Press Release
Fashion Open Studio presents Showcase With a Difference: Product & Purpose at TheLab E20
Fashion Open Studio takes residence once again at The Lab E20, East Village’s new
creative hub, to bring Showcase with a Difference: Product & Purpose. From February
11th-27th, there will be an exhibition of the work of ten fashion designers focusing on productand purpose. The exhibition will present ten different approaches to creating fashion,
exploring the process as well as highlighting the all-important sense of purpose that
motivates the designers. The Showcase with a Difference takes its audience inside theseams of the garment to better understand how clothes are made as well as why these
designers are rejecting the industry’s bad habits and toxic culture.
The installation will be brought to life by a programme of workshops and events
demonstrating how clothes can be made without using non-renewable resources, in waysthat are local, create and nurture community, promote wellbeing and positivity, and embrace
new business models. The exhibition is art directed by multi-award winning designer
Matthew Needham, who specialises in combining materials, experience, and community tocreate works that are both educational and conscious, inspiring a symbiotic approach
towards living our human lives in parallel with the planet. The exhibition, ‘Product andPurpose’, is designed to change the way you think about your clothes, and to challenge thecurrent standards in the fashion industry. It will highlight the importance of having a sense ofpurpose as well as showing how the resulting product can offer much-needed solutions to
the industry at large.
Three designers will present a series of weekly workshops and talks where they will engage
with an invited audience to give a deeper understanding of how - and why - they work:● Rahemur Rahman will be talking about the importance of community in his work.
Rahman recently presented My Home My Bari at the Kobi Nazrul Centre, incelebration of the Bangladeshi community living and working around Brick Lane ineast London on the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh independence@rahemurrahman● Noki aka JJ Hudson is an anti-fast fashion activist, whose pioneering, subversive
practice makes radical use of waste. @nokiofficial● Revival London is a sustainable fashion brand centred on female empowerment
through bold and contemporary fashion pieces made entirely from reclaimed textiles.
They currently specialise in denim reconstruction and are committed to reducing
textile waste in the industry. @revivalldn
The exhibition will include the following designers:● Anciela, set up by Colombian-born, London-based Jennifer Droguett who brings
Colombian folklore to create her unique identity as a designer utilising local suppliers
and manufacturers. @anciela_london● Ifeanyi Okwuadi, the winner of the Hyeres Fashion Festival 2022 Grand Prix, adesigner who is rethinking heritage textiles and traditional tailoring techniques for anew generation. @ifeanyiokwuadi

●●●
●
●

Joao Maraschin, a brand that supports and preserves hand made techniques likecrochet and embroidery and celebrates an inclusive approach to its craftspeople andcreative practitioners. @joaomaraschin
Lueder using clothes as armour to promote positive mental health and well-being@marie.lueder
Martina Spetlova, who uses craft to weave luxury one-off pieces, has experimented
with blockchain technology to ensure a transparent supply chain. @martinaspetlova
Renate Brenha showing the luxury craft of upcycling @renata.brenha
Soup Archive, an experimental upcycling trio @soup_archive

The fashion industry recognises it must change to reduce its damaging environmental
impact and exploitation that thrives on inequality and unethical practices. Showcase with a
Difference will present a diverse range of pioneering solutions to the many problems facing
the industry, from excess production, to waste, pollution, convoluted supply chains,
unsustainable textiles, and business models using a system that is no longer fit for purpose.
The designers in the exhibition are leading the way for a generation that expects clothes tobe made fairly, responsibly and with transparency.
Showcase With A Difference opens at The Lab E20, East Village’s flagship for experiential
retail, cultural exhibition and creative workspace, supported by Get Living. The showcase ispart of an ongoing programme which promotes sustainability and community. It is supportedby the Mayor of London’s Fashion Showcasing Fund, Get Living, and Fashion District.
All events will be free to access and available to book at www.fashionopenstudio.com
Social media: @fashionopenstudio #FashionOpenStudio
The Lab E20, 3-4 East Park Walk, East Village, London E20 1JB
Schedule:--Exhibition: from the 12th to the 27th of February | Opening hours: Thursday toSunday 11:00 to 18:00
Opening: Friday 11th of February 17:30 to 20:00
Encounters:- Rahemur Rahman | 12th February 11:00 - 13:00- Revival London | 19th February 11:00 - 14:00- Noki | 26th February 17:30 - 20:00
Special Event: Friday 25th February - 17:00 to 20:00 *(drinks at 19:30)

Film Screening and Talk: Waste, Upcycling and Recycling in Retail
Join us for a film screening and live Q&A with Liz from The Or Foundation (live fromAccra), followed by a panel discussion with Natasha Buchler, founder of AKOJOMARKET, creative director and founder of RAEBURN Christopher Raeburn andONEE founder Carrie Davies. We will be exploring the direct impact waste from theWest has on communities living and working in second hand clothing markets inAfrica (Ghana and Kenya) and how to balance the promotion of upcycling in fashion
with reduced consumption.
For press enquiries, interview requests or images, please contactpress@fashionrevolution.org

About Fashion Open Studio
Established in 2017, Fashion Open Studio is a Fashion Revolution initiative. As ashowcasing platform, the purpose is to shine a spotlight on best practice and innovation
being led by fashion and textile designers, biotech start-ups and retail disruptors. The
designers are selected for their commitment to a clearly defined criteria of responsible
design and systemic innovation. Designers share best practice in a transparent and open
manner, in a way that offers access and stimulates discussion and questions.
www.fashionopenstudio.com
About Fashion Revolution
Fashion Revolution is the world’s largest fashion activism movement, formed after the Rana
Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013 which killed over 1,100 people. Fashion
Revolution campaigns for a clean, safe, fair, transparent and accountable fashion industry
through research, education, collaboration, mobilisation and advocating for policy change.
Fashion Revolution is a global movement with country offices and voluntary teams in 90countries. Fashion Revolution believes in a global fashion industry that conserves andrestores the environment and values people over growth and profit.
About Get Living
The largest operator in the UK’s Build to Rent sector, Get Living is best known for East
Village E20, the former London 2012 Athletes’ Village and currently manages 3,000 homes
across London and Manchester. Get Living is growing with a 8,000-home development
portfolio across five big city neighbourhoods in Manchester, London, Maidenhead, Leeds
and Glasgow.
Get Living was named ‘Landlord of the Year’ for the fifth time at the 2021 RESI Awards.
www.getliving.com
About The Lab E20
The Lab E20 is Get Living’s flagship for experiential retail, cultural exhibition and creativity inEast Village. It is a hub for positive fashion and sustainable living. The Lab E20 has been
designed and produced by Christopher Raeburn, founder of RÆBURN. Programme partners
at The Lab E20 include: the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion,RÆBURN, D-Lab, LOANHOOD, The Sustainable Angle, Fashion Open Studio (FashionRevolution) and The Fashion District. Opening times will depend on events being held at
The Lab E20. Follow Get Living for the latest information.
About Matthew NeedhamMatthew Needham is a multi-award-winning British/Czech designer and artist known for hisapproach to upcycling and contributions towards sustainability within the British fashionindustry. As a graduate of the MA Fashion course at Central Saint Martins, Needham’s work
reflects fashion’s yearning for radical ideas, as he champions the use of unorthodox
materials that are both innovative and thought provoking. Utilising fly tipped waste andmaterials salvaged from luxury fashion houses are inherent within Matthew’s process, often
working with materials some would deem as 'unusable' through his unique method ofstorytelling. From dressing environmental advocates including Emma Watson, to workingclosely with the global movement that is Fashion Revolution, he is questioning therelationship we have with our clothing and the influence it can have on our evolution.
Matthew Needham Studio combines materials, experience, and community to create works
that are both educational and conscious, ultimately inspiring a more symbiotic approach toliving our human lives in parallel with the planet. It is the brainchild of designer and artist
Matthew Needham, who is known for his approach to upcycling and contributions tosustainability within the British fashion industry.
About AKOJO MARKETAKOJO MARKET is the leading UK destination for artisan-led brands from across Africa andbeyond. We sell handmade accessories, jewellery, homeware, clothing, bath and beauty andaccessories. We select talented designers and brands who promote local culture and artisan
craftsmanship, and are committed to a sustainable and transparent way of working. Our
bespoke due diligence process sets the standard for ethical production, and our carefulcuration ensures customers discover beautiful items they will cherish forever.