Education, Trend Forecasting and Small Business: Exploring Levers for Fashion System Change
CFC Member Spotlight: Leah Cahill
Author and interviewer: Stella Hertantyo
Leah Cahill is a designer and creative director who has worked in the sustainable fashion space since 2000. She is currently in the early stages of launching her own reimagined vintage brand and was previously the Design Director for Blue Fish, a sustainable womenswear brand. She has also worked as a fashion educator which involved developing courses and curricula that centered on sustainability.
I interviewed Leah in the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership as part of our Member Spotlight interview series.
Below are some of the highlights from the conversation, including:
How fashion educators can integrate sustainability into their curricula,
What role trend forecasting can play in creating a fashion industry that’s kinder to people and the planet, and
How broadening your skillset can help you become more hirable in the sustainable fashion space
What led you to work at the intersection of fashion and sustainability?
Fashion was my second-ever job. Right after school, I went into music and television. But I didn’t like it — I wanted to appreciate the art for what it was and leave it there.
From there I decided to go to Parsons. At the same time, I realized that to go to Parsons, I’d also need to get a job there so that the school would pay for my education, so that’s what I did. I was incredibly lucky because I had this holistic education where I worked in the office as an academic advisor and went to school. I got to see behind the scenes which gave me a different perspective.
I saw the intensity and the pace of fast fashion at a young age and I knew it didn’t align with my nature. After school I saw that Blue Fish was hiring for an Assistant Designer, so I applied and went for a visit.
The location was this beautiful old brick factory from the 1800s filled with artists. This was my impression even before I knew they were a sustainable company. At the time, they had a store in Soho, and they sold to Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and all these huge retailers.
On the first day they threw me straight into a photoshoot. From there I worked backward and learned so much. I learned the process of how the clothing was made and where it was made — in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which was only 45 minutes away from the design studio. I met every single person who sewed the clothing, I met the people who made the fabric, and learned where the fabric came from.
Everything was sustainable. It took me a while to realize how different it was from my education. It felt like it was an adventure, because the sustainable fashion space didn’t exist in the way it does today.
Sustainability was ingrained in the company and we figured everything out as we went, because there weren’t a lot of guidelines at the time. For example the impacts of transportation are often overlooked when it comes to clothing production. So when we wanted to import organic cotton, we figured out that we could put our fabric in with somebody else's fabric and not pay shipping costs. Or somebody might be moving across the country, and you can throw your fabric onto the moving truck if it fits. There are so many ways that businesses can make more sustainable choices.
This hands-on learning was my introduction to sustainable fashion.
When you were a fashion educator, what were a few lessons that you always made sure to include in your curriculum?
While I was working at Blue Fish, I got a call from a local art museum saying that they wanted to introduce fashion and asked if I could help. They wanted to introduce a fashion education program for kids. I had to rethink my education and figure out how to make it accessible to kids, because at Parsons that curriculum was regimented.
I decided that to make it accessible to kids I had to unpack the design process and figure out how to move from theory to practice. I had to create the curriculum from scratch and making it exciting was a huge focus of mine.
I’d start by telling the kids that they’re all designers and they needed to create a fall collection. I turned this into an eight-week course that involved developing the clothing line. I found that an education in fabric was really important because this is something that’s lost in schooling.
For example there was a kid who wanted to make a head-to-toe suit out of this beautiful silk organza fabric. I had to tell them that it was an amazing idea, but also point out some of the practicalities — such as that the buttons may be too heavy and tear the fabric.
Essentially I had to teach them how to dream big, but also then how to make that dream a reality.
That's what fashion is about. It’s about questioning. As you develop a collection, you have to ask yourself: Why are you using the color blue? Is this a trans-seasonal color? How will the fabric perform in certain temperatures and conditions?
I also chose to introduce sustainability in practical ways, instead of theoretical ones. When I was introducing sewing and pattern making, I’d have them take the scraps from the outside and turn them into pillows. I’d also ask them to reflect on what the value of those scraps was and why throwing them away is wasteful. You can use those scraps to stuff pillows or make dresses for your dolls. There are so many options.
What advice would you give other educators on how to introduce sustainability into their curricula?
We have to fix the fashion system, but starting from scratch is too daunting. So you have to find ways to teach students how to adapt the normal production processes to sustainable ones.
Technically they’re the same processes, but it’s about how you approach them. For example when you're drawing up patterns, creating a clothing line, and looking into fabric development, it’s about only looking into sustainable fabrics.
And when you are teaching pattern making, it’s about showing students how they can be as close to zero waste as possible. Or figuring out what they can do with leftover scraps. There are wonderful companies — such as FABSCRAP — that will pick up your scraps, but you also need to look into what those scraps are being used for.
Then when you are looking into which factories to use for production, it’s about encouraging students to research the ethics and labor practices of the factory. They need to know who makes the clothing and if they’re paid fairly.
After production, it’s about figuring out how to transport clothing with the most minimal impact. The whole process is similar to mainstream processes, but it’s about how you approach each step of the clothing supply chain with a different mindset.
What role can trend forecasting play in creating a fashion industry that’s kinder for the planet and people?
When it comes to the relationship that sustainable brands should have with trends, I’d say that you need to stay true to your brand. Trends move so quickly so it’s hard to keep up with trend forecasts and seasonal colors.
But you can look at trend forecasts for guidance to figure out how to integrate them more sustainably. If a forecasted color works for your brand, then you can use it while looking into how you’re going to dye it and where to source sustainable fabrics in a similar color.
Or your brand had planned to make skirts this year, and the forecast says that maxi skirts are going to be on trend, so you decide that your skirts will be maxi skirts. But you make sure they’re produced ethically and that sustainable materials are used.
The reason trends have a bad reputation in the sustainable fashion space is also because they’re linked to disposability mindsets and we’re facing an urgent fashion waste crisis. There are ways for sustainable brands to draw on trends without being so wasteful.
One of these ways is to get creative with styling. For example, research the seasonal trends and use your social media platforms to show different ways of styling your trans-seasonal, durable garments in a way that’s inspired by current trends. This could mean looking at the Pantone color of the year and adding a similar shade of lipstick to the model, or adding a handbag or scarf. In this way, you show how well your seasonless collection compliments the color of the year.
You have to make the trends viable for your sustainable brand.
How has the sustainable fashion space changed since you first started working in the industry in 2000?
Firstly, sourcing sustainable fabrics has become much easier. In the beginning, I had roughly 10 companies I could source from. There used to be one place to get clothing dyed and one factory that produced ethically. Now there are so many more to choose from. It’s amazing.
We’re actively creating new fashion ecosystems and spaces for sustainable practices to happen. I remember many years ago we wanted to produce hand-knitted sweaters out of organic cotton yarn from a supplier in South Carolina. Then we found a co-op in Peru to do the knitting. Everything was handmade down to the buttons. Now there are probably so many co-ops in the US that could knit the same sweaters. We have grown in awareness tenfold.
Standards and certifications have also significantly progressed, even though the US is far behind Europe when it comes to this. Standards and certifications make it so much easier to make sustainable choices.
Then there is the accessibility aspect. Everyone should have access to sustainable clothing, but this is not always possible for those wanting to buy from smaller sustainable brands. But we’re finding ways to make more accessible options. For example, at Blue Fish, when we produced too much of a style or it wasn’t selling, we would host a tent sale in the community and price all the garments affordably.
What still needs to be improved?
We need to stop producing so much clothing and encourage other ways of getting that feeling of “newness”. I have teenage children who are into thrifting. I think this is wonderful, because they’re giving clothes a second — or even a third — life.
We also need to drastically improve the working conditions of garment workers and other people in the fashion supply chain. With all the chemicals put into our clothing, people are getting sick and there are so many repercussions.
What have been the biggest challenges and joys of starting a small sustainable fashion business?
Blue Fish recently closed down, because the founder retired. That’s when I decided that I wanted to start a business of my own. I wanted to make sure that whatever I put out in the world was as intentional and sustainable as possible.
I love thrifting and vintage clothing. I started roaming around thrift stores and picking out garments that I was drawn to. Then I’d take them home, cut them apart, and piece them back together.
I used to be so fabric-focused, but now it doesn’t matter what the garments are made from — I’m giving them a new lease on life regardless. I plan to make “new” garments from old clothing.
I’m calling the business Crooked Stitch Vintage and it’s a combination of reimagined garments and vintage garments. My favorite creation so far is that I've been taking a lot of men's blazers and juxtaposing them by adding elements such as vintage aprons from the 50s or pieces of old dresses. Currently I’m sewing everything myself.
I think the biggest challenge is similar to what Dani Des Roches said in her Member Spotlight — finding ways to market and sell the products without encouraging overconsumption. I have to rely on sales to support my family, so it’s about figuring out ways to get my brand out there and spark interest.
In what ways would you recommend broadening your skillset to become more hirable?
Broadening your skillset shows that you can be flexible. And flexibility is essential, because traditional careers are not as common as they used to be. This is especially important in the fashion industry because there are so many different aspects to working in fashion.
For example you may have the goal of becoming a designer. So you start by becoming an assistant designer. But in the process, you realize that you love to produce photoshoots, so you follow that. You have to have an open mind, because if you stick to a rigid path of step A, step B, and step C, you are not allowing yourself to be guided to opportunities you never knew were a possibility.
You have to always be willing to learn, even when change feels uncomfortable.
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