About Antiform

I am an experienced fashion designer, consultant, researcher and project manager focusing on sustainability. I have set up and run several enterprises in fashion and textiles, gaining a broad experience of managing businesses, from challenging current industry systems to developing strategies for more connected production operations. I have also consulted with a variety of private sector and third sector businesses as well as developing teaching approaches for sustainable design with universities, schools and colleges across the UK and work as an expert and community partner on a number of research projects. I started in the industry as an apprentice in a shoe designers in London, then went to study fashion at Leeds College of Art. I already had a good idea of what the job opportunities were going to be like and always had an aspiration of running my own label. I founded my first shop '25 Spaces', supported by Unltd, in 2007 during my second year. Whilst I was studying in Leeds, I became very aware of the waste generated by the fashion industry and the wealth of local skills and resources around the country which were going unused. Throughout the final year of my degree all of my designs used reclaimed materials, using Yorkshire heritage textiles to create forward-thinking fashion. Antiform as an idea was conceived, and since then has continued under the very same ethos - always aiming to push the boundaries of ethical, sustainable design by using locally sourced reclaimed materials and mixing fashion forward shapes with heritage craft materials and processes. I went on to study a Research Masters with MA Fashion and Environment in 2008 as a Harold Tillman Scholar at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion and had the chance to see what locally made fashion might look like. While working on this research project ('ReMade in Leeds') I helped found the Leeds Community Clothes Exchange and the ReMade in Leeds boutique and workshop. On completion of the MA, Antiform launched as a fully fledged fashion label from our HQ in Leeds. Currently I am the Creative Director of Antiform, working with my amazing team from our new studio in Bristol. I also work parttime at the Royal College of Art at SustainRCA as a specialist sustainability tutor. My full academic profile is here. I want to make fashion clothing but I am not prepared to do this if it causes environmental or social problems. In fact I believe it can actually be such an amazing tool for development. I see it as an exciting challenge rather than being limiting which is why we really strive to create interesting clothing. In the UK our greatest raw material is waste and there are so many opportunities to use it to make something really beautiful and create a myriad of second lives.

I recently graduated from the Fashion course at UWE in Bristol, before that I ran a high-end fashion boutique in Nottingham’s independent quarter for 3 years and I also have a long and winding history of upcycling clothes for myself and friends. My focus during my degree was sustainability. Specifically reclaiming materials and employing zero-waste pattern cutting techniques. Through pursuing this passion I was shortlisted for the Ethical Award at Graduate Fashion Week and also won a place on the Just Fashion workshop at Hay Festival, working with the brilliant Katherine Hamnett, the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and the Environmental Justice Foundation was eye opening and inspiring. Joining the diverse and brilliant Antiform studio in August 2014 has expanded my knowledge of sustainable practice in fashion and has meant being a part of fascinating projects and bringing to life amazing materials, old and new. I have recently begun freelance designing and pattern cutting and am currently planning fashion workshops to run in Bristol in 2015.

I am a student of Journalism at City University and a part time nanny. Ethical fashion is a big part of my life and I love how you have to think more creatively about what you wear. The sense of community you find when you dive into this world is also great, I've met some of the best people through ethical fashion.

I like COLOUR, I like PATTERN… and I like LOTS of it! And what’s more… I LOVE Antiform! I was adopted in to the ever growing Antiform family as an intern in 2010, a business and fashion degree later I was welcomed back to spend the most splendid year of my life as production manager in the Leeds studio. A time crammed with great people, faithful machines, photo shoots, copious amounts of peppermint tea, parties and LOTS of hard work! And all for the love of sustainable fashion! The only thing that could possibly tear me away was the calling of San Francisco - but I’ll always know where my home is!

I first became involved with Antiform as a studio assistant after graduating, then as an administrative assistant. I've done everything from festivals to photo shoots with Lizzie and the team and I'm really happy and proud to have been involved with them. If you ever visited the old Hyde Park shop you may have seen some of my visual merchandising, and you can catch me playing about with Becky's Polaroid camera in the AW15 lookbook. Antiform got me switched on to conscious consumption and I've never looked back - it's been great to watch the brand and it's ethos take off and see people get excited by the possibilities of ethical fashion.    

I am currently in my final year of my BA(Hons) degree in Fashion Design and Realisation at Leeds College of Art. I interned at Antiform throughout my whole second year and I loved it! Antiform is just the most amazing company and I met some really inspirational people. I learnt so much from Lizzie and Cez and they gave me the confidence to start my own vegan, sustainable label, which I will be launching towards the end of 2015!

I have recently graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) degree in Fashion Design from University for the Creative Arts, Epsom. I've had lots of industry experience including design studios Antiform, Baartmans and Siegel and Christopher Shannon. Im now looking to work in luxury menswear specialising in RTW and performance apparel. My final collection- Come On My Son- was shortlisted for the Menswear Award at Graduate Fashion Week in London. My designs are influenced by sportswear and exemplify strong attention to detail. My philosophy is to combine technical skills with an eye for cut and colour. I have been awarded CFDA+ 2014 accreditation, so I'm excited to see where my career next takes me. www.naomiingleby.com