The annual Slow Fashion September has kicked off, and followers can expect mystery bus tours, educational workshops, and market fun.

This month marks the beginning of a new fashion event, Slow Fashion September.

Initiated by Naked Pony Slow Fashion owner Louiza Hebhardt, the month-long happening is dedicated to the conversation of sustainability.

What started as a discussion Louiza had with friends on the different slow fashion retailers she’s interested in has turned into a program of events, including markets, bus tours and workshops.

“It is a series of events and experiences showcasing the finest in Adelaide’s slow fashion and sustainability living scene,” Louiza says.

“It’s an opportunity for people to see and learn about what we have on offer in Adelaide.”

Louiza describes slow fashion as the ethical sourcing of materials with the intention of creating individual pieces, a business model which works to correct the ills of fast fashion.

A similar initiative began in 2017, called SLOW Fashion Festival.

After the popularity of the event, SLOW Fashion Festival was incorporated into the Adelaide Fashion Festival in 2018, before that festival was cancelled the following year.

Louiza Hebhardt

With no major slow fashion event happening in the intervening years, Louiza saw space to create her own. Amidst a “post-COVID lull” last year, Louiza initiated the event to give small, predominantly female-run businesses an outlet to sell their clothes, as well as to educate the public about slow fashion in South Australia.

“I started it off with it just being slow fashion in general, but that was the first year that I had ever run Slow Fashion September. I realised that by doing that precluded a lot of other sustainable businesses from being involved,” Louiza says.

“Amidst the COVID restrictions towards the end of last year, these slow fashion retailers had experienced a tough few months. Hence, a festival to celebrate, like this one, certainly booms business for such retailers.”

The Slow Fashion September events include mystery bus tours educating guests on new slow fashion retailers around South Australia, interactive workshops, walking tours and markets.

Louiza organised these events to “increase people’s awareness about how to be conscious consumers” and to initiate the conversation around slow fashion.

“It’s, like, ‘Here are some alternatives, this is what you can do’… If a lot of people are doing these things, it can end up in increased responsibility from these big businesses,” she says.

“That’s the underlying principle or objective that I’m wanting to achieve – to give people information about what they can do differently and actually the outcomes can be really positive on a number of levels.

“Whether it’s financial, whether it’s emotional, [Slow Fashion September] helps with knowing where to go and what resources and traders that we would recommend.”

Annie Parker’s market stall

Designer Annie Parker participated in Slow Fashion September through a market stall at the event’s initial launch at the Market Shed on Holland, which was held on Saturday, 3 September.

Annie Parker Designs uses old fabrics and clothes and upcycles them into new pieces.

She says she appreciates the Slow Fashion September initiative and wanted her stall to provoke critical thought for shoppers.

“I like making things, I’ve always liked making things. So, I decided I was going to do this – I can make clothes out of what people would throw away,” Annie says.

“Anything that can create awareness and just make people think before they buy something.”

Slow fashion enthusiast and designer Vanessa Mann says she will attend Slow Fashion September events and appreciates the conversation around the issue.

Although slow fashion involves re-wearing clothes and avoiding fast fashion retailers, it also encompasses wearing and purchasing fabrics that will be better for the environment.

“With natural fibres they can break down over time, whereas synthetics, depending on the percentage, they’ll take hundreds of years to break down,” Vanessa says.

Vanessa buys a majority of her clothes at op shops and often spends time mending and remaking pieces she doesn’t wear.

Slow Fashion September can make an impact in the general South Australian community and change the narrative around shopping.

“I think it’s such a great vessel that they’re starting to bring awareness to it,” Vanessa says.

“Now I’m very much more conscious when I do go and look for clothes – whether that be second-hand or new.

“It’s actually consciously thinking about, ‘OK, am I actually going to wear this, what will go with this, am I going to re-wear it, does it actually fit me properly?”

Vanessa attempts to be the best slow fashion buyer she can be but admits she “isn’t perfect”.

“I think it’s just trying to educate yourself and it’s just understanding, ‘Do I really need to buy this?’” she says.

To see and attend the Slow Fashion September events, head to their website.