Reskinned Stories: Lottie Hanson-Lowe

How did you get into sustainable fashion?

My Nana worked in fashion back in the 50s/60s/70s- she was a visual merchandiser for Selfridges and also worked for a company that invented nylon. She was a petite woman so was often given samples straight off the catwalk in the showroom as she was the right size for them. It meant that her wardrobe was full of some incredible statement pieces and classic items. I’ve honestly always liked clothes and would describe myself as maximalist rather than a minimalist…I definitely don’t personally take the capsule wardrobe approach. I was physically built similarly to my Nana and clothes that started out as fancy dress as a child turned into loved items in my wardrobe as I grew older. I feel like it got to a point where she would have something for me most times I saw her. I’m older now and have outgrown a lot of the items but still so many feature in my outfits today.

So yeah, I would say that love for vintage came from having access to wonderful pieces in her wardrobe. I also grew up in London so places like Spitalfields and Portobello played a big part in influencing my style. I always liked mixing high street items and vintage and by the time I got to uni I was a big user of eBay.

My journey started with an interest in styles and certain looks rather than because I was passionate about environmentalism (but that came with time).

Have you ever struggled with consistency with taking a more sustainable approach?

100% yes. I was so good at shopping second hand until I got my first paid job. Suddenly I had income to spare and I definitely fell down the fast fashion wormhole of ASOS and Zara orders. My style also changed and I was finding it really easy to want stuff that fast fashion had to offer. As I learnt more about fashion’s impact on the environment and particularly about the unpredictability of what happens when you return items I had to take a look at my own behaviour and see where I sat.

I love how much more people are using resale platforms but I have some mixed feelings. On the one hand I love it because it means that I don’t really have to miss out on items from fast fashion brands if I like them - I can just get them second hand. On the other hand, I feel a bit uncomfortable about the speed of it. It’s so easy to find things that have only really been worn once. Ultimately though, I know it’s a good thing that clothes that might have stayed at the back of someone’s wardrobe (or worse - in the bin) are getting a chance at love.

The pandemic was really good for me in terms of slow fashion. I started an Instagram account called @slow_fashion_lottie in an attempt share some of my knowledge whilst a lot of my projects were on hold but it’s meant that I have discovered so many great small brands. I have also been more creative with my own wardrobe and feel like I’m holding myself more accountable than I was before.

What is your advice to someone who is just starting out on their sustainability journey?

Look, it's called a journey for a reason. You’re not going to be perfect and it’s going to be confusing at times. At the end of day, doing one good thing is better than doing the bad thing so just take it one step at a time. Don’t beat yourself up if you buy something you really like from a place that doesn’t hold the same values as you. Just make sure that you’re genuinely wearing all the clothes in your wardrobe and try to make more informed choices before impulsively purchasing the shiniest thing. Have fun and find what works for you.