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EDITS
Artweeks
Esther Lafferty discovers
the moral fibre of local
designer Feng Ho
FASHION
that doesn’t cost the earth
Ethical fashion designer Feng Ho is
acclaimed for her contemporary clothing,
feminine
draped
shapes,
modern
assymmetric lines, experimental pattern
cutting and timeless colours, handcrafted
in her Abingdon studio.
After graduating from the renowned Royal
College of Art and working with cutting edge
London-based designers such as Preen,
Robert-Cary Williams & Jens Laugesen,
Feng Ho launched her own label in 2006 with
support from the Princes Trust designing
and making her own ready-to-wear lines and
winning the Ethical Fashion Forum Innovation
Award in 2010. She also provides a bespoke
fashion service.
Her collections, from the geometrically
panelled garments in her Cubist dream range
to the elegantly-draped Butterfly House
pieces which translate flawlessly from day
to night are confident, sophisticated and
glamorous, yet these fluidly structured skirts
and sensual jersey dresses that are her
signature pieces are soft and forgiving to the
figure.
Feng Ho creations reflect a synergy between
architecture and nature through the use of
clean lines and natural form in their designs,
a harmony between the man-made world and
the environment echoing Feng’s approach to
fashion design.
Feng takes an ethical approach to the
design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing
which maximises benefits to people and
communities while minimising impact on the
environment. ‘I’ve always been passionate
about fair trade and environmental
sustainability, she explains, and it was the
plight of workers, particularly child labourers,
in the cotton industry in Uzbekistan that
convinced her to incorporate such a strong
ethical dimension into the business.
‘It’s about being as responsible as possible
with the earth’s resources and it’s possible to
counter the disposable fast fashions fads of
the high street by creating timeless designs
and versatile classics which stand the test of
time.’
It can be quite a challenge to pursue an
ethical approach in the fashion world: Feng
Ho chooses her textiles carefully sourcing
ethically-manufactured material from around
the world. These include organic cotton,
‘cruelty-free’ silk and materials made from
hemp, soy, bamboo, eucalyptus and Tencel,
biodegradable material made from wood pulp
cellulose, all manufactured using a minimum
of chemicals, natural dyes and water-based
printing inks. She also utilises local resources
where possible, for example using end-of-
line fabrics from UK textile mills that would
otherwise be wasted.
Maintaining an ethical studio practice,
Ho has been experimenting with a zero-
waste policy and her Tessellate collection
reflects this – minimising waste through the
pattern cutting process. ‘I might start with
a rectangle,’ she explains, ‘and then I’ll use
every single piece.’
Born of Malaysian and Singaporean
parents and brought up in Oxford, Feng
brings to her designs elements of both east
and west. She has also collaborated with
the Mayamiko Trust in Malawi to use fairly
traded locally sourced African fabrics, the
African influence in her Willow collection
a striking contrast to the rest of the rail.
‘Working with the bold patterns was a real
challenge after the classic palette of my
previous collections!’ laughs Ho.
For a local stockist visit
Exclusive Roots
8 Woodstock Rd Oxford OX2 6HT
During Oxfordshire Artweeks, Feng Ho
opens her studio to the public (venue 3).
You can visit her on 3rd and 4th and 10th
-11th May (12-6 pm) at 13 Northcourt
Road Abingdon OX14 1PW. There is
parking opposite at Abingdon football
ground. Alternatively you can contact her
for or for commissions or more information
all year round via
or
call 07963 343465.
Twitter @FengHoFashion
