Come In From The Cold

A sharp blast of arctic air has announced the arrival of winter with on mistake. As much as we’d like to try and hold on to balmy Fall days and being able to go out in lighter layers or even a bare leg, it is time to take a deep breath in and embrace that winter wardrobe. Yes, the temperature might have dropped a notch or two, the days got a little shorter but its not all bad. Winter is the time we come together with family and friends – from Thanksgiving to Christmas to ringing in a New Year – it is a season full of love, when the human heart is at its fullest. What better time, then, to make a renewed effort to shop with our hearts, to support brands and individuals that are working towards making the world a fairer, safer and healthier place. Our Winter Guide is here to help you find the brands that do exactly that whether you are getting ahead on your Christmas gift buying or splashing out on a new frock for New Year’s Eve. So cosy up next to a crackling fire and let us help warm up your soul with our winter wonders.

Baby its cold outside

But don’t let that keep you from looking your best. At the risk of stating the obvious a good warm coat is an essential. If you are after something as stylish as it is warm then look no further than D:Efect’s eye-catching numbers. Made from virgin New Zealand wool in a small factory in the brands home city of Vilnius, Lithuania the Carri and Gena coats have been getting a whole lot of love from fashion editors all over the world (it’s not hard to see why!). If you have sorted your coat the next winter essential is a super soft scarf. A Peace Treaty works with womens cooperatives in the Andes to produce the most exquisite baby alpaca Krishna and Aletha blanket scarves. One of these goes a long way and on warmer winter days will act as a top layer in its own right. You won’t want to take it off!

The 30 Wear Rule

So yes, winter is a time of consumption and consumerism – Black Friday, Christmas, January Sales… the list goes on. For the ethical fashionista this presents some what of a conundrum – yes we love fashion and we love shopping, but we want it to be done in a considered way. At Gather&See we stock brands who create pieces designed to last you and for you to get maximum wears out of – it’s very much ‘quality over quantity’ which has become the ethical fashionista’s mantra. Livia Firth’s 30 Wears Campaign expresses the point clearly – only buy something you think you will wear at least 30 times. To get you on your way P.i.C has produced a brilliant capsule collection of clever pieces that can be mixed and matched and worn in various ways to get more bang for your buck. The brilliant Hackney Jumpsuit can be switched into a cute pair of trousers simply by unbuttoning the top. Now that is smart fashion!

Hibernate at Home

Home is where the heart is and in winter it’s where we want to spend most of our time! The ethical fashionista takes just as much pride in her interiors as she does in her wardrobe so we wanted to share some of our favourite ethical homewear destinations. Nkuku has been a longtime favourite of ours offering beautiful pieces for your home and great gifiting ideas such as their recycled metal photo frames and exquisite recycled glass lighting. We can’t get enough of pretty storage ideas to keep things tidy and The Basket Room offers an unparalleled selection of baskets handmade in Africa. For gifitng check out The Little Market for a beautiful selection of fairly traded artisan products including the most beautiful handwoven throws – just perfect for all that snuggling by the fire. And what to wear while you are lounging… as if you needed to ask Kowtow’s super soft organic cotton Track Pants and Riyka’s comfortable but cool Louis Sweatshirt.

Celebrate the Season

One thing that is just about guaranteed to prize the ethical fashionista off of her couch is the promise of a good party. But then the age old question of what to wear! Luckily for us Osei Duro have come up trumps this seson with their beautiful Midnight print dresses. Available in short silk (Linter Dress) for Christmas parties or a longer version (Nima Dress) that can be dressed up or down this is sure to be a party favourite. Meanwhile P.i.C’s subtly sexy De Beau Cami can be paired with a multitude of bottoms for a feminine look and is reversible giving you even more options (told you they were a clever bunch!). Whatever you do be sure to accesorize appropriately with Danielle Foster’s versatile Aneka Clutch (goes with everything!) and A Peace Treaty’s gold hoop Botero Earrings. And there, in a flash, Cinderella shall go to the ball.

The Art of Gifting

Giving good gifts truly is an artform and any ethical fashionista worth her Matt&Nat shoes will go to every length to ensure she chooses something thoughtful and of course ethical for her nearest and dearest. Taking the time to choose something unique, meaningful and that has a beautiful story behind will always delight the recipient. London brand Barocco’s handcast jewellery features elements inspired by nature are a sure winner – we especially love their Wishbone Earrings and Walnut Pendant (above). For vegan and vegetarian friends and family look no further than Matt&Nat’s collection of bags and wallets – planet and animal friendly as well as good to look at. For a real treat who wouldn’t want to unwrap a beautiful set of Woron lingerie – comfortable, sexy and eco all at once… Merry Christmas indeed. For more gifiting ideas look out for Gather&See’s 12 Days of Christmas campaign running from 1st December. Sign up to our newsletter for more details and offers!