“I think it is only a matter of time until ethical fashion becomes fashion period. I think consumers are waking up and making choices that they feel good about and that makes me feel incredibly hopeful…”

Thought Collective sell handmade, authentic, ethical made and artistic apparel from Tanzania. “We are believers, dreamers, and innovators. Our workplace is full of dignity, creativity and so much laughter. We are strong women that believe in equality and fairness in the workplace and beyond.” So great! We wanted to know more and talked to founder and ceo Audrey Hickey. Also enjoy the Summer 2015 Lookbook photographed and styled by Caitlan Hickey starring Alissa and Queenie.

What does sustainable fashion mean to you?

Sustainable fashion means that we are acknowledging that we have an environmental and social responsibility to show up and see employees as human beings, and treat them with the dignity they deserve. Sustainable fashion means consumers can be proud and confident in what they are wearing knowing that it is made with love and produced ethically.

How did you get involved with ethical fashion?

I worked for a few years as a sponsorship coordinator to help find outside aid to enroll economically challenged children in school. The pressure of relying on funding from the United States and Europe became totally defeating. I felt it must be even more upsetting for the parents of these children, who were more than willing to work but still unable to afford school fees. I realized a more progressive approach would be to invest in those parents— to offer them an education and career providing fair wages that allowed for them to send their own children to school with dignity. I’ve always loved fashion and sewing, so I combined that with my passion for fair wage employment and women’s empowerment, and Thought Collective was born.

And where do you see the future of ethical fashion?

I think it is only a matter of time until ethical fashion becomes fashion period. I think consumers are waking up and making choices that they feel good about. I am seeing unethical brands being called out more and more, factory workers protesting, and companies making big changes to prove to their consumers that they value their employees. That makes me feel incredibly hopeful and I am so honored and proud to be present in the start of what I believe will become a powerful movement in the fashion industry.

What little things do you do in your everyday life to improve the environment?

I always try to buy local food, recycle, and walk as much as I can. I am a vegetarian, I bring reusable shopping bags to stores and markets and use a refillable water bottle. In every way, I try to stay conscious of what I consume and what I waste.

Tell us bit about your current collection

For this collection I did something very different. I started out by perusing the local fabric market and when I saw something that spoke to me, I just bought a ton of it without knowing at all what it would become. From there, I opened my journal and began to draw patterns that I thought would work well with the design and texture of the textile. I also always work with and take suggestions from my amazing team, their voices are valuable, creative and are a significant part of the design process.

What is the collection influenced by?

All of my collections are influenced by my surroundings in Tanzania: the people, the animals, the mountains, the rain, the bold colors and laughter, the unapologetic beauty and expression, the delicacy and innocence of the children.

What are your most popular items this year?

Masaai Tie Crop Top
Floral and Geometric Rompers

If you had the day off right now how would you spend it?

Outdoors somewhere beautiful with my best girl pals. You can never go wrong with beautiful scenery and close friends…. And beer.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?

“Each time you make a good decision or do something nice or take care of yourself; each time you show up to work and work hard and do your best at everything you can do, you’re planting seeds for a life that you can only hope will grow beyond your wildest dreams. Take care of the little things—even the little things that you hate—and treat them as promises to your own future. Soon you’ll see that fortune favors the bold who get shit done.”
― Sophia Amoruso, #GIRLBOSS

 www.thoughtcollectivedesign.com // @thoughtcollective
Models: Alissa @missalissa & Queenie @quuez
Photography/Styling: Caitlan Hickey @chiefchiefnyc // www.caitlanhickey.com