Words by Annabelle Ingram
Since TikTok took over our lives during 2020, it has been a permanent reference for myself and my wardrobe choices. On the app, you can now find an abundance of fashion influencers, from those who make conscious choices to include sustainable or inclusive styling in their videos, to those who are inundated with fast fashion parcels. It can, therefore, be hard for us to find one individual whom we identify with and who aligns with our own individualsÔÇÖ ideologies. For me, one TikTokker that is really changing the conversation in fashion is @jadeleanne_xo. Jade is teaching women of all ages, nationalities, religions, and sizes how to dress for their personal style whilst also ensuring that the pieces in their wardrobe remain timeless. Not only is she filling her followers with a confidence that they havenÔÇÖt had prior to finding her videos, but the focus on collating a timeless wardrobe is also promoting the movement towards sustainable fashion. Her videos are inclusive for just about everyone, creating outfits that address a range of her followers’ needs from bloating issues, outfits for wheelchair users and ways to incorporate a hijab in an outfit. On her platform, no one is excluded from wearing incredibly effortless and stylish outfits bound to fill them with confidence.
An abundance of fashion advice and styling tips remain on the video-based platform, but I am yet to come across an influencer who is so inclusive and accepting of all those commenting and following her. Jade is not afraid to express her own style whilst also remaining accessible in the pieces she chooses and the ways in which she styles them. From party outfits to what to wear on a winter walk, itÔÇÖs safe to say that her 224.1K followers recognise the way she is changing the conversation for the better. The focus on sustainability and total inclusivity is something that even the biggest fashion influencers, models and companies are yet to address in a similar manner. I believe that many larger influencers could learn from both the way she addresses her followers and her approach to fashion. No fashion house should be afraid to include bloating stomachs, wheelchairs, or any other characteristic in their campaigns. Her page promotes nothing, but kindness, self-love and confidence and I highly suggest everyone follow her.
Words by Hannah Fielder
Catholic Guilt is a clothing brand that has gained fame through TikTok. She creates clothing out of steel chain-links as well as leather offcuts, inspired by infamous serial killer Ed Gein as well as catholic imagery. The Melbourne based artist is an advocate for sustainability and slow fashion, promising 100% ethically sourced, recycled, or reclaimed leather in her clothing. Her first collection ÔÇ£Year ZeroÔÇØ, promotes zero-waste fashion, and contains pieces made from recycled leather scraps. Part of her collection is an idea called modular clothing, where one item can be worn in multiple ways. This creates a sustainable alternative to fast fashion, where people often only wear an item of clothing once, or very few times. Modular clothing not only encourages slow fashion but creativity in the fashion industry, allowing people to create multiple outfits with one item. Her pieces are unique, taking inspiration from religious symbols such as crucifixes and rosary beads. Her clothing sparks conversations on the impact of fast fashion, inspiring fresh ideas for fashion.
Kim Grisdale owns a slow fashion brand called Kustoms Clothing. She started as a small content creator, gradually building a following through upcycling clothes and doing simple sewing tutorials on TikTok. Now, she creates sustainable and stylish fashion pieces out of recycled fabrics. Her pieces use asymmetrical lines and bold patterns, using different textures. KimÔÇÖs has shown her audience not only ways that they can recycle used, out of style clothes but more importantly, educate on the impact of fast fashion and the modern-day slavery associated with it. Unfortunately, some of her designs have been stolen by corporate brands such as Shien, which is able to create a low quality, mass-produced version of her items that are sold for a fraction of the price. Kim herself uses homemade fabric and recycles all her waste, as well as using recycled packaging to ship orders. Kustoms is a very size-inclusive brand, currently going up to size UK20, but planning to accommodate up to a size UK26 in 2022.
