Fashion Polarity: Do you Love or Hate Fashion?

I have loved fashion for a very long time.  As a child, I was mesmerised by my mother’s extraordinary style and rigorous commitment to elegance and glamour.  My father had another sense of commitment to quality and tradition through Harris Tweed jackets and Churches brogues.  My sisters had incredible style; living in London, they wore Vidal Sassoon haircuts and fabulous clothes.  My Aunt was a lady's fine tailoress; she could cut a pattern from something she saw in a movie (and frequently did so). 

Let’s just say I had a lot of influence and inspiration around me, which led me to pursue a career in fashion that I loved.

For the past 5-10 years, my relationship with fashion has been challenged and constrained.  I have been questioning so much.  Questioning everything is a healthy relationship with life to counteract our human propensity to assume or unquestioningly accept.  However, I developed a sense of resigned superiority around fashion and endless consumption.  I found myself judging my friends when they made aspirational purchases, judging myself for wanting something new and fabulous.  Even deeper, I judged brands, shops and fast fashion especially.  Let’s say my love for fashion was becoming lost; the relationship was closer to resentment and ultimately strained.

Philosophically, I endeavour to be free and adventurous throughout life.  I am always getting better at things in life, including my habits, behaviours, skills and practices.  In the area of fashion, this had clearly not been working.  I had no freedom and limited adventure.  The love was approaching something closer to hate.

Don’t get me wrong, I love luxury - you read these blogs and know how much I love to explore the magic and miracles created in this world.  Nevertheless, the luxury goods business has become a juggernaut, maximising profit, margins and growth.  Only yesterday, I looked at Gucci’s latest bag launch - the Tom Ford-era horse-bit clutch.  The leather was much poorer quality than my two-year-old Gucci bag.  So disappointing. 

GUCCI HORSEBIT CHAIN SMALL SHOULDER BAG

As I was in Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport around so much luxury, I started to question why I had so much judgment and vilified the brands I had formerly loved so much.  I have been passionate about sustainable fashion and solutions for the past decade, committed to creating a less wasteful fashion system, which made me look deeply into the industry and the systems in place for endless growth on a planet with finite resources.  This in itself can seem insurmountable and impossible.  I am committed to making an impact on the future of fashion, yet I am not free with any of it.  I have always loved fashion because it is an art form, and now I have been creating it to be a lower-level commodity business.  Yesterday, in Terminal 5, I had a breakthrough in my relationship with fashion.  At that moment, I granted myself my love for fashion all over again.

As serendipity always plays a part in the magic of life, yesterday, the YouTube algorithm served me this very considered fashion influencer video:

What Most “Fashion Influencers” Don’t Tell You - Drew Joiner.

He beautifully captures and explains my challenges with the fashion system—loving fashion as an art form rather than judging its business model.

My summary for this blog is that when I stop judging the business of fashion, myself and my recent fear of buying anything, I can actually impact the industry’s future in a profound way.  This excites and inspires me.

Kind regards

Kate

Kate Padget-Koh

The Magic Of Upcycled Fashion

Upcycling is one of the key movements or techniques in Sustainable Fashion.

It transforms existing or old clothing (and accessories) into new pieces, giving them a new life.  This creates so many possibilities for keeping our memories and connections alive and with us.

My journey with UPCYCLING started 15 years ago when I was first introduced to Sustainable opportunities whilst working at Puma.  We had an extraordinary workshop in Korea, by MATERIAL CONNECTION, that opened my eyes to what was possible with Sustainable Fashion and a new world in Fashion.  I researched endlessly, and one of my inspiring discoveries was Upcycling.    

Around that time, a friend and I entered the REDRESSED ECOCHIC Sustainable Fashion Competition in Hong Kong.  We created a beautiful corseted dress from some of our existing clothes and other sample fabrics.  The result was beautiful, if somewhat costume-like.  The creation was not new, and yet, so very new. We were honouring our past whilst creating the future.  Around that time, I wrote a few white papers on the subject of Sustainable Fashion, which had me cement my views on sustainable fashion techniques and possibilities.  What mesmerised me about upcycling was the opportunity for new to be created from the past, the magic of keeping your memories with you, and making fashion meaningful, beautiful and emotionally significant.

I always had the vision of creating occasional clothes from heritage pieces, just as Princess Beatrice created her wedding dress in 2021 from a dress belonging to Queen Elizabeth II.  I had bought pieces from a lovely Designer in London, Jonathan, who made tops from vintage scarves and bags from upcycled camouflage.  

So, what is the “magic” I am referring to in the title of this blog?  The magic is the presence of the best of the past in the now.  The practical advantage of upcycling is to reuse existing fashion, preventing it from being unworn, discarded, forgotten or ending up in landfill.  The magical advantage of upcycling is giving formerly loved clothing a new possibility and a new life.  This is so inspiring for me.  

A few years ago, I had the privilege of connecting with the beautiful Alexa at DesignBlender.  She makes gorgeous Demi-couture upcycled fashion pieces in London.  At that time, I was reviewing my wardrobe and identified some dresses I loved but no longer wore.  I collaborated with Alexa and created my first piece of custom upcycling.  The dress I had was a “Victor & Rolf” silk slip dress.  The shape and length did not suit my body, but I totally loved the colour and fabrics - a stunning terracotta silk satin with gorgeous lace trim.  From the brief and conversations, we made a gorgeous dress that I have worn endlessly.

We went on to create more pieces: a reworked wedding dress, which is beautiful and mesmerising.  Probably my most favourite is THE RED DRESS from 2 pieces I wore before and during our wedding.  Alexa gave it a new life and turned it into something sexy and extraordinary but also wearable and effortless.

I find upcycling magical because it creates something new from our past, constantly keeping happy memories and fashion feelings alive.  Fashion and clothing provide the opportunity for creativity, beauty and love to always be present in our lives; upcycling is that perfect opportunity.


With love,
Kate

Kate Padget-Koh

Big Step In Luxury Escapism?

Some very interesting news hit the Luxury Hospitality and Fashion space in early August 2023, and news that is very close to my heart.  The Pellicano Group sold a stake to Aermont Capital.  A part of the deal is Aermont committing to 200 Million EURO to acquire new properties across Italy for the Pellicano group, thus expanding the Brand and its influence.  

Artwork by Kate Padget-Koh

Let’s give some context: Pellicano Hotels - https://www.pellicanohotels.com/en/ -  is a family-run Italian hotel group led by the internationally stylish, very well-connected taste-maker Marie Louise Scio, who is both the CEO and Creative Director.  The properties include the original “IL Pellicano”, where Scio lived as a child, “La Pasta Vecchia”, the former Roman Hideaway of John Paul Getty and the recently acquired “Mezzotorre” on the magical island of Ischia.  These are hotels with so much more.  Due to Scio’s extraordinary vision and taste, she has really captured a magical dream, which she is committed to sharing and expanding further. 

Why is this close to my heart?  “Il Pellicano” is one of my favourite places on earth.  We first visited in 2000 during our Honeymoon in Italy.  We have visited several times since then; the stay always feels like it is not long enough and far too infrequent.  We have stayed at “La Posta Vecchia” several times and had our first trip to “Mezzotorre” in 2022.  Why do we love these properties and this Brand so much?  These are clearly luxury hotels, yet they are so much more.  Many luxury hotel brands can be exclusive, rather imposing and formal; Pellicano is cool, vibrant, stylish and fun, with a lot of timeless class.  You feel like you are part of a very cool movie or group of friends—a warm sense of belonging and familiarity, driven through amazing service and attention to detail.  

Why this deal is so interesting is that it is more than opening several new hotels.  The Pellicano Group “has brought a unique point of view to top-end hospitality, melding old-school charm with modern fashionability, and turned a business that began with a single hotel owned by her father into a global lifestyle brand with multiple revenue streams.” - Business of Fashion.  One of those revenue streams is “Issimo”, a Fashion and lifestyle brand established during the pandemic, presumably to bring a taste of Italian (and Il Pellicano) magic to guests who could not travel there.  I certainly shopped from the site and still pore over every launch and email.  I had a bottle of “Il Pellicano” bagnoschiuma (shower gel), which I sniffed many times during the pandemic to remind me of those magical times that seemed so far away.  As Scio loves to say, “Italians do it better”; in this case, they certainly do.  

As always in this blog, I seek the psychology or feeling behind this event or direction.  I see not only the trend of return or revenge travel but also a sense of escapism, similar to the subject of my previous blog on Zimmermann becoming a Billion-dollar dreamy resort dressing brand.  Are these closely timed deals an indication of our desire to escape to some magical world where there are no wars, climate change or other impending doom? Indeed, a stay at any of the Pellicano Properties (wearing Zimmermann) will have you feel like a Principessa (or Princess).  While this sense of escapism is relevant, there are so many other possibilities for the future.

Il Pellicano always had a cache, founded by an American Heiress and her War Hero Husband on the Argentario coast, it was the place for many celebrities, including Charlie Chaplin in his later years and, of course, Robert Scio, Marie Louise’s father.  These heady years were documented by both John Swope and Slim Aarons. 

Since then, Scio has relentlessly created the relevance and desirability of the Brand.  She developed fashion collaborations with “For Restless Sleepers”, Birkenstock, APC, Aquazzurra and Matches Fashion, creating unique and very cool items; items that will be treasured when you go home, rather than the vacation shopping regrets we have all had - seemed like a good idea at the time, but I can’t wear it!   Scio has also published an amazing book on Il Pellicano with photos by Juergen Teller.  

Image from the Pellicano Group Website

The uncompromising vision and commitment is something that really resonates with me.  The pursuit of magic, beauty and belonging, executed impeccably, is inspiring.  Luxury has become an overused word, often with the feeling you are not quite there until you buy another bag or something else, when Luxury could simply be natural beauty, a sense of belonging and love for quality, all executed with impeccable service for the customer or Client.

Thank you, Marie Louise Scio, for sharing your magic and vision.

Kind regards,
Kate

Kate Padget-Koh




The Zimmermann Effect!

There have been some interesting developments in the Fashion world recently after the recent stagnation in the industry.  Tapestry will acquire Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo and Versace in an $8.5 billion deal to make them a serious heavyweight in the luxury sector.  Kering has said it would acquire 30% of Valentino for 1.7 Billion Euros.  

There has been little movement in Fashion M&A due to rising interest rates and concerns about slowing consumer demands.  Then last week, we heard the significant and rather unexpected news that Zimmermann had sold a majority stake to Advent International, a Private Equity Group.  This values Zimmermann at approximately 1.15 Billion USD, making them Australia's first billion-dollar fashion brand.  

As with my other blogs, I look at the psychological effect of fashion, and this is a good example.  “The Zimmermann-effect”.  I used to travel to Australia annually, primarily to visit family.  My last visit was in 2017; obviously, annual visits were stalled by the pandemic and inevitable border restrictions.   Coming back, as I have in the past week, has been quite a revelation in fashion terms.  Hence the “Zimmermann effect”.

 Australia has undoubtedly had many talented Fashion Designers - Scanlon Theodore, Camilla, Dion Lee, Lisa Ho, and Rebecca Valance, to name a few, past and present.  They have their own aesthetic, similar to Scandinavian Designers, with a limited scope to impact and sell globally.  It is a shame, as these tremendously talented Designers remain largely unseen.  

 This was all to change with Zimmermann.  Zimmermann was established in 1991 by sisters Simone and Nicky Zimmermann.  The label was always a presence in the Swimwear fashion category in the Australian Fashion world.  However, an investment from Style Capital, an Italian private equity firm, changed all of that.  Around 2016 I started noticing more brand awareness among influencers, magazines and media outlets.  There was a new energy around the Brand, and the aesthetic was so new and right for that moment.  

On a trip to Melbourne, I visited the new Boutique and quickly bought two dresses that I wore extensively for several years.  As an early adopter, I loved this trend of pretty, ethereal wrap dresses.  I went on to buy and wear other pieces, much to the admiration of others.  Stores and outlets opened in major cities, such as London, LA etc.  The aesthetic captured a glamorous resort mood, the feeling of always being on a fabulous vacation, even if you were just going to work or for dinner in your home town.  Suddenly, Zimmermann dresses and outfits were everywhere.  

Let’s circle back to the recent Australia trip and the “Zimmermann effect”.  The Brand has been on a committed strategy to build its business and influence.  On my earlier trips to Australia, the clothes and fashion worn on the street were somewhat dull and indistinct (mainly due to the high import taxes of clothing).  However, this past week I have seen so many beautifully dressed women in Zimmermann or Zimmermann look-a-likes.  This is the Zimmermann effect.  By raising their profile, aesthetic and influence, Zimmermann has raised that of the Fashion of Australia. Hopefully, this will impact the entire Australian Fashion Industry and its talented designers.

All the best,

Kate

Kate Padget-Koh

Travel Dressing

I used to travel a lot, often twice a month; one year when I travelled for over 150 days.  These were usually short trips — 4 days on average and primarily for Business. 

I kept a suitcase partially packed in preparation for the next flight that contained trainers, a wash bag, workout clothes, lingerie and travel adapters.  The clothes were not a constant; I would change the wardrobe depending upon the climate to be visited, what I was doing during the trip and, most importantly, what trends I wore at the time.

Photo by Marissa Grootes

Since then, a lot has changed.  We had a pandemic, travel was suspended, and I had an existential crisis, which shifted my dressing and buying habits.  Since then, my travelling has also changed.  I have travelled less frequently but for longer trips and different purposes.  Last year, I spent five months travelling across the UK, Europe, Dubai and Singapore for a mix of working, escaping strict quarantine measures and seeing friends and family.  

This required a whole new approach to a travel wardrobe.  For multiple climates, seasons, occasions and functions, I needed to be able to carry everything and pack frequently.  Coinciding with writing these blogs, I started to explore a simpler way to dress and pack that is not only convenient but also aligned with my values of conscious consumption as an aware consumer.  

My life has many demands, and I live a very fulfilled and expanded work life, which I love.  I live a very adventurous travel and social life and constantly want to develop myself professionally, creatively and socially.  This requires a clear, disciplined and organised mind and approach to life.  There is no room for chaos and drama.

What does this have to do with my wardrobe?  A simple approach to dressing, especially for travelling, paves the way for peace of mind and room to focus.  With this clarity, I can take on so much professionally while travelling, being creative and being with my loved ones. 

I travel to Australia this week to see family we have not seen for five years.  It is an important trip, and I need to work every day and maintain my marathon training.  As I left 35C Hong Kong for a much colder climate, I was so grateful for the system I have developed for a wardrobe (and life) which works effortlessly.  My simple yet effective system includes the following:

  • Workout clothes

  • Down gilet

  • A good suit

  • Tees

  • Two shirts

  • Two fabulous dresses (for those dinners)

  • Two hero pants or shorts

  • Sneakers

  • Heels

  • Loafers

  • Lingerie and a swimsuit

Regardless of the contents of my travel wardrobe, the progress I have made in my journey to conscious consumption has been a revelation.  I created a new way to live a life that inspires me daily.  I talk a lot about clothes and conscious consumerism; mostly, my commitment is for you (as my beloved readers) to live a fulfilled and adventurous life filled with joy!

Kind regards

Kate

Kate Padget-Koh

FASHIONABLE FUTURES