Short Summary
My name is Connally and I am a small-scale ethical fashion designer. What this means is that every piece I make is made of sustainable materials that are produced in farms and mills in the UK. Each of those fabric resources follow strict social and ecolocigal responsibility standards. After training at Central Saint Martins, I am currently based in London.
As a child, I travelled with my missionary parents across different countries, and was struck by the negative impact that the disposable clothing industry has on the globe. It also made me appreciate how much work that goes into making a well-constructed garment and its value: traditional tailoring and sewing techniques that last a lifetime.
I have been designing made-to-measure couture and ready to wear garments and showed my first full collection at Vancouver International Fashion Week. NICHE magazine sponsored my registration and gave me a platform to show my work to an international audience. I made everything myself by hand, and it was a very successful debut. I use rich textures and architectural silhouettes and design with confident, international women of all shapes and sizes in mind.
I now have the opportunity to show my work at PLITZS New York Fashion Week in Beijing this June and create a new collection to show my Spring/Summer 2015 collection at the next Vancouver International Fashion Week. I also am eligible to apply for London Fashion Week with my Fall/Winter 2015 collection following those first two fashion shows. The exposure and business connections will be a fantastic way to bring ethical fashion to centre stage.
What We Need & What You Get
Together, I need to raise $9700 (£4600) to be able to accept these opportunities to show my collections. The breakdown of costs is:
*$1200-flights to Beijing
*$4800-registration for PLITZS fashion show in Beijing (this includes hotel, models, shoes, hair, makeup, lighting, sound, photography, videography and backstage equipment)
*$1000-flights to Vancouver
*$1800-registration for Vancouver Fashion Week (this includes models, shoes, hair, makeup, lighting, sound, backstage equipment)
*$400- accommodation, public transportation and basic food costs in Vancouver
*$300-purchase of a second hand overlocking (serging) machine to produce the stretch and swimwear portions of the Spring/Summer collection. (New ones cost between $800-$3000 from a poor quality plastic model to an industrial metal machine).
This leaves me with just $200 to buy materials to make the Spring/Summer collection, which will still be made entirely by myself from the patterns to the construction of the pieces.
As a thank you for supporting this campaign, you and/or your company will be promoted over my social media outlets (Facebook, twitter, instagram, etc) and you can also choose from a variety of thank you perks listed to the side. There are options for every donation level, from thank you notes, tickets to my shows, laptop cases to custom couture.
The Impact
Every dollar makes a huge impact not only on the success of these shows, but also makes a strong statement that we are ready to step up and expect ethical fashion on a global stage. Your contributions go to support the families and farmers that produce the cloth, the time and effort that go into cutting and sewing each piece and allow small businesses to continue growing and operating at high sustainable and social standards. It also speaks volumes about the human cost of cheap clothing and the importance of quality over quantity.
- My previous fundraising campaigns and events over the past three years have collectively raised $23,000 and global media attention.
- We are all connected--your actions speak louder than words. If we wouldn't want to see our brothers, sisters or children working in a sweatshop, it's important to put our money where our hearts are. Every human wears clothing and your donation makes a positive global impact.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:
Please share this campaign with your friends, family and colleagues. A single dollar makes a huge difference, and you never know who may be open to giving their spare change!
Spread the word on your social media outlets--there are buttons on this page to share via Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and other avenues.
And that’s all there is to it! We can achieve so much together !
