See The Fableists at Dalston Christmas Market Sunday 1st December

Come and see The Fableists Sunday 1st December at Dalston Christmas Market 
Free, Dalston Square, Hackney, E8

Dalston offers an alternative to the more traditional Christmas markets in the city. It is aimed at creatives who are searching for something more original than what the high street shops have on offer for Christmas – or any time of year. Hailed as London’s designer Christmas market – this event takes place in the creative soul of London. Rated one of London’s best Christmas Market, it not to be missed for original Christmas presents – or a little something for yourself!

Expect a festive atmosphere with loads for the whole family to see and do. Come and visit The Fableists to pick up a goodie bag for the kids (while supplies last).

What the press is saying about Dalston Christmas Market:

Impress your friends and family with unique gifts by independent jewellery designers, furniture makers and other creative artisans that will stand head and shoulders above run-of-the-mill high street goods. Run by City Showcase markets, the one-day Dalston Christmas Market also includes free live music and entertainment along with a host of quirky street food stalls to energise weary shoppers.
Harpers Bazaar

Head to the buzzing heart of Dalston for City Showcase’s Christmas market, which will include stalls run by jewellery designers, furniture makers, artisans and card makers. As well as searching for quirky designer goods and homeware, you can enjoy live comedy shows and performances from local school choirs and keep warm with food and drink.
London’s Evening Standard

The edgier counterpart to the successful Soho flea market, City Showcase brings you a different kind of Christmas Market – this time in Dalston. The one-day outdoor event will focus on local artisan and designer goods by encouraging young creatives in the area to get involved and sell their wares (by Oct 4). Customers can enjoy live music as they browse the alternative selection of gifts.
Time Out

Fancy exploring an alternative to the classicChristmas markets that pop up year on year in the capital? Dalston Christmas Market is just the ticket, a new one-day artisan, designer and live music event created to complement the highly successful annual Soho Flea Market (held each June in Dean Street), which this year drew well over 15,000 people.
Red Magazine Online

A Little Bit About Our Sizing

The measurements of our straight cut denim jeans

We know that all kids come in different shapes and sizes and it’s hard to fit all kids in to a standard size set. Our sizing is based on generous standard sizing. We’ve added a bit of extra length to our jeans and some longer sleeves on our tops so that they can be rolled up. This way they will last longer on your child but also fit those kids who have had a recent growth spurt.

To make it easier to decide with size you need from The Fableists, we’ve added the measurements of each garment to its page on our web site. You’ll find the chart (example pictured above) under the garment’s product images. Don’t be afraid to get the measuring tape out – it will only take a minute to check for the correct size. If you have a 10 year old who is tall for their age, it’s worth measuring because they might fit our clothes – we’ve had even adult women wearing our tops!

To help with adjusting to the right size, our denim skirt and jeans are both equipped with an elasticated inner waist that can easily cinch a waist a several centimetres.

If you have any questions about the sizing, please do not hesitate to get in touch and we can help you out.

The Fableists

The Fableists Trunk Sale – TOMORROW – in Notting Hill

 

Come and check out our killer kids clothes Thursday 28th November 2013 16-18:00

We’ll have a great selection of our kid friendly and sustainably made clobber and artist designed t-shirts available for sale.

Please bring your kids!

The event takes place after school, so let them come and see and feel the clothes first hand. We’ll have activities to keep them busy and will make shopping fun for them!

Venue:

Apart Gallery
287-289 Westbourne Grove
London W11 2QA

Find The Golden Ticket and Win Free Fableists Clobber

Want to win some some terrific garb from The Fableists this Christmas?

We’ve hidden a ‘Golden Ticket’ (pictured) somewhere on our website. Simply, search the product images on our site until you find the one with the Golden Ticket.

Tweet a screen grab of its location or the picture itself using the hashtag #TheFableists and you’ll be entered into the draw.

Be careful – the Golden Ticket will move! You can enter each time the Golden Ticket moves.

To take a screen grab, just click the ‘prt screen’ key at the top right of your keyboard and paste it in to photo editing software. Alternatively, you can right click to save the image, or simply take a photo of your screen!

The competition begins NOW and will run until Tuesday December 3rd. Then we will put all entries in to the draw and the winner will be announced on Wednesday December 4th.

The winner will get a voucher for the website that will give them a credit of £200 towards their shopping – just in time for Christmas!

Goldie Blox : More Than Just a Princess

“It’s OK to be a princess. We just think girls can build their own castles too.” – Debbie Sterling

Many of you will have seen this brilliant advert for Goldie Blox over the past few days. It has been everywhere from the Independent, to MTV to the Huffington Post. It is so full of infectious fun that it’s hard not to get caught up in it and press ‘share’. Go on, try it:

If you’re looking for a toy that will encourage your girls towards building and thinking spatially, then this is for you. The first Goldie Blox sets became available in February of 2013, after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Check out their launch video below.

Founder Debbie Sterling completed a degree in Mechanical Engineering/Product Design at Stanford University and was disappointed at the lack of women in her field. At the same time, she realised that the construction toys on the market had developed pink versions to appeal to the girls, creating a divide in how building toys were perceived by kids of both genders – and their parents. While brands like Lego occupied an entire aisle in big toy stores, the versions that were aimed at girls were in the ‘pink aisle’. No wonder the field of engineering was so male dominated. Sterling set out to disrupt the ‘pink aisle’ while getting girls building.

The first major obstacle in ‘disrupting the pink aisle’ was knocked down when Goldie Blox made it on to the shelves of major retailer Toys R Us in the US. This film of girls storming the shop captures how they must have felt achieving this goal.

Debbie Sterling isn’t trying to discourage girls away from pink and dressing up. As she says in her Kickstarter video, ‘I love those things too’. She’s just trying to get us to realise that little girls are more than just princesses; that they are capable of doing everything that boys can do; that if more girls got in to fields like engineering, then the whole world wouldn’t be built by mostly men.

The Fableists loves Goldie Blox and we have our set (two to avoid arguments!). It’s popular but also encourages teamwork and a feeling of achievement. We think it fits right in with our ethos about dressing all kids – girls and boys so that they are free to explore the world and become all that they can.

Let’s let Riley sum it up:

Brand New Items in Stock at The Fableists

Ta-Dah!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks since our launch. We launched with thirteen artist-designed t-shirts on October 29. They have been popular with kids and grown ups alike. We even have a number of adults now roaming around in 9-10 (or smaller!) tees. All of the amazing designs are 100% organic products in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). They are produced from Indian Cotton, and certified by the Control Union and Soil Association. They have a 90% reduced Carbon Footprint (CO2e) according to the BSI PAS2050 and are certified by the Carbon Trust. The conditions of ethical trade and justice for workers have been audited by the Fair Wear Foundation.

Classic Cut Straight Leg Jeans – Fresh off the boat!

We are very excited to announce that we now have most of our first collection in stock. The denim on the skirt and jeans is dark and heavy – perfect for taking all your little punks can throw at them. They are made for boys and girls and will stand the test of time to be worn by multiple kids. The sizing is generous in both items and each has an elasticated inner waist to allow for growth and accommodate all shapes. The jeans are built a little extra long because we love them with a big turn-up. You can hem them or roll them up but they will allow for that next, inevitable growth spurt.

Classic Straight Cut Denim Jeans

Denim Skirt

We also have two ultra-soft and versatile tops:

Our classic Breton features blue and white stripes on a fine, organic jersey cotton.
The Baseball Tee is an essential in any wardrobe. With its red sleeves, it provides a great pop of colour on its own, or under dungarees or a sleeveless dress.

Baseball Top

Breton Top

Finally, our Western Shirt is in stock. Its mother of pearl buttons and classic western styling are ultra-sharp for a smart look that still works hard to keep up with #wildtime.

Western Shirt

All of these new items are manufactured in India using certified organic cotton. The fabrics are made especially for The Fableists to our specifications and the cotton is grown, woven and dyed by a collective of organic farmers. You can read our interview with Ayan Banerjee, CEO of Chetna Organic here (http://thefableists.com/blog/may-we-introduce-indian-organic-farming-collective-chetna-organic/).

The new items are all 100% organic products in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). They are also certified by Fairtrade-USA standards, FLOCERT (FLO ID 4512) and SAAS Accredited as SA-8000:2008

You can pre-order the Smock Top, Smock Dress and Chore Coat, which will be here in two weeks.

Check these items out in our web shop today and get them in time for Christmas!

Where Can you Find the Fableists Before Christmas?

Our web shop is now up and running and we ship all over the world. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our contact details are listed on our web site.

Over the next month, The Fableists will be out and about, so please come and visit us. We will add to this list as we confirm venues and events, so check back!

You can find us at the following locations:

Trunk Show
Thursday 28 November, 2013
4-6pm
Apart Gallery
287-289 Westbourne Grove
London W11 2QA

 

The Fableists Pop Up Shop at Brothers and Sisters
At Brothers and Sisters, 31a Clerkenwell Close, London EC1R 0AT

We have a selection of our t-shirts on sale as well as samples of all of our clothes to see in person and try on.

Dalston Christmas Market
Sunday 1 December 2013 11:00-19:00
Dalston Square, Hackney, E8

This brand new event is London’s designer Christmas market. It is taking place in the creative centre of East London and will feature stalls from specially selected artisans, ceramicists, artists, fashion and jewellery designers. There will be food and music to entertain you. What a great way to get in to the Christmas spirit and pick up some amazing and unusual gifts.

East London Design Show

5 – 8 December 2013
Truman Brewery
Off Brick Lane
London E1 6QL

Admission is £5 but use this 2 for 1 voucher:

Time Out Magazine calls it ‘One of London’s biggest and best design fairs”

This is a major annual event in the capital’s design shopping calendar. Experience a hugely refreshing alternative Christmas shopping experience to the humdrum conformity of the high street. Over one hundred of the best independent product, interior and jewellery designers, all under one roof, just before Christmas. This year the show also features a dedicated food hall featuring the best in local, national and international foods to gift or treat yourself.

You’ll also be able to find us in the following publications, so pick up a copy!

The Stylist – 4th Dec
Metro – 17th December

Photographer Sam Robinson Talks to The Fableists About our Look Book Shoot

The kids making a mess in the kitchen in Sam’s studio

Fashion and Advertising photographer Sam Robinson is behind The Fableists’ Look Book shots. Sam is owner of The Shop Studios, a photography and film studio in North London and home to a collective of photographers and filmmakers, each with different skills and passions. At the end of August, Sam took us on a journey in London, shooting for The Fableists’ first look book. Here we get to know him a little bit better.

The Fableists > First of all – thanks so much for getting involved with The Fableists. You’ve really added a very slick and professional look to our clothes! What made you want to play with The Fableists?

Sam > Basically I am good friends with some of the people who set it up, so I was committed to it whether I wanted to or not!! Luckily the collection is awesome, the idea is something to be proud of and I loved the concept that Brothers and Sisters came up with for the shoot. So it was an easy choice to get involved.

Apache in ‘You Are What You Wear’ Tee by Gregori Saavedra and the Western Shirt

The Fableists > You’ve said that, “My photography is about honesty. It’s about seeing: colours, characters, moments, people, personalities and stories. It’s about fun, friendship and feelings” – how perfect for our brand! Was this true of our shoot with a bunch of kids?

Sam > Absolutely. My passion in photography is trying to capture a moment between moments; something you’re not looking for but that just happens. With this shoot there was an almost chaotic freedom to the kids and what they did, so capturing these honest moments was easy. I like to put as few restrictions on my models as possible therefore allowing them to create something. This shoot was perfect for that.

The Fableists > On the day of our shoot, you said that people have told you the reason you’re great with kids is because you don’t have any of your own yet. Do you think there is truth to that?

Sam > Totally not at all! I hope we have some soon just so they can wear these clothes!! Sincerely though, I say this more as a joke than anything else. I love photographing kids because they leave everything at the door when they come in. No matter how much a kid wants to act, or be someone different – if you create a space for them to be free and be kids then they almost always can’t help themselves and this is when you get these magic moments of authenticity and character.

The Gang of Fableists

The Fableists > You’ve shot all over the world. Which brands have you shot for?

Sam > I am lucky enough to have a huge global client list. I shoot mainly advertising stills and films and I have clients ranging from Disney to Dell. Recently I have shot for Nike, Lufthansa, Nestle, Sony and, of course, The Fableists.

The Fableists > Is there a client that you would absolutely love to work with?

Sam > My father was in a Levis ad when he was a young and free hippy in the 70’s and I think for this reason I have always wanted to shoot a Levi’s campaign. But to be honest my passion is capturing people and capturing actions – I would look forward to working with any client that wants this.

The Fableists > Do you have a favourite shot from your shoot for The Fableists? Which one and why?

Sam > I particularly like the picture of the bubblegum

I like the way she looks really in control and content in this situation, they are jamming and it sounds pretty good. I also love the colours in this shot:

Smock Top and Denim Skirt, Western Shirt and Classic Cut Jeans

The Fableists > Looking at your career to date, which work are you most proud of?

Sam > Cue the cliché! I am proud of all the projects I work on, they all have their main challenges and rewards. I wouldn’t like to name a project but I am proud of anything I can work on that brings a team of talented people together where we can complete it as a collective to produce something beyond the original brief. Basically any project I feel we have delivered beyond the concept even thought it could reach.

The Fableists > You also work as a director. Is your approach to working in both mediums the same or different? And how so?

Sam >This is a relatively new process for me. I have been directing films and TVC (Television Commercials) for about 3 years now and I hugely enjoy this. The transition was incredibly easy for me and I have since discovered the way I shoot is actually more like directing than anything else, making the transition a pretty simple side step. Whether print or stills, for me it is about people, it is about emotions and it is about capturing something authentic and honest. The approach is pretty much the same; make people feel relaxed, give them the platform to create something with me and I am there to capture it.

Sonny is in the Chore Coat and Gregori Saavedra’s ‘Brain’ Tee

The Fableists > None of the kids who appear in The Fableists’ shots had any modeling experience. Does that make a difference for the way you shoot?

Sam > This is a bonus. I very often work with street-cast people and actors or models with little experience. What I am looking for is real emotions. You don’t need to be an actor or a model to have an emotion and sometimes they come with a preconception of ‘who they want to be’. I then have to dig deeper to find something real. For me I see very little difference between actors or models and people with no experience. I try to create an environment that people feel comfortable enough in to share a performance regardless of what experience they have.

Sam at work with the kids for The Fableists at Victoria Park Skate Park, East London

The Fableists > You work within the fashion world. Do you think it can embrace a move away from ‘Fast Fashion’?

Sam > My main business is advertising and fashion is a part of this certainly. Fast fashion is something our culture is obsessed with, we have a fixation with speed altogether. Ethically I don’t agree with fast fashion and would support anything we can do to remove this trend. Like most ethical problems we are driven by the financial reward and this is the hardest problem to overcome.

Projects like this remind you quality, morals and good ethical beliefs should be the real drive we use when we wake up in the morning. If we can leave greed, financial desires and quick fixes at the door we would be in a much happier place socially. Heavy ending to this interview, but in essence, if we can make people stop and think about what they are buying and why we have achieved something. If we can also make them smile and feel a positive emotion from this project then we are really achieving something to move forward with.

Thanks for inviting me to be a part of this project.

Check out some examples of Sam’s work. 

 

What is a Sweatshop?

Dhaka, Bangladesh – March 2010.
Garment factory in Dhaka Bangladesh in the Mohakhali area.
Dhaka counts more than 4000 factories producing for export only.
Credits: Clean Clothes Campaign

The term ‘sweatshop’ is commonly used nowadays to describe any place with poor working conditions. The word can conjure up images of hot, dark, damp factories in developing nations but factories with poor working conditions can come in many different forms and could be right on your doorstep. Although there is no one definition, a factory is generally termed a ‘sweatshop’ if it contravenes a minimum of two labour laws set out by the International Labour Organization. These laws pertain to wages and benefits, child labour and working hours. A sweatshops can be a workplace where employees are subjected to exploitation, discrimination, poor working conditions or abuse. There are sweatshops all over the world, in every country.

Dhaka, Bangladesh – March 2010. Garment factory exterior in the Mohakhali area.
Credits: Clean Clothes Campaign

In 1998 the International Labour Organization adopted then Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Works outlining four essential principles that many of us take for granted in the workplace:

• Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
• Elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour
• Effective abolition of child labour
• Elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation

Because there is no one universal definition of a sweatshop and each country adheres to their own labour laws, it is hard to get a global perspective on how bad the sweatshop problem is. Many of the factories with the worst conditions accept work as sub-contractors and therefore might not be inspected by the company whose items are being manufactured there. Although all big companies have quality control teams and should know exactly where, how and by whom their items are being manufactured, in many cases, the company can claim that it didn’t know their items had been sub-contracted. The factory they have contracted to do the work may be farming the work out to a cheaper factory so that they can increase their mark-up. Big companies are often looking for cheaper, faster options and will move their manufacturing to a new factory, or even country in order to achieve this.

There are all kind of products made in sweatshops but some of the biggest problem items produced or grown under ‘sweatshop’ conditions are shoes, clothing, rugs, toys and crop items such as coffee, cotton and bananas.

Garment Factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh – March 2010
Credits: Clean Clothes Campaign

In order to avoid buying sweatshop produced items, consumers need to shop wisely. Companies should be disclosing all the information about where their items are made, who is making them, where and how but until this happens, the choice lies with the consumer. Look for items which are certified by independent associations such as Fair Wear, Fair Trade and GOTS, who have social compliance criteria as part of their organic textile certification programme.

Adhere to the principle of buy less and pay slightly more. It’s a no-brainer that cheap clothes are poorly made out of the worst quality materials by someone who may not have basic rights at work. At the end of the day, paying £1 more for your t-shirt could mean that workers employed in the factories where that t-shirt is made are adults earning a living wage and treated as you would wish to be treated at work.

Garment Factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh – March 2010
Credits: Clean Clothes Campaign

For more information check out Clean Clothes Campaign.

This is Design Studio Freytag Anderson

Daniel Freytag and Greig Anderson of Freytag Anderson

Freytag Anderson is an independent design studio based in Glasgow, UK and working everywhere. They create unique brand identities for application in print, screen and environment. They are responsible for The Fableists’ logo and brand identity. We spoke to Daniel Freytag.

The Fableists > The Fableists’ branding has been getting quite a lot of attention of late. What was the idea behind the lightning bolt ‘F’? 
Daniel > We wanted to create a no-nonsense, dynamic and provocative marque that reflected the rebellious and emotive qualities of the brand. The lightning bolt ‘F’ communicates these ideas whilst being instantly recognisable and robust enough to work across a broad range of applications.

The Fableists > What is your process when pulling together ideas and components of a pitch? 
Daniel > I believe our job as designers is to apply ideas. Without ideas there’s only style.

To create ideas we follow a simple process – we read the brief then put it away. Once sufficient time has elapsed we get everyone around a table and put some thoughts on paper. This short interval between reading the brief and starting the design process allows us to form ideas organically. Once they’re in the bag the rest is pretty straight forward.

The Fableists > Is your work representative of a design style?
Daniel > Depends what you define as ‘style’. We believe in the old mantra less is more – therefore our work has a distinct minimalist quality which strives to have the most impact with the least number of elements.

The Fableists > Where and from whom do you get your inspiration?
Daniel > Everyone and everything – I am constantly amazed how seemingly unconnected everyday things can come together over time to inform an idea. I think as designers (and people) we are the sum of our experiences.

The Fableists > Do you have an ideal client? Someone you’d love to design for?
Daniel > I personally love working with startups – you get to be there are the birth of a new venture – inevitably the people involved are super passionate and optimistic – it also helps if they have a decent budget.

The Fableists > Which work that you’ve done are you most proud of?
Daniel > I think the project we recently completed for Icelandic Film Production co. Truenorth was pretty cool. They’ve been working with some major Hollywood studios to produce movies such as Prometheus / Oblivion etc. It was exciting to see how their business works and to help them reinvent their brand identity and engagement tools.

The Fableists > Is there a bit of design work that you’ve seen that you wish you had done?
Daniel > All the time – competition and good work is what inspires and drives us forward – the job is never done.

The Fableists > How do you work? Do you work regular hours, every day? Or when creativity strikes?
Daniel > We operate from a studio in Glasgow’s Merchant City. There are five of us working around one big table. We build teams around project requirements and draw upon a network of developers, photographers and copywriters when required. This approach allows us to stay nimble and offer our clients the best possible value.

As a design studio we require a certain amount of structure to engage with our clients. However my wife will tell you that I don’t ‘switch off’. I generally don’t draw a distinction between work and home – you have to grab ideas whenever they come.

The Fableists > How do you think The Fableists branding will resonate with kids and their parents?
Daniel > The Fableists branding relies on great text and photography to tell the story. This, along with the work of great collaborators (i.e. illustrators etc) – and of course fantastic clothes – is a winning combination. The overall sustainable ethos of the Fableists brand will appeal to parents whilst the style, quality and bright colours of the range will make kids want to wear them again and again.

The Fableists > Do you think our small company can take on the fast fashion giants?
Daniel > I do. I think people are waking up to the fact that our current habits as consumers are unsustainable. People are starting to ask questions and you have a powerful story which must be told. The time is right to show people that there is a relevant, sustainable and affordable alternative.

The Fableists > Has there been an increase in clients interested in an identity that can be produced sustainably?
Daniel > Yes, I would say that most clients ‘desire’ a sustainable approach to their businesses. Unfortunately, I think ‘sustainability’ is still seen as a luxury and is certainly outweighed by immediate budgetary limitations. The bottom line is that very few clients pay more to be green – unless it’s their only USP. This will only change if the consumer demands it.

The Fableists >Tell us about the paper that The Fableists business cards and letterhead have been printed on.
Daniel > The Fableists stationery was produced using Dutch Greyboard and Cyclus Offset papers. Both these are 100% recycled and FSC accredited materials.

The Fableists > What is your personal dress sense?
Daniel > Somewhere between eclectic and bad.