FASHION with PURPOSE
BETHANY WILLIAMS LEADS BY EXAMPLE WITH HER COMMUNITY-FIRST APPROACH TO DESIGN. WE DISCOVER HOW THE ELLE LIST HONOUREE IS MOBILISING THE INDUSTRY FOR GOOD IN 2O2O
Bethany Williams has had a remarkable year, although she could never have predicted the direction it would take her in. Last year, she was named one of the stars of the 2O19 ELLE List, a partnership with Magnum ice cream that celebrates the next generation of trailblazers and gamechangers. Since then, she’s won the British Emerging Talent Award in the menswear category at the British Fashion Awards, along with an Arts Foundation Futures Award for Social Innovation.
‘As my brand grows, I have to remain true to the ideas behind it and remember why I set it up,’ says the philanthropic designer. ‘There’s no time to second guess yourself.’ As it turned out, a career built on fearlessly championing social issues through design was excellent preparation for her next venture: sewing hospital scrubs, from her living room, in the midst of a nationwide lockdown.
When the COVID-19 outbreak led to unprecedented demand for protective wear for key workers, Williams was able to utilise her creative agility to form the volunteer-led Emergency Designer
Network with friends and fellow designers Phoebe English and Holly Fulton. ‘A lot of my friends are nurses and I’d been hearing horror stories from them,’ she explains. ‘Phoebe, Holly and I had been approached by hospitals to make garments, and it triggered a conversation between us.’ The trio partnered with over 1OO designers and manufacturers to produce protective wear for healthcare workers.
While getting a not-for-profit up and running in a matter of weeks might be daunting for most 3O-yearolds, Williams has had plenty of experience utilising her craft for a greater purpose. Her efforts have led to her being nominated for the prestigious LVMH Prize For Young Fashion Designers and winning the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
Given her meteoric rise, it’s surprising to hear she was initially reluctant to pursue a career in fashion. ‘I’ve always loved design, textiles and clothes,’ she says. ‘But I didn’t like the idea of waste. I didn’t want to be part of the problem.’ She had planned to study sustainable development at university, but took a year off to do an art foundation diploma; she derived so much pleasure from this exploration of her creative side that she decided to take a master’s in menswear at the London College of Fashion.
Alongside her studies, she volunteered at homeless shelters and food kitchens in Brighton, which solidified her desire to collaborate with charitable organisations. ‘I wanted to design, but I also wanted to find a way to make meaningful products,’ she explains. For Williams, this meant not only creating a sustainable line of production for her designs – she only uses materials that are recycled or organic – but also boldly pursuing change in relation to key social issues.
Each season, Williams donates a portion of her proceeds to charities, as well as outsourcing production to marginalised communities where feasible. For her most recent collection, she partnered with East London’s Magpie Project, which supports homeless mothers and their children. In the past, she’s employed residents of San Patrignano, a rehabilitation centre in Italy, to weave newspaper waste into material; and her jersey cloth is made by female inmates at HMP Downview in Sutton, as part of the London College of Fashion’s Making for Change initiative. She‘s also commissioned buttons through the Manx Workshop for the Disabled on the Isle of Man, where she grew up.
These artisanal details and purposeful designs are what makes her pieces so special. ‘I love giving something a bit of time
“AS MY BRAND GROWS, I HAVE TO remain true TO THE IDEAS BEHIND IT AND REMEMBER WHY I SET IT UP. THERE’S no time TO SECOND GUESS YOURSELF ”
to make it beautiful through craftsmanship,’ Williams explains. ‘In fashion, you have to be fearless to design two collections a year; you need to have that drive. But I love clothing, and I love textiles, and I love making. So it brings all my passions into one area.’
The knock-on effect of COVID-19 has presented challenges for many, Williams included. Her next commission, for London arts centre Somerset House, was slated to launch in April, but at the time of writing remains on hold. Yet she remains upbeat. ‘It’s been good to just have a pause and spend some extra time on research,’ she says. ‘I’m finding pleasure in the smaller things in life: going for a walk, cooking or reading.’
This unwavering positivity is a signature of her design aesthetic. Despite the gravity of the social issues Williams spotlights, her beautifully crafted, unisex pieces are cheerful, uplifting and decidedly wearable. ‘I love working alongside artists on the graphics and using bright colours. As a brand, when we’re talking about serious issues, it’s nice to celebrate the things that matter through colour and craftsmanship,’ she says.
Williams’ focus is upon slow manufacturing, incorporating hand-knitting, weaving and sewing into her collections. ‘Our price points are high because everything is handmade, we produce locally and we know where each element is sourced from and how it’s been created,’ she explains. But she acknowledges that shopping sustainably is a luxury that many consumers can’t partake in. ‘There’s a lot of talk about how bad fast fashion is,’ Williams says. ‘It’s a difficult conversation to have, because a lot of people can’t afford to buy luxury. On the projects we work with, so many families find it really difficult to even buy school uniforms. And if you can’t afford that, shopping organically is just not going to be a priority.’
She hopes the catalyst for change will come from consumers with the economic means to shop responsibly. ‘It’s important that people who do have the buying power choose well, because that drives the force of the market, so the high street and fashion brands will have to follow suit,’ she explains.
For now, Williams is remaining true to her values by focusing on supporting key workers, as well as researching and designing for her upcoming collection for Somerset House. ‘The pandemic has really turned everything on its head. But working on the Emergency Designer Network, everyone’s been so positive and so generous. It’s been amazing,’ she says, adding that she hopes this will continue on a more permanent basis.
‘I’ve been really proud of the way that the fashion community has stepped up during this time,’ she says. ‘It’s a change for the better.’ Williams may be too humble to say it, but it’s clear she’s a key player in this socially conscious shift.
ABOUT THE ELLE LIST ACelebration ofChange-Makers
For the past two years, ELLE and Magnum have joined forces to power The ELLE List, an initiative that champions trailblazing creatives and visionaries who aren’t afraid to express themselves and who are helping to reframe the world around them. Together, ELLE and Magnum are celebrating the next wave of change-makers; those who are boldly and unapologetically pursuing their passion and craft in a bid to encourage others to take the same leap. Magnum’s mission is to empower all of us to free ourselves of inhibitions and stay true to what brings us pleasure, whether that’s fashion, food, art or something else entirely. It aims to inspire us to let go of fear and judgement and express ourselves confidently and freely. Look out for ELLE’s partnership with Magnum ice cream on The ELLE List 2O2O, featuring a host of rising talent, all living fearlessly and standing out within their respective fields