Outsider

Last December I was lucky enough to interview Noorin Khamisani, the designer behind Outsider. Her label focuses on putting style back into ethical fashion with beautiful, quality, timeless pieces. Noorin does not restrict herself in terms of ethics, addressing both environmental and social issues in the creation of her clothes. Outsider uses sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, merino wool, hemp silk and bamboo to produce their garments. The materials are not merely fulfilling a brief, instead Noorin prioritises the fabric, which are the basis of her designs; ‘I’m very much inspired by fabrics so that’s always been my way of working, which when you’re only willing to use sustainable fabrics is quite appropriate because actually what I do is source the materials first, then design with them specifically in mind.’

The attention to detail and intimacy of Noorin’s design method extends throughout her supply chain. The materials are carefully sourced from and manufactured in India and Europe. ‘We try and keep it so that the production takes place as close to where the fabric comes from as possible. The organic cottons are sourced in India so our cotton garments are made there. The lady I work with, it’s really just her and a couple of tailors but I’ve known her for seven years; she’s also a woman who has set up her own business so it’s nice to support one another.’ Noorin is keen to challenge the stereotypical negativity that we often associate with factories. Although there are still a frightening number that maintain unacceptable standards, there are also some really positive initiatives; ‘There are a lot of really great factories out there as well if you go out and find them; I want to see where the clothes are being made and I want to know the conditions are good. I always think if I can’t spend the day in that factory, why would I manufacture there?’

When speaking to Noorin, it was particularly interesting to hear about the sustainable fashion industry from the perspective of the designer. Noorin reiterated the fine line that should exist between ethical issues and design; that ethical responsibility resides predominantly with the designer who is sourcing the material and supplying the clothes, rather than the consumer; ‘Ultimately, the customer shouldn’t have to understand the textile supply chain but I can take on that responsibility and provide a better alternative.’ Consequently, the design and the aesthetic become the focus of the clothes, rather than the ethical element. Ethical assurance; the knowledge that our clothes have been made by people working in safe and secure environments, using responsibly sourced material to produce quality, long-lasting products, must become a given standard, the social norm. That way, ethical status becomes, as Noorin describes, ‘almost just an added value.’

This is not to say that the increasing customer interest in the issues surrounding ethical and sustainable fashion is not vital, which it is. The consumer demand is and will always be absolutely integral to the movement. However, customers should be able to embrace these issues and still shop purely on an aesthetic level. We should be able to buy clothes that we love, not those that we feel obliged to purchase. Eco-fashion isn’t about taking the fun out of fashion, it is about attaining ‘a balancing act’ between a sense of consciousness and an appealing aesthetic, which is what Noorin aims to do; ‘Sometimes you get companies that promote ultimate transparency when it comes to the supply chain and tell you everything, which is very admirable and interesting, and also quite revolutionary in a sense. But, at the same time, I wonder whether people really want or need that information, whether that takes away some of the mystery of just being able to enjoy the garment for the garment’s sake.’

The ethical and sustainable fashion industry is as much about how we buy as it is about what we buy. It’s about breaking the vicious cycle that we have been consumed by, of continually purchasing more clothes. High-street fashion has become dominated by quantity rather than quality. Extortionately low prices convince the customer that it’s both logical and more economically feasible to buy more fast, disposable fashion, particularly when the ethical alternative is more often than not much more expensive. However, Noorin and Outsider represent a middle ground that is beginning to appear, offering a justifiable means of shopping both ethically and affordably. ‘I wanted to provide a solution to as many people as possible, which the mid-market allows. It is a difficult market, especially in the current economic climate where people are either going really top end or really cheap. But I don’t feel that it’s ethical for sustainable fashion to only be available to wealthy people. I don’t think that’s right.’

I’m asked a lot, ‘how do you justify people buying sustainably and ethically during financially difficult times and I always say you’ve got to think about the cost per wear of what you’re buying. For example, one of my basic bamboo vests will cost you £18 fine, but I would expect that to last you at least three years minimum if you wash on a low temperature and a delicate cycle. The companies that design fast fashion are literally choosing the fabrics and the design to only last about three months as part of their brief because they want you to come back and buy something else. If within three months that item needs replacing, how much money are you going to spend across the year? It's going to be more than if you had just brought the vest that will last you a long time. Consuming ethically and sustainably really shouldn’t be more expensive, its actually false economy to buy cheap things.’ We therefore need to get back into the mind set of investing in our clothes; in buying basics that are going to last years rather than months, and classic staples, a really good leather jacket, or black blazer or wool coat that will last decades, perhaps even lifetimes.

Fast fashion allows us to justify buying a huge amount of clothing that we don’t attribute with worth or longevity. ‘If you pay a fiver for a cheap t-shirt not only are you literally, but also psychologically buying into something less valuable so you’re not going to take care of it.' With any item of clothing that costs very little it doesn’t matter if after two weeks we decide we no longer like it or we’ve damaged it, we can go and replace it with something else. Very quickly, what were cheap clothes can become entirely worthless to us. ‘We have to get back to valuing our clothes and the quality of them. It’s those vintage pieces that I’ve had for ten years that people will always comment on. I’m really inspired by that vintage styling, but also to create things that are going to be versatile and long lasting.’

Often, we don’t dedicate any time to thinking about what it is that we want to buy, we are a nation of impulsive consumers. The consumerist lifestyle has turned shopping into a hobby, a distraction, something to pass the time with. We shop out of habit, buying things that we don’t need. We can afford not to fall in love with our clothes anymore, resulting in a frightening disconnect. ‘Clothing has almost become so mechanised that there is no human connection left with it. It’s quite an old-fashioned mind-set that I encourage and advocate really; lets go back to really treasuring our garments and appreciating the fact that there is craftsmanship that goes into making them. I think there is a growth in the interest of how things are made but that disconnect still exists; just because something is made in another country doesn’t make it any less valuable. That is still another human being that’s sat there and sewn it up and they have every right to be paid a fair wage in conditions that are not dangerous and to know that they have a job the following season. It’s waiting for that connection, that mind-set shift to occur on a mass level.’

The continually shifting trends that filter down from catwalk to high-street also prompt this attitude of wanting more, or always wanting what is new and on trend. We are targeted and manipulated into constantly thinking about what we should be buying next. Instead, we should cherish and enjoy what we have; an ethos Noorin encourages; ‘I’m aware of trends obviously so there’s a gentle nod, but I think it’s more about how you can wear and update what you already own for next season. It’s not that we should stop buying altogether, I just think it’s about buying less and buying better.’ The process of buying less and buying better is admittedly a challenging one. If we are spending more money on fewer clothes that aim to last us for a long time, it is essential that we carefully select pieces that we will continue to love and that will remain relevant. Again, Noorin shoulders that responsibility for her customers with her classic, vintage inspired pieces: ‘Shirt dresses are my obsession because I just think they’re so useful, so for me its looking to reinvent that shirt dress or a classic shift dress each season. I specifically design so that it’s more about the life the garment is going to have. A lot of the styles I’ve created are designed to be timeless and to transcend seasons, and they are doing just that; customers come back wanting the dress they already have in a different colour because the cut works and it’s still relevant.’

            

                                                                            Fitted Shirt Dress

Ethical fashion, or an ethical mind-set shouldn’t be viewed as frightening, daunting or elitist. Nor should we feel pressured or guilt tripped into it. It’s about adjusting our transient, consumerist attitude and adopting a more thoughtful, specific approach in order to establish a more fulfilling relationship with our clothes. Noorin’s tips for those who want to live more sustainably: ‘Start small. Don’t feel like you’ve got to do everything all at once. At first, just try and source all your basics sustainably, all your socks and leggings, they’re already not that much more expensive but will last you a lot longer.’ The adjustment does not need to be drastic but gradual, and thought through. The other predominant issue is that right now, sustainability isn’t as simple as right and wrong, both for the customer and the designer; ‘There’s no one answer, there are lots of solutions and we just have to figure out which one. I think I’m in that process at the moment of constantly thinking about what’s better. I don’t know what company has figured out the perfect supply chain, I don’t know if there is one.’

As individuals, we have to prioritise, whether it’s supporting local businesses, or businesses that prioritise safe factory conditions, or championing those sourcing new sustainable materials or those recycling discarded or excess materials, or ideally a combination of them all. Although Outsider offers a fantastic way into embracing this complex dilemma, Noorin also reiterates the importance of starting with small steps when it comes to ethical living;  ‘I think it’s all about people feeling empowered by making a choice. You are making a difference however small, and if everyone starts making more and more changes then together, we can create a real shift.’

With thanks to Noorin Khamisani.