Hello 2025. Hello a fresh new slate.
I absolutely love new year; I love how it inspires you to look introspectively and assess how you feel, where you’re excelling, and where you could maybe do with a little shake up, hopefully making you re-examine the sort of person you want to be over the next twelve months.
2024 was so utterly transformative and unexpected that I do not have a clue what to expect from 2025, other than to hope that it contains some of the same unprecedented joy of the last year. As someone who meticulously plans every inch of their life it terrifies me not knowing what’s round the next corner, but as 2024 has shown, sometimes the most magical things come from letting go of expectation, stepping out of your comfort zone, and being open to new experiences.
That ties in with my word of the year for 2025: experiment. Experiment with hobbies, with mindfulness activities, with professional ventures, and also to be open to experimenting with who I am as a person. Letting go of that notion of yourself being a set, unchangeable figure can be so freeing, and I’m excited to see where embracing life with open arms gets me this year.
WHAT’S INSPIRED ME THIS WEEK
As a fashion designer, and general creative type, I am constantly seeking inspiration wherever I am, and these posts are a way to document what has ignited something within me this past week. Whether its artwork I’ve seen online, photography that moved me, or a collection of colour in nature that kick-started a creative idea in my head, I’ll be sharing four ideas that have brought me joy in the past seven days.
R. READING
I’ve just finished my first book of 2025: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
All I can say is: wow. After I finished reading I genuinely had to just sit in silence for some time processing what I’d just read.
It is so incredibly well written, to the point that, terrifyingly, it almost seems possible. In the foreword Margaret Atwood says that she hopes the novel may act as a warning of what would happen if anyone was to ever try and make a similar regime a reality, but in these troubling times we live in I couldn’t help but panic.
Although it was a rather distressing read I thoroughly enjoyed it – it’s my first 5 star read of the year – we’re starting off strong!
E. EDUCATING
With the horrific wildfires occurring in Los Angeles, and the devastating fire at Kantamanto Market in Ghana, there has been a lot of sadness in this new year.
There has however, as a result, also been a lot of education, particularly from climate activists. In times like this it is important to listen to these people and learn from them.
Even as somebody who is deeply involved with the sustainable fashion space there is still so much to learn about the climate and environmental science side of things, to prevent disasters like the wild fires from occurring.
For more information, and to make donations to both causes, visit The Or Foundation (Kantamanto Market) and Mutual Aid Los Angeles (LA wild fires).
P. PLAYING
I’ve been watching Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales on BBC iPlayer and really been enjoying it.
As someone who grew up religious I’ve always been somewhat fascinated by spirituality and the concept of a higher being. Although I’m no longer a practicing Catholic, that respect I have for the world around me and the faith that something, somewhere, created it still stays within me.
I’ve absolutely loved how the show has delved into all different religions and intensities of belief with a really open mind. I’d definitely recommend to anyone interested in exploring their own relationship with spirituality and faith.
O. OBSESSING OVER
I’ve been a fan of upcycling for years; I initially started experimenting with it whilst at university, where I went on to create a fully upcycled graduate collection, but it still forms the foundation of my design practice even now.
This week I was a guest on Kate Kravchenko’s livestream all about upcycling – you can watch it here.
We spent just under an hour chatting about upcycling, the emotional state of buyer’s mindsets when shopping fast fashion vs buying secondhand, the future of sustainable fashion and so much more!
R. RECOMMENDING
My sister got me a tinted lip butter in the shade Deep Honey from 17 for Christmas, which is said to be a great dupe for Clinique Black Honey, and as someone who owns both I can honestly say I prefer this one!
I’ve worn it pretty much everyday since I got it and it’s the perfect thing to pop on for days where you don’t want to wear full-on lipstick, but still want a little something.
T. TREATING MYSELF TO
I’ve been eyeing up Stripe & Stare underwear for quite some time, so decided to treat myself in the January sale, and I am so glad I did. They’re not wrong when they call it the ‘world’s comfiest underwear’!
Despite its comfiness, and the fact that it’s absolutely adorable, the main reason I’m so obsessed is that it is possibly the world’s most sustainable underwear brand. Every single pair of knickers is made from bio-based materials, derived from trees, meaning that they’ll biodegrade in a matter of months.
As someone who is a real nerd about bio-based fabrics this is incredibly exciting to me!
Love Chloe x
