Archive for 2009

Fair Trade Fashion Show at Waseda University and People Tree, Japan, Christmas Party!

Hello from Waseda University in Japan and an amazing People Tree Christmas Party! (People Tree Japan style!)

The Waseda University Cafaire, a students Fair Trade group, invited me along to their Fair Trade Fashion Show with other guests Ai Tominaga, one of Japan’s leading models and a woman who is very active in social and environmental issues – and my friend Yoshiko Ikoma, who has been editor of Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire over the last 20 years! There was a great panel discussion about how young people can support Fair Trade fashion in Japan followed by a fantastic fashion show!

Help save Copenhagen

Please sign this Avaaz petition to join the 11 million-strong call for tough actions: http://www.avaaz.org/en/copenhagen_needs_heroes and ask your friends to sign too.

Act Fair, Act Fast on climate change and climate justice

The Wave, London December 5th

The British government needs to take a strong line on climate change, adopting targets that strengthen the Kyoto protocol, not undermine it. That’s why we joined the demo in London on Saturday December 5th, joined by tens of thousands of others. As I have written in my blogs before, I’ve witnessed first hand the hunger and hardship brought by climate change on the communities where People Tree works.

International Child Rights Day

One of our producer groups, the Kumbeshwar Technical Centre (KTC) in Nepal took time to celebrate International Child Rights Day on 20th November and was kind enough to send me some photos of the days activities.

Saf’s MBE – friends and family lunch

Member of the British Empire (or My Bloody Effort… or so they say) but even though I’m not an elite, bureaucrat with assistants running around me, or ‘born to it’ I’m sure it’s down to my bloody team. My family and friends who merge with being the People Tree team, designer friends, non-execs, trustees and the office team – all brilliant at what they do and change makers in their own right.

A trip to the Palace

Today Prince Charles gave me an MBE for Services to Fair Trade and the fashion industry. (I wore a People Tree dress of course, designed by Bora Aksu in hand-woven silk and hand embroidered at Swallows in Bangladesh and a pair of Terra Plana killer heels).

MBE for People Tree founder Safia Minney

Safia Minney, People Tree’s founder and CEO was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in The Queens Birthday 2009 Honours List.

Safia said: “I am delighted by this great honour and share it with the many producers I have worked with across the world to build a credible alternative method of trade in the fashion industry.

I won’t rest until The Queen has a closet full of her favourite Fair Trade frocks so she can go confidently about Her business overseas representing the strength and style of the British Fair Trade movement.”

Safia was acknowledged along side some impressive names from the fashion industry including Christopher Bailey, Creative Director of Burberry who also received an MBE.

Looking to the future Safia added: “I hope we see a change in Government regulation to build a genuinely empowering environment to put an end to socially and environmentally exploitative business practice and allow Fair Trade companies like People Tree to bring benefits to millions of farmers and artisans.”

Read more on Vogue.com and Safia’s blog about her ‘trip to the palace’.

Love Fashion, Hate Sweatshops

I’ve joined People Tree Ambassador Jo Wood in supporting War on Want’s latest campaign ‘Love Fashion, Hate Sweatshops’.

An exciting new People Tree concession in Ginza, Tokyo

I was in Japan opening a new People Tree concession in Ginza, Tokyo last week. It’s on the third floor of MOSAIC department store, so if you happen to be in Tokyo have a look round. We have two other shops; one in Omotesando, and our longest standing store of 12 years in Jiyugaoka close to our office.

What’s hot at Topshop People Tree Concession?

Other than Emilie of course! I caught up with Emilie Wall who has been running the Topshop, People Tree concession for 18 months now. If you go into Topshop, Oxford Street, down the escalator and right to the bottom you can find us near the shoes at the moment. Topshop moves around the floor a bit so if you’re reading this a month after the blog is posted you may need to have a look around.