Welcome to our October issue of Calendar. With the autumn season now in full swing, we’re fully embracing the cooler weather mood; from the best ‘sweater weather’ buys with conscious credentials to the brands we’re loving right now, including our new favourite vegan sneakers and a quirkily cool knitwear brand with a rock and roll twist. @evjsells has exclusive interviews with the designers reinventing the world of denim with their upcycled creations, along with more fashion trailblazers we can’t wait to share with you. On the beauty front, @annasolowij walks you through the best eco-friendly makeup brushes and shines a light on two of her favourite responsible beauty brands. Plus, from the perfect Scottish hideaway to the ultimate Italian eco-resort, @swdtravels brings you the best places to put on your travel wish list now. We take a look at the new way to shop vintage (spoiler: it’s a subscription service) and an app that promises to make your ‘what to wear with what’ dilemmas a thing of the past. From celebrating the return of Frieze London to the opening of the Waste Age exhibition at the Design Museum, October’s shaping up to be a fun filled month indeed. Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who’s signed up to our website already. If you haven’t yet, head to our link in bio now! We’re busy finessing the final details and we can’t wait to reveal very soon. In the meantime, we wish you a wonderful month ahead. Don’t forget to be in the now.

Mandali Retreat, Northern Italy
From dance festivals to downward dogs – the EDM supremos now taking charge of your chakras

You wouldn’t expect the men behind the world’s largest EDM festival, to be the creators of this peaceful, almost tech-free, mountainside retreat but after years in the dance music business, Wouter Tavecchio and Wildrik Timmerman, want to get people into a different kind of headspace. They founded the non-profit Mandali Retreat an hour north of Milan – handy for post-fashion-week burnout. Set high above the pretty lakeside town of Quarna Sopra, the eagle’s-eye views of beautiful Lago D’Orta and the distant snow-peaked Swiss Alps are worth the trip alone.

Mandali’s design, with the Body Care Centre (pool, sauna, hammam), sleeping quarters and dining room spread over several buildings, is based on a medieval Italian village but with an Eastern spiritual-sanctuary vibe. Bedrooms are simple but stylish and serene, with lots of earthy natural textures and en-suite bathrooms (not always a given in retreats).

Sustainability is one of Mandali’s core values: built of local stone, tiles and reclaimed wood, everything is reused and recycled, and they strive to be as low impact and close to zero waste as possible. Heating is from solar panels or woodchip burners, with surplus power diverted to the local community, and the vegetarian (and alcohol -free) menu is sourced locally and organically.

You can book a dorm (same households only, while covid lurks), splash out on a lakeview room with a bathtub on the terrace, or four can share one of the two apartments.

They specialise in three – five day retreats, which include yoga, meditation, qigong and personal growth workshops, encouraging you to ditch your devices (there is wifi in the library if you are desperate) and switch off from the outside world.

Rooms from £320pp, full board, inc all classes and access to the body care centre. Mandali.org,
Book trains to Milan with raileurope.com
Sue Ward Davies, Calendar Travel

While 2D art can certainly elevate plain walls and forgotten corners, there’s something about dense-textured wall hangings that take things to a whole new level – especially when they’re made from tactile lambswool. Founded in 2014 by Alice Liptrot and Ben Taylor, Country of Origin is a knitwear trailblazer. Known for their unique colour-blocked sweaters, the pair have now channeled their combined creative energy into a bold homeware collection, primarily focusing on a series of bright tufted rectangles of eye-catching primary colours. Made in-house at the Country of Origin factory in Leicestershire, each one is a mini work of art that makes traditional paper-and-frame works pale in comparison. Rug-like in form, but way too special to be laid on the floor, these modern, Matisse-esque rectangles will add a cheering colorburst to every room. HB.
Available from countryoforigin.co.uk

The antithesis of the ‘take, make, waste’ consumer goods model, new face and body care brand Loopeco, as its name implies, is committed to a closed-loop economy where everything is shared, repaired, reused or recycled. The ‘eco’ part of the name references a planet-first approach: water-saving packaging manufacture; a carbon-offset programme featuring tree planting via Carbon Footprint Ltd and philanthropic engagement to promote development within Ugandan communities. Immediately evident are the wildflower seed-embedded boxes that can be planted or composted and the plant-rich formulations to nourish and protect skin.

Sibling founders Charlotte and James are well-placed to deliver on ethics and aesthetics: Charlotte’s background is holistic medicine and homeopathy, while James is a designer – though both have added to their skills having trained in cosmetic science.

We’re fanning over Loopeco’s Detox Face Mask|333, 100ml, £39.99 – rich in vegan ingredients that are good for the skin including moisture-retaining chia seeds, kelp and potato starch for smoothness, antioxidant matcha, plus kaolin to absorb excess oil. The powder mask comes waterless: simply add a teaspoon to a small amount of warm water, mix, apply and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing off.

Nude Moisturiser|111, 50ml, £28.99, had us at ‘hello’ with its gentle, organic formula suitable for sensitive skin, thanks to anti-inflammatory apricot and shea butter, hydrating aloe and antioxidant vitamin E. We love the aluminium tube and re-usable aluminium cap (don’t forget to keep it and just order a replacement tube).

We can’t resist a magic wand and Salubrious Serum|555 45ml, £47.99, comes with its own stainless steel applicator wand. Just dip into the apothecary bottle and apply the superfood serum, rich in brightening kojic acid, antioxidant vitamin C, skin-tone balancing licorice and nourishing turmeric.
Loopeco.com
Anna-Marie Solowij, Calendar Beauty

With the return of chilly mornings and Big Coat Energy comes the resurrection of our winter knits. And after months of lightweight fabrics, we’re welcoming the opportunity to swaddle ourselves in cosy autumnal styles. Our keep-forever knitwear philosophy? While bright colours and vibrant prints can provide a one-off joyful boost, classic styles promise to be far more long-lasting. Think: good quality, well-designed and in a perfectly subtle shade you can pair with everything in your wardrobe.

In this lineup, you’ll find our Calendar edit of classic sweaters, all made with the principles of slow fashion in mind. From V-neck styles made from carbon-negative, New Zealand-farmed wool to hand-knitted wardrobe staples from UK-based indie brands, each is a vintage-gem-to-be you’ll want to wear on repeat. HB
Image courtesy of @janwelters_official

In 2013, vintage devotee Jamie Mazur pitched his friend Sean Barron an idea: what if you could take pairs of vintage Levi’s and tailor them to fit women on a large scale, offering up incredible jeans that cut out the need to rummage through piles of denim and track down a good tailor. “I said this is a great idea but it’s not possible at all,” says Barron, a fashion industry veteran who previously founded brands including Joie. The pair spent nine months trying, and failing, to nail the perfect fit before finally cracking the code. And eight years later, Re/Done has evolved from a side-project into a much-loved global brand that has repurposed more than 100,000 pairs of jeans to date, as well as launching its own denim shapes, each inspired by a deep-dive into a different decade.

Although the Los Angeles-based label was built around upcycling from the get-go, sustainability wasn’t something that was initially a consideration; the focus, instead, was on scarcity, exclusivity and storytelling, and on partnering with American heritage brands, elevating their clothes to truly desirable, luxury status. But it became apparent within months that their reusing ethos was something that really connected with their customers and they took the decision to make responsible choices across every element of the business going forward.

This month marks the next step in that journey. Along with 50 other brands, Re/Done has joined The Jeans Redesign, the Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s project to champion circularity within the fashion industry. With that in mind, it’s working with Denim Village in Turkey to create its most responsible denim to date, ensuring that their jeans will be long-lasting, biodegradable under the right conditions and made from 100% organic cotton. “Anybody who’s really involved in this kind of stuff knows we can’t tell you we’re 100% sustainable, it’s impossible,” says Barron. “But I can tell you that we put our best efforts into everything that we launch and we’re always learning, evolving and developing.”
Emma Sells, Calendar Fashion

As a designer and luxury pioneer, Stella McCartney has always placed sustainable practises and innovation at the heart of her brand. So, in a way, it’s no surprise that her SS22 show in Paris this week saw McCartney become the first designer ever to send a mushroom leather bag down the catwalk. The Frayme Mylo™, created in partnership with Bolt Threads, is made from mycelium, a fungi-based regenerative material, rather than industry standard plastic-based alternatives. The result? A butter-soft and ever-luxurious finish with minimal environmental impact. Better still, it has all the hallmarks of a future icon that channels McCartney’s recognisable sporty luxe aesthetic. When a bag looks good and does good, it’s a win-win on all accounts. HB

Following a one-year hiatus, Frieze is returning to London in all its art-celebrating splendour. Taking up residence in its usual home of Regent’s Park, the weekend-long festival of creativity is set to be more magical than ever. Split between its in-person presence and a new digital platform, Frieze Viewing Room, this year’s event is dedicated to elevating new voices – and will spotlight a new generation of artists and curators across the board. Excitingly, this year’s fair also sees the introduction of Editions – a new space offering a carefully curated selection of prints and artist multiples, all in an effort to open up the world art collection. Running 13–17 October, expect immersive live performance, thought-provoking works and inspiration aplenty – including the Matches Fashion partnership with Frieze, featuring sculptures by floral artist Wagner alongside video, stills and mannequins celebrating the collaborative worlds of art and fashion. See you there! HB

When Cassie Holland began making bold, typographic jumpers for herself and her friends in 2016, she had no idea that a buzzy knitwear brand was just around the corner. Emblazoned with the names of her favourite bands, it’s no surprise that her colourful designs caught the eyes of fashion insiders. Now, Hades Wool is one of the most prized cult knitwear labels around. Holland hasn’t let go of her original plan to make band T-shirts into chic bold knits. In fact, her recently launched David Bowie-themed capsule is proof of her dedication to her original vision. Nevertheless, she’s added to the collection with initial designs, updated classic cardigans and wear-forever scarves made at a family-run factory in Hawick, all underpinned with a slow-fashion ethos. Searching for cool-yet-classic knitwear you’ll cherish for years? Look no further. HB.

Like fur coats, makeup brushes made from animal hair combings are passé. Now, faux is the way to go with synthetic bristles proving to be artistically and technically worthy alternatives.

Aveda Flax Sticks ™ brush sets are eco-responsible made with flax (the linen plant) handles and non-animal fibre bristles. From £50 for a set of 3, aveda.co.uk

Westman Atelier: “MUA Gucci Westman is known for her superb skin finishing. Her brushes are by the most prestigious Japanese maker, with sustainably grown birch handles and nylon, cruelty-free bristles.” From £35, Libertylondon. com

Zara’s ultra minimal collection of six brushes, designed by MUA supremo Di Kendal @diane.kendal come with super soft nylon bristles. From £5.99, Zara.com

Illamasqua From £16.50, Illamasqua.com. A professional range of 17 brushes made from vegan materials.

Hourglass brushes are made from PETA-approved ultra-soft Taklon synthetic bristles. The company donates 1% of all profits to NonhumanRights Project, the only civil rights organisation for animals. From £30, HourglassCosmetics.co.uk

The Body Shop. Cruelty-free, nylon bristles with bamboo and aluminium handles. From £8, TheBodyShop.com

Real Techniques. Vegan and cruelty-free synthetic manufacture across a range of 45 brushes plus kits. From £5.99, Lookfantastic.com.

Anna-Marie Solowij, Calendar Beauty

A small change can simply mean taking the time to develop your own personal style and discovering how finding that really can transform how you shop.

“It’s so important to learn about who you want to be when it comes to your own clothes, to find strength in your own self and build a core wardrobe around who you are and what you want to portray rather than trying to tackle every trend that’s going.” – Amy Powney, Mother of Pearl