Sustainable fashion to save the world

As summer began, I attended a Spanish first communion. My attention was drawn to the outfit of one young girl. The young, slender girl wore orange open shoes and a very beautiful green checked suit. I was not the only one who was attracted to the image of this young Spanish woman - soon the two of us were being discussed at the tables during the festive lunch (I also received attention as an obscure foreigner). It turned out that she was Alex, the founder of the sustainable fashion brand LE·BOBÚ. And here is my conversation with her. I invite you to discover Spanish fashion with me.

Por casualidad tuve suerte ver a Alex en una fiesta y así descúbrí su marca de moda sostenible LE·BOBÚ. Estoy segura que la moda se basa en talentos y sobre todo el point de vista como los de Alex. Below is a mini interview with the creator of LE·BOBÚ.

1. Tu historia de cambiar la ropa sin saber coser y solo con una pistola de silicona inspira. Eres un claro ejemplo de que para la gente creativa no hay límites:) ¿Qué significa la moda para ti?

Yo percibu la moda como la forma que tiene una persona de expresarse sin hablar. Es un propio lenguaje. Te abre mil possibilities de experimentar con otras identidades, cambiar tu estado de ánimo, incrementar tu creativati ​​y te ayuda a desarrollar la percepción que tienes sobre ti mismo.

Your story of how you can change clothes without knowing how to sew with just a silicone glue gun is inspiring. You are a clear example that there are no limits for creative people:) What does fashion mean to you?

I understand fashion as a way to express yourself without words. It is everyone's personal language, which opens up thousands of opportunities to experiment with different identities, change your state, cultivate creativity, and also allows you to better understand yourself.

2. ¿Para quién creas la ropa? How is your client profile?

LE·BOBÚ is for todas esas personas que quieran experimentar con la moda y jugar con su estilo, sin dejar de lado sus valores.

Mis clientas son personas conscientes que compran, no solo porque les ha gustado el diseño, sino porque les gusta aún más la historia que hay detrás.

Buscan prendas únicas, especiales y con personality. Seguro que conocéis a alguien que cuando les dices; ¡qué camiseta más chula! Te explican toda la historia detrás de la prenda, pues, esas son.

Who do you design clothes for? Who are your customers?

LE·BOBÚ is for everyone who wants to experiment with fashion and play with style without forgetting their values.

My customers are consciously aware of what they are buying – not only because they like my designs, but also because they like the story behind the clothes.

They are looking for unique items, special and with personality. I'm sure you know someone who, when you compliment them with "what a nice shirt you have", tells you the whole story behind the item - those are my customers.

3. Sustainable fashion. ¿Es para cambiar el mundo o para salvarlo?

Me gustaría sonar un poquito más optimista, pero en mi caso, soy una persona bastente pessimista con todo el tema del cambio climática.

I believe that we are making changes to be more sustainable, but I also believe that they are very superficial. La industria de la moda es muy prejudicial en todos los aspectos y no se está haciendo un cambio real. De sudden, todos los big players del sector están sacando sus colectiones "sustenibles" porque ahora está de moda. Pero continúan teniendo sus colecciones inmensas con prendas de polyester, de mala calidad, cosidas por personas en condiciones laborables lamentables. No podemos comprar "sustenible" en estas empresas.

Personally, veo que el punto está en cambiar los habitos de consumo, y comprar de forma más consciente. Every time there are more alternatives and more affordable (comprar de segunda mano, por ejemplo) but still there is resistance.

Así que, desde mi punto de vista, es tarde para cambiar el mundo, tenemos que salvarlo.

Is sustainable fashion meant to change the world or save it?

I wish I was more optimistic, but I'm quite pessimistic about climate change.

I think we are changing certain things for sustainability, but I also think they are very superficial. The fashion industry is very harmful in every sense and there is no real change. Suddenly everyone in this sector big players started creating “sustainable” collections that are now fashionable. But they continue to create endless collections made of polyester, of poor quality, made by people working in deplorable working conditions. We cannot buy “sustainability” from such companies.

Personally, I think the most important thing is to change consumption habits and buy more consciously. There are more affordable alternatives available (say, buying second-hand), but there is still resistance to it.

So, in my opinion, it's too late to change the world, we need to save it.

4. With which designer would you like to take a café hablando de la vida?

Me encantaría ir a tomar un café con Cristóbal Balenciaga y hablar tendidamente sobre como ve la moda y, en particular, la marca Balenciaga hoy en día.

Balenciaga cerró su taller cuando empezó el prêt-à-porter. Él percibía la moda de otra forma y antes de doblegarse a esta nueva tendencia preferió ser fiel a sus principios y dejar la moda.

I would love to know what he thinks about the work of Demna (creative director of Balenciaga).

Which designer would you like to have coffee with to talk about life?

I would really like to have coffee with Cristóbal Balenciaga and have a relaxed conversation about fashion - especially about Balenciaga's current fashion house.

Balenciaga closed his workshops and began creating prêt-à-porter. He understood fashion differently and, unwilling to succumb to a new trend, chose to be true to his principles and leave fashion behind.

I would really like to know what he thinks about Demna's work (current creative director of Balenciaga fashion house).

5. How do you imagine fashion in 10 years?

Veo a unos consumantes más exigentes que demandan más transparencia. Las empresas que no sean capaces de mostrar sin pudor su proceso productivo no tandera cabida.

Veo que every time the production will be more local and the clients will look for brands with which to create a link. Marcas que encajen con sus valores y su vision.

La moda tiene que volver a lo que era antes. Menos prendas de más calidad, fabricadas bajo demanda y hechas con mucho amor.

How imagine fashion in 10 years?

I see increasingly demanding consumers who demand transparency. There will be no room for companies that cannot boldly show their production process.

I see that production will be more local each time and customers will look for brands they can connect with, brands that align with their values ​​and vision.

Fashion needs to go back to what it used to be: fewer, better quality clothes, made to order and with love.