Featured in this month’s i-Sustain, Lu Flux is the young British designer making ethical fashion exceptionally well.
Click images to enlarge.
Originally from the Isle of Wight, Lu went way up north to study at Edinburgh College of Art, then across the water to assist Bernhard Willhelm in Paris. Finally she landed in London, where she started her own label and showed at London Fashion Week as part of Estethica. Handed the ‘Innovation Award’ in conjunction with the Ethical Fashion Forum, she continues to make waves in making ethical fashion, forward.
Featured in the IX instalment of i-Sustain, Lu makes a rainbow of re-purposed printed and plain fabrics, rescued from textile recycling plants. She does this not so much because of the relative sustainability benefits of working in this way but more because it serves her aesthetic. She makes no excuses for the eclectic outcomes of her endeavours and it is this unashamed boldness that gives clarity to the chaos. Lu creates a wonderful world in which her work makes perfect sense and whilst her garments can range from ethereal elegance to cartoon craziness, somehow the authenticity of her approach brings cohesion. She will never be everyone’s cup of tea and certainly it can take some guts to wear a Lu Flux creation but we celebrate her amazing array of ideas and her sometimes confusing but always original and personal take on fashion.
Why do you think you’re part of this project? I have a very individual style and perception of fashion – I believe that design doesn’t have to be compromised when it comes to making sustainable fashion. I work predominately with salvaged and vintage materials in my collections and for the rest of the fabrics, I try to work with British-made or end-of-line materials that would otherwise go to waste.
Do you have a philosophy? To enjoy what I put my hand to but not expect it to come easily. To keep learning and trying new techniques.
Who or what inspires you? I am inspired by craft, a lot of the patchwork ideas that are used in my work are initially introduced to me through books, photographs and old pieces of clothing. I have to admit that I do have significant hoarding tendencies and will hold onto something if I feel that I can apply it in some way to my work in the future. It inspires me to surround myself with the knickknacks I collect, they bring out the creative side of me the most!
What’s unique about your work? Every piece is unique. The salvaged and vintage fabrics are collaged into playful, colourful patchwork pieces. This is the Lu Flux trademark which is where my passion lies. I love to mix textures and colours with surface manipulation to create art-to-wear pieces that are one-off and unique to the wearer.
What could you do better? I am always running late!
Where can we buy your clothes? In the UK, Lu Flux is available at 69b, Labour of Love, No-One and Wolf and Badger. For a full list of international stockists see luflux.com – we also have our own Lu Flux web shop.
What are you working on now? Right now we are busy sourcing for AW12 production and sampling for new collection pieces. I am also hoping to go on a field trip in April to get my creative energy flowing and get out of the city for a moment.
Click here to see our i-Sustain series in full.
Text: Alex McIntosh
Photography: Kerry Dean
Styling: Sam Willoughby
Hair: Hair stylist & Colourist Selena Middleton using Kiehl’s & L’Oreal Professionnel
Make up: Julie Jacobs using Benefit Cosmetics ‘Cha Cha Tint’
Models: Annie @ M&P & Felix @ Elite
Photographer’s Assistant – Chloe Coates
Styling Assistant: Gemma Butterworth=
Re-touching: Russell Day @ Daybreak Creative
Look 1: Felix wears Shirt Lu Flux. Look 2: Felix wears jumper and shorts Lu Flux. Annie wears dress Lu Flux. Coat Aquascutum from Beyond Retro. Look 3: Dress Lu Flux. Coat Aquascutum from Beyond Retro.
