Happy March 1st and welcome to our launch issue of The Calendar Magazine! We’re delighted to have you with us on the journey. We’ll be bringing you daily content celebrating the best in fashion, beauty and lifestyle, with the aim to inform and uplift, and show you the many ways you can shop and live with a more thoughtful, considered approach. It’s all about creating community and collaboration through joyful storytelling, inspiring people and a new way of looking at things. We’ve loved putting our March line up together and we hope you enjoy it just as much. Let us know what you like, what you’re looking for and what you’d like to see more of – we can’t wait to hear from you. Welcome to the Calendar family.

One thing lockdown zoom life has taught us is that zoning in on what we are wearing from the waist up is key – and that the right pair of earrings can transform how we look and feel, both in the virtual and IRL world. A brand we’re loving right now for maximum impact earrings that are also underscored with sustainable credentials is Alighieri. A London-based brand founded by Rosh Mahtani and inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. Mahtani was recently announced as a shortlisted designer for the BFC/Vogue fashion fund. The beautifully crafted pieces are manufactured locally and incorporate eco-friendly materials including recycled metals, and the brand also focuses on giving back to the community through charitable initiatives. We love these Lia earrings, £350 available at alighieri.co.uk, but whatever piece you choose it’s guaranteed to be something you’ll love and wear forever.

A beauty brand that more than meets The Calendar Magazine’s measure of ethical and luxury excellence is Wildsmith Skin. This sensorial skincare spin-off from the secluded Hampshire haven, Heckfield Place, is guided by a philosophy of nurturing the deep connection between plants and people. Wildsmith Skin calls it ‘radical botany’: biodynamically-grown, plant-derived bio-actives, botanicals and minerals for a results-driven, planet-friendly approach. 

Our particular favourite is Active Repair Nourishing Cleansing Balm which also counts among its fans beauty industry veteran Anna-Marie Solowij.

“This really is a ’skinvestment’: a price-justified, luxe level cleanser. In a 200ml jar, it lasts much longer than most (it took me nearly 6 months to hit glass, and, generally, balm cleansers come in 100-150ml sizes) so cost per use is justified (there is a 100ml version though economies of scale are in favour of larging it). But size isn’t everything: at the end of the day (and the beginning), this is such a pleasure to use. A dollop of the jelly balm turns to a silky oil during massage (it works brilliantly with a gua sha) and is easily removed with a hot cloth. The scent is authentically natural – a blend of recognisable herbs including mint, camomile, and lavender. For a cleanser (usually the least sophisticated formula as it is not designed to stay on the skin) this one is impressive: 16 different plant oils with protective, calming, soothing, exfoliating, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties. No wonder it’s won 2 Beauty Bible awards.” Anna-Marie Solowij, Calendar Beauty

Guillaume Henry has a thing for storied French fashion houses. Previously creative director at Carven and Nina Ricci, Henry has been at the helm of Patou since 2019, charged with creating and recreating Jean Patou’s legendary couture house for an Instagram age. And its new iteration is a thoroughly modern proposition: packed out with joyful, playful, irresistibly feminine clothes that are designed for his friends who want to look great while juggling work and parenting, and are both responsibly made and accessibly priced.

When the job came his way, Henry was reconsidering what he wanted from his career and looking for a role that would both be less exhausting and allow him to do less, but better. So, at Patou, an unchanging core collection of essentials – the perfect jacket, trousers, sweater – sits alongside carefully edited seasonal drops of brilliantly undiluted fashion fare; right now, that means wildly exaggerated puff sleeves, feather trimmed trousers and floral jacquard separates. And their arrival in store falls in line with the actual seasons to ensure that you can buy your coat when it’s cold. 

It’s creativity and desirability that makes the label tick, but striving for sustainability, too, was a no-brainer given that Henry and his team were building the brand from scratch. They’re aiming to make everything from recycled or organic materials – currently it’s around 70% – and work transparently and closely with their factories and suppliers. With that in mind, each piece from the collection comes with a QR that you can scan and trace the piece’s journey from sketch to wardrobe. “I want every aspect of what we do to be full of light and enthusiasm,” says Henry. Right now, that’s an irresistible formula.

Emma Sells, Calendar Fashion

Artwork by @siduations

We’re so happy to have Rebecca Lowthorpe, fashion veteran, writer and style authority, as our inaugural guest in our @thecalendarmagazine ‘Love Forever’ series. We’ll be asking people to show us a piece from their wardrobe that they love – and will have forever. It’s all about clothes with stories and showing how by wearing things on repeat, they become part of the fabric of your life journey and identity. Rebecca is wearing a sweatshirt from Nicholas Ghesquière era Balenciaga. 

In her words: “I’ve been with this Balenciaga top longer than I’ve been with my husband. A constant companion for almost two decades, can’t decide which one I love more…!”

What piece do you have that you love and will keep forever? We’d love to hear your wardrobe stories. 

Post lockdown, we are either going to be desperate to cram into the nearest pub or club with as many other humans as possible, or very crowd averse. If you’re the latter, you are going to love the Kivijarvi Resort Project, a soon-to-be cluster of stylish, lakeside, eco-cabins in the Suomenselka Region of central Finland. Designed by Helsinki-based Studio Puisto, they are inspired by storage huts (niiaitta) traditionally used by the indigenous Sami people to keep food safe from prowling animals. The prototype, aptly named Niliaitta, is the first of up to 50 forest cabins, which each house a tiny kitchen, shower and bed, with a glass front wall so you can still soak in all that nature from under the duvet. The environment was a key consideration, with sustainable materials (wood, wool insulation) chosen for optimum energy efficiency, and the forest floor under the huts will be restored, so the only footprint is the first step of the staircase and the 60cm column which supports the hut.  Future plans include an elevated café/restaurant and a Nordic spa, a Finnish take on the traditional Japanese onsen, with baths and an open-all-year outdoor pool. We can’t wait…

From £278 a night, kivijsrviresort.fi

It may seem illogical to fly thousands of miles to stay in an eco-resort, and carbon offsetting doesn’t cancel out the effects of your flights – but it is better than doing nothing. Be aware that carbon offsetting can be a bit of a minefield, and there are some unscrupulous imposters out there. Thoroughly check out a company’s credentials before you donate and choose one that is also straightforward to navigate. We found greentripper.org one of the most user-friendly, and they run several climate projects worldwide in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as improving cooking stoves to avoid deforestation in Ghana or providing clean water in Uganda. Just enter your departure and destination airports and they will work out how much you need to donate to the project of your choice. 

Sue Ward Davies, Calendar Travel

Sunday mornings are made for lounging and these incredible quilts created by New York textile brand Thompson Street Studio feel like the ideal pieces to surround yourself with and to do just that. The brand founded by artist and designer, Kiva Motnyk, is based on a holistic approach exploring connections between art, industry and nature, resulting in beautifully crafted one-off designs imbued with a feeling of authenticity and longevity – pieces that feel like heirlooms for your home, to be loved and passed down. These quilts feel beautiful enough to frame or hang on a wall, drape over a chair or indeed cocoon yourself in for the ultimate at home haute lounge moment. From $350, thompsonstreetstudios.com

Happy International Women’s Day! To mark the occasion, we’re celebrating a woman who we love and are inspired by at @thecalendarmagazine – Emma Watson. As an actor, sustainability and women’s equality activist, and chair of Kering’s Sustainability Committee, Emma also uses her A-list status to actively promote and wear brands with sustainable credentials that positively impact society and the many women employed in the fashion industry. The perfect example of how using your voice for positive change is something we can all do, summed up by these inspiring words: “As consumers, we have so much power to change the world by just being careful with what we buy,” says Emma. Amen to that! For spotlights on more inspirational women working in the sustainability space, head over to The Calendar Magazine’s IG stories today.

Photo @kerryhallihan

The importance of having a pair of classic blue jeans in your closet cannot be overestimated. As a wardrobe mainstay, finding the perfect style always feels like a win on the fashion front. However, we also know that the production of denim – particularly the dyeing and manufacturing process – is not so perfect for the planet. Cue: The Calendar Magazine’s edit of denim brands changing the game with their eco-friendly design and production principles. From fabric innovation to the use of vintage and upcycling techniques, there are myriad options to explore when searching for that ‘perfect pair’ that will make you feel as good on the inside as your denim-clad posterior looks on the outside.⁠⁠

Photo @gilles_bensimon

The upheaval of the past year has offered Amy Powney and her team at Mother of Pearl an enforced but much-needed chance to breathe and regroup. Powney has decided to let the London-based label set its own rules: no more huge wholesale orders, international expansion, or trying to keep up with the relentless pace of the fashion industry. Instead, she’s downsized, swapping sustainable fashion for responsible design and condensing her collections down to core, wear-forever pieces made in fabrics that will stand the test of time, and that have been real-world tested by every woman who works with her. Given that Powney also became a first-time mother this time last year, the breathing space and change of pace couldn’t have come at a better moment. ⁠⁠

The game-changing designer has been steadfastly making considered, sustainable and ethical choices ever since she took the helm at Mother of Pearl in 2015, paving the way in everything from making thoughtful fabric choices to vetting supply chains. Crucially, she did it all while conjuring truly desirable, brilliant clothes that women love – from wonderful voluminous dresses to beautifully cut tailoring. Now, she’s still doing the same – but keeping it even simpler. “We’ve turned the fashion industry into a monster; it’s so fast and needs feeding so much, and no-one knows how to stop it or slow it,” says Powney. “What we’re trying to do is pull ourselves right out of it – and the past year has been amazing for that. It’s made us make even more sustainable decisions.”⁠⁠

We’re all about taking it slow at Calendar and Marrakshi Life is a brand we love for that very reason. Founded by former fashion photographer Randall Bachner after relocating from New York to Marrakech, the label is built upon a ‘slow fashion’, sustainable business model, with low-impact practices such as zero-waste initiatives. The beautifully crafted unisex pieces are created by local artisans, and the aesthetic is one of easy shapes, bold colour combinations and redefined bohemian codes – these are pieces you can style up or down and have in your wardrobe forever. Case in point: this blouse feels like the ultimate solution for warm-weather wardrobing and bringing a heady dose of joy wherever you are. Shawl Collar Shirt £246.05, marrakshilife.com.⁠

When it comes to beauty, we want the brands that deliver results – but we’re also more aware than ever at Calendar that what we choose to put on our skin needs to work for the planet, too; Tata Harper does both, beautifully. Having earned the deservedly apt nickname ‘Queen of Green’ with her less-is-more approach, Tata Harper’s philosophy underpins a brand that uses botanicals over synthetics and highly concentrated natural ingredients to deliver maximum results. We particularly love this glow-restoring Resurfacing Serum, £77 (30ml) tataharper.com, which contains a cocktail of alpha and beta hydroxy acids to perk up dull, tired-looking skin, readying us for re-entry to the post-lockdown world.

Drum roll please…Greece gets its first ever totally vegan hotel opening this summer in Ano Mera village in the peaceful, rural centre of fashionable Mykonos. We’re loving the look of Koukoumi’s 14 suites with the stylish use of textures and colour against traditional white walls. Set in two storeys around a central pool, they are bedecked with sustainable natural materials, with solar-powered heating and coco-mat mattresses. The small spa has vegan beauty products – in recyclable packaging, of course – and outside, the magnesium pool is said to help everything from anxiety to eczema and even make for a silkier swimming experience. Chef Angeliki Charami works her magic in the kitchen with a Greek-inspired all-vegan menu – think lots of raw food, grains, seeds, salads and vegan burgers. You don’t have to be vegan to go there but you might just come back as one.

Suites from £218 including breakfast; koukoumihotel.com

To offset flights to Mykonos, see itmustbenow.com, which is B Corp certified (i.e. the gold standard) 

Sue Ward Davies. Calendar Travel

Happy Mother’s Day from Calendar. We’re thinking about all the different ways mothers make the world a better place, and feeling inspired by this beautiful image from one of our favourite photographers – the great Harold Feinstein. ⁠

A Chanel bag will never go out of style. And while we think investing in a new bag from the storied French house will always be a good investment, we also love this one found on HEWI (that’s short for Hardly Ever Worn It). Founded by Sharon Wolter-Ferguson in 2012, the London-based luxury fashion consignment platform offers a treasure trove of pre-loved items from an impressive roster of brands including Gucci, Hermès and Prada, with an emphasis on quality and provenance – meaning you can shop with confidence knowing your purchase will hold its worth and resale value. And this Chanel bag might ‘hardly ever have been worn’ by its previous owner, but its classic design and cross-body style mean we’d be embracing the opportunity to show off our circular-fashion credentials any chance we get.

£1650, Hardlyeverwornit.com

After months spent mainly indoors and with hair salons closed until April 12th, our idea of a ‘good hair’ day has reached a new low that consists of looking vaguely presentable on Zoom calls (quick comb through the front; no one will see the back…). So, it’s no wonder our hair feels like it could do with some love. Enter: hair oil – the best way to get your hair and scalp back to health in advance of that longed-for spring cut and summer of freedom. The Calendar Magazine’s roster of hair oils we rate deliver good results and come with a sustainable beauty ethos embedded. A note of caution: avoid silicone-based formulations as this synthetic ingredient builds up on hair, creating more problems than it solves.⁠

Here’s some hair oil know-how from A-list hairdresser Kevin Ryan:⁠

“The oil that’s naturally produced by your scalp is best for hair, but it would take weeks of not washing and brushing to move this along each strand to the needier, dry ends. Because most people wash their hair frequently, this doesn’t happen – and that’s where hair oil comes in. Like food, the more natural and organic it is, the more beneficial for your hair. Naturally curly and/or thick hair will especially benefit, as it can absorb a lot of oil without becoming limp. Hair oil can also reduce the need for other styling products as the hair will retain enough moisture and gain definition without needing products to mask its poor condition (it also helps protect against heat-styling damage). Fine and straight hair can also benefit from hair oil but should require much less. To avoid overload, start with the tiniest amount of oil (you can add more later if needed) and focus application on the mid-lengths to ends of the hair, avoiding the roots and underneath layers that are naturally oilier and less damaged.”⁠

Photo @janwelters_official

Richard Malone’s clothes have to be seen to be believed. A trained sculptor as well as a Central Saint Martins graduate, Malone creates and cuts colourful shapes that are so intricate and extraordinary, you can only truly appreciate them from every angle. This is high-fashion bordering on art, as far removed from easy-to-digest mass-production as you can get. Each piece that leaves his London studio is numbered and many of his creations are one-offs; bespoke, intimate pieces built for, and with, the smart, considered customers who commission and inspire him. So, it makes sense that Malone puts just as much thought and care into choosing the materials and dyes that his clothes are made from. ⁠⁠

Malone has been a sustainability flag-bearer ever since he started his label in 2014, with the idea of modernising the way fashion was created and consumed. For him, that doesn’t just mean using innovative fabrics made from marine debris or recycled leather and wasting nothing, but genuinely supporting the people and communities he works with, too. Growing up in Wexford, Ireland, he watched the local linen and weaving industry collapse, so he’s passionate about employing highly skilled artisans with a fair wage and preserving ancient crafts and techniques, currently working with collectives in Tamil Nadu, southern India.⁠⁠

“As a young designer, the pressure to create a product that you can sell hundreds of thousands of is crazy and that’s something I’ve been trying to turn on its head since I started,” says Malone. “It’s really important to make things that are endearing to the women that buy them, but I have a problem with the idea that fashion can only be engaged with when it’s consumed. Sometimes you have to make something that’s so abstract and so new and experimental that people are inspired by it.”⁠⁠

Artwork @siduations

Cultivating a more sustainable mindset when it comes to fashion can take many forms. Investing in things underlined with forever values, for example, is a way you can still engage with fashion in a more considered way. Rather than feeling you need to jump on the latest trend, it’s about finding those special pieces that will be cherished and worn for years to come and passed down to future generations. Simone Rocha is one such designer whose work is woven through with these values – beautiful pieces designed to be loved and worn for decades, not seasons. We love this cream and gold brocade beaded bustier patchwork dress from the designer’s SS21 collection, but whatever you choose to invest in, it’s guaranteed to become an heirloom piece in your wardrobe.⁠

We love the idea of buying vintage at Calendar, especially when it’s curated with a thoroughly modern take. If your taste runs more to minimalist than maximalist, then Retold Vintage is the place for you. Founded by Clare Lewis, who previously worked for Topshop, her understated aesthetic and elevated taste puts a whole new spin on the idea of vintage fashion. The online platform offers a tightly edited selection of key pieces at accessible prices that can be seamlessly incorporated into your existing wardrobe. Note that new arrivals don’t stay around for long – with very good reason – so be sure to check in regularly for newly listed items.⁠⁠

We’re all longing for the time when we can host events and entertain at home again, and after a year of not being able to show off our table-decorating skills, we’ll be upping our game – not least because of all the inspiring ‘tablescaping’ we’ve been noticing on IG of late. The idea of applying the sharing-economy philosophy to our at-home soirées is also something we love the idea of at Calendar. Luckily for us, Maison Margaux does exactly that. Everything in the luxury tableware company’s beautifully curated store – from china to glassware through to placemats and cutlery – is available to rent, as well as to buy. What’s not to love?⁠

Our artist to watch this month is Zahra Holm, a contemporary painter originally from Sweden and Tunisia, currently living and working from Paris.⁠⁠

We asked our Design Director, Lisa Rahman, to share some words on her favorite pieces by the artist: ⁠⁠

“I love the freeing, celebratory nature of Zahra’s work: the abstract shapes and curves in her paintings, inspired by the beauty and strength of the female form, while the rich orange tones fill me with a joyful memory of days blanketed in warm sunshine. With spring officially starting this weekend, looking at Zahra’s work leaves me feeling beams of warmth and blanketed in hope for new, brighter days with all the outdoor exploration that will follow…” ⁠⁠

We love Studio One Eighty Nine, a fashion and lifestyle brand with a true commitment to both sustainability and social enterprise. Co-founded by Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah and made and produced in Accra, Ghana, the brand works with artisanal communities specialising in traditional craftsmanship and techniques. The brand also supports a variety of community-led projects in both Africa and the US. The aesthetic is one of joyful prints, bold shapes and pieces with both a sense of heritage and a fashion-forward design sensibility. This skirt – $625, studiooneeightynine.com – is one of our favourites, but there are so many to choose from. All beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces imbued with a sense of purpose and joy. Fashion the future in motion.⁠

Pragmatic dressing is something we’re thinking about a lot right now at Calendar; interchangeable items that work for our multifaceted lives and that have sustainable principles at their core. Outerwear brand Marfa Stance ticks all of those boxes in style with its concept of buildable pieces that you can adapt, reverse and layer, resulting in seasonless, timeless wardrobe solutions. Perfect for changing time zones, seasons and moods, and made with responsibly sourced and recycled fabrics from Italy and Japan, these are pieces to buy and wear forever. We’re particularly taken with this pale pink and khaki number, but it’s all about making it wholly your own – and fashioning the future one piece at a time. The Reversible Cropped Quilt in Pale Pink and Sage, £595, is available for pre-order. marfastance.com. ⁠

We’re thrilled to have model, mother and presenter Jade Parfitt as Calendar’s ‘Love Forever’ March guest – a series where each guest showcases a piece from their wardrobe that they love and will have forever. It’s all about clothes with stories and showing how, by wearing things on repeat, they become part of the fabric of your life journey and identity. What pieces do you have in your wardrobe that you will love forever? We’d love to hear your wardrobe stories.⁠⁠

Jade is wearing pieces by Ann Demeulemeester – a designer and brand we love at The Calendar Magazine. In⁠⁠ Jade’s words:⁠⁠

“Working with Ann Demeulemeester was always so special. These pieces that Ann gave me over the years are some I treasure the most in my wardrobe; they are over 20 years old, yet still as wearable and cool now as they were then – a sign of truly great design.”⁠⁠

We very much subscribe to the notion of forever buys at Calendar, particularly when it comes to handbags. It’s the idea that you’re investing in something for years to come, that won’t feel out of fashion after a few seasons and also feels versatile enough to work with everything in your wardrobe. And we think the Loewe ‘Hammock’ bag more than delivers on all fronts. Underscored with all the artisanal values and heritage legacy the Spanish luxury the brand is known for (it has been awarded the coveted blue butterfly stamp of approval by Positive Luxury) and the genius of Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, this bag manages to feel both fashion-forward and functional – an instant classic you’ll love and wear for years to come. The smaller size is actually roomy enough to house all your everyday essentials or you can upsize to the larger version for maximum storage requirements. Whichever one you choose, you can rest easy knowing this really is ‘a bag for life’. 

Small Hammock bag in classic calfskin, Sand, £1850, loewe.com

While we’re all about taking a more sustainable approach to how we dress and what we buy at Calendar, that doesn’t mean it can’t be all-out glam pieces that will transcend the everyday and get you in the party mood – and Germanier is the perfect go-to brand for both. Launched in 2018 by Central Saint Martins graduate Kevin Germanier and part of Matches Fashion’s Innovators programme, the label is underscored with conscious credentials – using upcycled fabrics and materials – and informed by a futuristic design aesthetic, resulting in one-off pieces that are perfect for all ‘out-out’ occasions to infinity and beyond.

Founded in lockdown by French-born designer Léa Zana, there is so much to love in the sustainable tableware brand Vaisselle (the French word for dishes). Dreamt up in her London-based studio and handmade in Andalucia in southern Spain using traditional techniques and craftsmanship – all with a colourful French twist.  Perfect for a seronintin boost to your at-home set-up. Head to vaisselleboutique.com or Liberty London to explore the wonderful world of Vaisselle.

Artwork @gus_and_stella

Leaping into Sunday. Today we’re fully embracing the springtime mood at Calendar and feeling inspired by the beautiful work of Alain LaBoile.⁠

Another Tomorrow is a brand we at Calendar love for many reasons. Founded by former banker Vanessa Barboni Hallik and with Jane Chung – DKNY’s other founding designer – also at the helm, it’s underscored with an impressive sustainability mission, particularly around supply chains and animal welfare. Oh, and the clothes are beautiful too – perfectly curated, classic pieces to be added to your existing wardrobe and worn season after season. The soft power tailoring and a quiet-luxury aesthetic mean these pieces will carry you through from meetings to cocktails to weekend downtime with ease and grace. Available at anothertomorow.com and matchesfashion.⁠com

We’re all about finding the perfect boots at Calendar – who isn’t, right? A pair that will elevate your everyday look and make you feel like your best self whenever you pull them on. And when they’re from a vegan footwear brand and look as good as these do, we’re sold. New York-based label AERA combines sustainable values and practices with luxury credentials; its pieces are handmade in Italy and designed with a refined, modern-minimalist aesthetic, resulting in a collection of styles from flat pumps to slides to, yes, the perfect boots. They’ve also been awarded the Positive Luxury butterfly mark stamp of approval. Style and substance – count us in. ⁠⁠

Thank you for being part of our March journey. We hope you’ve enjoyed our first issue of The Calendar Magazine and we can’t wait to share more in our upcoming April line-up. In the meantime we’re signing off with these inspiring words.