Getting to Know Kahindo

When a former high school friend of mine reached out to introduce me to a brand she works with, I jumped at the opportunity to get to know Kahindo, founder of her namesake brand, Kahindo. With beautiful bold prints inspired by her upbringing in Africa , Kahindo strives to bring an ethical source of income to the women in the communities who help make her clothes. It was an absolute pleasure to get to know the founder and her journey into conception of this successful brand. We talk about the importance of ethical fashion, as well as how she believes the sustainable movement (and the fashion industry as a whole) can be more inclusive. Check out our interview below!

All of our ODC community can get 20% off the SS20 collection by plugging in the code: ODC20OFF

1) Tell us a bit about your journey in the making of your brand, Kahindo. 

I started my brand in 2009 in Chicago as a way to express my Congolese heritage and African upbringing. I wanted to create pieces that I could easily wear to work and that could transition to night and featured traditional African prints. I was accepted into the Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy’s on State Street where I learned the business side of fashion. In 2016 I rebranded with a name change from Modahnik to Kahindo and moved to New York. As a luxury sustainable womenswear fashion brand that is ethically sourced and produced in Africa using fair trade practices, our mission is to empower women in marginalized communities by closing the gender gap, paying fair living wages and creating sustainable jobs. We are now carried at Rent the Runway and Industrie Africa.

2) Tell us a bit about your heritage and how that influences your beautiful designs.

I was born in Uganda to Congolese parents, schooled in Kenya and lived in Ethiopia and Niger before moving to the States to attend College. My Pan-African upbringing has given me a love and appreciation of different African cultures that I constantly pull inspiration from. I am especially proud of my Congolese heritage which I often reference in my designs. We have such a rich culture from music, to dance, to the green landscape of my hometown of Goma to fashion. Les Sapeurs is a movement that beautifully encompasses this. I grew up going to buy African print in the market in Goma and then to the local tailor who would make a custom fit outfit for me for a special occasion, and I have always wanted to share this experience with the world.

3) What is the production process like from when you think of what to make to how it is finally manufactured? 

Everything always starts with color, that is the essence of KAHINDO. I look at trend reports to get an idea of what colors will be in the next season. The next step is coming up with the print. We started developing prints in house, which is very exciting, as they are always unique to the brand. We love to collaborate with different artists to interpret their work into textiles. Once the fabric is selected we come up with the styles which always include our staples and a couple of new looks that our customer craves. Samples are made to perfect the fit, then manufacturing begins. For Spring Summer 2020, we sourced hand dyed fabric that was made in Kenya, and worked with female artisans in DR Congo who sewed the garments to perfection.

4) What does ‘sustainability’ mean to you and your brand and how do you strive for environmental and ethical justice within the fashion industry?

We address 3 of the United Nations Sustainable development goals, which are Gender Equity, Fair Trade and Poverty Eradication. This means focusing on the human factor. That is, we want to ensure fashion is ethical, that workers are treated fairly, that they get paid a fair living wage and work in safe working conditions. We believe that providing sustainable jobs is the key to ending poverty and that when you empower a woman, you empower a whole community. We want to make a well-made product in Africa that has a social impact. Consumers care how and where their clothes are made and we hope to deliver on that.

5) I love your latest collection, dropped this past January. Such beautiful colors! Tell us about your RefuSHE campaign and how that came about. 

I have been involved with RefuShe since 2014 when I participated in their “Project Runway” inspired fashion challenge, and won it that year. Their mission of empowering refugee girls is something that is close to my heart. I always wanted to be involved more, so when the opportunity came to collaborate with the women who work in the Artisan Collective, I had to jump on it. They hand dyed the fabric that was used in my SS20 collection, while earning some income which gives them financial freedom.

6) What was your experience on Project Runway like and what were some of the things you learned that stuck with you to this day?

Being selected to participate in Project Runway Season 12 was a dream come true, especially because I was picked from hundreds of designers.  The show gave me a huge opportunity to showcase my talent to millions of viewers across the U.S. I am proud that I was able to share my culture and heritage with such a large audience.

7) What message do you have for your followers and community about your own experiences as a Black-owned business and how you have remained so persistent in an industry that has been (and still can be) resistant to equality and change from within.  

The fashion industry has a lack of diversity, not only with models, but designers and press. Because of this I have had to work 10 times as hard as another designer to get the press coverage I deserve, or to get carried by retailers. I have also been passed over for so many opportunities because of the color of my skin. This has definitely slowed the growth of my brand, in addition to lack of access to capital and a network. However, I have been resilient and tenacious and truly believe that my brand is at the cusp of success.

8) How do you feel we can best make sustainability more inclusive?  

I feel large and small retailers need to start carrying more sustainable brands and more brands that are designed by black women. The 15% pledge is a great movement that is challenging retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to black founded companies, which is a great start.

9) What goals do you have, current or in the future, in achieving more sustainable practices as a business? 

We started with a focus on ethical production, which sometimes is overlooked when you talk about sustainability, but is just as important if not more, because in effect it is how we treat garment workers. In the future we will source more sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp and linen and incorporate recycled materials in our packaging.

10) What has been one of your biggest achievements to date? 

Being able to provide sustainable job opportunities to female artisans in my home town of Goma, DRC is one of my biggest achievements. I was able to give over 150 days of work to the women, because of Rent the Runway, where KAHINDO is currently stocked at. 

Follow Kahindo along:

Web, Instagram

Is It Sustainable?

It can be quite difficult to know if a company is truly sustainable or not. Not to mention the word ‘sustainable’ in itself can be puzzling. It can mean the company uses biodegradable materials, doesn’t use fur, reduces plastic use, produces locally, pays fair wages, zero waste practices, is conscious about the end life of their garments, and the list goes on and on. So- how do we personally vouch for companies at ODC and what can you look for when shopping to ensure you’re supporting a company that cares? Check out our suggestions below!

What ODC looks for:

We like to support companies that care, and while we list brands that may not do everything perfectly, we’re looking out for those that are transparent about their practices and ones that talk about short and long term goals for sustainability. Our red flag? When brands list they are fully sustainable, totally ‘green’, or use words like ‘eco-friendly’, ‘sustainable’, or ‘conscious’ loosely. We understand all these words are thrown around a lot, we use them too, but try and avoid supporting companies that use these words as a cover. You can usually tell whether they are being authentic or not based on the evidence they back their claims with.

Some things you can look out for when looking into a business; factory information & certifications, production practices (i.e. renewable energy use, recycling, water treatment), carbon footprint/greenhouse gas emissions, packaging & shipping, and a list of fabrics they use.

1) Factories:

with regards to factory information, it’s always helpful when a company discloses where their factories are located or what kind of values the factory has; i.e. is it family run, what certifications they have or if it’s local to where the company is based? Does the company care about where their items are shipped from to avoid high carbon emissions? Lots of times, on their ‘about us’ or ‘sustainability’ section of the website, a transparent company will have pictures of some of the factory workers or a list of ‘must-haves’ for working with that facility. For them, there’s nothing to hide.

2) Production practices:

In addition to the factory information, sometimes companies will list things they practice in their factory or office. Things like water treatment, using renewable energy to run the factory/office space, mandating recycling, using low-impact dyes and chemicals in the treatment processes or ensuring there is a way to take back customers used garments to close to loop on fabric waste. Reformation does a great job listing what specifics their factories and office spaces do. When thinking about the end life of a garment, I personally think if a business is part of the production process, they should also be held accountable for where their garments end up, (somewhere other than a landfill!). Companies like For Days figured out a way to take back all customer’s used clothes and rework the fabrics are therefore high up on my ‘favorites’ list.

3) Local vs. overseas production:

Some companies will choose to source and produce all their clothes locally. While ‘made in China’ tends to have a negative stigma attached to it, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. You can find some amazing ethically run factories abroad and help finance family run or artisanal businesses this way by providing them with orders. This can help give them exposure to the Western world too. Local production does however severely cut down on carbon emissions from shipping internationally. Check out the ‘our mission’ section of Los Angeles Apparel, they talk about their reasoning for producing locally in L.A..

4) Shipping materials:

While I don’t necessarily think using recycled/biodegradable mailers is ‘enough’ of a qualification to call yourself a sustainably-minded brand, it is nice when companies ensure everything they ship their items in are made from eco-friendly materials. My personal favorites are biodegradable mailers. No Issue is a great company to support if you’re in the production world and looking for a supplier.

5) Fabrics:

Lastly, nearly all of the companies we have on this site use some sort of sustainable materials in their fabrics. Tencel, recycled cotton, hemp or linen are some awesome options and alternatives to synthetic materials (like polyester). Generally speaking plastic is quite hard to avoid, so if it’s something they mention they’re trying to phase out, that’s great. Just check in if they’re working to meet that goal. You can write e-mails to companies under their ‘contact us’ section and say you’re a proud supporter of sustainability and love the brand but wish they would invest in more materials besides plastic. Our dollar is our vote, so let them know you want to support a company that cares about the environment! We’ve survived in the past without plastic, let’s phase it out and demand more earth-friendly materials in the garments we buy (demand will help lower costs too, in addition of course to the necessity of subsidies created by policymakers).

We hope this guide helped define what different qualities make a brand sustainable or not. As a customer, think deeply about what qualities (one or all) of the aforementioned attributes resonate best with you and support companies that share the same values. And remember, the absolute best thing we can to do be conscious of our purchasing habits is to first, reduce your purchases overall. Reuse what you already have, go shopping in your own closet and if you do need something, think before you buy to make sure it’s something you truly need to buy new. Try borrowing from a friend or hosting a clothing swap party. You can also support second hand shopping. As mentioned, reusing something that’s already been produced can easily help it stay away from another landfill. This is a powerful tool we can all incorporate into our lifestyle habits.

Lastly!

Beyond small daily actions, if you can we must vote this November! Supporting companies who are doing it right is a great start but unfortunately it goes far and beyond that. Ultimately, it needs to be a combination of our individual actions and those in power who can control what protection agencies are being funded, what eco-friendly materials get subsidized, and what sources of energy are heavily taxed. Activate yourself, rally with your friends, and demand a government in power that aligns with all your values and for the safety of our planet.. And remember, the planet will live far beyond our existence. Protecting the environment is a problem that will affect us all, rich and poor. Vote!

Bridge Builders Video Series with Britt and Anne Therese

My good friend Anne Therese and I (yes, I am the only one who calls her by her full name…) wanted to start a video series to have chill chats about sustainable living and what we can do throughout the year to invoke the most change. Whether it be small individual actions or things like changing your banks to ones that don’t support the fossil fuel industry, there are a ton of things we can all do to continue on with our sustainable journey or some ‘first steps’ you can take to join the movement! We’ll be releasing videos throughout the year, all inspired by a theme of the month, and hope you enjoy our unfiltered, easygoing chats!


November, 2019

INTRO INTO VIDEO SERIES

December, 2019

A CONSCIOUS HOLIDAY SEASON

January, 2020

COMPASSION OVERLOAD, 2020 GOALS

A Conscious Holiday Season

The holiday season is fast approaching, and while it may feel necessary to tap into your consuming habits, we have some suggestions for you to go into the end of 2019 and to start off the new decade with a different mindset this time around!

Reuse decorations

Think about what you already have when it comes to the holidays. A lot of the time, we think we need to buy more decorations each year, but make sure and check out what you already have. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see you may not need another plastic wreath or more plastic decorations to cover your tree. Think simple. Use what you have. Borrow what you need. Use things from around the home to make new decorations. Use this cold weather as a time to be creative and crafty at home.

Renting holiday outfits

The environmental impact on renting clothes versus buying the fast-fashion counterpart are not studied in detail quite yet. However, here are my inputs when it comes to ordering from sustainable companies online. We have to monitor shipping and returns, types of cleaning used after each use, packaging used and the like are done consciously as well. This article by Elle magazine sums up my concerns pretty well! I do however have hope that renting is a huge step in the right direction. It’s training customers to rethink buying for every event they have, and resorting to reusing what’s already out there, which is great! The first most wasteful part of the fashion industry is the production process. So if we can produce less and re-wear more of what we have, that’s a huge advantage. And if we can continue to increase the demand of renting, perhaps we’ll also start to consider greener options within the shipping, cleaning and packaging realms. While production is the ‘dirtiest’ in terms of harmfulness to the environment, other aspects such as energy usage, transportation, recycling, and recycling issues need to be addressed as well. Check out these rental platforms below.

Vacation Local/Take comfort in relaxation and staying put

Okay this is selfishly mostly for myself, but I tend to get overwhelmed by FOMO over the holidays, thinking I need to travel here, visit there, do that, see this. Because I have the time off, naturally, it makes sense to put the holidays to use and travel. But sometimes, it’s best to relax, stay home, visit the family, and take comfort in relaxation. I’ve been practicing this on the weekends, taking time for myself to catch up on work, catch up on silly shows on Netflix, read a book, and do it all guilt-free. I talked about this in a recent IG post on @ondutycitizen about taking comfort in staying put and not making any plans. So if you’re thinking about a last minute trip but can’t decide (guilty!) think about the alternative, staying home with friends and family, in a new light and while it is important to live in the now, perhaps you could save up and use that money for two bigger trips the following year. Plus you’ll be reducing your travel on airplanes by staying local which we all know is much better for the environment and C02 emissions. :)

Here are some cool travel trips on the Good Trade. They list a lot of cool destinations close to home (if you’re up for it), or stay put and cozy up at home with a blanket, a candle and a good book!

Carbon offsetting

Carbon offsetting is the act of purchasing carbon credits that will support companies and nonprofits that are working to cancel out C02 emissions either by sucking up the C02 (planting trees for example) or avoiding future emissions altogether by investing in clean energy technologies. There are a few arguments against offsetting, one being it doesn’t tackle the main issue of creating C02 emissions in the first place. Writer George Monbiot famously said: “Just as indulgences allowed the rich to feel better about sinful behavior without actually changing their ways, carbon offsets allow us to "buy complacency, political apathy and self-satisfaction". I personally use it not to exonerate myself, because beyond offsetting I really do try and be ‘green’ in many other aspects of my life. I use it to offset the travel I have to do for work, but I also do other things to combat climate change. With this balance, I think offsetting is okay. As long as we’re investing in other resources to tackle the climate crisis. It’s also important to make sure the company you’re investing in is legitimate. Here are a few of the top carbon offsetting companies below and this article has a great summary of the pros and cons of carbon offsetting.

Rethink gifts

Think about gifts that serve a purpose. Does the person you’re shopping for really need another Christmas card and scented candle? Or would they perhaps be more appreciative of a donation in their name? Here are some of our suggestions for ‘new age’ gifts. And if you buy something in physical form, think about how you’re going to wrap it, and get creative. We love the idea of using reusable wrapping paper, old fabric scraps, newspapers and reusing old cards by cutting out the side with writing and writing on the back of the clean side. There are a ton of ways to get creative that will not only help your wallet this holiday season but also help reduce the waste you create.

Shop smart

If you have a few things you need to buy this season, think before you buy. Think about its impact in your closet or the person you’re shopping for. Don’t buy on impulse. Imagine the piece in their home and think about the longevity of it. We often have to think about closet cleanses and spring cleans, so think about the absolute necessity of the purchase before you buy. Buying something isn’t bad per se, but shopping on an impulse may be!

Do your research before you buy.

  • On our site, we have curated a bunch of sustainable and ethical products from companies we believe in who are transparent about their business practices. Look to invest in companies who are open and honest about their production processes. For us, it’s better to invest in a company who acknowledges they’re not perfect but they’re trying to be better and who lists their goals for the near to far future.

  • Good On You rates companies based on their environmental impact. Check them out!!

Think used! Buying secondhand is one of the best things you can do. It alleviates the waste that ends up in the landfills and gives another life to clothes that are often in perfect condition. Here are some of our favorite used sites. Alternatively, you could shop at your local secondhand store. If you’re NYC based, Tokio 7 is a favorite of ours located in East Village.

Be smart about your sizes. A lot of the environmental harm from shopping online comes from returns and reorders. Make sure you measure your sizes, check out reviews to ensure you’re getting the perfect fit so you can avoid sending things back and forth.

Easy swaps

From plastic baggies for food storage to saran wrap and disposable razors, there’s an alternative for that. Here are our favorite swaps that help alleviate the plastic use in your home, and quite frankly for me personally, all of these swaps work better than the former alternative!

Visit the farmer’s market

I try and shop organic as much as is possible, but sometimes I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that even the ‘healthy’ stuff is wrapped in plastic, some which seems entirely unnecessary. One benefit of shopping at your local farmer’s market is it’s a lot easier to reduce the amount of plastic you’re purchasing. You can bring your own bags, put things straight from the crates into your reusables without having to think about wrapping anything in plastic. A lot of the time, the markets will have paper on site too if you absolutely need to wrap something up.

In addition, most of the stuff you’ll find at the market is local and in season. This helps alleviate the carbon used when food has to travel from far away. And if you think logically about it, it really doesn’t make sense to consume things that aren’t growing seasonally in your region. For thousands of years before us, hunters, gatherers and even our ancestors solely survived on what was in season at the moment. Let’s get back to basics.

If you need some more insight on why to shop local, check out this article. They sum it up quite easily.

Hosting lots? Keep your home sparkling with home made cleaners

Hosting over the holidays can require a lot of cleaning. And while it may feel necessary to break out the bleach spray that smells and feels like you’re killing all the bacteria in sight, you may want to think twice about using them as they can actually be harmful to your health. Here are a few of our favorite recipes below for your own air fresheners, bathroom and everyday cleaners using just a few household ingredients. Easy and effective! For more options, check out this article by Good On You.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this. I hope you collected some ideas to change up your approach to the holiday season. Believe me, I know a lot of this is easier said than done, but if we can take one small step at a time, have discussions about climate change and what we can all do to be better, we’ll inspire our friends followers and families to follow our lead. A lot of the imperative change we need is from the high ups, our government, our state officials, our president. So while it’s just as (if not more) important to get political, these are the small steps you can take this holiday season to positively change your sometimes unhealthy habits.

Tommy Hilfiger Taps Into Sustainability

I recently got to work with Tommy Hilfiger on their latest campaign for sustainable fashion.

The jacket I got to model is padded with 100% recycled down and the outside is made of 50% recycled polyester. I love when companies, especially bigger companies like Tommy Hilfiger, realize the positive impact they will have if they push for more sustainable solutions. They have a HUGE audience of people eager to listen, so to have that much of a reach to spread something I’m so passionate about meant the world to me, and is exactly why I model. To have a platform like I do is such a privilege and to be able to partner up with likeminded companies, that sometimes have an even larger reach, means we get to spread information on climate change to that many more people and makes me SO PROUD and thankful that there are companies out there willing to adjust their business practices for the better when it comes to sustainability. This is only the first step, but it’s a huge one and will without a doubt create a ripple effect with other companies similar to Tommy Hilfiger. Soon enough, those who aren’t mindful of their environmental impact will be OFF TREND. And the sustainable trend is here to stay!

Our Third Calm Before the Storm Event

Fashion week is an incredible time in our industry to show off your best looks, book your most exciting shows, head to the coolest parties and essentially skip all ideas of sleep. It’s what keeps our industry alive, fun an innovative but naturally with such pressure it’s hard to stay afloat. Collectively, my friend Dani and I have been modeling for over twenty years and believe us when we say we have first-hand experience of how difficult this time of the year can be, especially as a new model. That’s why we created our pre-fashion week event; Calm Before the Storm.

We want to create a community of models to lean on when the going gets tough so you can have a friend to wait at a casting with or to relax over a bottle of wine post shows. For us, what gets us through this industry and has enabled us to continue to model is how we’ve built each other up when we’re down and surrounded ourselves with likeminded girlbosses who inspire us to build side hustles and know how to brand our best selves. Because nowadays, it’s so much more than being a pretty face and we want to create a positive community, for the young new faces especially, to celebrate our friendships, accomplishments and to know we can stick together!

It’s been a beautiful evolution throughout the past year and was especially exciting to see even more new faces this time around. We’re so happy to have this event grow and it means a lot for us to have the support as well. In addition to our models, we love building up our community and showcasing our friends who are doing incredible side projects/hustles/jobs/foundations, you name it!! Our model hosts, Sinead Bovell from WAYE talks and Grace Mahary from Project Tsehigh opened up the evening with a beautiful talk on how they build their side hustles, how they found balance between that and modeling and how incredibly important it is to be active in your community and with your friends. Because as Grace mentioned, when you’re on your death bed you won’t remember what you made for this job or that show but you’ll remember all the incredible faces you met and experiences you created together. Amen!

Afterwards, our attendees got to check out the “vendors” (our amazing girlboss/guybosses who have super cool companies they run or work for). We love profiling them and showing off what they’re up to, from health coaches to trainers and eco-friendly laundromat enthusiasts. The idea is that we try to relate it to fashion week with healthy recipes for castings, best workouts for small hotel rooms or what to do if your flight gets delayed.

We also had AMAZING gift bags this year from the most amount of sponsors to date…Without this community, we wouldn't have been able to throw together such a fun night! Check out the sponsors and vendors below and scroll down for all our pictures.


Sponsors:

Sustainability was a big topic at our event today. Check out one of our favorite clothing brand’s Aday! From materials used to new-tech innovations that eliminate textile waste, this company is ahead of the curve in terms of sustainability and is a company Dani and I are both proud to say we have shot with! Tag your ADAY pics with @thisisaday, #thisisaday and enjoy $20 off your next order with their coupon.

Those beautiful oils and face masques you received are from Amberlight Beauty, a company started by Dominyka Gajauskaite. Dominyka ensures the best materials go into all of her products from rose to open your heart to chamomile for calming your senses. Find out more at @amberlightbeauty.

Our very own model mafia member Anastasija Titko gave us pamphlets on an organization that’s near and dear to her heart, The Isha Institute of Inner-Sciences. The foundation offers yoga and meditation programs and are always happy to host new members. A nice way to keep calm before fashion week. Check them out!

Those awesome flower pouches with the mineral eye shadows were given to us by Boho Chic Cosmetics. They are all about clean, fun beauty that is made in small batches, vegan and cruelty-free!

The CUTEST toothbrush packages were provided to you all from BOKA. They’re a mindful oral care company that stresses the importance of working with our bodies, not against them. See all their fun pics and share yours @boka!

Did we not have the coolest hosts and event space?? We have Celsious to thank for that! This eco-friendly laundromat in Williamsburg gives you the low-down on how to wash your clothes in the ‘cleanest’ (pun intended) way, all whilst being better for the environment. They also have a café you can hang out at while you wait for your load to finish, and honestly even though Dani and I both have laundry in our buildings we’ve come for a hang out at this space because it is simply so cute and so well-done! Congrats to the founders Theresa and Corinna on such a successful space!

EcoEnclose provides sustainable solutions for packaging and sent us all those beautiful recycled paper bags for your goodie bags! (Britt uses them for all her ODC shipping!) and they’re incredibly easy to work with. Check out their Instagram @ecoenclose.

For Days provided us with those awesome pouches with gift cards inside to use for their zero-waste shop that closes the loop on fashion waste. Pick a tee, wear it endlessly, return when done and you’ll receive a fresh new tee while they recycle and reuse your old one! Fashion waste problem solved!

You know that face spa Dani and I are always posting from?? That’s Glo Spa and they graciously donated us coupons for 20% off your next facial! They’re located in the financial district. Enjoy;)

Our favorite kombucha drinks were provided by Health Ade! We’re absolutely addicted! If you are too, check out more information or share your pics @healthade.

Herbivore Botanicals provided us with one of our favorite face products, their popular rose hibiscus hydrating face mist. Dani and I both love spraying our face with this product every morning to wake up and it’s the perfect thing to keep your skin hydrated on a long flight. Their products are made in U.S.A. and never tested on animals!

High Brew donated all those incredible cans of coffee that are protein-packed and will be perfect to sip on between all your crazy castings and shows. This should help keep your energy up!

INTO app helped us so much by promoting the event on their app. We were able to reach out to even more models which is what this event is all about, building our model community! For model-events and products to use that are often free or heavily discounted, check out their app which you can download here.

Jaw x Jawshop by Tim Jaw has always been one of our biggest supporters! His awesome line of locally made basics and fun socks and scrunchies, an ode to the 80s, are the perfect thing you need for brunch on the weekend with your crew. 

Joya Studio has given us awesome roll-on samples of their fragrances to keep you smelling fresh and clean during the fashion week season. Their ingredients are simple, locally-sourced and to top it off they have sustainable packaging which we’re such big fans of! They’re a personal favorite of mine to use while traveling!

Lighthouse BK is one of our absolute favorite restaurants in Brooklyn and gave us those awesome bites for us to eat at our event. They are on their way to being completely zero-waste and they don’t let that sacrifice on taste or presentation. They employ a number of organizations in their community from composting to cork recycling and the Billion Oyster Project where they donate all their used oyster shells each week.

Magic Mix Juicery offered us samples of their aloe shots. Super tasty, good for digestion, and anti-inflammatory! Have them on their own or pop them into a smoothie or glass of water. You can find those aloe shots and many more treats at their location in Financial District!

You got some awesome samples and drinks made at the event by Mr. Maks Ginbao Tea! I can personally attest to the fact that this alkalized beverage with ingredients like ginger, ginseng, honey and lemongrass are the perfect combination to thirst your quench and help calm your stomach if you have a little ache. Enjoy warm or cold. And no, there aren’t crazy amounts of added sugars to worry about. We’re huge fans!

Parcelle Wine is a curated wine shop and the first retail concept from Delicious Hospitality Group, the team behind NYC restaurants Charlie Bird, Pasquale Jones, and Legacy Records. Parcelle’s offerings reflect the best of the wine programs for which DHG’s restaurants are known. Hopefully their wine helped you relax as you headed into your fashion week shenanigans!

RYU is an incredible clothing line created for the urban athlete that moves with you. They stand for respect, and they are #BeautifulTough. Check them out @ryu_apparel and enjoy your new, sleek water bottles!

Seaweed Bath Co. provided us with awesome goodies form their detox cream and scrub to their fabulous serums. They’re one of our favorite skin/body/haircare products that are clean for the environment, nutrient-rich and performance-optimized. All seaweed in their products are sourced and certified organic from the coast of Maine!

The ladies of Shiffon Co. donated one special ring to the winner of our raffle (congrats Kaye-Li!!!). The founders are two badass entrepreneurial babes who balance finishing their degree at their Ivy league schools and managing this business. Michelle Obama, Christy Turlington and Serena Williams have been seen wearing their famous pinky promise rings that support women entrepreneurs with the sale of each ring.

Silk Philosophy gave us each a silk accessory to spice up each of our black on black fashion week uniforms. The silk accessories sell primarily as bracelets, but they could be worn as mini scarves/chokers, hair ribbons, or handbag charms. All silk bracelets are made of high quality silks in limited quantities and the patterns never repeat. 

Simply Suzette has graciously provided you all with a coupon for her site that sells eco-friendly and ethical jean brands. Denim is one of the dirtiest industries out there so this is her way of trying to help promote the companies doing it right! And I’m telling you they’re my personal favorite pair of jeans I own. And I don’t have to feel guilty about wearing them because I know they’re made with integrity and better for the environment than the traditional jean.

We got the perfect fashion week treat for your all from Snow Monkey! Now you can enjoy your fashion week cravings without the guilt attached. All Snow Monkey ice creams are plant-based, paleo, and high protein!

Tulerie gifted us with those awesome reusable straws!! Make sure and sign up for their clothes-sharing app, especially useful during your fashion week antics!! ;)

Here’s some takeaway info about the lovely vendors we had set up around the room.

Vendors:

Daniel Gottlieb was there to help us with all our sore, achy muscles. Dan is a brand ambassador for RYU and Hyperice, He has weekly workouts at Bandier's Studio B that are great for relaxing your muscles and stretching you out! We all need more of that! Check out his Instagram to learn more and DM his for more info on his classes!

Dawn Gallagher  was there to share her story about using your voice in this industry and how powerful it is to share your story. What an incredible example for all of us! She’s been there, she’s done that and she’s here to pave the way for us as change makers in this industry! She also is passionate about Drawdown, an event that is all about sustainable green living and teaching us all we need to know about drawing down carbon in our atmosphere, something incredibly important as we head into fashion week, often with a lot of travel and flying.

Dominyka Gajauskaite started her own skin care line as a result of being sick of the unfriendly products being used on her face time and time again. Stay in the know about all her products @amberlightbeauty! In addition to all her incredible samples that she gives us for each and every event, Dominyka was especially helpful in organizing this event for us. From new sponsorships to organization in general, Dominyka was a HUGE help for this event and we’re especially helpful for all she has done for us.

Grace Mahary was our top model speaker who couldn’t have given us better advice. Remember, it’s all about the experiences you make and the relationships you form, not about the superficial things in life! In addition to killing it as one of Canada’s top models, Grace started her very own foundation, Project Tsehigh which provides clean energy to impoverished communities around the world.

Our favorite relaxing facials were provided to you by Face Love! They made our event that much more special and have been collaborating with us on events for the past three years, something we’re so thankful for! Check them out in at their new flagship in the Flatiron. Dani and I will be there next week;)

Jonathan Glass from Mr. Maks was our awesome bartender for the night, creating mixed drinks using their Ginbao Teas. Healthy, low sugar, and super settling for the stomach with calming ingredients like ginger and lemon.

KW Travel  was our awesome travel agent who answered all your questions about flying, how to attain status, some awesome trip itinerary ideas for you and your girlfriends and so much more. I’m personally someone who loves to create my own itineraries but after seeing the attention to detail, I handed over all my honeymoon plans and will be working with Katherine for our upcoming trip to Italy.

You heard all about the Model Mafia from one of our members, Kaye-Li Taylor. It is our incredible social impact and activism focused group and together we take collective action and share causes we care about with each other. The group marched in the DC Climate March demanding a cleaner fashion industry and world, raised $12,000 for the Standing Rock community, and has been tackling sexual harassment in the fashion industry. If you would like are to join, please send an email and agency link to modelmafialistoversight@gmail.com and follow the tribe @modelactivist.

Shivani Persad and Samantha Bolger have their very own podcast, More Than Model Radio where they interview models about what they’re passionate about beyond modeling! If you want a chance to be interviewed, hit them up on Instagram! Listen HERE for previous episodes.

Sinead Bovell of WAYE was our incredible host this evening who interviewed Grace Mahary on how she’s balanced modeling with her side business, Project Tsehigh. For inspiration on how to create your own business and brand, check our Sinead’s side hustle, WAYE (weekly advice for the young entrepreneur) and make sure to come to one of her upcoming WAYE talks. I can’t say more than they’re on of the few events that I actually look forward to attending. She’s inspiring and a complete go-getter and will give you all the inside knowledge on tech, business and the future. Check her out!

Tulerie  was in attendance, one of the coolest new platforms of digital “shopping”. I without a doubt think this will be the way of the future; a concept that lets you lend and borrow from your friends without braking your bank or contributing to the fabric waste created by fast fashion and consumerism. And if you do want to shop, invest in that piece that will last you a lifetime and put it on the app so you can make some money off your purchase from your friends who want to borrow the piece as well! We’re all about a brand that works on closing the loop on waste.

Our event photos were taken by Ryan J. Ulsh. He’s been a dear friend to Dani and I and we’ve also collaborated a ton on test shoots together. I’ll often organize shoots with him and my agents have used A TON of our shots, many of them still in my book to this day. Follow his photography adventures on J. Ryan Ulsh or Jryanulsh.Studio

Podcasts: Listen Up!

Recently, I've had the pleasure of sharing my stories and beliefs with two very good friends on their podcasts. It's special enough to be able to talk one on one with a likeminded individual but to be able to use their platforms and spread my message to even more people was a beautiful treat! 

Anne Therese and I met just before the climate march in D.C. She is part of the "model mafia" group I'm in, a group of models that get together to discuss projects, events, and get-togethers relating to fashion health and wellness. We bonded immediately and I was more than impressed with her go-getter attitude. She told me about a sustainable agency she had just started earlier this year, Role Model Mgmt, something I thought she had started years ago as they're already quite successful. She then told me that she had only conceptualized the idea last year and had made that dream a reality within a few months. Same thing for her podcast Hey Change; a mere hobby for most that turned into a success within a few months. We chat about finding happiness in new realities and how we both (try and) cope with change! 

Anna was one of the first people I met when I moved to Tokyo in grade 7. Since then, she has trained and run marathons, has become vegan, has her own podcast Running Vegan Radio and is quite the successful instagram/blogger in the vegan-marathon-running world. I was extremely humbled she wanted to have me on her show as we chatted about the Tokyo days, what it's like to model in NYC, overall health and wellness and then how I started my own company. Since our talk, she has also been one of my biggest influencers of turning into a mostly plant-based diet. For the best inspiration check out her Instagram and blog links below!

If you have 45-1 hour to spare and would like to hear about sustainability, fashion, loving yourself, treating your body right and what it's like to start your own company, make sure and check out these podcasts below.

Anne Therese Bengtsson
Website: http://heychange.net
Social: https://www.instagram.com/annetheresebengtsson/
Podcast: http://heychange.net/episodes/014/

Anna Wildman
Website: https://runningvegannyc.com
Social: https://www.instagram.com/runningvegannyc/
Podcast: https://runningvegannyc.com/2017/08/21/48-international-model-sustainability-activist-britt-bergmeister/

Shivani Persad
Website: More Than Model Radio
Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/morethanmodelradio/britt

Ode to a White Tee

Dearest Tee,

You're the first thing I put on when I wake up in the morning and you're the last thing I cuddle up to as I snuggle up in bed to you for warmth and comfort. When I found you, I couldn't believe you were the one, I had been searching my entire life for something that fit so perfectly into my life and never knew you'd be the one. You're into sustainability, a huge passion of mine and you know how to compliment me when I need it the most. You blend in when necessary and stand out amongst others when I'm trying to make a statement. You're the perfect size, the perfect weight, the perfect softness and the perfect feel. Thank you for being you and for helping me be me. I can count on you any day to make any outfit and know you'll always be there if I'm struggling deciding what to wear.  I love you so dearly.

Love always,

Britt

Everyone needs that perfect white tee...

The No-Make Up Make Up Look, Here's How!

It took me a while to learn how to properly do my makeup, you know the kind that looks natural enough it seems like you’re not wearing any, but just enough that you can leave the house with confidence.  I don’t know about you but in high school I did my make up as if I was going out to a club, every day. After a few years of my mother pleading with me to wear less or at least blend better, in addition to getting my makeup done daily by professionals, I like to think I’ve learned enough that  I can help you achieve the off-duty make-up look.

Less is more, as I’m sure you’ve heard before. When starting with my face, if I find I need a full coverage I’ll apply a thin layer of tinted moisturizer all over. The tinted moisturizer takes away some redness but also helps keep my face hydrated so it won’t look too cakey or dry like a full foundation would.  RMS Un Cover-Up is made with coconut oil, thus hydrating the skin while providing a thin layer of coverage. Sometimes I’ll even add a little of my own moisturizer into the mix, (Pai is great and smells devine) so I can have a little extra glow. If my face is relatively clear of redness and spots, instead of adding full coverage I’ll simply add a little concealer to each spot and let the rest of my skin breath. I just tried out Nu Evolution and love their camouflage cream. It has a bit more coverage than RMS but is still hydrating and leaves the skin looking fresh and clean. 

 

After my face is taken care of, I’ll move onto my cheeks. If it’s summer I’ll add some bronzer to the high bone of my cheeks, extending all the way to my hairline, up around my brows and even the top of my forehead. I want it all to blend in and think adding a light layer all over my face ends up looking best, rather than just on my cheeks. Instead of spending hours under the sun, I recommend getting a spray-on tan or applying a light layer of bronzer if you're after that glow. It's important to put on sunscreen everyday before you add anything to your skin. You can find ones that are light enough for your face and similar to the amount of water you drink, sunscreen will help you look youthful as you age. 

 In winter I prefer using blush as I find it goes better with pale skin to have a light flushed look. RMS has a great product called "Lip 2 Cheek" where you can blend in their cream on your cheeks for a flushed look or add some to your lips for a little more color. I find it looks more natural if you end up using the same color for both. Oftentimes, make up companies use the same formulas for eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers, etc. They market it differently so you end up buying more. To save money, buy one color you love that you can use on your eyes, cheeks and lips. Click the images below for some of my favorite colors. 

I’ll then move onto my eyebrows, something I consider to be the focal point of many people’s faces when done right. I love using a brow brush and very lightly filling in the missing areas. EcoBrow has a great defining wax that is tinted and helps keep them in place because of the wax. I may extend the end of my brows a bit and then brush them out so they look full and healthy. After filling in the missing spots, I love using a toothbrush with hair spray! It holds all day and brushes them out nicely, sometimes better than a lot of eyebrow brushes. 

I tend to not do too much to the eyes. I may curl my lashes a bit and leave it at that or add a bit of mascara if I find I need some definition. 

If you literally want to shine you can add a little sparkle to your high cheek bone and high-brow area with a little shine stick. This gives you a little more glow and helps add definition to your face so your make up doesn’t look too flat. If my skin looks dehydrated, I'll use Weleda Skin Food as a highlighter. It provides the perfect amount of shine and moisture to the face. Tata Harper and Ilia also have great illuminators. Try putting them on the high of your cheekbone and extending near the hairline, the bridge of your nose, the high bone of your eyebrow right above your eyelid and right at the top of your mouth where your lip dips. 

For my lips, chapstick is my go-to. It’s the one thing I would bring with me if I was stranded on an island. To look more dressed up I’ll use one that has a little tint to it. Otherwise I’m all set with my Mongo Kiss Eco Lips that has a sheer shine to it. 

After the eyes and lips are taken care of, I may touch up some of the spots with concealer that got smudged and finish off with a little matte powder from RMS in my T-zone. Et voila! A natural off-duty model look ready for a casual outing with friends but nice enough if you happen to run into a colleague or client you don’t have to worry about your brows being out of place. 

We’re putting this stuff on our skin, our body's largest organ so why wouldn’t we consider using the best, organic ingredients? All the products I've shared with you heal and nourish our skin so we don’t have to think twice about leaving it on for too long. The key is to drink lots of water, keep your face as hydrated as possible, moisturize and exfoliate when you're at home and let your skin breath with these light products that are yes, even good enough to eat!  

By Taea Thale for Self Magazine

By Taea Thale for Self Magazine