INTERVIEW: SUSTAINABLE FASHION AS SEEN BY @ALIASLOUISEBLOG
We met Louise on social networks and we're really delighted to count Louise among the friends of the Rive Claire brand. Louise created her blog on sustainable, ethical and ecological fashion in 2014. We asked her a few questions about her vision and values.
1. 1. Dear Louise, could you introduce yourself in a few lines so that our readers can get to know you better?
An osteopath from Lille, I've also been a blogger specializing in eco-responsible fashion and "green" lifestyle since 2014! You can find my tips for more sustainable style on my blog aliaslouise.com and on my instagram account @aliaslouiseblog ❤
2. 2. When and why did you launch a responsible fashion blog and Instagram account?
I've always been a big fan of blogs of all kinds! When I was younger, I spent a good part of my free time on the fashion blogs of Garance Doré, Pandora or even The Cherry Blossom Girl, whose style and incredible quality photos I adored.
Equally passionate about everything to do with beauty and well-being, the idea of creating my own site had been on my mind for several years; I finally decided to take the plunge in 2014 by creating Aliaslouise.com ! My blog was initially more focused on "green" nutrition (via recipes) and beauty advice, as I was then in the midst of my osteopathy studies, and the quote "a healthy mind in a healthy body" was my main leitmotif!
The "fashion" articles came little by little(all the more so as I was very shy and not very comfortable in front of a camera buddy), then it was watching the documentary The True Cost (recounting the tragedy of the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013 and highlighting the dark side of fast-fashion) that created a real electroshock and got me interested in the human and ecological impact of the textile industry.
It was while I was trying to discover ethical and eco-friendly fashion brands that I saw how few there were (we weren't talking about them at all in 2014-2015!) ; so I told myself that from now on the new aim of my blog was going to be to highlight more sustainable consumption and show that it was possible to dress eco-responsibly without sacrificing style!
3. Is it easy to find eco-responsible and ethical brands? How do you select them?
Fortunately, over the last 2-3 years, the world seems to have finally realized that there's a problem with the way we consume fashion!
And while it was very difficult to dress in an eco-responsible way when I started communicating on the subject 6 years ago, this general awareness seems to have enabled a very large number of small ethical brands to emerge.
So I'd say that today, finding eco-responsible brands is relatively easy, given that it's become "trendy", but I think you have to remain vigilant and be wary of certain brands that practice greenwashing (which consists of passing off a product as "ecological" or "ethical" when it's not really the case) ;
For my part, I have two main criteria for selecting the brands I work with and/or wear on a daily basis: the nature of the materials used (natural fabrics certified organic, recycled or upcycled...) and the manufacturing ethics (French or European manufacturing, audited garment factories, certifications).
4. What message would you like to get across to your subscribers and readers?
That it's becoming easier and easier to dress more sustainably, without losing style or emptying your wallet!
The most important thing to remember is to try to buy less, but better. In particular, I wrote two articles last year to help those who want to have a "cleaner" wardrobe but lack the budget or don't know where to start: my 5 tips for a more sustainable wardrobe, step by step, and my 4 tips for dressing eco-responsibly (and stylishly!) on a small budget.
5. What particularly appealed to you about Rive Claire? A favorite bag?
When I discovered Rive Claire, I immediately loved the high-end, hyper-quality feel of the brand's bags. As I haven't worn leather since 2015, I know how difficult it can be to find quality vegan and ethical bags with real style, and I can say that the mission is won hands down with Rive Claire!
6. How do you see the future of fashion?
So far, I'm pretty optimistic about the future of fashion! I think people's consciences are waking up more and more, and events like the successive confinements have made a lot of people want to consume differently, including from a sartorial point of view. We've got to keep it up!
