Now they are here! Each coat is completely unique so we have photographed them individually. 

We have called the coat the Kaveri coat – sticking with our rivers of India theme for coats and jackets.

We hope you love it as much as we do!

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The Norman Rea Gallery (based at the University of York) opened its doors for the opening night of the second exhibition of their 2024/25 programme on 27th November. ‘For Your Convenience’, curated by Vice Directors Rowan Hill and Maddie Gilbert, aimed to highlight the impacts of ‘Convenience Culture’ on both our everyday lives as well as the world around us. An often overlooked area of modern day consumerism, ‘Convenience Culture’ is a term describing a societal shift towards a more convenient lifestyle, a shift that manifests in issues such as ultra processed foods, single-use items, and fast fashion. As such, this exhibition sought to question the motivation behind these choices and raise queries about the impact that this way of living is causing. In rejection of this, the show at the Norman Rea Gallery championed both traditional modes of making as well as pieces made from repurposed and recycled materials.

Through the curation of the gallery space, the Norman Rea was transformed into a home-like setting, a conscious choice by the curators to force visitors to consider how ‘Convenience Culture’ has seeped into everyday lives. Each area of the gallery aimed to highlight a specific space in the home, from handmade ceramics in the ‘kitchen area’ (from local Northern Potters Association members), to crocheted wall hangings in the gallery’s ‘living room’. Indeed, it was in the long corridor of the Norman Rea, a space designated to explore ‘Convenience Culture’ through the eyes of the wardrobe, that some gorgeous pieces from the Conscious Apparel collection were displayed. 

As Co-Director of the gallery myself, I was lucky enough to be involved in the curation and selection of artists we had showing at this exhibition. As soon as I heard about its aims and central theme, I just knew that some pieces from Conscious Apparel would make a fantastic addition. In an exhibit titled, ‘Wearing My Sister’s Clothes’, two outfits were shown, featuring the Ganges reversible gown, Kerala dress, as well as the Indus waisted gown, both accessorised with colourful, patterned silk necklaces. All pieces exhibited are part of a collection designed by Karin and Sylvia, made in India from recycled sarees. They use the traditional skill of shibori, a dip dyeing technique that originated in Japan and then travelled to India in the early 20th century. Today, craft clusters continue to be active in Delhi, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. In the words of Sylvia, in exhibiting these pieces, it was hoped that they ‘bring joy to the wearer and keep them connected with our sisters in India and those who made them’. It was a pleasure to exhibit these beautiful pieces within the Norman Rea Gallery and share Conscious Apparel with those at the University of York.

‘For Your Convenience’ at the Norman Rea is now open and will be running until Friday 13th December and the gallery is open everyday throughout the week, from 9:00am until 5:00pm. It is proudly the only student-run gallery in the UK and well worth a visit! 

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This past Sunday, I took a trip to York Art Gallery to see the new exhibition, The Art of Wallpaper: Morris & Co. – something I had been longing to do ever since the show first opened in September. As both a current Art History student and simply a lover of anything William Morris, I couldn’t wait for the chance to see some of his work in person. 

Exploring the legacy of one of the world’s most successful pattern designers, the gallery’s five ground-floor rooms were transformed once again, being painted in shades of green, blue, pale pink, and mustard yellow, to showcase over 130 works from the archives of Morris & Co. The exhibition aimed to celebrate the 19th-century designer as an individual, as well as explore his work, influence, and legacy in UK wallpaper innovation. Each room displayed framed original samples, transporting visitors back into interiors of the Victorian age, alongside both upholstered furniture in Morris & Co. fabrics and even the original wooden blocks that had been used to create the prints in the first place. 

It was seeing these particular objects that sparked a connection for me to Conscious Apparel and the many beautiful collections of hand-block printed garments.

Though the exact date of the invention of hand block printing is unknown, the earliest record of the technique is the Diamond Sutra, a 16-foot long scroll, printed in China in 868 AD and today, considered the oldest printed book in the world. Though emerging first in China over 4,000 years ago, block printing was soon disseminated throughout Asia, and ultimately the rest of the world, though it rose to specific prominence within Mughal India. Indeed, Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor responsible for the building of the Taj Mahal, was known for his expensive taste in luxurious, hand-block-printed fabrics. The entire textile industry flourished under the Mughal patronage, and the process used today remains largely unchanged since the dynasty ruled in the 16th and 18th centuries. 

Using much the same process as Morris, many of Conscious Apparel’s patterned pieces by Nila Rubia are created using the hand block printing technique. To create such designs, wooden blocks are hand-carved into intricate patterns and floral motifs – a task that is both laborious and requires great skill. Though under Morris & Co., designs were exclusively printed using the direct method, applying the inked block straight onto the fabric, the garments at Conscious Apparel are additionally formed using the resist technique. For this, a wax paste is applied onto the material using the carved blocks, before submerging it into the chosen dye, allowing the material to dry, and finally removing the paste to reveal the pattern left behind. 

The William Morris exhibition is at York Art Gallery until 23/02/25

We hope you enjoy Nila Rubia’s collections at Conscious Apparel and can appreciate the skill that goes into making them. 

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Though the birth of the paisley pattern dates back as far as the first millennium AD, the famous teardrop-shaped design is still very much used and enjoyed today within both clothing and art more generally. Also known as the boteh or buta, the motif was first developed during the Sassanid dynasty, having been believed to symbolise life and eternity in Iranian culture. It was later used in the Safavid dynasty of Persia and continued to be a major pattern used in the textile industries during the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties. Though its use is certainly widespread, what exactly the paisley represents has been open to many interpretations. Whether it be a stylised floral spray, a cypress tree, or even a mango, what can be agreed is that the paisley makes a beautiful addition to any garment. 

In the 1400s, the textile design was transported from Persia to Kashmir, a region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, and in the same century, some of the earliest Kashmir shawls were produced in India. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the British East India Company introduced Kashmir shawls to England and Scotland, and it was the Scottish town of Paisley itself that gave the pattern its British name. Paisley became the centre for the production of the textile, reproducing the pattern using its jacquard looms. The looms themselves weaved according to patterned punch cards, whereby each row of holes correspond to the rows of stitches in the pattern. Where a hole was present in the card, the needle was able to pass straight through to lift up the warp threads and create the design. 

In more recent history, the paisley design became a symbol of the psychedelic rock’n’roll movement in the 1960s and 1970s, representing a key part of counterculture, a statement of non-conformity, and a search for life’s meaning more widely. The print’s blossoming swirls aimed to capture the third-eye – a concept representing intuition and insight – as a way to connect those wearing the design with the universe around them. The hippy belief system of this age aimed to share and extend free love regardless of race and religion and, as such, the freedom to explore and express oneself made way for some of the most radical art and music in modern history. Indeed, John Lennon even painted his Rolls-Royce with an interpretation of the pattern in 1967. 

Today, Conscious Apparel continues to hark back to the history of the paisley pattern in its collection of woven wool jackets and cotton dresses. The paisley’s rich symbolism and rebellious aura seems to have kept it alive throughout history, and its openness to reinvigoration and reinterpretation has allowed its beauty to stand the test of time.

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Our clothes at Conscious Apparel are about slow fashion – they are elegant, luxurious and timeless pieces. We are also firmly committed to the practice of upcycling. Up cycling, or ‘creative reuse’, effectively means taking something no longer in use and repurposing it. Through cutting, stitching and refashioning, to upcycle something grants it a second life and a new function. Upcycling is not the same as recycling and it does not break down an item’s base material, but rather refashions an existing item to create something even better. This ethical practice plays a key role in the fashion industry and helps to reduce the environmental impact of consumer goods at large. By transforming otherwise discarded materials into new and wearable pieces, upcycling conserves valuable resources, reduces waste, and supports a circular economy. In essence, when engaging in upcycling, no new items of clothing are added to the excess already in the industry and in our landfill sites. It is this rapidly paced fast fashion cycle of clothing production that sends an estimated 92 million tonnes of clothing to landfill each year.

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For the latest photoshoot in York we took inspiration from the Monet exhibition art the City’s Art Gallery, which Ruth and a friend, Jan Walmsley – who is a fused glass artist – were visiting just before the shoot – as we were coming up with ideas about it. It seemed to work perfectly for the clothes and for the location – Jan’s stunning York garden, with a lily pond. We wanted to focus mainly on our own designs for this shoot but have mixed in some other designers/makers that we sell.

The models for the shoot were Jan Walmsley, Pamela Thorby, a professional potter and musician (who will be taking part in York Potters Fair with Sylvia on July 20th), Laura Worsley – who has travelled to over 50 countries and channels her creativity into interior design, and cafe owner Marta Obuchowska. All of the models enjoyed working with the Monet theme and there were gasps of awe as the models were dressed by Emma Robertson -Tierny who has recently joined the Conscious Apparel team and helps bring things together – these shoots need a lot of planning and organisation. We chose the outfits with each model in mind and Ruth also modelled some of our reversible Mumbai dresses, which looked fabulous on her, worn oversized and draped off a shoulder.

We will be putting up more photos on social media over the coming weeks but do enjoy these for now!

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When a customer came to my house to look at the summer collection recently, she tried the clothes on and said “I feel confident in this dress”. It was a Cashual dress in size XL, but she was a slim lady of size 12. The dress looked absolutely marvellous on her, silk flowing softly but nowhere was the dress fitted or tight – and I realised that she knew exactly the look she wanted to achieve. It was about a relaxed stylishness. She was a beautiful woman and she did not need to show her body and flesh to look absolutely gorgeous. She chose the dress and also a long kimono in a colour that she would not normally wear – why? Because both made her feel confident wearing them.

So when you look at our collections picture yourself in the clothes and ask yourself – does that look like it would give me confidence to wear it? If the answer is yes, you might be onto a winner, and Karin and I, and Jacqui, Karin’s daughter in law, will have done our job.

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What a wonderful thing to wear jewellery that reminds us of acceptance, impermanence and the beauty of imperfection. Commentators on Wabi Sabi have described it as an object or expression that can bring about a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing. The simple realities of this art are that nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.

We invite you to commission your own Wabi Sabi piece – one that is inspired by it’s concepts – an appreciation of imperfect beauty and nature. Please get in touch with us at shopmorekindness@gmail.com to have a necklace made for you.

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My desire for beautiful clothes started with the patterns and fabrics of my mother’s dresses in the 1950s – leading to a lifelong love of vintage. I hate waste, enjoy making new from old and have always been a conservationist.  I was thrilled to discover Conscious Apparel – their ethically sourced clothes are beautifully made and reusing fabrics fits well with my personal values of recycling and sustainability.

I recently retired from my role as a social prescribing link worker following a career in community work and advocacy – helping people get their voices heard.  I am a great believer in giving people the opportunity to achieve their potential and enable them to make their own decisions. I want to raise awareness of social prescribing as link workers support people whose health is affected by things that are not necessarily medical but that they might have seen their GP for help with. As social prescribers, we can take time to find out what matters to people and signpost them to sources of support in the community, helping to empower them to make decisions to improve their health and wellbeing.

Issues like stress (caused by difficulties at work, relationships, housing or financial pressures), living with long-term conditions, being a carer, lack of confidence, depression and loneliness can have very negative effect on health. Link workers can refer to a variety of support like health trainers, counselling, organisations for specific conditions, debt and housing advice, social groups and accessing green prescribing such as community gardens and other green spaces.

During Covid 19 mental health issues increased with some people having an escalation of symptoms and others a disintegration of their mental health for the first time. Older, isolated, people have missed face-to-face contact with befriending services and day clubs and link workers have connected them, and other housebound patients, with telephone support for regular contact and practical help. Services are beginning to open up again and I am happy that the last job of my working life was one that supported people to find ways to take control of their own wellbeing.  Social Prescribing can be accessed through GP surgeries and patients can self-refer.

We wish Holly all the very best for her retirement! What a wonderful career – helping people achieve their potential through being heard and helping them connect with others.

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