Connally McDougall’s Scorched Earth Glamour – Fashion Report by Editor-in-Chief Alison Jane Reid
Fashion Photography by Dayna Weststeyn and Jocelyn
Fashion should be our moral coat of many colours… a barometer of the good, the bad and the ugly happening on our remarkable, still ravishing, yet oh so troubled blue planet.
Will we save mother earth in time?
The answer is a steely, sassy yes, if Vancouver based slow fashion designer, Connally McDougall, can inspire us all to become eco-chic warrior women and invest in fashion we never, ever grow tired of. For McDougall represents the new breed of super, savvy, zero waste fashion designer who aspires to make us look like 21st-century goddesses and save the planet by ditching fast fashion in favour of something altogether more satisfyingly wholesome and grown up. It’s time to ditch our junk fashion diet and go for a slow, alluring capsule wardrobe, with a dash of sassy, exquisitely considered, zero waste thrift. Think of how our grandmothers looked like Rita Hayworth and Ava Gardiner with a head for tailoring, a cinched waist, look at me, hothouse flower power prints, fabulous heels and a slick of poison ivy lipstick. Less is definitely more.
Thus, McDougall explores the idea of beauty laid waste in her SS18 collection entitled ‘Scorched Earth’ – an ode to the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef and the ever-growing vortex of plastic waste rubbish swirling around our oceans. But don’t worry, she isn’t asking us to atone for our sins and wear a hair shirt.
Luscious Darksome Florals and Sensuous Faux Leathers
However, if you are the type of woman who covets clever, chameleon clothes, you will be smitten with this timeless, darkly fecund collection of luscious, extrovert florals, sensuous soft metallic, faux leathers and textural white and cream hero pieces. The star pieces are – the burnished copper dress that comes with serious, ritzy appeal, well-cut, tailored, floral shorts that would look great on Michelle Obama and the white summer top which is the height of slouch, relaxed glamour and allure.
“ I wanted to honour the sense of lost beauty against the contrast of our current environmental crisis,” states Connolly, an alumnus of St Martin’s School of Art.
It’s exciting to see a designer whose couture garments have graced the red carpet at Cannes and Comic-Con, embrace the idea of slow fashion painstakingly fit for the times we live in. McDougall isn’t just rooting for the planet with every scrap of fabric, and every thread that she up-cycles in her studio like the queen of the Magpies’ – she seeks to democratize style too. Her chameleon, burnished copper, faux leather dress is designed to appeal to a nineteen-year-old college girl, as much as the seasoned style maven of sixty-five and as a result, every garment flies out of the studio.
Rising Slow Fashion Star
And this rising star of Canadian fashion refuses to follow the herd when it comes to sizing too. She says, “ Every collection is designed with a variety of body types and silhouettes in mind. We are one of the few sustainable brands that offer a complete range of sizes from petite to plus sizes since from day one.”
McDougall loves to give real women what they really, really want too. That means real pockets that can hold life’s little essentials, sleeve options on dresses, shorts that really are chic and comfortable and V-necks too. Unsurprisingly, her collections are hugely popular, with a growing and devoted fan base.
Timeless, classical fashion with ethics – what’s not to adore?
More on Connolly McDougall
Sustainable Fashion Cred
Every piece is made in the studio in Vancouver, Canada. Using natural and recycled materials, we take zero waste into the process from design to production, using every scrap of the fabrics and thread. Any trimmings and snipped threads are collected and used as stuffing for cushions or chew toys that are donated to local animal shelters. We also avoid excessive and unnecessary packaging, and that which we do use is 100% post-consumer recycled paper and mailing envelopes. Furthermore, we are focused on having core capsule collections that are designed to be effortlessly mixed and matched, rather than an overdose of 100 styles per season. Minimalism and conscious shopping are moving forward into the consumer mindset and we’re excited to provide those options for an increasingly broader audience.
Visit the Website – Connally McDougall
Fashion Photography By Dayna Weststeyn and Jocelyn
Featured Clothes Credits
Dotted Blouse- “Gemma” $179Faux Leather Dress- “Ines” $319Floral Shorts- “Mae” $179Organic Cotton Terry Vest- “Lee” $179Floral Dress- “Ines” $249Floral Shirt- “Gemma” $179Connally McDougall offers Worldwide Shipping. Please visit the website above for details.
Makeup by Jacqueline Parker, using exclusively Elate Cosmetics (an organic, cruelty-free line made in Canada) and hair by Brooke Head.
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