Welcome to Slow Style Chronicle!
Celebrating fashion as an intricate network of relationships
This space is for sharing inspiration, creating with intention, and becoming part of a community. We’re going deeper with members of The Book of Kin, our curated guide book and online platform of independent designers and makers of all kinds, to get in touch with the stories of the people and processes behind the labels. Each newsletter will include useful tools to guide you through your journey on this material plane, from how to mend a pant seam, to how to cultivate a flourishing garden.
Four Questions with auprès
– Going Deeper with The Book of Kin Creators:
Inspired through a moment of deep loss, Ângela Monteiro started auprès in 2018. Her intention was simple: to create timeless sustainable shoes that celebrate craftsmanship, prioritising quality over quantity/variety of styles. She pours her heart, soul, and resources into this brand; and the results are both seen and felt. Auprès works in Lisbon with a local community of makers, producers and suppliers.
A perfect fit for The Book of Kin, auprès is featured in this year’s issue. This time, we’re going deeper with some questions about her process, and getting granular on what it really takes to produce a shoe.
Could you take us back to the moment when the idea for your brand first sparked?
Ângela: The idea sparked at a very delicate moment in my life. After my dad passed away, back in 2013, I went through a long period of mourning, and I felt the need for a change of scenery; an urge to create a new drive to move forward. I remember traveling to Barcelona and seeing so many young people with their brands and creations, and I felt so inspired by it. I’ve always had a special taste for shoes, and in Portugal we have a strong tradition of shoemaking, so it all started to make sense in my head, and to grow in my heart.
The Book of Kin highlights craftsmanship. What can you tell us about the artisans or craftspeople involved in creating your products? How do they contribute to the brand’s identity?
Ângela: We work with a small factory in the North of Portugal, and around six craftspeople are involved in the process of making a shoe (excluding our partners who supply all the components). Each artisan is focused on a specific task (leather cutting, sewing, etc.), and has been doing this for years, so they are highly qualified and experienced in their craft, and this is fundamental to achieving the quality we desire. It’s a laborious process, but very rewarding when we manage to create a special piece that people appreciate. After all, it’s teamwork, an open conversation between design and production, to understand how we can bring our ideas to life, what the technical possibilities and limitations are, and both parties contribute to the creative process.
On our website, we’ve documented the process of manufacturing our Félicie boot in a series of videos and you can follow the different steps in detail – it will give you some great insights.
Let’s talk about the materials you use. Can you share your philosophy on sourcing materials and how they impact the final product?
Ângela: Since our launch in 2018, we advocate for a more slow and ethical view of fashion, following a concept of seasonless collections: collections produced in small quantities, prioritizing local production, handmade manufacturing and a timeless design focused on high quality materials. But from 2021, we committed to exclusively using leathers that have an ecological certification or whose tanning method is, by nature, more sustainable, whether due to vegetable tanning, or the absence of chromium or metals in its composition. This way, we can guarantee work systems that are more respectful to people and the planet. Besides that, we make sure all of our components are made in the EU (mainly Italy, Spain and Portugal), due to proximity and stricter regulation. Our environmental care is not limited to the materials that make up the footwear but rather a mindset that guides the entire creative process – from the note cards paper to the adhesive tape used in the shipments, we try to be thoughtful on every step of the way.
We also follow a transparency policy, sharing all the details of our materials and suppliers on our website.
How would you say that you contribute to positive change through your creative practice?
Ângela: I think that trying to make things in a different way, at a slower pace, at a smaller scale, and being open, honest, and transparent in the process is a good start to contribute to this positive change. And that’s almost a radical move in our current fast-paced life. In the end, I guess that all has to do with being conscious of our choices and try to do things better, not only in fashion, but in all spheres of our lives.
More and more I believe that what makes a good life has to do with knowing how to recognize and enjoy the simple things; trying to be aware of the everyday beauty. Having a good meal, spending time with people we love, get some sunlight, walking by the sea, go out in nature… However, the concept of a good life is something quite personal, so I guess it’s important being connected with our essence, knowing what fulfills us, what our needs are, what is important for us, and try to follow a path aligned with that.
auprès / @aupres
Lisbon, Portugal
Founding Year: 2018
www.aupres-aupres.com
Call for Submissions: “One Piece, Three Ways”
The trend cycle pushes us to buy a piece, wear it once, and forget about it. Let’s craft an alternative mode of relating to clothing, shaped by intentionality, care, and creativity. We’re asking: how can one piece be re-invented over and over again, through seasons, gender expressions, moods, and energy levels?
To participate, pick a piece you love and share its story with us (email us via mail@thelissome.com), then create three different stylings of your choosing. Document each outfit with 1-3 photos, and tell us how you styled it. The focus is on slow and vintage pieces: if there is a maker/slow fashion brand you want to highlight, or a vintage archival piece, please tag them. Otherwise, let’s focus on the fabrics and story behind the piece.
Here’s an example to get you started:
A Gingham Skirt For All Seasons by Erica Kim
What: Worker’s Nobility gingham skirt
Who: Erica Allen-Kim @ahistoryofarchitecture
Where: Toronto, ON
The Piece: Worker’s Nobility is a small brand based in Muzqui, a village in Navarre, Spain. Zuriñe designs simple garments with locally-sourced fabrics. We happened to be in LA at the same time last year, and it was fun for our families to meet. This elastic waisted skirt with pockets is just the right length and weight for year-round wear. I think black gingham is a great neutral because you can create so many different moods and looks with it.
Look 1:
My favourite winter layering trick is to wear skirts under dresses as a petticoat. A thin knit turtleneck and sleeveless dress keeps me warm in unpredictable spring weather, and a waxed cotton hat folds up when it’s not raining. I like to play with different gingham and checker patterns that complement the skirt.
Look 2:
When it’s still chilly, I’ll add a pair of lightweight pants because I’m tired of wearing tights. A cheery rainbow ikat dot shirt and thin silk noil jersey cardigan reminds me of my Catholic school uniform, but much more delightful. Metallic pants and bag shine bright on overcast days.
Look 3:
With the arrival of warm weather, I wear this skirt nearly every week. It’s easy to pair with a fun graphic tee and a short sleeve shirt that I like to wear as an outer layer. A little knit scarf and ball cap works for chilly mornings that turn into sunny afternoons. I like that the dots on the horse balance the gingham pattern.
Erica Allen-Kim is an historian of modern architecture and urban design at the University of Toronto, a mother, and a slow-fashion influencer in her spare time. Visit her on @ahistoryofarchitecture for more inspiration.
How To: Mend a Hole
Practical Tools From Craftspeople Around the World
The tutorial is brought to you by Arounna Khounnoraj of bookhou, a multidisciplinary studio in downtown Toronto. Arounna has written and published three books with a focus on textile design and processes on punch needle, visible mending and embroidery.
If you’re looking for more, we’ve just launched our latest The Book of Kin print guide. It’s like a mini magazine, flowing with the themes of our The Lissome print issues.
It contains a carefully curated selection of slow makers and brands alongside interviews, articles and tutorials with and from innovative designers, craft practitioners, researchers and activists who show us how fashion, clothing and textiles can enhance the wellbeing of communities and the natural world.
Our latest edition features interviews with sustainability expert Veronica Bates Kassatly (on greenwashing in fashion), textile artist Katerina Knight (on craft as a pathway to healing), the Fibreshed (on localising our clothing system), a tutorial on silk printing with wild flowers by Paula Delgado of slow clothing brand ound, and a fashion story showcasing slow clothing brands and designers.
Sending much love and see you next month!
Liz + Dörte xx