Sustainable fashion in the 21st century (March 2023)

PURE LONDON'S fashion exhibition in Kensington Olympia was a fantastic way of putting small businesses at the centre of London.

As fashion continues to evolve and adapt to societal trends and demands, it is not surprising that fashion and its component parts have become more flexible, dynamic and environmentally friendly. Pure London exhibited businesses that are in touch with the digital age, sustainable, and available functional.

The venue itself was stunning. It was florally decorated with pink carpet on the inside. Perfect to take vibrant photos. The Pure London décor around the catwalk mixed old and new so well in large format posters. Most of the small businesses that had stalls sold products at very affordable prices. Most of the small business stalls also had their designers present, so, it was great to talk to designers and understand their products better.

The exhibition was held directly opposite the Kensington Olympia station and there were no difficulties in getting to the venue. At the entrance, everyone was given a map so people could choose which type of clothes they would like to see- sustainable wears, accessories, Gen Z or even baby clothes- everything was there.

At the centre of the venue, near the catwalk, Sebastien Renault and Malaika Ewande (artistic directors of Promostyl) talked about current fashion trends and why mixing different styles may or may not work.

The conversation was very informative, particularly where they explained how and why formal and richer attire known as 'old money' works really well with casual wear and where this influence of fashion came from. The concept of 'breaking codes' in clothing was brought up and explained. According to Malaika, "you have to think preppy manic pixie dream girl. It sounds insane, but it works".

Gen Z fashion is full of breaking codes under. every style of clothing possible. This conversation explaining why experimenting with multiple styles was incredibly insightful, and could even give you ideas about how to stay stylish with your own fashion.

Cafe's and small food stalls dotted the venue and allowed participants to grab something to eat.

The best part by far is the fashion show.

Models wore clothing from different brands that participated. And, it gets better... you can buy the outfits the models wore right there! Each brand was shown before the models came on the runway wearing the outfits.

A new song came on each time a new brand to display their wears, so it was very easy to capture the vibe of each small business and what they were trying to achieve not only through their fashion but the music too. Each song suggested fi to the audience what each brand was reaching for.

The show was exhilarating to watch. Each outfit represented everything each brand stood for and was an incredible way to put small businesses out there. The fashion show itself came on a few times so if guests missed it the first time, they could always take a seat and watch again in a couple hours.

If you're reading this and wishing you went, another Pure London Exhibition will be held this year from July 16 to 18 and the tickets are FREE!

If you are into fashion, whether casually or professionally or just want to keep up with latest trends in the fashion industry, you should visit and experience the Pure London Fashion Exhibition. The industry cares about the planet and still produces absolutely stunning outfits.