Faircloth & Supply makes linen fashionable for AW15

Linen is becoming more accepted in fashion today, luxuriously appearing across several ready-to-wear collections this runway season. American designer, Phoebe Dahl, and her label Faircloth & Supply, are no exception - recently launching a fashionable winter collection compromised solely from linen cloth.Dahl fell in love with the fabric during a visit to Japan three years ago. Inspired by the simplicity of the Japanese style – namely, the wearing of baggy linen dresses over ripped jeans and espadrilles. Dahl returned intent on creating a fashion line that rebeled against the skinny jeans and crop tops worn by most twentysomethings in America. And in 2013, Faircloth & Supply was born out of her hometown, LA. Now, the eco-designer is leading the way when it comes to linen for stylish women – using the naturally derived cloth as the premiere fabric source for all her garments.Dahl and her Faircloth team of linen enthusiasts (one seamstress and three others) believe the fabric is versatile and “can lead many lives and tell many stories”. From a shop in Santa Monica, Faircloth takes its inspiration from ancient textiles and antique treasures, and promotes Dahl’s love of French linen and old Japanese Indigo dyed utilitarian wear.More recently, December 7 saw the launch of the brand's winter line, which exemplifies tomboy silhouettes turned feminine, as well as encompassing a Rag & Bone aesthetic. The collection is big on asymmetry, which plays acrossthe hems of sleeveless, shirt-dresses. And the range is minimalistcally tricoloured, sticking to navy and varying shades of grey and black.Other key pieces include low-crutch britches and overalls projecting a utilitarian scope on womenswear. Yet the most versatile and standout piece for winter is Faircloth's lightweight bomber. The casual jacket gained over 1000 likes on Instagram last month when worn by friend and supermodel, Lily Aldridge. The news highlights the today's woman and her appreciation for the beauty of linen – it’s not just a cloth made for sheets.Faircloth's collection excels in its use of natural linens and finer couture details such as classic buttoning, tailoring and seamless craftsmanship. It’s the latter that truly elevates Faircloth creations, and the linen itself, from being just another eco-alternative to something stylish and luxurious.Dahl’s and her work has been likened to Eileen Fisher, especially their mutual desire for giving back to others. Faircloth’s business model already supports women’s economic empowerment. For every garment the company sells (at roughly $200 a piece), it donates two school uniforms to a girl in Nepal — an idea the designer picked up while on a business trip in the country. In 2014, Faircloth outfitted 900 girls with uniforms, which allows them to attend school and stops the girls being kidnapped for sex trafficking.To make it happen, Dahl partnered with a local group through the GO Campaign, which provides grants to smaller organizations providing education and vocational training for children abroad. In the future, Dahl would also like to move Faircloth’s production to from LA to Nepal, and then set up similar partnerships with female producers around the world. Such ventures would include printing dresses in Africa and sewing espadrilles in South America.For more inspiration on how to use linen, check out Faircloth & Supply winter collection online at fairclothsupply.com.