We've been so inspired by our issue 42 ethical fashion story, Your Sustainably, that we just want to keep meeting the designers shaping the future of sustainable fashion – and making us look super-cool in the process. Meet Anna Skodbo, the brains behind ethical fashion brand, phannatiq. Let's save the world, one item of clothing at a time...
Anna Skodbo, founder of phannatiq
We love the clothes on offer at phannatiq, we'd love to know a little more about how you come up with your amazing designs? When I think about the textiles and patterns, I'm inspired by everything around me. Anything that's a bit subversive, so fly tipping from around my Walthamstow home, my cat, and shit areas of urban settings. But when I think about the clothes themselves, first and foremost, my designs are all about versatility without compromising aesthetics.
I love to solve conundrums, like how to make a dress suit the many and ever-changing needs of a body – age, weight, shape. I also think about needs, so can it work as workwear, daywear and evening-wear? Is it trans seasonal, can you style it up and down, does it work as a maternity dress? Also does it suit as many body shapes as possible, people of different heights etc?
I also like to make things that transcend the need for a wardrobe refresh, so things that are not "fashion" per se, but clothing to facilitate your own personal style.
What's your best advice on buying ethically? It’s impossible to be 100% ethical. It’s such a wide and multifaceted area. Most importantly, make sure you are as informed as you possibly can be, because that way you can justify your choices.
Organisations such as Labour Behind the Label, Clean Clothes Campaign, and Fashion Revolution are great consumer faced resources.
Be more mindful about what you consume. D0 you need the thing? How will you dispose of it? How long will it last? Demand transparency from the companies you buy from, you can email their head offices – email addresses are usually in the public domain. Support the companies that do function within your criteria so they can carry on doing it.
Anna Skodbo wearing phannatiq
Do you wear your own designs? And what other brands do you like? All the time! I pretty much exclusively wear phannatiq but will accessorise with other indie brands. If I find something I like, I will literally wear it every day.
For jewellery I love Linnie Mclarty. Ada Zanditon is another indie brand I love. I have a harness, which is so awesome for accessorising an outfit with.
My favourite ever shoe brand is Finsk. I own so many of their shoes now, from every day smart ankle boots to amazingly structural wedges. I love Tramp in Disguise for their prints and have a pair of really cute culotte shorts in Lava print. I also won’t leave the house without my Malene Oddershede Bach sunglasses. I even wear them on the Tube.
I have a Rachel James tee, which is gorgeous and all the more cool because the print is inspired by amoebas. For the gym, all my sports bras are by Charli Cohen – she’s great!
All these brands look so awesome with phannatiq. I always try and buy indie before going commercial. It’s so much nicer to know the brand.
We hear ya, Anna. You can shop for some phannatiq threads of your own over at phannatiq.com.
