José Hendo is a multiple Award-winning designer. Designer by Royal appointment, she is the go-to designer of Ugandan Royalty and government officials having designed for four Royal Weddings thus far. Her collection featured at EcoLuxe London, London Fashion Week, Berlin Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week to raving reviews!
José Hendo is known for her prolific and cutting edge barkcloth collection “Resonance”. José Hendo promotes the use of eco-textiles for example organic and recycled materials. The label supports ethical trading, and raising awareness about the environmental issues affected by the fashion industry. Through sustainable fashion José Hendo is not only making a positive contribution to society but it was the only way she could make sense of and find her place within the fashion industry.
This is reinforced via José Hendo’s apprenticeships, work experience, free and paid workshops as a way of giving back to the community. Hendo facilitates these workshops and tutorials at her schools, studio and her local Library, whilst creating awareness of sustainable fashion.
The label is known for it’s innovative bark cloth creations and it’s sustainable approach through exclusive use of end of line, up-cycled and organic materials.
The studio ‘José Original also produces garments for other recognised designers including samples and complete collections shown at London Fashion Week, and small production runs sold in boutiques and outlets such as TOPSHOP and SELFRIDGES.
José Hendo was a featured speaker at TEDxEuston and is a member of Fellowship 500, Ethical Fashion Forum & Centre of Sustainable Fashion. She is an recognised expert on sustainable fashion and on the material barkcloth. Furthermore each garment sold also sees a percentage given to charity.
José says, “Through my research, I learnt what happens through the life-cycle of a garment: From the growing the crop, making the cloth, garment production to customer then to landfill and recycling. Designing clothes now requires an awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry. That’s why I combine good design with sustainability, using the 3Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This has become the cornerstone of José Hendo.
“My dream is to make bark cloth work alongside mainstream fabrics. Bark Cloth is a centuries old technique, one that is recognised by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. It is considered the oldest man made fabric and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Material in 2005. Furthermore it is produced in my country Uganda so has a personal as well as cultural reverence to me and my ancestry which I am honouring in my work.”
José Hendo launched its R3 campaign in February this year and will be showcasing with solo runway show during London Fashion Week this September. Using silks, silk chiffon, linen and bark-cloth the mens/womenswear collection Spontaneous S/S R3 is all about the concept of the impromptu, being free and unpredictable, wild and untamed, almost restless You will see the use of asymmetric yet simple lines that are fragile yet exaggerated in an organic way. The element of surprise is key to the collection. This R3 collection encompasses the Reduce Reuse Recycle R3 ethos. The freedom of re-invention doubting established criteria zero-waste, up-cycling, reconstruction, using design techniques that emphasises the sustainable approach to fashion.
She was Inspired to start the R3 campaign to go against the throw away culture. José Hendo supports the organisations that she is part off that address ethical and environmental issues. Using the corner stones that she adheres to.
During LFW this week the designer’s show will feature a discussion. Consisting of a panel of experts, this ethical editorial label José Hendo is theming it around her commitment to her R3 campaign in aim of spreading the word and her work on sustainability in the fashion industry and as end consumers.
Panel:
Yousuf Almingi proprietor of Salabed, Tamsin Lejeune from the Ethical Fashion Forum, the Sustainable Centre of Fashion and the Sue Ryder charity, WinnieSseruma journalist, activist & founder of the BAGCI charity, author Jacqueline Shaw founder of Africa Fashion Guide, Edyta Wojcik, head of distribution at Tiande and ethical designer José Hendo.
Places are limited please rsvp for attendance.
Time: 7pm-8pm on September 13th 2014
Venue: The Grand Connaught Rooms, 61-65 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5DA
RSVP:
Great! I have read more about José Hendo on http://eluxemagazine.com/fashion/the-3-rs-of-jose-hendo/
AMAZING!