention: to eventually fully emigrate to Berlin, the first space that had ever allowed them the freedom to find their own breath, their pace of existence. Now that they finally live there, they're learning how to breathe again – striving to become a more active member of the Undercommons as they continue on the odyssey that is their self-realization as an artistic being. Their most resonant hope is that they will be able to say what is true & necessary & kind; that people will find the time to listen, to themselves and each other; and that their voice will inspire other voices to speak out in turn.
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