What drew you to become a fashion designers?
Fashion design is a vehicle, albeit a fun vehicle, for us to deliver what we feel is much needed to counter the consumerism behavior at its peak. We want to be a part of a new philosophy of living sustainability, respecting one another and the Earth. Without a formal education in fashion design per se, we have combined our experiences of architect and community worker, photographer and international business developer, to create something new and fun in order to prove the concept that we are wasting too much and that most things which we are too quick to discard to landfill, still have lots of live in them.
We want our message to be a positive one, to reach the maximum number of people, and to accomplish what we believe we must do something - what we are passionate about - in order for our passion to inspire / infect others.
Why was it important to you to offer a sustainable, responsible, Eco fashion line and how do you incorporate ideals such a Zero Waste into your work?
Like we explained in the previous question, we started from the environment. Our concern for the environment was closely followed by our concern for people and the quality (or lack of it) of their work life and life in general. With this in mind, one of our first rules was: we will not waste ANYTHING. All the materials that donated to us (and in that way rescued from going to landfill) must be used.
We had to get very creative and think of all different designs and different products in order to follow through with this commitment. It is still a work in progress in the sense that we are collecting and keeping some types of materials that we will not use for clothing or anything that will be frequently washed due to the environmental hazards they present. However, we hope soon we will have some technological collaboration and we can then utilize them in such a way that circular design is teaching us.
Further, in a practical sense: we collect all the scraps and off-cuts and reuse them in different products. We start our design by thinking how the least should be wasted in off-cuts. We also aim to design fully circular products where at the end of their life they will come back to us (or our collaborators) and be used in another new product.
Where do your find inspiration for new work?
NoRuYeLo’s melange design style is ever inspired by Earth and humanity and influenced by architects: a gentle, localist and humanist Alvar Aalto who was “concerned with people more than power, with pleasing more than impressing” and Dame Zaha Hadid with her curved lines architecture, often described as a “dynamic freeze frame action shots”. In his London speech Alto talks about “simple, good, undecorated things, things which are in harmony with the human beings”. Zaha Hadid claimed that architecture, "must contribute to society's progress and ultimately to our individual and collective well-being."
Although dramatically different, for both doyens of 20th/ 21st century architecture, humanism and humanity are the backbone of their design philosophies. NoRuYeLo’s design and philosophy also aims to be in harmony with humanity, to contribute to individuality and ultimately to our collective well-being. While down to earth and idealistic, at times, our designs have playful traces of Frank Ghery’s “funkiness”.
What materials do you work with – organic, reclaimed, etc.?
Our materials are all reclaimed and vary between no longer wanted clothing and house wares to deadstock.
What are the biggest challenges you face as a sustainable designer?
Sustainable and ethical fashion is a new or unknown concept for most people. Therefore, first and possibly the hardest step is to explain / educate / inform people why is it an absolute necessity. To explain how damaging fast fashion is to the environment and humanity. This is why a lot of our promotional work is focused on not only our clothing, but promoting this concept as well.
How do you help customers understand the higher cost of sustainable garments when they are so inundated with sweat shop-produced cheap merchandise?
We do presentations where we invite the audience to join us with an open mind and we share what we have learned – all the horrible truths. At the same time we aim to inspire them to FALL IN LOVE with each and every item they buy and over the lifetime of that beloved item the cost will be insignificant. We invite them to have a personal style and not to follow trends. We invite them to think and feel for themselves.
At the end of the day, it is a hard process to achieve any radical change in a society, but we would rather do the hard thing than the wrong thing.
At the end of the day, it is a hard process to achieve any radical change in a society, but we would rather do the hard thing than the wrong thing.
What can we look forward to seeing on the runway at Eco Fashion Week Australia 2018?
- Versatility – in form, design and ways of wearing the same item.
- Uniqueness – not two items are the same, much like people who will be wearing them and styling them to their own taste.
- Humanity – fashion for all shapes and sizes.
How do you incorporate sustainable living in other areas of your life?
Hmmm… where do we start and how much room do you have for us to talk about this… hahaha. It has been a long-term personal journey for both of us that lead sustainable living to be the inspiration for our fashion design.
Anything else you would like readers to know?
We invite all people interested in this kind of fashion and living to contact us if they wish to:
- Volunteer – get experience and be part of by volunteering in all parts of the creative process, social media and marketing, fashion shoots and fashion shows etc.
- Collaborate – we like to connect with our tribe
- Purchase – for any sales inquiries or bespoke pieces, talk to us
- Or Donate – if you don’t have the time, but you would still like to contribute in a way of monetary, fabric or equipment donations, please know that we are a registered not-for-profit charity.
Links -
- Website - www.noruyelo.org.au
- Instagram - @noruyelo
- Facebook - www.facebook.com/noruyelo/
