Indies in Lockdown - Balulu

Everyone's lockdown experience has been different and in some cases creative flow has had to come to a complete standstill. 

Can keeping positive really help inspire something good out of a bad experience and how does an indie business relying on international suppliers and manufacturers continue to create and grow in lockdown? 

Super fun Balulu co-ords made from upcycled bedsheets

Balulu

Balulu is a colourful, slow fashion brand that creates fun streetwear pieces using upcycled bedsheets and vintage fabrics from India. 

As part of the No Debutante - Indies in lockdown series, super sweet Balulu designer Lulu Harrison shares how family and friends have inspired her to move forward during a tough time for her business, as she learnt to adapt and grow during lockdown. 

Colourful Balulu designer Lulu Harrison

How are you & what has your situation been during lockdown? 

I’m good! I have been staying with my parents during lockdown which has actually been great. 

It has been quite a special time as I wouldn’t usually get to spend this much time with them, so I feel blessed to have had that. 

We have been spending our time going on long walks, swimming in the river every day, doing quizzes, drinking wine and watching a lot of Netflix series! 

Reversible Mickey Mouse print Kimono by Balulu £65

How has lockdown affected your business and the way you work? 

It has been really tough on the business. 

We were meant to be trading at Glastonbury for the first time ever this summer and it would have been our second year at Shambala. 

Not only have we been affected by not having anywhere to trade, we haven’t been able to get any of our new stock as India went into an even stricter lockdown than here, particularly Varanasi which is where my clothes are made. 

I had one box of clothes come before the world went into lockdown and, to be fair, everything sold out pretty quickly which was amazing!

As we put way more effort into our online presence, we saw a lot more sales than we have previously. Online shopping became much more of a thing and whilst we had the stock our business really benefited from that. 

Mix and match repurposed fashion creations by Balulu

Has this time helped your productivity?

Sadly, without having the stock to be creative with, I can’t really say it has helped my productivity. 

I definitely started off trying to keep super motivated and coming up with new ideas, but as time has gone on the business has been hit harder, it’s been hard to stay positive about it. 

I think this whole pandemic has not only had a hit on businesses, but also on people’s mental health which I can say from first hand experience.

Unique Jungle Dungarees by Balulu £50

Have you become more or less inspired in this time?

It has been a mixture of feelings. 

With the help from my friend and marketing whizz Brodie Imogen, I have been inspired to enter a competition, update the website and make a promo video for Balulu. 

I think I needed that push from someone else to keep me motivated and generate fresh ideas. 

A selection of colourful garms by Balulu

What's next for your business? 

I have literally just got a new box of clothes which is really exciting! There are about 50 pairs of new dungarees I need to shoot and upload onto the website AND I have been updated by my tailors that more clothes will be coming soon. I’m super excited to get the new stock in! 

I have also just moved to London into a great flat/studio space so that is really exciting. 

I am also going to be studying a masters in Material Futures in October at Central Saint Martins so I can’t wait to see what will come of that and how I can incorporate Balulu into the course! 

Support Indie fashion designers and head over to the Balulu website where there is currently a flash sale happening until Wednesday (5 August) don't miss out! 

Visit the Balulu online shop 

#supportindependent

Fruit Salad - Starting a slow fashion brand

Fruit Salad officially launched in January this year.

This independent Bristol based streetwear brand oozes cuteness and street style vibes with an aim to support slow fashion.

It's super close to No Debutante's heart and it would be, as it's my fashion brand and I'm super proud of it!

The seeds for the now ripe and blooming Fruit Salad were first sown back in 2017, after I had spent a year as a fashion journalist.

Pastel Perfection with Fruit Salad photography(and main image)by Jolanta Valeniece 

Meeting so many inspiring independent designers from Bristol and beyond,  I really wanted to get back to my designer roots (I had previously worked as a designer for high street brands - I know the irony - and for my own fashion label) and I got the bug to start creating again!

The back story is a whole different blog post but I would like to say, the pressure to keep my new fashion baby as sustainable as possible has nearly broken me on several occasions, battling creativity over sustainability has been hard but I like a challenge!

After attending The Festival of Female Entrepreneurs event here in Bristol last autumn I was encouraged to continue on with my creative business idea, whilst holding myself accountable by being as transparent as possible on my fashion journey.

I felt released and inspired to launch my business and four months later I launched the Fruit Salad website on Big Cartel (who, I can honestly say, are the most helpful online platform that I have ever worked with) which is now linked to an Instagram shop (not quite so helpful on the admin front) and have a capsule fashion range of T-shirts, fleeces and beanies, all produced on very small runs.

Super fresh in Fruit Salad pink beanie and t-shirt

What's in a name?

Fruit Salad is fun, colourful, sassy and super cute. The name came from my husband Phil who said my hair looked like Fruit Salad sweets when the pink colour was washing out of my bleached blonde crop, the name stuck and it's super sweet and playful too!

Candy coloured cuteness at Fruit Salad photography by Jolanta Valeniece

The Graphics

The graphics came from pavement chalk drawings I had created with my daughter, I was looking for print ideas and these weird, sea creatures I had randomly drawn caught my imagination.

The Fruit Salad logo came from a hand drawn idea of how I wanted the Fruit Salad logo to look, with the intention to recreate it digitally using an existing font, instead, I kept things DIY and went with the quick sketch. I really like hand drawn graphic art and fanzines and it fitted with the playful Fruit Salad style that was slowly developing.

The prints were all initially created using stencil printing techniques at home and then neatened up for print production.

Time, as you probably know, is not on my side and since I have met so many independent designers who have help manufacturing their brands AND lucky for me, there are some amazing local tailors, makers and independent printers here in Bristol.

With this in mind, I decided I would be beneficial to get some help to put my ideas into production. I had always felt this was a bit of a cop out, probably comparing myself to others rather than just getting on with it BUT I got over myself and got in touch with some Bristol based indies.

Keeping things as local as possible is a first priority to me.

The last day of summer Fruit Salad photo shoot by Jolanta Valeniece

The T-shirts

First stop was Hidden Temple, a local screen printers who I had originally met at The Fashion Front fashion shows here in Bristol. As well as being super friendly and helpful they also take small print orders. This was a must for me as I only wanted to print up an initial small run of t-shirts to reduce possible waste from over-producing.

The Fruit Salad t-shirts are currently made from super soft organic cottons. Always striving to become more sustainable, we are researching possibilities of using recycled fabrics (ideally produced locally) and alternative sustainable ideas for future runs, which is very exciting!

Another priority for the Fruit Salad prints was to use water based inks (not plastic based) on our t-shirts. Using the water based inks we were able to create a light effect in the graphics (that was true to my original samples), which Hidden Temple screen print individually by hand and it's much better for the environment too!

Super cute and cuddly limited edition Fruit Salad fleeces are now available at our online shop

The Fleeces

The fleeces took a year to launch from initial fashion illustration to final product - now that's slow fashion!

As with my prints, I design my own garms and make my patterns and samples. I collaborated with the super talented team from Jokoto Tailoring to adapt my samples; with their amazing ideas and super sewing skills Jokoto helped create my vision. Working with local businesses has been so rewarding and kinda convenient, as they are just up the road!

The sad thing about the super sweet fleeces is that we didn't get to capture them on our amazing models before the lockdown. It's certainly on the to do list when we are all let out to play again! 

Matching my collection in pastel pinks

Reducing waste

As well as working on very small runs, I also use up as much of the fabric scraps leftover from the larger cut pattern pieces to use on the fleeces cuffs, neck and waistbands.

Using this technique has resulted in there being no more than two fleeces the same, I love to experiment and mixing up different colourways using just one pattern, it's a way to create new style variations without using extra fabric.

Going forward, I hope to use as many upcycled fabrics and/or panels as possible in the next collection and look into incorporating this idea into the beanies design too.

Fresh embroideries by The Live Ink Co - right photo courtesy of The Live Ink Co. 

The beanies and embroideries

The final part of production for the fleeces was to add the Fruit Salad logo embroidery.
The Live Ink Co were recommended to me by Sam Witts from Hidden Temple and are also based in Bristol!

I really wanted to add a beanie to the collection that fitted in with the current Fruit Salad colours of pastel pink & lilacs, purple and sapphire blue. Live Ink Co kitted us out and the amazing embroideries, of both the logo on the fleeces and the Octo graphic on the beanies were so slick.

All of these independent businesses run from small shop outlets in Bristol, its impressive what and who you can find to help just on your doorstep! Support independent, support local!

I am so excited to share my lil' slow fashion baby with you but realise I have along way to go to become more sustainable. The fun will be figuring out how I can do this and learning more from the following sustainable & ethical fashion activists.

The lovely Eloise and Hannah from Jokoto Tailoring with the fleeces they made for Fruit Salad clothing
They made your clothes! 

Fashion Revolution 

In the light of Fashion Revolution Week  (20-26 April), I am sharing #whomademyclothes
in remembrance of the shocking Rana Plaza disaster that killed 1134 fashion workers in Bangladesh in 2013.

Fashion Revolution Week encourages the fashion industry no matter how big or small the business to show transparency in their supply chain with their  #whomademyclothes campaign. Read this digital activism guide to find out how you too can get involved in Fashion Rev week and beyond.


Labour Behind the label

Founders of the #sixitemschallenge Label Behind the label have launched a new campaign this week encouraging all brands to be responsible for every single person from their supply chain, not just their direct employees, focusing on those who are shockingly still working, often in terrible conditions, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Labour Behind the Label need your help to make this change. Please sign their petition and join them in supporting garment workers. The big brands must put their workers before their profits!


Sustainable Fashion week

I have to mention this inspiring event that was supposed to be taking place right now in Bristol before covid-19 put a stop to everything. I was looking forward to attending and speaking at the very first event which will now take place in Bristol this Autumn. Find out more in my Bristol24/7 article Sustainable fashion week slows down fast fashion




Covid-19 may have put a stop to many things but it cannot put a stop to all of us supporting sustainable and slow fashion ethics.

Support independent, support local, support slow fashion, support garment workers. Stay safe and stay sustainable!


Super fresh Fruit Salad threads now available on the Fruit Salad online shop

Independent women in fashion

Hey fashionistas! It's been a month (or so) of repping independent designers, and mostly Bristol ones too! From upcycled vintage fabrics from Balulu and Duvet Days to having a bash at a zip front fleece for my own slow fashion brand Fruit Salad, it's all about the independents, and independent women at that! 

The amazing Mickey Mouse co-ord by Bristol brand Balulu

Print clashing it up in Duvet Days stripe trousers and matching reversible crop top paired with a Lazy Oaf  oversized shirt. 

More Lazy Oaf and Duvet Days Mash up!

Time for me to pair my own creations with Duvet Days stripe trousers - Pastel fleece by Fruit Salad

Streetwear styling with a That Thing beanie and joggers 

Close up of Fruit Salad zip front pastel fleece

These Duvet Days trousers just go with everything! 

No Debutante X Jolanta Valeniece

It's here! The No Debutante X Jolanta Valeniece photo shoot collaboration!   

Jolanta is a photographer who works in both Bristol and London, capturing reportage style photographs of clubbers to edgy streetstyle photoshoots. 

This fun female collaboration took place on the same week as International Women's Day and was a great way to celebrate female empowerment! 

Thank you so much to the amazing and inspiring Jolanta xx

Location - Dean Lane Skate Park, Bristol

Photography by Jolanta Valeniece  
Styling & Model No Debutante



Boilersuit  - Lucy and Yak
Rainbow jacket - Primark
Trainers - Nike Air Force One Jester XX
Catsuit - Mannerswear
Mesh dress - Monki
Earrings - Tezla Designs
Beanie - That Thing

Anti fashion feels

No Debutante loves anti-fashion fashion. 
It's a given. If it's a bit quirky, even a little odd, I'm in! 

Despite being a fashion blogger and fashion editor, I am always inspired by a fashion designer that does things differently. This is one of the reasons I support independent designers. 

Anti-fashion is not trend led, it has it's own style and beats to its own drum, keeping it fresh and contemporary. 

Anti-fashion does not mean you hate fashion. 

Independent designers create small fashion runs, they are non-corporate and their pieces are not mass produced. It's all about the creativity, they are free to do their thing and if people start wearing their creations, even better! It's non-conformity, it's punk! 


Today, I am looking at independent fashion designers, two of which, including Fuud London and Smock Me are new designers to feature in the No Debutante blog. 

From street wear to super-cute styling here are a few fashion designers that have caught my eye lately, with that anti-fashion, do it your way feel. 

Fuud London  - streetwear without the labels

Fuud London  

Coincidentally, the Fuud brand started in my hometown of Bristol with the Fuudhood, a detachable hood/scarf design. It was only at the end of 2018 that I rediscovered the Fuud brand, now known as Fuud London, on Instagram. 

I was taken in by the bright colors and bold prints used on these super-styled, streetwear garms including sweatshirts, hoodies and joggers. These garms have a kinda retro feel to them whilst looking super slick and let's be honest, mega comfy! Fuud London gives a fresh twist to streetwear, it's more about the design and cuts, than a logo. 

The prints are cut up into panels alongside plain fabrics and colours, I am loving the unmatched legs on the trackies. Yep, I am totally swooning over one of these streetwear co-ords! Nice one Fuud London!

Smock Me

I am a sucker for graphics and I am loving these kawaii punk style logo graphics from Smock Me. They basically had me at the logo. I am loving the quirky, hand-drawn style graphics layered over day-glo camo prints.

Smock Me create bright and bold unisex streetwear piece with graphics that remind me of skate artists like Jim Philips mixed with a kawaii style. Smock Me are an independent LA based brand and are definitely one to watch. 

Lazy Oaf

Yeah, I am obsessed, sorry not sorry! Lazy Oaf have been keeping my world weird for a fair few years now. How can I not share their latest garms? Actually, how did I miss this super-cute hearts cardigan? Yep, it's already sold out, as Lazy Oaf do small runs, making their limited edition garms internationally sought after by all the kawaii kids...and me! 

The Lazy Oaf X Esther Loves You collaboration is just the cutest! All pastel colourways and kawaii bunny prints. 

Who doesn't want the pink bunny boilersuit or the adorable lilac Bungarees?? This is why No Debutante loves Lazy Oaf. Super cuteness and those 'Lazy' slogans! 

OMG The Bungarees!!!!! 

Esther Loves You is an artist and creator of the super kitsch Esther Bunny and has collaborated with Lazy Oaf on several occasions. Lazy Oaf's style suits the Esther Loves You graphics perfectly and I want to see more, more, more! Anti-fashion is so much more fun! 

Super-cute Esther Loves You Bunny graphics for Lazy Oaf 

That Thing AW 18 Launch Party

Streetwear and lifestyle queens That Thing dropped their AW18 fashion collection yesterday.

Bristol really supports it's independents and this launch party was full of fashionistas, friends and customers checking out the new collection and hanging out with the That Thing girls whilst Bristol's Bitch Please DJ's provided the soundtrack for the night. There was even a queue outside to get in! 

Inspired by the mossy greens of the designer, Joh Rindom's, Scandinavian homelands, this collection features warm earthy tones of forest and fern greens, creamy golds and a black contrast.  The collection comes in cuddly knits, lurex sparkled tops and super soft jerseywear pieces, perfect for the winter months whilst adding a bit of glam for that sparkly Christmas season that is rapidly approaching. 

"I was really deep nature inspired so we have a lot of soft textures and darks greens and black, a real comfort feel for autumn/winter".  Joh Rindom - That Thing 

Joh was resourceful in her pattern cutting with this collection. By combining the top half of one design and the bottom half of another, she created block paneled garms that also reduced fabric waste. You know how we love a bit of sustainability here at No Debutante! 

No Debutante's fave pieces included the luxe double trumpet sleeve t-shirt dress, the super-soft unisex trackies, and this years streetwear staple - the bucket hat. Now what to add to my Christmas list this year? 

The AW18 collection is currently available in the Stokes Croft shop in Bristol and will be available online alongside the Lookbook shortly. Watch this space.