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One of the best perks to my job here at MSL is having the opportunity to hear the incredible stories that people have associated with treasured fashion items. The memories and experiences that people have shared with us over the past year have been so inspirational and encouraging for the future of sustainable fashion. Clothes are keepsakes, they cherish the memories of past encounters that have made us who we are today, so why throw them away?
As of late, we have been spending our days planning and excitedly anticipating our Semple Secrets event on the 1st of August with best-selling author Adele Parks. Last week we joined Adele at her event with Glamour Magazine at their first ever book club and having seen the energy that exudes from this fantastic author, we cannot wait to see what stories from her treasured fashion item she has to share.
But for now, we thought to celebrate the release of Adele’s latest book, ‘The State We’re In’, a heartwarming story that spans two generations and looks at how our pasts shape our futures, we would take a look at what treasured fashion items characters Jo and Clara would cherish.
As an Author with a key eye for fashion, Adele creates her characters by visualising every last detail of their life, from their childhood upbringing to their style choices. In a story of romance and fate, Adele told us main character Jo would never want to be separated from the outfit she bought when she went shopping with heart-throb hulk, Dean.
“I emerged in the poppy coloured Calvin Klein dress it [Dean’s voice] had turned to treacle and I’d had to lean close to him to hear him properly. ‘Knock-out’. I hope he’s right as knocking out the competition is exactly what I have to do today. We bought some suede, killer heel, nude sandals too. They have a strap around the ankle which gives a hint of the vixen. If ever there was a moment to hint at the inner vixen, this is it.”
The poppy coloured Clavin Klein dress will forever remind Jo of this moment where she felt her most confident around the man who made her knees go weak. In a completely different circumstance, Clara takes equal care and demonstrates her fashion conscience when she picks her ‘leaving outfit’ – the outfit she wears to leave her husband of 38 years.
“She picked out an extremely pretty bra, a structured one that created a cleavage where there wasn’t much of one. She’d had a blow dry today even though it wasn’t her regular day and she’d treated herself to a mini-mani and pedi. Finally, she selected her Chanel skirt suit, in blush. It was cotton tweed, with a cream leather collar and pearl button details. It made her gasp when she put it on, even now, even though she’d worn it on half a dozen occasions. It was so beautiful. It would shield her. She glanced in the mirror. It was a bitter sweet reflection.”
For Clara, this was an outfit she had turned to many times in the past and at this point in time, she would wear it to symbolise courage, protection, confidence and the beginning of an end. It would become the outfit that will forever remind her of this pivotal day in her life.
So if Adele can write such intimate memories into every aspect of her characters lives, imagine the stories she has to share about her own treasured fashion item! We can only wait and see, and hope that you will be there to join us for this wonderful evening. To book your tickets, please visit our website.
By Marni Banks
