The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2019 - Issue 26

bite fashion W ith a sustainable approach to urban chic, London-born knitwear designer, Valentina Karellas, lives and breathes an organic lifestyle; a philosophy that is carried into her designs. She is committed to utilising surplus stock yarn from large factories for her knitwear so there is no waste left over. After studying Fashion at the London College of Fashion, she received her Masters in Advanced Womenswear in Florence, Italy where she learned about the history of Ital- ian atelier and craftsmanship. Using the ‘Made of London’ label, her namesake brand takes a linear approach to the making process which reduces the carbon footprint as well as focusing on the quality of the final garment, making no compro- mises to the finish. Through their dedication to collect- ing every fibre that is produced in the making process, the brand’s commitment to sustainable production means that nothing is left behind. Thus any scrap yarn is turned into ac- cessories, celebrating the fibre in a new light. During the knitting and making process, each piece is careful- ly made from start to finish. “With zero waste and limited water use, knitting with surplus yarns and made to order, our fashion knits go through a conscious making process that is very rare in this era of fast fashion,” says the brand. Believing in quality over quantity Valentina Karellas strives to keep their ethos and surround themselves with other sustainably-minded, ethical brands and companies. The brand unveiled their latest Cashmere Capsule collection of ze- ro-waste, urban chic knitwear featuring neutral fluid designs. The gen- der-neutral collection surpasses gender roles and forms and is purely about colour, comfort, and quality. It features strong lines of bold colour which are softened by loose flowing fibres and an extended range of cashmere jumpers and felted merino wool jackets that are soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye. “The pieces are timeless, modern yet historic,” they added. With five different styles in the collection, these include the Rydston Cash- mere Jumper in Beige and Bright made from 100% cashmere, with multi- coloured stripes going down the body of the garment and across the sleeve. Palettes of dark and light blue, tan and light brown stripes on the Beige and red, orange, yellow, black, and blue on the Bright will certainly make you stand out, while the loose flowing fibres at the bottom of the jumpers give it a quirky but refined look. The Garrison Jumper also has stripes that go across the chest area onto the top right shoulder and across the lower left arm in maroon on the Beige and light blue on the Grey. On the collar and short-cut panel on the left-hand side of the garments are hues of orange and yellow respectively. Equipped for the winter, Balfour Jumper in Grey and Nero Navy with a polo neck design has double overlapping square decorations in lime green and dark purple, showing the ingenuity of the designer. Moving away from the jumpers, the Oswin Jacket in Grey and Nero Navy is made from 100% merino wool. The Grey jacket has panels of dark blue on the pockets and cuff with red piping and a triangle panel at the back, while on the Nero Navy they are orange with baby blue on the piping and trian- gle panel. The Fishers Trousers in Light and Dark Grey, made from 100% lambswool have orange piping on the pockets and hem. Loose-fitting, these three-quarter length trousers have an overlapping cord that ties at the waist. Within this collection, there is also Denvers Beanie, Scarf, and Mittens in Blue and Orange. Made from 100% cashmere, the Blue has a baby blue piping