Key Highlights
- Dame Prue Leith wore a suit made from holly trimmings at the start of London Fashion Week.
- Vin + Omi’s sustainable fashion show featured materials made from plant waste on the King’s estates.
- The material used in the suit was dyed with beetroot to achieve a “strawberry cream” appearance.
- Charles and Vin + Omi have worked together to use royal garden waste for fashion.
Sustainable Fashion Meets Royal Estate: London’s Eco-Revolution
The runway at London Fashion Week was anything but traditional this year. With Dame Prue Leith stepping into the spotlight, a suit made from holly trimmings from the King’s garden became the talk of the town.
Vin + Omi’s Pioneering Approach
From humble beginnings in 2019, the sustainable design duo Vin + Omi have been transforming plant waste into wearable art. Their latest creation, a suit dyed with beetroot to resemble “strawberry cream,” premiered at the very start of the show.
The Royal Touch
Notably, this isn’t just any fashion debut—it’s a collaboration between the royal family and sustainable designers. Charles has been instrumental in allowing Vin + Omi free rein on his estates, leading to a series of innovative garments like the holly suit and a dress made from butterbur.
A Behind-the-Scenes Look
According to Omi, their process involves extracting cellulose from Sandringham’s holly, which is then spun into fibres. The result? A material with a fine white pinstripe base, pink tints, and a punky tie-dye effect that gives it the appearance of strawberry cream. “We’ve been looking at holly because holly is so evasive and prolific—it gets trimmed all the time,” he explained.
For their runway show called JORD (after the Norse earth goddess), Vin + Omi also showcased plant textiles from nettle, butterbur, and wood clippings. Additionally, they transformed RAF waste cans into metal textile and used recycled paint tubes for polyester prints.
The Future of Sustainable Fashion
This isn’t just a fashion show; it’s a statement. Vin + Omi hope to sell their research in plant textiles at the V&A and have already made significant strides. Omi noted, “For 24 years we’ve never sold a single thing, but six months ago I had two heart attacks and found out that I have only 40 per cent of my heart function. We thought if we’re ever going to sell something it’s got to be for a bigger cause rather than fashion or vanity.”
Their work with the royal family underscores a growing trend in sustainable fashion, one where traditional luxury meets modern ecological consciousness.
