We worked with Remake Seattle Community organizer JeLisa Marshall to showcase Namai jackets on Remake Ambassadors, and have a conversation about sustainable fashion. Over the next week we'll be publishing photo stories of the four models, Zakiya, JeLisa, Emily and Ellie.
Have you ever been so excited about a piece of clothing to only find it falling apart after one or two wears then tossed it in the trash? Well, you’re not alone. Approximately 81 pounds of clothing is thrown away each year in America. If this sounds like an alarming amount that’s because it is...
Fashion is a $3 trillion industry riddled with retailers who produce styles at such fast paces, mostly with cheap labor, to keep up with current trends. When prices are low, production is high which can lead to poor quality and major excess. Just look at Kantamanto Market in Ghana. It is full of piles upon piles of unsellable and unwanted clothes delivered from places like Asia, North America, and Europe. Though mainly secondhand, it is a result of the fact that “consumers keep clothing items about half as long as they did” nearly 20 years ago.
Thankfully, there are brands like Namai that aim to solve this problem by artfully repurposing waste. There are also non-profit organizations like Remake with boots on the ground in all corners of the world to make fashion a force for good. I have had the wonderful opportunity of working with both to amplify our shared love for people and the planet. The ripple effect of this love is called social impact – or what the Centre for Social Impact defines as “the net effect of an activity on a community and the well-being of individuals and families.” We recently joined forces to highlight the same through a photoshoot. It features ambassadors from the Remake Seattle Community styled in colorful Ishani Jackets that reflect the beauty of Golden Gardens Park.
Whenever dressing myself or anyone else, I refer to the words of the late great Andre Leon Talley: “Wearing clothes should be a personal narrative of emotion. I always respond to fashion in an emotional way.” I aim for kinship. Everything is connected. The first time I visited the park was to support a group of women in the middle of career transitions who were seeking empowerment through style. There was a similar spirit in the air this time. Clothes can and should tell a story – your story, the maker’s story, the environment’s story. I hope you feel inspired enough by the stories we are sharing to commit to choose and cherish clothes that allow you to feel just as good about your own. If you need a helping hand, do consider becoming a Remake ambassador and following brands like Namai. We are here to help you hone your style while creating an environmentally and socially safe world.
Bio: JeLisa “JL” Marshall is a conscious creator and fashion supply chain professional with 10+ years of industry experience. She owns and operates a style consultancy called The Stylist Way based upon the unceded ancestral land of the Duwamish People also known as Seattle. Her passion for fashion is fueled by a love for community and culture. She is currently studying social impact and sustainability at Glasgow Caledonian New York College and leading the Remake Seattle Community as a Community Organizer.
E-mail: contact@thestylistway.com Instagram: @thestylistway Website: www.thestylistway.com
All words by: JeLisa Marshall
Photography: Jess Garcia www.jessgarciastudio.com
Styling: JeLisa Marshall www.thestylistway.com
Model 1: Zakiya Shaw IG @chayahfashion @thechayahmovement @zakiya.nicole.unlimited
Model 2: JeLisa Marshall: @thestylistway
