02 - Diversity, Controversy & Transparency in Fashion with Sophie Slater @ Birdsong London

My second guest on The Fashion Feed podcast is Sophie Slater of the eco - fashion brand Birdsong London.  Sophie started the brand with Sarah in 2014 as they were inspired by the great skill and creativity in women’s community groups but frustrated by their financial insecurity in the context of budget cuts and rising rents. With the fashion industry addicted to Photoshop, and wholesale exploitation of millions of female garment workers worldwide, an ethical fashion brand championing women from worker to wearer was born.  With Designer & Head of Production Susanna on board, the team is on a renewed mission to create beautiful, sustainable clothes that empower the wearer, the worker, and the community that binds us together. Starting with just a couple of grants in the bank, and the experience of the Year Here programme for social entrepreneurs, Birdsong has to date channelled tens of thousands into women’s organisations in London, whether funding retirement home improvements in Enfield, or sewing classes in Bow. We met in their eclectic office off a quiet side street in Euston & in this episode we cover :   Diversity, transparency & controversy within fashion Getting nerdy about ethical sourcing in London Building a company around your own personal values & beliefs Starting from a point of feminism & how that shaped the brand Charity projects that the brand has supported since 2014 Poverty & exploitation in the UK manufacturing industry   Sophie gives some epic advice in this episode and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! :)   Are you ready to discover what it takes to become a 6-figure fashion brand?  Or maybe you're already there & looking for ways to improve! I have a really fun quiz for you to try out today!  It's just 21 questions that will determine a score from 0-100 and you'll automatically receive a personalised audit of how your business is doing. As a fashion brand owner, it can be challenging (to say the least!) to stand out in a crowded market and drive consistent sales. However, with the right marketing, product development, sales channels and pricing strategy, you can take your fashion brand to the next level! In under 2 minutes, ask yourself these carefully selected set of questions to determine if your fashion brand is on the path to success.   For example … *Do you regularly update your website and analyse your competitors' pricing?  *Do you frequently update your website's content and product offerings to keep customers engaged? *Does your fashion brand have a content marketing strategy?  Take the quiz to unlock the secrets of a 6 figure fashion brand and see how you compare. Once completed, you'll receive an e-mail with a fully personalised audit on how you can scale with success - it's honestly so cool, you have to try it to see for yourself…   Links   Birdsong London https://birdsong.london   Everybody.World https://everybody.world   American Apparel owner - sexual harassment article https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/10/american-apparel-dov-charney-sexual-harassment   Year Here https://yearhere.org   Is sustainable fashion strictly for the wealthy? https://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/blog/is-sustainable-fashion-strictly-for-the-wealthy   Hiut Denim https://hiutdenim.co.uk   Birdsong Brexit Campaign http://birdsong.london/still-european/   XXY Magazine http://www.xxymagazine.com/