First doll in space travels to the International Space Station with British ESA astronaut Tim Peake

British European Space Agency astronaut Major Tim Peake
on board the Soyuz en route to the International Space
Centre earlier today (15 Dec) after a successful launch
in  Kazakhastan.

It is not unusual to see a new doll launched around the Christmas season.

But the timing of this particular one by London-based toy company Arkly has been timed and typically “launched” to coincide with the successful blast-off today of British European Space Agency astronaut Major Tim Peake, on board the Soyuz with two other astronauts and docked onto the International Space Centre. 

This is the new Stargazer Lottie doll left designed by a six-year-old Canadian girl Abigail from British Columbia.  

The Stargazer Lottie doll is reportedly traveling to the International Space Station on board Orbital ATK’s “S.S. Deke Slayton II” Cygnus cargo spacecraft with the British astronaut Tim Peake. 

The Special Edition ‘Gold Collection’ ‘Stargazer’ Lottie doll is a collaboration with the European Space Agency, and winner of the space.com ‘Little Scientist’ Space Age Award at the New York Toy Fair 2015.

A short video (by female filmmaker Elena Rossini) can be viewed (click here) to show how Abigail got to design the first doll to go into space. 

Abigail’s idea for an astronomy themed doll to help other kids learn about space was the inspiration behind the Stargazer Lottie doll.   

During her time on board the ISS, Stargazer Lottie will fulfil her mission to get kids interested in space.

Supplemental materials are available to download from the lottie.com website, including biographies of notable women in astronomy, and educational activities created by UNAWE, the global science educational outreach programme. 

Abigail (shown here at left) explains in the film: “Sometimes I look up and think…maybe I could go up there one day…or could I somehow see what’s up there”

“So maybe one day I will go and see many stars, even more than I saw from earth, and I will just say to myself …wow! How lucky am I to be living!”

The Lottie doll line was made available on the market in 2012 by Arklu co-founders Lucie Follett and Ian Harkin, and has won several industry awards on account of its innovative focus on being a doll with a realistic body shape and emphasis on activities that stimulate imaginative play.   Lottie is now on sale in 30 countries.

The Special Edition ‘Gold Collection’ ‘Stargazer’ Lottie doll retails at £19.95 (USD $24.95) 

Lottie doll retails at £16.95 (USD $19.95); accessory sets and outfit sets retail at £7.99 (USD $9.99) 

In the UK; available online at www.lottie.com, Amazon, Debenhams, Ocado and independent toy stores

In the US: available online at www.lottie.com, Amazon, over 1000 independent toy stores.

Concept sports shoe from Adidas with a 3D-printed midsole created from ocean waste

We can never have too many shoes, some of us may say, but the world today has too much discarded plastic and much of it is found as waste in our oceans causing harm to wildlife and the environment.

Now German sportswear group Adidas has unveiled a new concept shoe that includes a 3D-printed midsole made from reclaimed ocean waste as part of a collaboration with sustainable group Parley for the Oceans.  This was announced to coincide with last week’s COP21 climate change summit in Paris. 

 

“The industry cannot afford to wait for directions any longer.  The 3D-printed Ocean Plastic shoe midsole is intended to demonstrate how the industry can re-thing design and contribute to stop ocean plastic pollution,” according to Eric Liedtke, an executive board member responsible for Global Brands at the Adidas group.

The concept shoe consists of an upper made with ocean plastic content and a midsole which is 3D printed using recycled polyester and gill net content.  The 3D-printed midsole, which cushions the foot and is covered underneath by a thin sole, is made using plastic melted down from old fishing nets. It builds on the brand's Futurecraft technology, which allows the midsoles to be tailored to the exact contours of the owner's feet.

As founding member, Adidas support Parley for the Oceans and its endeavours to end plastic pollution of the oceans.

Earlier this year Adidas showed off a trainer that had an upper made from trash found floating in the oceans.  Its upper was woven using fibres produced from the recycled waste – a technique that is repeated in this latest design.

Adidas has also announced that it will phase out the use of plastic bags from all of its own retail stores. This phase out has already started and will finish by the end of Q1 2016. The company has also stopped using plastic bottles at its HQ in Germany.

Scottish designers chosen to create Zero Waste couture fashion

--- Dynamic duo to influence fashionistas by challenging binning trends ---

Did you know that in the UK alone, garments have an estimated life span of two years, three months.   It is estimated that £140million worth (350,000 tonnes) of used clothes ends up in landfill each year, which is over 30 percent of our wardrobes.

Now that is a lot of wastage and those figures signify that we simply have too much clothes.  

So it is encouraging to learn that an initiative, part of the Love Your Clothes campaign will see two Scots textile and fashion designers joining forces with the charity company the Salvation Army to transform old garments into new clothes and to remind people that clothes should never be thrown away as they always have a value.

The two designers from Scotland chosen for this one-off opportunity are sustainable textile designer Aimee Kent and Jemma Wood, owner of Black Cherry Studio.  

They will embark on a 12-week residency to create two new “fashion-forward” collections from 150 kilos of unwanted garments. They will create couture collections from clothes donated to Salvation Army charity shops and clothing banks, thereby transforming them into catwalk-worthy creations.  Both designers will receive £3,500 for the residency of 12 weeks. They will also get to retain the collection at the end of the project.

The commission will finish on 28 February 2016 and the collections will be unveiled in March 2016.  

Specialising in printed textiles, joint winner Aimee Kent (above left) - who has worked with Henrietta Ludgate and Niki Taylor from The Top Project and Olanic, said: “I feel honoured to have been chosen to take part. This opportunity is the perfect fit for me, because I already run a sustainable surface pattern design which focuses on the re-use of materials. I want to create designs that can be worn again and again and never go out of style. That’s what I intend to do here.”

Speaking of the upcoming challenge, Jemma Wood (above right), owner of Black Cherry Studio said: “It feels absolutely amazing to have been selected. We were blown away when we heard the news. I have lots of great ideas that I am keen to get started on.   I want to create a meaningful collection that brings together elements of both the Salvation Army and Zero Waste Scotland. Our specialism is textile print, which will breathe new life into the unwanted garments and shoe people that with a little creativity you can turn the unwanted into the desirable. I can’t wait to get started.”

The Salvation Army Trading Company, one of the largest clothing recyclers in the UK receive around 30,000 tonnes of donated textiles each year, which helps raise vital funds for the charity’s work with vulnerable people. 

Catherine Hamou from The Salvation Army Trading Company said:  “There is so much value in textiles that people often don’t see.

 “As a charity that works with vulnerable people all over the country, we see the effects of poverty every day; clothing should never been thrown away when it can be reused or re-worn. Donating textiles to charities like us means that you’re helping to raise millions of pounds each year for people who need it most – and not only that, but you’re helping to prevent hugely unnecessary waste that could be heading straight to landfill,” said Catherine.

The charity is well known across the country, helping to fund programmes with homelessness and addiction services, care for older people, help at emergency incidents, support for adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales, a Family Tracing Service and more. 

Lynn Wilson, textiles manager, Zero Waste Scotland said: “All textiles have a value and can be used again and again; clothing should never be put in the bin. 

“I believe that with a little TLC, most unwanted clothing can be transformed into something valuable. We really want people to see there is worth in their clothes," said Lynn.

Thomas Pink uses Rose Quartz and Serenity - PANTONE's key colours of 2016 - for new shirt range.

Perhaps it is in honour of the birth of a new royal baby girl called Charlotte together with her older brother Prince George that affect the decision to name two soft colours as the key Colour of the Year 2016.

For the first time, a blending of two colours has been chosen as Colour Of The Year 2016 by world colour authority - PANTONE: Rose Quartz and Serenity (PANTONE 13-1520 & PANTONE 15-3919).

The two shades are paired to express feelings related to mindfulness & well-being : calm, relaxation, reassurance, security, order and peace. "Rose Quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times," according to Laurie Pressman, Vice President of Pantone Colour Institute™. 

The colours selected as our Pantone Color of the Year 2016 were taken from the PANTONE FASHION, HOME + INTERIORS Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standards system for fashion, textile, home and interior design. PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity and PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz are included in this year's collection of 210 new shades.

Meanwhile, maximising on this pairing of shades is British shirt maker Thomas Pink which has collaborated with Pantone to curate a collection inspired by the two colours.

“The use of colour has long been a pillar of the Thomas Pink brand and something our customer has always embraced to express his distinctive point of view,” said Florence Torrens, Global Creative Director for Thomas Pink. “The 2016 Colour of the Year allows our gentleman to use fashion to convey a sense of stability, constancy and a quiet authority – traits that are necessary in today’s turbulent world.”

“The Pantone Colour of the Year selection captures the essence of what we see taking place in our culture during a specific moment in time, serving as an expression of a mood and an attitude on the part of the consumers,” said Laurie Pressman, Vice President of Pantone Colour Institute™. “We are seeing more and more men let go of traditional colour associations; allowing themselves to experiment with their wardrobe. As a brand known for leading the way with colour in men’s fashion, the collaboration between Pantone and Thomas Pink for our 2016 Colour of the Year selection is a natural choice.”

The Pantone 2016 Colour of the Year is offered in shirts and accessories throughout Thomas Pink’s collection both as seasonal and core pieces. Highlights include the Gibson classic fit shirt in superior, 100s two-fold cotton, the Caley knit tie, the Robin paisley pocket square and the Odd Spot sock among other key looks.

Pantone’s colour standards are used in multiple industries, from fashion to home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. For 16 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in these industries.  The experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even up-coming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.

About Thomas Pink:

Part of the Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton group, Thomas Pink is a British shirt maker with flagship stores in London’s Jermyn Street, Madison Avenue, New York and Rue Francois Premier, Paris. Altogether there are more than 100 stores around the world – in USA, France, Mexico, Dubai, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Canada, South Africa, India and in the UK. As well as shirts for men and women Pink carries a wealth of luxurious silk ties, tailoring, knitwear and accessories. 

Fashion Trade Fair News:

IFM AND PREMIÈRE VISION PARTNER TO CREATE A CHAIR FOR "THE ECONOMICS OF CREATIVE MATERIALS FOR FASHION"

Recognising the importance of nurturing talent and develop expertise in an ever changing economic environment for the fashion trade, Première Vision S.A., the leading Paris-based organizer of international professional trade shows for fashion industries, has announced that it is partnering with the French Fashion Institute (L’Institut Français de la Mode (IFM)), to create a chair for "The Economics of Creative Materials for Fashion", a renewable position lasting a minimum of three years, starting from January 1st, 2016.

Through the various shows that it organises, bringing together some of the most creative, innovative and influential companies in the global fashion and textile industry, Première Vision is today a veritable value-added observatory for the fashion industry worldwide.

In order to follow developments in the industry as closely as possible and to adapt to the needs of international markets, Première Vision has been collaborating with IFM for several years. Together, they analyze how fashion markets are evolving, shifts in consumer behaviour and changes in buying schedules, among other developments.

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London to host Fashion Utopias to showcase global emerging designers

While London is a multi-cultural cosmopolitan world capital, its role as a leading capital for world design talent will be further boosted come next February when the city will play host to global designers as it has been announced that the February 2016 edition of London Fashion Week (LFW) will see the staging of an exhibition to showcase the work of 80 emerging designers from 25 different countries around the world.

According to the British Council and the British Fashion Council, the exhibition will open on February 19 at Somerset House, London, as the fifth edition of the annual International Fashion Showcase (IFS). 

Entitled "Fashion Utopias", the exhibition is said to be a key part of LFW's public programme, which aims to celebrate the ongoing relevance of fashion in contemporary culture.

This year’s exhibition will also celebrate the 500th anniversary of the publication of Thomas More’s inspirational text, Utopia, which highlights the educational value of honouring different places, people and cultures. The West Wing at Somerset House will be transformed into an imaginary terrain, designed by Hatty Ellie Coward, where the emerging designers and curators will invite attendees to share their vision of the future.

Spanning over 15 galleries, the exhibition will consist of 14 galleries representing a country and one group installation entitled ‘Next in Line’, curated by Shonagh Marshall.  The work from additional designers will be featured and country installations for the exhibition include Czech Republic, Indonesia and Nigeria.

There will be a series of seminars, visits and mentoring opportunities for the designers organised by the London College of Fashion, to help them prepare for the showcase, known as the Designer Support Programme.

A collaboration with the coinciding event - Fashion Scout - will offer the participating designers a chance to show their designs on the catwalk.

A ceremony will also be held during LFW, chaired by a panel of industry experts, who will select the winning Country and Designers, as well as a Curator Award sponsored by Bonaveri.

"At a time when it often seems as if we’ve plunged into a dystopian age, it’s a liberating act to think about exactly the opposite: if we could create a Utopia, how would we want it to be?," said Sarah Mower MBE.  "From the entries we’ve already seen, this year’s showcase will be a chance to witness a phenomenally uplifting inter-cultural compare-and-contrast. Each country’s deeply-felt exhibit is also to be framed with a national curator, a fast-developing field of collaboration on the frontiers between art and fashion."

The IFS is set to run from February 19 to 23, 2016 at Somerset House.

Lenzing Modal® celebrates 50 years of Softness

Softness, a comfortable fit and skin-friendly materials are among the key elements that consumers look for in innerwear and sleepwear, according to recent studies and they would often find that garments that offer the desirable effect of a very soft hand-feel would carry a hang-tag featuring the Lenzing Modal® brand. 

See video of Lenzing's Modal - 50 years of Softness.  Click HERE.

The Modal® fibre, one of the star products of Austrian company Lenzing, celebrated its 50^th anniversary this year, which culminated on November 19^th, when Lenzing played host to global key customers and friends of the brand at the Lenzing headquarters in Austria.  

Led by Chief Commercial Officer Robert van de Kerkhof, the celebratory day featured a seminar of informative presentations by Lenzing executives and industry experts to highlight the company's new business strategy, the historical journey of the Modal® fibre, its unique DNA based on softness and natural origin.  Very importantly, the event highlighted the original source of Modal® that came from the Austrian sustainable forest and that Lenzing's own uniquely-designed production process that results in recovering and recycling up to 95% of the fibre's chemicals and co-products that can be harnessed to manufacture other products such as "good" sugar for chewing gums, salt produce for the glass industry and biodegradable packing tubes for supermarket fruits and vegetables.

The Modal® celebratory day concluded in the evening at the historical Villa Toscana in Gmunden,   Austria with a gala dinner and a special ceremony to honour their global customers who had flown in for the event from around the world.

Lenzing Group's COO Robert van de Kerkhof (blue tie) and CFO Thomas Riegler cutting the 50th anniversary
cake at the Lenzing Modal® gala dinner, which took place at the Villa Toscana in Gmunden, Austria
on November 19th.

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Photos supplied by Lenzing AG, photographed by Susanne Kurz.