Cali, candles, collectives and cheap alliteration.
Every week, we deliver DROP EVERYTHING – a first-class round-up of the most urgent, sustainable, progressive and forward-thinking releases that need to go straight into your wardrobe.
We’ve made it, crawling, clambering, scrambling to the end of January (or thereabouts). Every month we move closer to the mirage of Spring, which, if you haven’t yet heard, is definitely going to be the best one yet. From teal to turquoise, azure to Klein, we’re all feeling a little blue right now. No fear, though – a little (virtual) retail therapy can go a long way.
Which is why we’re back with another Drop Everything, shining the anglepoise on the finest ethical brands and sustainable garms that you need to get onto pronto. From all-natural candles to Jamaica-inspired threads, we’ve got you covered with the buzziest new planet-friendly pieces to satiate your heart and bother your wallet.
THE WASTED COLLECTIVE
Fronted by Ronald Akili and ready to challenge the idea that 2020 was a ‘wasted’ year, The Wasted Collective is inspired by the Balinese way of showing our planet some love. In terms of design, think streetwear made for holiday lounging and city slacking. All their pieces are unisex and most come with matching counterparts, making it super easy to throw together a look before you’ve even had time to draw your curtains.
Their transparency is crystal-clear, too. From Closed-Loop and Washi cotton to upcycled fabrics, the team is properly switched on when it comes to making their garms as sustainable as possible. Just as well, too, because throwing on their Good Times Hoodie makes us want to do absolutely nothing at all.
Drop everything and get…the ReCraft Cargo Pant, a colour block lover’s dream that elevates Dickies’ patchwork trousers to whole new levels.
Śurū
Cooked-up by a tight-knit family of siblings over lockdown and named after the Punjabi word for ‘Begin’, Śurū is still very much in the ignition phase. They’ve already carved out a sharp design-led brand, though, producing minimal scented candles to evoke memories and embellish your tabletops.
Their new ZARŪRĪ (‘essential’) collection sees delicate, floral undertones pirouette with sweet almond and heady musk (AMĪRA) and intoxicating, dark spices and tobacco inspired by Rajasthan’s spice markets (JAIPUR). All the candles are made in small batches using a 100% coconut wax formula and a totally recyclable jar, giving you a guilt-free scent to transport you far, far away from your monoscenic lockdown.
Drop everything and get…the HIMĀ, inspired by long Himalayan trails and stuffed with revitalising, verdant greenery.
THEOPHILIO
This Brooklyn-based brand is making waves right now on Fashion Beach, and we’re ready to dive right in and surf. Inspired by designer Edvin Thompson’s Jamaican roots and his childhood move to New York, his pieces energise high-fashion silhouettes with punch-bowl pops of colour, from minty sea-greens to serotonergic yellows.
Currently made in small batches, he’s looking to move to a full, circular programme. Talking to The Cut, he said: ‘All of these luxury brands and big factories in New York just throw out clothes that they don’t use or sell and samples that don’t work.’ Instead, he’d like to see his buyers resell clothes back to Theophilio – which is all well and good, but if we owned one of Thompson’s garms, we’d never ever give it up.
Drop everything and get…the French Cuff shirt. It’s vintage Kenzo meets retro Goalkeeper Shirt, and we mean that in a really, really good way.
NETTLE STUDIOS
Telling everyone to buy sustainable fashion is all well and good, but what the hell do you do when most brands stock their clothes in a pitiful range of sizes? Enter Nettle Studios, stocking clothes in two sizes (One Size, One Size+) that cover your usual XXS-5XL. The pieces are made from deadstock fabrics in small batches, too, so it’s the old something-from-nothing mantra, and something good at that.
Their latest collection is full of boxy, breezy staples, blending neutral tones with accents of highlighter-green and floral patterns. They’ve also got rainbow tie-dye face masks up for grabs to look like you’ve just munched a kilo bag of Skittles, plus plaid-flannel to live out all your Americana fantasies.
Drop everything and get…the Easy Pant in Blue Raspberry Linen, loose as you like and giving you a constant reminder of the inimitable beverage that is Tango Ice Blast.