Key Highlights
- Dame Prue Leith wore a holly suit at the start of London Fashion Week.
- Vin + Omi created the suit using plant waste from Sandringham.
- The suit’s texture is similar to wool, dyed with beetroot.
- Other sustainable materials showcased included nettle and butterbur fabrics.
Sustainable Fashion Takes Center Stage at London Fashion Week
Dame Prue Leith took to the runway in a strawberry-coloured Vin + Omi creation, marking the start of London Fashion Week. The suit was made from holly trimmings taken from the King’s garden and dyed with beetroot.
From Waste to Wear
The process of turning plant waste into wearable fabric is nothing short of groundbreaking. Vin + Omi, a sustainable design duo based at Highgrove, have been working on this project for over three years. They extract cellulose from Sandringham holly and spin it into fibres, creating a material with the texture of wool but a unique pink tint.
A Royal Collaboration
Charles, the Prince of Wales, has been instrumental in supporting their mission. In 2019, he invited them to Highgrove, giving them free rein over his garden. This collaboration has led to numerous innovative designs, including a dress made from butterbur and an opera coat from red dogwood.
Strawberry Cream Effect
The suit’s distinctive “strawberries and cream” appearance comes from the dye derived from beetroot. It showcases a fine white pinstripe with a pink tint, giving it a punky tie-dye effect reminiscent of strawberry cream. Omi explains: “We’ve been looking at holly because holly is so evasive and prolific—it gets trimmed all the time.”
Sustainable Innovations
The Vin + Omi fashion show at art’otel Hoxton included a range of plant textiles from nettle, butterbur, and wood clippings. They also transformed RAF waste cans into metal textile pieces and used recycled paint tubes for polyester prints. Leith wore a blouse made from waste linen from the same venue.
Conclusion
The holly suit marks Vin + Omi’s continued commitment to sustainable fashion, using plant waste that would otherwise be discarded. Their work not only challenges traditional manufacturing practices but also provides a glimpse into a future where fashion and sustainability are seamlessly intertwined.
