Vin + Omi Announce Historic Public Sale of Runway Pieces
In a landmark move for the fashion industry, pioneering eco-designers Vin + Omi have revealed they will sell pieces directly from the runway to the public for the very first time in their 24-year history. This significant shift comes as part of an innovative new collaboration with the British Heart Foundation, blending sustainability, fashion, and health awareness into a single impactful initiative.
A New Chapter in Sustainable Fashion
The designers will unveil their latest collection, titled "JORD: Bring Back Nature", on 17 February, just one day before the official commencement of London Fashion Week. Following the show, ten complete looks will be made available for purchase exclusively through the British Heart Foundation, with all proceeds being donated directly to the charity. This represents a dramatic departure for the label, which has historically eschewed retail to maintain alignment with its environmental principles, preferring instead to donate works to museums and galleries.
The decision to embark on this new venture was profoundly influenced by designer Omi's personal health journey. After suffering two consecutive heart attacks and receiving a diagnosis of heart disease, Omi was motivated to create a project with tangible social benefits. "It was a bit of a shock," Omi shared with the Press Association, "to have two heart attacks consecutively a week after the other [...] and then to find out I actually have 60% of my heart damage, and I'm only functioning off 40%."
Innovative Materials and Celebrity Involvement
The collection itself is a testament to reconnecting fashion with the natural world, utilising plant-based textiles, recycled materials, and traditional craftsmanship. Garments will be sourced from British Heart Foundation charity shops, upcycled by Vin + Omi, and then returned to the charity for sale. The pieces will debut on the charity's eBay store on 18 February at 1pm, before appearing in selected physical shops.
Celebrities including restaurateur Dame Prue Leith, journalist Dylan Jones, and designer Jo Wood will grace the catwalk wearing innovative creations made from holly, nettles, butterbur, wood clippings, and recycled aluminium. A central feature of the collection is a groundbreaking fabric developed from waste holly clippings sourced from the Sandringham Estate, part of Vin + Omi's ongoing collaboration with King Charles III. "We were talking to the head gardener at Sandringham [...] and he said, right, let's try holly," Vin explained, "we work with whatever they're throwing away."
This holly fibre has been woven into two tailored suits, dyed using beetroot, marigold, and natural mineral oxides, to be worn by Dame Prue Leith and Dylan Jones. Additionally, the show will feature dresses crafted from recycled aluminium waste from RAF military bases, transformed into soft, pliable metal textiles.
Aligning with Modern Consumer Values
Vin emphasised that this partnership resonates deeply with the fashion habits of younger generations. "There's a lot of kids that work with us [they] shop in charity shops, thrift shops and they're really big on recycling," he noted, "what we wanted to do was look at the way in which we can actually use recycling in a much more contemporary way." The collection's silhouettes have been deliberately designed to be more accessible than previous seasons, while still retaining the distinctive Vin + Omi aesthetic through traditional tailoring methods and fabric reworking.
Omi highlighted the fashion industry's reluctance to address health issues openly, stating, "The fashion industry [are] very, very good at not talking about mental health issues or health issues [...] it's almost quite taboo." After being approached by the British Heart Foundation to become an ambassador, Omi insisted on developing a project that would directly benefit research, moving beyond mere awareness.
A Sustainable Future for Fashion Retail
This initiative is set to extend beyond the current season, with plans already in motion to collaborate with UK universities. Under the proposed programme, the British Heart Foundation would donate clothing to universities, where students would redesign the pieces as part of sustainable fashion curricula. The finished garments would then be sold through the charity's shops, transforming them into destinations for unique, one-off fashion items rather than places associated with necessity shopping.
True to Vin + Omi's ethos, the JORD show will maintain an unwavering eco-focus, down to the smallest details. Even the shirts worn beneath tailored suits have been crafted from discarded hotel sheets, washed and naturally dyed. "So, Prue will be wearing hotel waste," Vin remarked with a laugh. This comprehensive approach underscores the designers' commitment to sustainability and innovation, marking a new chapter in both their career and the broader fashion landscape.
