Jessie Wong from Yu Mei will speak at Mindful Fashion New Zealand’s upcoming event at NZ Fashion Week 2021. Image supplied.
Leading local fashion industry organisation Mindful Fashion New Zealand will present a thoughtful panel discussion at New Zealand Fashion Week 2021 titled Building Brands for a Better Future. The event will take place on Wednesday August 25th at 1.30pm at Auckland’s Town Hall and will feature four talented speakers (one still to be announced) who have each grown considered fashion businesses. It’s imperative for anyone starting a business today to consider holistic sustainability principles as a core part of their business, and this seminar is designed to spark ideas for both emerging and established brands.
Attendees will hear from the likes of Jessie Wong from Yu Mei, Elisha Watson from Nisa and Bobby Luke from Campbell Luke on how they address sustainability and work towards a just and inclusive fashion system. This conversation will look at what an holistic approach looks like from a range of perspectives and will be valuable for anyone with an interest in sustainability, fashion and using business for good.
Elisha Watson, founder of Nisa says “Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – customers are demanding it and are doing their research. We need brands that will step up and do the mahi, and do it in a way that is authentic to their vision and their story. This is the new normal.”
Jessie Wong, founder of Yu Mei says “”Sustainability is no longer an afterthought, nor should it be used as a marketing tool. We are living in the age where sustainability and considerations of environmental, social, economic and cultural impact are prerequisites for doing business.”
Jacinta FitzGerald, Programme Director at Mindful Fashion says “Anyone launching a business today must have sustainability principles at their core. We have some incredible trailblazing brands in New Zealand who are using business to create positive outcomes for people and the planet, and leading the way towards a better future. Our role at Mindful Fashion is to shine a light on these businesses and help create impactful change within the industry at large.”
Tickets to the event are complimentary and the event is open to all. Bookings are essential and you can register for tickets online.
YU MEI
Yu Mei is a leather goods label devoted to the creation of thoughtful, understated luxury. Yu Me aims to inspire and engage forward-thinking women who understand refined, utilitarian aesthetics and commitment to a high-quality product that stands the test of times and also offers a buyback to extend the life of its products.
Bobby Luke from Campbell Luke.
CAMPBELL LUKE
Campbell Luke designs have a strong kaupapa Māori ethos with a focus on sustainability, diversity and identity. Luke engages with environmental and social responsibility through considered fabric selection and aspects of kaimahi – the worker, the supporter, the foundations, the people in the background. This opens a conversation of paying attention to these people and really acknowledging them. Luke reiterates the importance of fostering and supporting a ‘Fashion Whakapapa’, “whether it’s a seamstress, pattern maker or even someone like my niece sewing on a button, they are important and it’s our responsibility as a brand and as a people that we acknowledge them”.
Elisha Watson from Nisa.
NISA
Nisa is an underwear brand which produces basics and underwear from certified organic cotton and sewn by employees from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Elisha founded Nisa in 2017 when she was working as a lawyer and volunteering with the Red Cross’ refugee resettlement programme. Elisha shared a love of sewing with many of the women she met, and the idea of setting up a sewing workshop to provide employment opportunities took form. Elisha quit her job, created a crowdfunding campaign, and went about the process of hiring her first employees.
Images supplied.