Emma Watson’s new fairtrade collection unveiled

by on 25/08/10 at 2:38 pm

We adore this time of year when the new autumn collections are revealed and the ethical options just get better all the time. But few are more exciting than Emma Watson’s new People Tree line. She’s seen here modelling the youth collection herself and, although she didn’t help with the design this time, she was intimately acquainted with its provenance, even visiting Bangladesh to meet the people who make it. A new video shows Emma in Bangladesh visiting the slum homes of garment factory workers, seeing the collection she endorses being made and behind the scenes footage of her modelling the collection. She said ‘I had great fun helping People Tree select some gorgeous Fair Trade textiles – a dogtooth hand-woven check, cable knits, and the first Fair Trade hand-woven brushed checked fabric which has been made into easy tulip skirts, dresses and shirts. ‘There are even a few party dresses, such as the little black satin tulip dress, which can be dressed up or down to suit any occasion.’ ‘Following my summer collection for People Tree I wanted to visit Bangladesh to see the difference Fair Trade makes. The contrast between the slums in Dhaka (the capital of Bangladesh) where the people who work in the garment factories live and Swallows (the Fair Trade community supported by People Tree) was all too apparent.
‘I still find it hard to convey what Fair Trade means to those producing our fashion – it’s just so impressive to see how the women have used Fair Trade clothing to escape poverty and empower themselves and their children. I was moved and inspired.’
The new collection is available at peopletree.co.uk.