A dive into KALITA's sustainable world. Proving that luxury stylish clothes can (and should) be eco-friendly. 

A veteran into the fashion&rsquo;s world, designer Kalita Al Swaidi, quickly transformed herself into a phenomenon, after her colourful, eye-popping brand <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kalitaofficial/" target="_blank">KALITA</a> launched in 2016. Originally envisaged as fun fashion beachwear, KALITA is now selling key pieces for every woman&rsquo;s wardrobe, effortlessly versatile and irretrievably elegant. Famous for her oversized timeless pieces, many of which have been worn by celebrities like<a href="https://www.lofficiel.co.uk/Fashion/poster-girl-dresses-dua-lipa-kylie-jenner" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.lofficiel.co.uk/Fashion/poster-girl-dresses-dua-lipa-kylie-jenner" target="_blank">Kylie Jenner</a>, she is way much more than (just) a designer: always the first line in supporting numerous philanthropic causes, <a href="https://kalita.co" target="_blank">Kalita</a> is constantly busy in finding a way to improve sustainability into the fashion&rsquo;s universe. A research that is far from its end. &nbsp;Since her start in the industry, the <a href="https://www.lofficiel.co.uk/food/best-restaurants-in-london-near-me" target="_blank">London</a> based designer has learned a lot. L&#39;OFFICIEL chats with her about her journey, future plans and some key takeaways from her experience this far

L&#39;OFFICIEL: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, did you always know that you and fashion were meant to be?

KALITA: I grew up in London to a Texan Mother and an Iraqi father and have lived here most of my life. I was always fascinated by fashion and the way clothes made you feel &ndash; how something that was well cut could suddenly bring you from the depths of depression to a sunny outlook with a simple change of outfit &ndash; I was hooked! Organising, creating and curating my wardrobe and looks became something that kept me sane during tumultuous and rocky times in my life.

What sparked the idea for KALITA? How did this incredible journey start?&nbsp;

KALITA was inspired by the versatility of the glamorous, light-packing 60&rsquo;s icons. Sourcing inspiration, I went to Greece carrying a suitcase filled with&nbsp;well-planned, structured outfits, only to see a woman with a t-shirt tied around her head as a&nbsp;turban and a wild flowing dress. That spirited woman became the soul of K A L I T A; effortlessly glamorous and always unexpected.

What are the challenges you face in this line of work? What have you learned along the way?

Every year produces a new challenge that you didn&rsquo;t expect from the year before, it&rsquo;s quite extraordinary&hellip; last year it was Covid, this year it is Brexit and the tax levied on European imports.

When did you decide that sustainability should be a focus for your brand?&nbsp;

Sustainability was something that had fascinated me from the outset, as you may know, the collection&rsquo;s home is Bali and Bali has a real recycling issue so just living amongst the litter-strewn beaches and roads put the conservation of our planet at the forefront of my mind organically. Bali is also pretty ahead of its time in terms of sustainable fabrics which has been a joy to explore.

Why should we care about slow fashion?

With slower production schedules, small-batch collections, and zero waste designs, slow fashion brands aim to reduce the textile waste clogging our landfills. Instead of chasing trends, these brands utilize enduring styles with layering options and create classic and versatile pieces.

What are the main problems you see in the fashion sector today? Do you think that in the past few years the industry has started to change to become &ldquo;greener&rdquo;?

I absolutely think that the industry has started to change and become &ldquo;greener&rdquo; which is wonderful to see.&nbsp; I feel the main problem in the fashion sector today is the fact that many companies and their supply chains are global and complex making it very hard to trace where things are actually made. We have a very transparent supply chain which I think should be a requirement for all trading companies. &nbsp;

Kalita Al Swaidi

You support various philanthropic causes, what are the ways that one can get involved right away to help our planet?

Buy a piece of KALITA and you will help plant trees in the KALITA forest which helps our planet &ndash; only kidding (but yes do!).&nbsp; On the subject of trees, I think what we really need to do now is to conserve our forests and ancient woodlands &ndash; anything you can do to get involved with this I would absolutely recommend.&nbsp;

A cosmopolitan brand that brings together various cultures; Greece&rsquo;s bohemian vibe, London&rsquo;s spirit, Bali&rsquo;s hand-dye techniques&hellip; How do the energies of these cities influence your work?

It&rsquo;s funny how much DNA is in your blood - When I travel to places like Morocco, those heady smells and colours do something to my soul. There&rsquo;s some kind of mystical connection. It&rsquo;s the same when I go to rural Texas, where my mother grew up. I feel very at home there. I grew up listening to my father&rsquo;s stories of his childhood in Old Baghdad and am instinctively drawn, therefore to my signature colour palette of sky blues, deep greens and vivid yellows from the city&rsquo;s souks and ancient coppersmith&rsquo;s market as well as from nature &ndash; the Petra desert in Jordan, the Amazonian rainforest and the ocean are some of my favourite sources of inspiration.

Timeless silhouettes that never go out of style&hellip;what would you like women to feel when wearing one of your beautiful pieces?

Ultimately, KALITA is about celebrating women. I am always searching for something to help women feel comfortable and empowered - When you put on one of my dresses, I want you to become the woman you think you couldn&rsquo;t be &ndash; beautiful, fierce and powerful.

And last, but not least...What&rsquo;s in store for KALITA in 2021?

I am excited about collaborations - we are currently working with Charlotte Hess of sustainable knitwear label, Isobel &amp; Cleo and have collaborated with her on the &lsquo;Rothko&rsquo; cashmere wrap which is perfect to wear with our dresses or simply with jeans. I think collaborations are the new future of the label.&nbsp; We are also working with Caroline Smithson, founder of the sustainable label Ss&otilde;ne, on our Spring / Summer 22 collection, &lsquo;Euphrates&rsquo; which launches next March.

Enchanting Sustainability: Kalita's World

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