Made in Germany: c.neeon

c.neeon was launched by Clara Leskovar and Doreen Schulz in 2004. By chance I came across the label that very first year when they were selling at Galleries Lafayette in Berlin and remember being smitten by their use of strong graphic prints which have become their trademark. Leskovar and Schulz, both graduates from Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee, immediately gained international attention by winning the Grand Prix at Hyeres in 2005 and one year later the New Generation award at London Fashion Week. Above you can see pieces from their fall/winter collection 2010 (click to buy) and some earlier designs which are all available in their webshop (they also have a shop on Kastanienallee 55, Berlin). The spring/summer collection 2011 can be viewed here. All c.neeon designs are made in Germany: prototypes are created at the Berlin workshop, the fabrics are printed in Saxony, knit wear and tailoring are made in Thuringia.

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c.neeon wurde 2004 von Clara Leskovar und Doreen Schulz gegründet. Leskovar und Schulz, beide Absolventinnen der Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee, wurden schnell international bekannt. Sie gewannen 2005 den Grand Prix des Hyères Festival International de Mode und ein Jahr später den New Generation Award der London Fashion Week. Die Fotos zeigen Modelle aus der Herbst/Winter Kollektion 2010 und ein paar frühere Entwürfe; alle im Webshop erhältlich (außerdem gibt es einen c.neeon Laden auf der Kastanienallee 55 in Berlin). Die Frühling/Sommer Kollektion 2011 ist hier zu sehen. Die c.neeon Produkte werden alle in Deutschland hergestellt. Die Drucke in Sachsen, der Strick und die Produktion in Thüringen, die Musterung in Berlin.

ALL knitwear by Annie Larson

"ALL Knitwear is an American clothing label for women designed and produced by Annie Larson. The ALL Shop launched online in April 2010, offering made-to-order knit creations exclusively through the Internet for customers all over the world. The label is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA where each garment is hand-crafted by Larson on a Brother KH-950 Electroknit Knitting Machine."
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ALL Knitwear von Annie Larson wird von der Designerin selbst mit einer Brother KH-950 Electroknit Maschine in Minneapolis gestrickt.

Fotos: www.allforeveryone.com

caro e. knits sold at housewarming party on Saturday in Berlin

Today and Tomorrow: Sample Sale in London

At the workplace: Luskentyre Harris Tweed Company

photo credit (as well as many more photos and a description of the making of Harris Tweed): Style Bubble and Style Salvage

Sweatshops in Europe

When I started this blog in August 2008 I very very naively thought that it would be easy to to separate the wheat from the chaff to find out who are the good, the bad and the ugly labels when it comes to producing clothes. More than two years have passed and it has become increasingly clear that there are so many shades of grey. A label that reads "made in [somewhere in Europe]" doesn't guarantee fair working conditions neither does a label that says "made in China" necessarily mean that the garment in question was made in a sweatshop. I found two interesting articles about sweatshops in Europe, the first via www.businessoffashion.com and the second via http://fraujonason.blogspot.com

Made in little Wenzhou, Italy: the latest label from Tuscany. By John Hooper at guardian.co.uk

excerpt: "Pronto moda involves importing cheap fabric, usually from China, and getting it made up to order at breakneck speeds into high-fashion garments that are then sold with 'made in Italy' labels. [...] In workshops scattered around Prato, Chinese employees put in 15 to 16 hours a day in conditions and for wages no Italian would contemplate."

Retail giants shamed by UK sweatshops. By Martin Hickman at independent.co.uk

excerpt: "For three months, a reporter for Channel 4’s Dispatches worked undercover in workshops in Leicester, stitching garments for British retail chains including Bhs, run by Sir Philip Green, who is advising David Cameron on public sector 'efficiency' savings."

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Als ich im August 2008 angefangen habe zu bloggen habe ich naiverweise gedacht, es wäre recht einfach die Spreu vom Weizen zu trennen und herauszufinden, welche Marken ihre Kleidung auf verantwortungsvolle Weise produzieren lassen und welche nicht. Mehr als zwei Jahre sind seitdem vergangen und es ist immer deutlicher geworden, dass es doch ganz schön schwierig ist. Ein Etikett auf dem „made in [irgendwo in Europa]“ steht ist keine Garantie für akzeptable Arbeitsbedingungen, aber ein Etikett auf dem „made in China“ steht, muss auch nicht immer bedeuten, dass das dazugehörende Kleidungsstück in einem Sweatshop hergestellt wurde. Ich habe zwei interessante Artikel über Sweatshops in Europa gefunden (beide in Englisch) einmal über www.businessoffashion.com und einmal über http://fraujonason.blogspot.com

Made in little Wenzhou, Italy: the latest label from Tuscany. By John Hooper at guardian.co.uk

Retail giants shamed by UK sweatshops. By Martin Hickman at independent.co.uk

"Auch in der EU gibt es Sweatshops im Dienste von Labels, die gerne billige Ware verkaufen. Ein Reporter des britischen Fernsehsenders Channel 4 arbeitete einige Monate Undercover als Näher in Textilbetrieben in Leicester. Und- die Arbeitsbedingungen waren skandalös."

Best Fair Trade Scarves

From top left to bottom right (click on pics to buy and for photo credit): 1) Circle of the Sun - 100 % Alpaca scarf handwoven in an Artisan Cooperative of Traditional Weavers in Bolivia. 2) A Peace Treaty - Baby Alpaca / Silk Blend hand-knitted snood. 3) Hess Natur - camel hair scarf made in Mongolia. 4) Hess Natur - yak scarf made in Mongolia. 5) People Tree - cable snood made in Nepal of 100 % wool. 6) Novica - 50% alpaca wool, 50% acrylic scarf made in Peru. 7) 85% merino wool 15% angora scarf hand knit in Uruguay. 8) Komodo - snoog tube knitted scarf.

And even more fair trade scarves at Bibico (made in Nepal), Wool and the Gang (made in Peru), Beklina (made in Peru), Fair Earth (made in Kenya) and Lemlem (made in Ethiopia).