Emma Watson and Hussein Chalayan take on Fairtrade Fortnight

If London Fashion Week left you salivating for style, the likes of Emma Watson, Hussein Chalayan and Holly Fulton should keep you satisfied with their new designs which will be launched as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.There’s nothing more dispiriting for the fan of fairtrade (equitable wages for workers and farmers in developing countries) than a rail of fairtrade cotton T-shirts sitting ignored in the corner of a high-street store.

Those days are passing, though, as fairtrade fashion grows up.

This month, it takes another hefty leap in the right direction with the Fairtrade Collective, which launches Fairtrade Fortnight (February 28 to March 13).

The Collective, an initiative of the Fairtrade Foundation, invites some of fashion’s most exciting designers to create jaw-droppingly desirable, digitally printed scarves out of fairtrade cotton.

Julie Verhoeven, Marios Schwab and Hussein Chalayan for Puma have joined the Collective, as well as young bloods David David, Tim Soar and Ada Zanditon. Rising star Holly Fulton reproduces her now-signature architectural print on one of the scarves.

‘It’s vital to use fairtrade cotton in a modern fashion through strong design,’ she says.
‘Hopefully, projects such as this will encourage that.’

Meanwhile, People Tree, a key player in the flowering of sustainable fashion, teams up with Laura Ashley, picking three prints from the British brand’s 1970s archive and turning them into vintage-inspired pieces, printed on 100 per cent organic cotton.

On February 28, actress Emma Watson launches her third and final collection with People Tree and on the high street, Topshop highlights the image of fairtrade with a festival-inspired collection.

Emma Watson: Clubbing in London
Kicking off her week with an evening of club-hopping, Emma Watson was spotted out and about in London, England last night (February 21).
The “Harry Potter” hottie was joined by a few protective friends as she hit up Bungalow 8 nightclub. Earlier in the evening she spent some time at the Groucho Club.

As for her new gig as the face of Lancome cosmetics, Ms. Watson sounds like she’s ready to get started.

"It's so exciting, I can't wait to start shooting. Although I don't wear much make-up, I'm a big fan of Lancome products, especially their mascara."

Watson scoops style icon prize
Emma Watson - who has graced red carpets with elegant glamour for almost half her life - has landed a top award as a "style icon".

The 20-year-old Harry Potter star, who last year showed off her dramatic change of image with a pixie crop hairstyle, landed the accolade at the Elle Style Awards 2011.
Filmgoers have seen Emma grow up in the public eye after being cast as frizzy-haired Hermione Granger when she was aged just 10.

The star - said to be worth £19 million thanks to her role in the wizard films and now an ambassador for French beauty brand Lancome - was being presented with the gong by designer Vivienne Westwood.

Watson said she was overwhelmed to be called a "style icon" and tried not to focus on having her style emulated by young girls. She said: "It feels amazing. Fashion is something that I love. I try not to think about it too much. I try and block all that off and I just do what I love and just have fun with it.
"I've definitely been feeling the pressure a bit more recently but it's just fun for me."

Helena Christensen said it meant a lot to her to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award. The awards were hosted by TV presenter and model Alexa Chung at London's Grand Connaught rooms, where X Factor beauty Cheryl Cole was awarded the best music gong.

Danish supermodel Helena Christensen was presented with the award for outstanding contribution to fashion by designer Matthew Williamson.

Fashion guru and film-maker Tom Ford was named top international designer, while 28-year-old Christopher Kane was named best British designer.