FEMPONIQ
We spoke to the empowering womenswear brand FEMPONIQ discussing all things fashion and sustainability.
Tell us a little bit about FEMPONIQ...
FEMPONIQ is a contemporary womenswear brand that gives a new meaning to power dressing while staying true to her desire of empowering women. With her sophisticated and feminine style choices, FEMPONIQ represents an effortless way of confident dressing within high quality and timeless collections.
FEMPONIQ is a fusion of three words: FEMININE, POWERFUL, UNIQUE, which simply describes the FEMPONIQ Woman and the brand aesthetics. She is confident to find her ways in order to create a more joyful, meaningful life. Her closet immediately tells that she is an advocate for women’s rights and that she is not afraid to express her opinion and lean-in. She cherishes every moment of life and turns challenges into opportunities to live a successful and happy life.
How is FEMPONIQ a Sustainable and Ethical brand?
FEMPONIQ only produces small runs of each collection in a bid to act against fast fashion. It allows our designer to spend more time researching and sourcing sustainable fabrics and manufacturing methods. We make timeless clothes that are made to last, therefore, we frequently visit the production partners to ensure that the process is always ethical and garments are of the highest quality. The majority of our garments are made in London’s high-end fashion ateliers, which run small production lines with a strong focus on sustainability. Our motto is to deliver quality over quantity.
FEMPONIQ lives and breathes sustainability from sourcing natural fabrics to the recycled e-commerce boxes that are delivered to the client’s doors. Every step of this cycle is designed to protect our environment and to create a long-lasting joy of our high-quality garments.
We don’t use fur, leather, skins or silk. We want everyone working in the garment industry to be paid a fair wage they can live on and make the most of their remarkable skills. We believe that from maker to the wearer everyone should enjoy fashion equally. We would like to make women feel good with our clothing without harming our beautiful planet.
Is it important to you as a brand to work with influencers/celebrities that show an interest in sustainability?
It is definitely important for us to work with the right influencers/celebrities not only because they are famous or popular, but because they truly represent the FEMPONIQ woman and live the brand values. Therefore, they can enlighten and inspire other women to shop consciously.
When creating new collections what inspires you?
Sustainability is at the forefront of our mind and art is our soul. We are inspired by the art of innovation, contemporary art, and architecture. We at FEMPONIQ , value the experimentation and invention that abstraction allows. Abstract shapes and colours play a significant role in our first and most recent collection. The city of London where we live is one of the most creative cities in the world and we are inspired by the new contemporary artists, the galleries, and museums it offers; Tate Modern being one of our favourite inspirational hubs. Finally, and most importantly, what consistently inspires us is the educated, ambitious, and conscious women. It is exciting to create unique and tailored pieces that women can feel confident in. We would like to empower women through our clothing, and we would like them to carry the message we are trying to express.
What is most challenging about being a sustainable brand? Do you come across any difficulties within your processes? And how do you solve these issues?
One of the most challenging parts is to source the right production partners who are willing to deliver boutique quantities with the highest standards. The vast majority of production and fabric manufacturers require high order volumes in the industry, which is against the concept of sustainability. As we are against mass production, we spend a considerable amount of time sourcing sustainable fabrics and production partners who have a similar mindset. This is why we work with high-end fashion ateliers with small teams who can deliver quality over quantity with a strong focus on sustainability. All these factors require a bigger investment, which is reflected in our prices.
How do you feel about fast fashion brands, do you find they can affect your business?
Fast fashion brands are a real threat to our environment and the communities we live in. The biggest issue is the culture that fast fashion brands are trying to promote; ‘throwaway outfits’. We will never be in a position to compete with the fast fashion cycle that offers more styles with poor quality on a low budget. This is why it is one of our biggest responsibilities to convert fast-fashion shoppers into conscious consumers, so they can start looking at fashion from an appreciative point of view.
How does FEMPONIQ see the future of fashion?
The technological innovations played and will certainly carry on playing a significant role in the future of fashion, however, the fashion industry must no longer contribute to modern slavery. FEMPONIQ strongly believes that conscious consumerism and living is the only cure to the problems the fashion industry has been facing. The future of fashion should aim to be like the fashion legend Vivienne Westwood’s mantra; ‘buy less, choose well, make it last’. Accordingly, FEMPONIQ’s vision is a new way of doing business; one that delivers growth by serving our society and the planet.