Image: Ania Zoltkowski, London 2018.
Imagining Thriving Fashion Futures.
Ania Zoltkowski has been working in-and-out of the fashion system for many years. From big and famous fashion houses, to living and working with underprivileged women in a fashion workshop in Lucknow, India.
Her quest to find alignment between her ethical values and her love of fashion creativity has led her to pursue higher research in the field of sustainable fashion at the London College of Fashion, under the supervision of Kate Fletcher.
In this episode she shares her research and ideas for the future of fashion… and a fresh and inspiring perspective on sustainability.
In this episode:
- Ania has always been creative and enjoyed making things.
- Passionate about human rights and began studying law. Dropped out and went to art school and backpacked around Europe.
- Completed a fashion design degree at the Queensland University of Technology.
- Interned with her idol Vivienne Westwood when she was a student. Saw firsthand the stress and pressure of the fashion system.
- Worked in Paris in a fashion agency and showroom.
- Founded her own ethical/sustainable fashion label based in Byron Bay.
- Worked with a not for profit ethical workshop in Lucknow to create her designs.
- Enrolled in London College of Fashion – ‘Fashion Futures’ Masters Program.
- Her thesis was about resilience in fashion. Ania developed 7 properties of resilience (see below).
- Ania believes we are consuming too much to fill a void. Our fashion consumption is like mindless addiction.
- There needs to be more sustainability in fashion schools to create widespread change.
- Her advice for designers: Take time out to listen to your heart. Design from your soul. Understand the impact of your design process and products.
- Ania’s recommended reading: Routledge Handbook of Sustainability and Fashion, edited by Kate Fletcher.
- Who is inspiring Ania in fashion right now? Antibad, The Lissome, Lana Siberie.
- Sustainability 5.0 – Ania’s upcoming platform and resource for designers.
7 Properties of Resilience for Fashion Design – by Ania Zoltkowski
- Ecological Ethics
- Mindfulness
- Context
- Integrative Thinking
- Rhythms
- Adapting with Grit
- Revolutionary Transformation
See more from Ania >> aniazoltkowski.com
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Image: Sustainable and ethical womenswear brand, Zoltko, by Ania Zoltkowski.