'By Hand' book signings and Spring Summer 2010 Exhibition in Japan
Christel signs our wall at People Tree's shop in Omotesando Tokyo. You can buy the UK version of By Hand from the People Tree website here.
We launched the Fair Trade Fashion Agenda book By Hand in Japanese on World Fair Trade Day – so around our exhibition for the new spring summer 2010 collection I did some book signing events at our People Tree shops in Tokyo. (4 months ahead of the conventional fashion industry because People Tree clothing is made by hand). We met about 70 stockists, some new ones too. Fair Trade is really gathering momentum in Japan. Despite the recession interest in sustainability and Fair Trade is high.
I met Takigawa Christel, TV newsreader and sweetheart of many Japanese salary men. She joined me for an organic Sunday lunch. We brain stormed on how to promote Fair Trade in Japan. She’s really cool and wears People Tree a lot too. We wandered over to People Tree’s boutique in Omotesando, the fashion centre of Tokyo. Christel wrote a message on our wall amongst other messages from actors, musicians and crazy ecologist types who support People Tree.
Signing 'By Hand - 'Fair Trade Fashion book' in Japan
Book signings are always fun. It’s Japan so if one person wants a photo with you, everyone does. You end up bobbing up and down for an hour and a half (good job I’ve got good knees!). It’s a little bit tricky signing and giving advice about how people can get involved, as well as all the careers advice – in 1 minute flat – not forgetting the photo too!
The People Tree in Omotesando, Tokyo
The shop team led by Yoko Yoshida are fab – I love them! We need to open a shop like this in the UK too! If you can help People Tree do get in touch. You can contact us at sarah.tolley@peopletree.co.uk.
Safia shows you around the People Tree store in Omotesando, Tokyo
The Observer Ethical Awards - People Tree wins the fashion and accessories award! ...and a scary little white man called a "Habbit"
The Observer Ethical Awards were held at the Kensington Roof Gardens yesterday night hosted by Lucy Siegel, Observer Columnist and Colin Firth. Colin spoke really well - sounded more like an activist or a new economist than an actor.
"Conventional wisdom seems to be obsolete, government are using old ideas to deal with a rapidly changing world. Unlike ideological collapses of the past, we don't have a coherent alternative system in place on the opposite bench ready to assume power. If we believe there is a revolution taking place it is in initiatives like these.... We can see that people are not waiting for governments to catch up. They are getting on with it. If you are looking for a genuine reason for optimism in gloomy times, this is it."
He presented me with the Fashion Award and I gave him a big hug. Well done to all the nominees and winners. You can read all about them on the Guardian website
The winners were:
- Lifetime achievement award: Sir David Attenborough
- Politician of the year: Caroline Lucas
- Campaigner of the year: Peter Tatchell
- Best local retailer: Warren Evans
- Best online retail initiative: The Good Energy Shop
- Best Ethical garden: Lower Shaw farm
- Jupiter Big Idea Award: Naturepaint
- Ecover ethical kid's award: Lomeshaye Marsh Local Nature Reserve and Stockbridge Junior Rangers
- Ethical business award sponsored by Triodos Bank: Riverford Organic Vegetables
- Conservation award sponsored by National Grid: Fighting to Save West Thurrock Marshes
- Fashion and accessories sponsored by Marie Claire: People Tree
Left - Colin gives me a scary trophy and a hug. Right - Livia looking stunning and wearing People Tree of course!
The Firths are a handsome couple; Livia is one of the most gorgeous women alive and runs Ecoage where we'll be doing an event in July.
David and me with our "Habbits"
The speeches and awards continued with Sir David Attenborough winning Lifetime Achievement Award and describing a new kind of morality that respects the natural world. He has been part of British culture of teaching appreciation of wildlife in the most fascinating and charming way. Going back to not wasting food was a value David grew up with - a morality we need to refind and reteach the basic values of appreciation and humility.
Lucy Siegel looking her usual glam self - laughs about my scary man - she tells me I have the second lowest carbon footprint of the award winners.
Left - The People Tree team. Sarah, Antony and Domenica with ice cream and scary man trophy. Right - Chris of Ecotricity - Great place to meet other friends and fellow activists.
Shooting the People Tree catalogue - behind the scenes
Busy - back from Nepal now in London where we're shooting the Autumn/Winter collection - today it's the mens shoot for UK and Japan.
I've started shooting the outdoor location myself and Jonathon Rose the photographer shoots studio and kindly assists me on location. There is also Louise on styling and Fraggle (must be a nickname) on hair and makeup - then Lucy and Laura who do the catalogue here at People Tree.
I've been art directing for 15 years - I started by shooting my son in washable nappies (a baby at the time!) and myself in organic underwear (was a bit more slender then!). Then worked with professional Japanese photographer 'Hiro' using friends and People Tree staff as models.
We still use gorgeous friends and volunteers sometimes. Today we shot Christian Lambelin of Select Model Management. He was such an amazing model - He's also worked in Japan too!
Anyway he seems to like us as much as we like him and told us again and again how great the clothes feel.
"I love organic cotton and hand-woven textiles, I have got sensitive skin and the fabric feels much softer, I really like the combat style trousers and check shirt I wore on the People Tree shoot. It's great wearing stuff made by people who are well paid and making a good living as they should be."
Christian Lambelin, (Select Model Management)
We were having such a good time and got carried away and shot some really arty stuff too. So here's a sneak preview of Autumn Winter collection above and arty below.
An update from the World Fair Trade Organisation conference in Nepal
I woke last Monday morning to a little face at my hotel window (I was three storeys up!). I reached for my glasses quickly - to see a fawn coloured monkey. That's how my first day at the World Fair Trade Organisaion annual global meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, started . . .
Top - Members of the WFTO. I'm in to the right in the orange vintage frock between Professor Sharma of Tara Project, India and Raihan Ali of Swallows Thanapara Bangladesh.
Bottom - Over 500 Fair Traders and Nepalese artisans march the streets of Kathmandu to light candles at the local temple and call for support for Fair Trade.
We have spent the last four days talking about Fair Trade. There are 200 of us from all over the world. Really scary stuff reported from Thailand, Kenya and Nepal about how climate change is affecting them NOW. They are planting rice in dry land, not the usual wet fields typical of Asia because the rains come 6 weeks late - and people here in the Katmandu valley are queuing for two hours a day for a bucket of water! I chatted to our hotel manager and they wont even consider putting up a little note in bathrooms asking people to conserve water - it's scandalous!
At the conference there are fair trade product design competitions, sessions on how Fair Trade will fare in the global recession (it's looking good - as more people buy to reflect their values!) and workshops held for each region.
Between sessions I visit local partners to have business meetings and do product development - I'm on the back of a motorbike, the dust and pollution from the street gets stuck at the back of my throat - I can barely talk the next day.
Top - Discussing earthenware and quality standards with a ceramics specialist at a Fair Trade project in Nepal. He is helping the group set up a new kiln and retrain to help them accessinternational markets.
Bottom - The 'CAJUN' pan-pacific group at the WFTO conference.
I join the Hawaiian shirt wearing, easy-going 'CAJUN' pan-pacific group. The "J" is for Japan, which is where one of the People Tree offices is and then I skip through to the highly disciplined European group to work on policy issues - and get a few odd looks for my bright vintage dress.
Diversity rules at the World Fair Trade Organisation - that's what I love about it!
If you have a twitter account you can also follow my updates at http://twitter.com/SafiaMinney
It is seven years since I initiated World Fair Trade Day - we needed a day to celebrate Fair Trade, the diversity of the movement and advocate for Fair Trade in different countries.
This years theme 'Beat Poverty' was celebrated on Saturday 9th May with Gocoo, the Japanese drumming performers, one of our team is a drummer in her spare time!
800 People came to celebrate World fair Trade Day, watched our fashion show, listened to producer partners from India about the Social Impact of Fair Trade and how it protects the environment. I also launched my book 'By Hand' in Japanese and had a chat with ex Marie Claire Editor, Yoshiko Ikomo on the future of luxury fashion and it's relationship with Fair Trade fashion.
Whether you attended a World Fair Trade Day event or not the biggest support you can give is buying Fair Trade and telling your friends about it.
