Exclusive interview: Katharine Hamnett chats to Greenmystyle

As far as ethical fashion icons go, you can’t get more legendary than the one and only Katharine Hamnett. The ethical clothing innovator is not only revered for her impressive political activism but is hugely admired for her outstanding designs and unique contribution to the fashion industry over three, often politically tumultuous, decades.

The living legend took time out to chat to us about her dreams, projects and the gorgeous Obamas.

Maria Kaski: Hi Katharine, thanks for scheduling Greenmystyle.com into your massively busy diary. First things first, what would you say are the greatest challenges facing a designer who’s seeking to be ethical?

Katharine Hamnett: I’d say that the biggest obstacle is the manufacturing and getting the companies to do it ethically. You can design everything easily but if the manufacturer doesn’t see the point in it [adopting ethical processes] then it won’t get done. It’s important to get the company behind you.

MK: What eco credentials can your ranges currently lay claim to?

KH: We use certified organic cotton and factories which are all way above the ETI base code. It’s important to have traceability so that the consumer knows where the clothes have come from, and for me it’s vital to know that I’m following sustainable principles every step of the way.

MK: You extend the notion of ethical fashion to include political activism on issues you feel strongly about. Can you share with us the rationale for using fashion as a platform?

KH: It’s all part and parcel of the same thing really. Fashion is the reason farmers are starving, but that is because of poor political regulations. You know, every year 20,000 people are dying because of pesticide poisoning.

By 1989 I’d got bored with the success I’d had in the Eighties, so I started doing some research into the fashion industry and realised that it was responsible for a living environmental nightmare. Millions of people in the garment sector were living in conditions of slavery because of terrible political control.

Fashion is what I know, and I wanted to change the industry from within. I think that things have improved hugely since I started working. Organic cotton production has increased and more importantly, consumers have gone from ignorance to awareness and concern.

MK: You are widely regarded as an inspiration for the sustainable fashion industry. Regarding ethical fashion, have you achieved what you set out to do, or do you feel you have more work?

KH: Well, at the beginning I didn’t give a damn, I just wanted to design and didn’t care about the consequences of fashion. But like I said, in 1989 I realised we were seriously doing some harm and although I tried to change the industry from within, it was impossible. It was only after 2003 that I realised that it was all in the consumers’ hands. Even if the fashion industry or politicians didn’t care, consumers had the choice of whether to buy or not. So it was from this point on that I decided to target consumer awareness of the reality of the problems within the fashion industry.

I realised back in 2003 that the solution was organic cotton. Initially I tried to drive demand for organic cotton clothing and help conventional cotton farmers trade their way out of poverty, and although the area has grown after lots of campaigning and active involvement, I would like to see even bigger growth. Ideally all farming would be organic, but it’s all down to the consumer and the demands they make.

MK: Some might say that the very notion of trends in fashion is an un-ethical concept because it leads to disposable fashion. What would you say to that?

KH: Fashion has always existed and always will, it’s like a primal activity and the reality is that many clothes aren’t thrown away, they’re given to charity shops.

Cotton is actually a plant so it takes away CO2 from the environment, so although it may not be totally ethical at least there is demand for something that’s grown. Forced labour is obviously bad though and that can come with cotton farming.

MK: Do you work with any charities?

KH: Oh – I work with loads. Pesticide Action Network, Amnesty International, Environmental Justice Foundation, Stop The War, Designers Against Aids, Friends of the Earth.

MK: Are you working on any interesting new projects that you can share with us?

KH: I’m setting up a project in Mali to help farmers go organic and biodynamic, which is even better than organic because it improves their own soil conditions given that it’s based on crop rotations.

Because of the credit crunch cotton demand has decreased and those farmers that made their living that way are now starving. We’re hoping to introduce food crops to rotate with the cotton.

I first went to Mali with Oxfam in 2003 and went into the farming villages where I saw massive devastation. I was so distraught to see their poverty and starvation that I knew I wanted to work there at some point.

MK: How can we encourage more people to choose to wear ethical fashion?

KH: We have to remember that it’s fashion first. That’s why sites like Greenmystyle.com and small eco boutiques are great because they realise the importance of putting the design and quality before the ethical aspect. It’s important to see ethical stores holding their own.

MK: Who would you most like to dress and why?

KH: I would love to dress Michelle Obama, and Barack Obama – he’s gorgeous, though of course he’s married, but she’s lovely too. And I’d love to dress the kids as well.

MK: What ethical brands or designers do you most admire?

KH: Anyone who’s trying. If they’re mainstream that’s great because they use up so much cotton so it would increase organic cotton demand. But young designers who are working in the area are also fantastic. I particularly love Izzy Lane and From Somewhere.

MK: Thanks Katharine. It’s been a pleasure talking to you.

KH: Thank you.