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IS there a ghost in our studio (Jo’s attic)? No matter, because we’re all about human spirit anyway - those big gestures by small businesses, small gestures by big names (that become big by association), distant communities bringing upcycling to a global audience. We needed to chat about nice things, and there are plenty of those within the circular and slow fashion movements. If you want a good rabbit hole on a gloomy day (or sweltering, depending on your hemisphere), look no further. Here’s the gorgeous Anna Foster, founder of ELV Denim, better explaining the middle seam trick than Jo managed.. “Our signature style with the four seams is not only an aesthetic design, but a functional one too. The seams allow for simple alterations (which is unheard of in denim), to achieve the desired fit, and the generous seam allowance – as with all couture tailoring – means that the jean can adapt with the life of the wearer; it can go up in size and down in size.” Oh! And we worked out why Jo wrote “still got it” in her notes! No, it wasn’t a declaration of self-love but an Insta account to help her remember this post: Introducing Bone Bwoy and his incredible garments made from our dumped textile waste on the shores of Accra, Ghana, under the label Kala Blaq Kintsugi. Check out his Carry Your Future initiative here. We mention Tate Boswarva, a recent FDS Tafe graduate and Slogue mentor who showed an incredible collection of slow and circular pieces at Australian Fashion Week, and whose process went viral to the tune of 1.8 million views. It’s so labour intensive it’s (hopefully) dupe-proof… Keen to check out Ali’s recommendation on online clothing patterns? Or what about Cassey Ho’s Blogilates? Here’s the One Direction What Makes You Bootyful workout for all y’all who want to imagine squeezing a penny between your butt cheeks :/ As for Ho’s clever retaliation after her skorts were duped by an ultra fast fashion brand, we think all the ‘kits’ are sold out but you can still purchase the pattern, and if you’re an ‘alternative dance mum’ like Jo, it could make for a great community project to save old dance skirts from landfill! Here’s the story on the Billie Eilish recycled concert Tees… Watch this space and follow Anastasia Gazis for news on textiles recycling. And finally, check out Sheridan Mortlock’s brand new Fixing Fashion podcast … For the moment Jo did the dirty on Ali with an “other”, here’s their interview, the first in the series being all about Slogue and Flip Fashion Forever. So, until next time… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Yes we know, there’s been another accidental hiatus, but we just planned, recorded, edited and published a whole episode in one afternoon, so things are looking up. In this episode, we catch up on Ali’s recent embroidery work, including her response to a 19th-century wedding fan for an upcoming exhibition in Dunedin. We talk about fashion as art and fashion you just want to make for the joy of it. Jo shares what she’s been learning through Slogue’s Flip Fashion Forever workshops: that fashion becomes more powerful when young people experience it as something they do, not just something they buy. We also get into the messy middle of sustainable fashion — why blaming consumers doesn’t work, why “just buy secondhand” is too simple, and why fashion literacy might be one of the missing pieces. What is quality? How do we recognise fabric, fibre, weave and construction? And why does it matter? Plus: Devil Wears Prada 2, small businesses closing, sewing as social dopamine, emerging designers, and Ali’s excellent explainer on the difference between silk and satin. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Yes we know…. but the point is, we’re here now!! Just Jo, Ali and her permanently perplexed dog Teddy, all snuggled up with some Chamomile tea and a bundle of cables. Here are just some of the topics we cover (slash things we plug): Useful Box Sewing School Flip Fashion Forever | Instagram @slogue_fashion Generation Women Australia Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) Email any questions or comments (using the codeword ‘Acorn’ in the subject line) to [email protected] We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

We’re not the only ones questioning fashion at this time of year. Despite the AFC’s best efforts to re-exclusify a ‘reclaimed’ Fashion Week, Carriageworks was still pulsing with big egos in big looks vying for airtime via vox pops. (Look up “Who’s the Final Boss of Micro Trends?” if you care.) No matter, because inside was where the real news happened. Here’s a question: what happens when you mix four passionate First Nations women with a privileged white Mansplainer? Pop the kettle on and settle in because you’re about to find out… Email any questions or comments (using the codeword ‘Acorn’ in the subject line) to [email protected] We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Could it be? Yes it could. Something’s coming. Something good. Jo has this West Side Story number in her head right now and fellow musical nerd Ali wants to know why. If you're a designer, educator, alterations expert, repairer, stylist or creative entrepreneur working in the slow fashion space, and you live in/near Sydney, Newcastle or Melbourne, read below and book yourself into one of the meetings via this link. We really want to hear from you so we can make this venture the best it can be. https://www.x-u.com.au/ What’s the Slow Fashion Hub? Slow Fashion Hubs, powered by Xu (short for To the Power of You), is an ambitious new platform that will connect Australia’s slow fashion community through both digital tools and shared physical workspaces. Think co-working but for fashion – complete with sewing tech, design software, e-commerce integration, and peer learning. It’s designed to reduce your costs, extend your reach, and give consumers a real alternative to fast fashion. The meetings are 2, 3 and 6 June (Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne respectively). Book your spot today. Email: [email protected] We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

From wrinkly leather to a 'lost online' slow fashion maker who finds comfort in our little pod, we catch up over a virtual mailbag of lovely comms that some of our surprisingly loyal listeners have penned. We loved recording this one so tell us some stories and we’ll do more!!! Wish we had a Locked Bag address but sadly it’s just the same boring old email… For your convenience, below are links to the old episodes our listeners refer to. (May we recommend, madames, that you also check out the Oleg Cassini episode while on a trip down Archive Lane? It is one of Jo’s all-time faves.) Why do we care so much about our weddings? Is it unethical to profit from op-shop bargains? Ali and Jo’s sustainable fashion dictionary corner Fashionable Fandoms Email any questions or comments and please use the codeword ‘Acorn’ in the subject line (we’ll explain later…)Email: [email protected] We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Regular listeners would know that we at QF are avid op shoppers. We like nothing more than to rifle through $1 baskets of stale smelling Lycra at our local Noffs in the hope of finding an original Donna Karan bodysuit. But that’s because we have the choice. We have the leisure time, the energy and even the funds to cover those pesky op shop inflations.. For those one in eight adult Australians who live below the poverty line, and for women in shelters who have escaped domestic violence, choice of any kind is a luxury, and actually so is being gifted the chance of a fresh start with a carefully curated wardrobe of never worn - never sold clothes courtesy of Thread Together. Just a few years ago Burberry was famously caught burning its excess stock for fear it’d end up in the hands of the poor (if you’re British you’ll know how ironic this is, given the chav check and the old adage that style can’t be bought, but that’s another story for another episode) .. Impressive, then, that Thread Together has managed to successfully convince 2,000 fashion brands to be less mean (and toxic) about their unsold stock. Overproduction to the tune of 30 per cent is the norm now. According to Thread Together CEO Anthony Chesler, for our planet’s eight billion people there are now $100 billion units of clothing being produced annually. No wonder the TT warehouse is so vast. We opened this can of wriggling worms after a tour of the place last year with the man himself… … and while we’re none the wiser about overproduction, we wholeheartedly concede that Thread Together is a great service making the best of a bad situation. Find out about teambuilding and volunteer opportunities here. Remember to email any questions or comments and please use the codeword ‘Acorn’ in the subject line (we’ll explain later lol…)Email: [email protected] We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Thanks to the gorgeous Theresa Winters of some place in Illinois, but no thanks to the misbehaving sound equipment at the venue, we had the best time recording this episode live in front of an audience in Sydney last week. In the lead up to a clothes swap organised at the same venue (the Green Living Centre) the following week, Ali and Jo discuss the potential issues of what should be a sustainable solution to fashion waste/overconsumption. After hosting public versions for various councils, they found that too many participants were using clothes swaps as ‘dumps’, as many do with op shop (thrift store) doorsteps. Along with special guest Theresa, clothes swapping “pro” and advocate, Ali and Jo look at ways we can be more mindful when it comes to swaps and - even beyond that - their default ‘Retail Therapy’ behaviour. IMPORTANT: If you’re a slow or circular fashion store in Sydney and would like to have us host a live pod, panel, ‘sip n style’, industry meet-up or other event, we’re usually happy to collaborate. Email your idea to [email protected] And as usual, please email any questions or comments to the same address, using the codeword ‘Acorn’ in the subject line (we’ll explain later…) Meanwhile, check out Theresa Winters’ awesome ‘experiential publication’ The Plus Ones for some of “Earth’s best experiences” in your local hood. (Hoping we’ll get on there soon!) We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

How the hell are you all? We’re so sorry for the radio silence. I hope you know we never stopped thinking about you. The fact is, we haven’t had an awful lot of head space since October, when Ali decided to shut up shop. Why did she do it? It was literally the best vintage dress hire shop in the southern hemisphere and had so many fans and regular customers. As any small business owner with a shopfront knows, it’s never as simple as that. So listen to the story, as recorded in Jo’s daughter’s newly built cubby house (a temporary replacement for our Bell Street studio). Mentioned in this episode… UsefulBox Sewing School Slogue workshops and Directory Casablanca Ekoluv Fashion Alta Moda Just a reminder, as mentioned in the pod, the next few episodes will be from our ‘vault’, starting with an interview with Thread Together’s Anthony Chesler. The organisation diverts an annual 700+ tonnes of unsold new fashion from landfill to help people below the poverty line. We get the lowdown and address the (overproduction) elephant in the room. We’re also dedicating an episode to you, the listeners, as we open the mailbox and answer some of your burning fashion questions. Speaking of which, email any questions or comments and please use the codeword ‘Acorn’ in the subject line (we’ll explain later…)Email: [email protected] We’d love a review on Apple Podcasts And follow us here..instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/alidibleytiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

So it turned out Ali and Jo were visiting Europe at the same time! And since even family holidays bring up questions of fashion for these girls, they figured they’d stay in touch via voice notes (quirkily posing here as answer machine messages for your audio pleasure). What happened next? Christian Lacroix, for one. 80s silver ruffles at Portabello Rd, for another. The Case of the Missing Pile of Favourite Clothes. Veja in-store repairs in Paris. Humana charity stores in Barcelona and Berlin. Not to mention the sticky willies, ginger spotted dick and BIBA! Have you had any amazing finds at overseas op shops or vintage stores? Email us: [email protected] social media accounts:instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/bellstreettiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Circular designer Marta Marcos imagined this and then went on to realise it too. Through her slow, Sydney made label you too can be part of this old school library-like process, one that celebrates storytelling and community through fashion. In fact, it’s even better because her fashion label Mine Yours Theirs actually buys the no-longer-hypothetical T-shirt/jacket BACK from you for recirculation. SIGN US UP! But first, a disclaimer: our interview with Marta Marcos was recorded during Australian Fashion Week and our microphone picked up all sorts of environmental noise, meaning the sound quality isn’t our best, sorry! But the content is FAB and so is Marta and her fascinating label, so we recommend listening on speaker rather than headphones. If you love the concept behind Mine Yours Theirs, now is an amazing time to shop her sale/new collection because she’s one of the Australian designers registered with the WeWearAustralian x Australia Post campaign. That means, if you shop her website between September 12 - 26 and register your purchase with the competition, you could win $5000 of Australian designer clothes and a trip to next year’s New York Fashion Week!!! Visit her website before the 26th! mineyourstheirs.com instagram.com/mineyourstheirsau Instagram Do you know anyone doing circular fashion you think we should meet? Email us: [email protected] social media accounts:instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/bellstreettiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

In the least dry dictionary corner you can imagine, Ali and Jo unravel the most confusing words used in sustainable fashion marketing. They reveal the words most likely to pull wool over our eyes (wool from an unethical farm no doubt) - and greenwashing tricks to avoid. Ali discusses the convoluted word use around pre- and made-to-order, and Jo explains why your clothes are generally not, as promised, being ‘recycled’. Which industry words get your knickers in a twist? Email us: [email protected] social media accounts:instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/bellstreettiktok.com/@bellstreet It’s been a while between episodes due to our holidays in Europe - so thank you for your patience! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

In most cities that host a fashion week - and there are more than just the big four - there exists two layers of fashion lovers: the rich ones who buy straight off the runway and the not-so-rich, who invariably beg, borrow and thrift their way to street-style coverage, and spend all their savings on one show ticket. We belong to the second group, except we’re also considered industry/media, meaning we got to spend our money on a pass! (which is meant to mean lots of invitations, but doesn’t always! Still, we’re not ones to give up easily, so we managed to weasel our way into a nice variety of shows.) The intro above is an excerpt from Jo’s opinion piece about AFW, which you can read here on Substack soon (look out for another email when it’s posted). It talks about the oddity that is; most of fashion’s biggest fans worldwide feel completely excluded from their hobby’s designated festivals! Still, Ali and Jo pushed through the insecurities for their third AFW, as you’ll hear in their audio diary, which is a warm and enthusiastic account of the week, from the perspectives of two of fashion’s biggest fans. And because there was so much to say about this particular week, we made a little listicle featuring the best sustainable moments, to be posted along with Jo’s op ed for your viewing pleasure. You’re welcome. If you have anything to tell us about fashion week, or fashion in general, email us: [email protected] social media accounts:instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/bellstreettiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

Just short of the iconic Coca-Cola sign in Sydney’s Kings Cross is a miracle of a shop that sells vintage clothes AND books. What? You haven’t been to Grand Days? Well, come on in and enter the best idea Jo ever had. For the first recording of Questioning Fashion in front of a live audience, Ali and Jo asked world renowned Clare Press to be their guest. You’re welcome. We hope the warmth and positivity that permeated the room that night can be felt through your ear holes, dear listeners. So sit back and enjoy as we chat about Clare’s latest book Wear Next, described as a “roadmap for the fashion evolution we have all been waiting for”. During the interview the girls mention an episode of Clare’s own podcast Wardrobe Crisis, in which she interviewed our very own Ali. Here it is. Email us: [email protected] social media accounts:instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/bellstreettiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com

France’s exciting new anti-fast fashion bill reminds Ali of the country’s long history of protecting its fashion industry. Just up for air from her usual deep dive, she shares some fascinating facts from Versailles and the lace-loving Louis kings to now. Jo, meanwhile, looks at Australia’s softly-softly approach at tackling fast fashion, and wonders whether the whip will come out any time soon. What do you think of France’s pioneering bill to penalise fast fashion importers? Email us: [email protected] social media accounts:instagram.com/questioningfashionpodcastinstagram.com/jogambaleinstagram.com/bellstreettiktok.com/@bellstreet This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit questioningfashion.substack.com