Emerging Fervour

We’ve met Beautiful Soul at the London Fashion Week and have been following her ever since.

Her eco-friendly approach is inspiring and we wanted to find out more about Beautiful Soul and how it all came about.

How did it all start?

Beautiful Soul: As a young girl, my dream was to be a fashion designer and I even remember writing to ‘Jim’ll Fix It’,  to make this possible!

Life has twists and turns and as a head strong at 16 year old, I just wanted to leave school and earn my own living. I ended up working in the Insurance Industry, and soon became wrapped up in the rat race.

I worked as an Insurance Broker for 11 years and the lifestyle it provided me seemed to outweigh my lack of passion for my work. I dressed in a suit daily and the most creative duty I had was producing PowerPoint presentations for my clients! …Crazy!

Something was missing, but I didn’t know at that stage how I would cope without the next pay rise. I was stuck in a rut and the security of ‘payday’ seemed to mist the way. How could I possibly cope without my luxuries, who would pay my mortgage, how would I afford the next package holiday to the Indian Ocean?

In 2003 one of my best friends was made redundant from her job in Credit Insurance and she decided to embark on an adventure. Backpacking around the world for 6 months. I made the decision to join her.

Whilst in Tokyo, something happened to me. I was surrounded by the most amazing boutiques. I was like a child in a sweet shop. Mesmerised. Excited. Totally Inspired. Something inside me quite literally *came to life*.

…Imagine sitting under a blossom tree in a park in Tokyo with half the population picnicking, the smells, the infusion of colour, the warmth of the sun and the immense feeling of well being ; it then hit me, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I realised that I needed to make radical changes: I accepted that everything else would have to be put on hold. I needed the opportunity and guidance to follow my dreams of becoming a fashion designer. I had buried these dreams for too long. I was determined to make this happen. I had found my calling.

Over the years I have come to realise that life is precious and that we owe it to ourselves to make it what we desire and what we deserve. Changing career paths to some is ruthless and yet their frustration continues to fester. I believe that if you really want something and you are willing to make sacrifices and work as hard as it takes, you will achieve your goals. It’s not supposed to be easy, as we appreciate it far more if we have worked hard to achieve it. If I can do it, anybody can.

We love that your fashion is eco friendly; did you always know you wanted to re-use material?

Beautiful Soul: I graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2008, with a BA(Hons) in Fashion: Design and Technology ( Designer Pattern Cutter). During my final year, I was involved in a project based around ‘saving the earth’. I was hooked. Fashion with a TRUE meaning, for me, is the only way forward. I have always been a ‘mother hen’, I love a challenge and most importantly, I am at my happiest when I am caring for others. It’s that simple.

After graduating, I spent my summer (2008) working for a charity in South Africa. Tabeisa is an organisation committed to supporting disadvantaged communities across Africa. Upon my return from South Africa, I decided to start up my own ‘responsible’ (both ethical and environmentally aware) fashion label. ‘Beautiful Soul’ has now become a reality and things are really starting to happen.

I am so driven by my ethos and I can honestly say, that to me its not about the greed ( I spent my early days in a career, chasing the next pay rise …it certainly didn’t make me happy- there is far more to life) and its certainly not about the fame. My ultimate goal is to translate my sincere passion and share an idea, in the hope that I can drive ‘responsible’ fashion forward and inspire other designers to adopt a more thoughtful approach to design, by proving that innovation allows us to be as free and as radical, as our mainstream competitors. Being responsible is not an excuse to compromise on style. By forming a collective and a communal vision, we can, and we will make a difference

How do you source your material?

Beautiful Soul: Fabric choice plays a prime role in the design process of a ‘Beautiful Soul’ garment. Constant research and an inquisitive nature, means that I will not settle, unless the combination of ingredients are sympathetic to our signature style and to our ethos.

We pride ourselves in combining the most indulgent, ‘up-cycled’ vintage fabrics with sustainable alternatives, such as organic Fair Trade jacquard, peace silk and bamboo jersey.

Our knowledge of sustainable fabrics is increasing with every collection and the challenge and restrictions of sourcing responsibly, encourages creativity and most importantly, allows product exclusivity. This is a fundamental part of ‘Beautiful Souls’ identity. We hope that this is apparent in our collections.

What materials have you worked with?

Beautiful Soul: I have worked with everything from dirty dust sheets to vintage kimonos. I absolutely love experimenting with fabrics and as an inquisitive person, I believe that there is far more to fashion than ‘just a silhouette’. Delving below the surface and discovering new ways to incorporate ‘responsible’ and ‘up-cycled’ materials, over modern, adds exclusivity and a spirit of conversation.

‘Beautiful Soul’ aims to recycle the most ‘scrumptious ingredients’ from around the world sympathetically, and will not conform to ‘throw away fashion’.

It was your first LWF, did you love it? What were your best bits?

Beautiful Soul: It was a proud moment when my family and friends visited ‘Beautiful Souls’ stand (No 3; my lucky number!) and I think they could fully appreciate my enthusiasm to be there!

Being part of Estethica was such a *fabulous*experience and I had a husk voice from talking so much!!!

It was a pleasure to be surrounded by like minded people, who are clearly as passionate as I am, about driving ‘responsible’ fashion forward. I felt at home and at ease; there wasn’t a sign of the *bitchy, sweetie darling*, that is often associated with the fashion industry. Estethica is a team, a family; who look out for one another and who ultimately share the same visions, of making ‘ethical fashion’ mainstream. What compassionate person wouldn’t care about the harm we are inflicting on our planet and/or the people who are contributing to our businesses?

I think this season is more about the press for ‘Beautiful Soul’, but I have gained one stockist and am currently in negotiations with a number of international boutiques, I am really really really excited!

And the all important question, as we know this is only a start, where is Beautiful Soul heading? What is your dream?

Beautiful Soul: I am driven by my ethos and I hope that ‘Beautiful Soul’ is recognised for its initiative and sincere passion to create pieces that are as ‘beautiful’ on the inside as they are from the outside. Beauty should come from *within*.

…Life is for living and dreams are for chasing. I have opened a treasure chest and I am finally releasing my creativity.