Angelic Eco Fashion

Meet the Ibiza Angels! This team of holistic hotties attend high profile club and corporate events providing 7 minute energising massages to guests. The Angels are launching Northwards and recently celebrated this with an eco fashion photo shoot. Styled by Leena Parmar, Magic Number Three was delighted to provide beautiful clothes and accessories. Modelled by Ibiza Angels themselves, we think you’ll agree that the ethical fashion looks incredible.

Let us introduce you….

Ethical just got hotter!

The Angels are wearing pieces from leading ethical brands: Makepiece, Komodo, Beaumont Organic, Stewart+Brown and Les Racines du Ciel with statement accessories by Makepiece and CATHs of Belgium. (Please note: central red dress model’s own, beads by Beaumont Organic.)

 

The spirit of Ibiza Angels

Beach accessories don’t get more natural than this: the necklaces and cuffs by CATHs of Belgium accent these Olga Olsson bikinis perfectly.

Magic Number Three can lend a touch of angelic inspiration to your seasonal wardrobe, with ideas for the beach, a special occasion, and to lift your weekends. Shop current collections and find styling ideas at www.magicnumberthree.co.uk

Thank you Ibiza Angels!

Photographs may not be used or reproduced without permission.

Spring Style Notes: Brights

There’s nothing like a touch of bright colour to lift your mood and this season I think we all feel the need for a colourful pick-me-up. Wherever we are in the world, whatever season we’re heading into, it’s so heartening to see vivid blooms in jewel colours. I’m loving the carpets of crocuses and daffodils in local parks, glowing in the sunshine.

A trend this Spring/Summer is undoubtedly Brights. To me this trend says ‘it’s time for the positive, it’s time to stand out’. You can either do this with bright accessories added to calm neutrals, as seen at Prada; or go for the full effect with orange or white, like Paul & Joe, Sportmax and Nicole Farhi. Mix up your block colours, tie in prints for bold combinations and get some zest in your life!

Some of my Bright favourites this season at MN3….

Flame orange-red by Makepiece

Makepiece Carapace Scarf, Fine Knit Wool, £33

This simple little piece can boost your outfit immensely – the Flame colour is an intense orange-red that just glows with vibrancy. The scarf can be worn in a number of ways which makes it an essential throughout the year: wrapped round, tied in a bow at the neck, worn long and loose – it’s for you to play with and have fun.

Makepiece are a designer eco-kniwear label based in Todmorden in the Pennines. Recently featured on the BBC’s Countryfile, brand founder Beate keeps a flock of Shetland sheep for Makepiece’s signature wool ‘Inchfield’. Brand designer Nicola creates innovative and luxurious styles that sing originality, individuality and wearability. All pieces are either hand or machine knitted by specialists in the UK, then left undyed or batch dyed with natural or AZO free dyes in the UK. This is homegrown talent at it’s brightest.

Makepiece Carapace Scarf in Flame pictured here with the Anatomy stripe jacket. The Scarf is also available in Sky Blue and Bright (undyed pale cream).

Saffron orange by Stewart+Brown

Stewart+Brown Lengthened Tee, organic cotton, £70

Orange, being close to the colour of the sun, is purportedly a mood booster. Why not help your inner glow with this exceptionally fine organic Pima cotton long sleeve tee. This garment layers well and again is a must have all year round. Designed to be long in the body and the sleeves, you can wear this tee ruched up or long as a tunic.

Stewart+Brown are an eco, fair trade brand based in California in the States. The brand uses high quality fabrics like Pima cotton and hemp jersey that you can wash and wear easily for years. I am a big fan and always say that wash after wash Stewart+Brown clothes still look as good as the day you bought them. Their textiles and clothing are made in a number of countries including US, China, Mongolia. Always under fair trade conditions, meaning the producers are paid a fair wage, traditional skills are preserved, and communities are assisted to thrive.

Stewart+Brown Lengthened Tee pictured here in Saffron with the Stewart+ Brown Marla Cargo Pants. Also available in Desert Sand that works well with bright accessories.

Miami bright prints by Olsenhaus Pure Vegan

Olsenhaus Grace Palmeto Shoe, printed cotton, £125

Wild about animal rights, designer Elizabeth Olsen, ensures all her designs are made without the use of animal derived products. This shoe is printed cotton, faux suede, faux leather, and resin, and made under fair working conditions in Mexico. Olsenhaus Pure Vegan have a celebrity following that includes Cameron Diaz, pictured in American Vogue.

Elizabeth has taken inspiration for this bright idea from the sun-kissed colours of Miami. This shoe will work well with so many colours, from white, to sky blue, to pale yellow, or you could go all out and team it with other prints and bright colours.

The Grace Palmeto shoe is available to pre-order now, with expected delivery mid March – a must have!

Clean soft white by Misericordia

Misericordia Atrevida Cardigan, fine Modal, £68

Feel serene and virtuous in this super soft Modal cardigan by Misericordia. A beautiful soft eco white, this cardi will work with so many outfits that I’m sure it’ll be hard to take off this season. It can be worn loose and draped, wrapped with the belt tied as pictured, or tie the belt on the inside and the cardigan becomes open-front. You’ll also love the fabric: fine, soft Modal jersey that feels like silk yet you can wash in the machine – so it’ll be simple to keep the white bright.

Misericordia are an admirable brand based in Lima, Peru – their motto is ‘With hands, spirit and heart’. Brand founder Aurelyen is passionate about Peru and established the Misericordia workshop there. ‘A genuine human adventure which combines and strives for an urban modernity with a view to being ethical. The small scale and precise production of “La Cabaña de Alta Costura Misericordia’s” workshop (about 25,000 pieces per year distributed throughout the world) is carried out by about forty employees, all from unprivileged backgrounds. The company embodies alter-internationalism and wants to offer “fair” employment to contribute to the development of a poor region. During production, from start to finish, the workshop’s employees guarantee the exclusivity of unique and handcrafted designs made out of rare and luxurious fabrics such as the Peruvian Pima cotton, Alpaca wool or organic cotton.’ I can’t say it better myself.

A bright fast world by Misericordia

Of course another genius way of colour blocking Brights is to treat your fella then stand next to him!

Misericordia Rapido Tee, organic cotton, £45

Direct from the Misericordia workshop in Lima, Peru speeds this Tomato coloured organic cotton tee with a print that states: The world goes fast. It certainly does – zoom into Summer with this stand out tee. It’ll match your red nose for Comic Relief and you’ll know disadvantaged communities in Peru will be helped with this buy.

This well cut tee is a good length in the body and made with a medium weight organic cotton so it’s a flattering fabric when worn alone. You could even branch out from jeans, try some cropped beach pants or rolled up trousers with this season’s deck shoes. A sure fire way of staying cool this Summer.

And if you’re feeling breezy try it with the Misericordia Cotton Degrade Vertical Scarf, then both of you can wear the relaxed unisex style.

The sky's the limit for colour this season

Misericordia Degrade Vertical Scarf, cotton, £45

Hand dyed cotton in sky blue hues, this scarf comes with a tab (worn at the back) to loop the long length together. Loop scarves are a personal favourite as you’re far less likely to lose it and it’ll stay put in the wind. This scarf reminds me of the sky and the sea, and really warm days, so you can have a touch of Summer all year round.

Brights may be a trend this season but if you’re like me and the sunshine puts a spring in your step, why not keep a touch of Summer with you all the time. Here at MN3 we’ve chosen styles for their quality of design, fabrics and craft; so whilst on trend, you can also enjoy them for seasons to come. It’s really our pleasure!

Posted by Georgia (though I also answer to Mrs M).

 

Spring/Summer Preview Part IV

Here’s a little tee-ser of a new brand for Magic Number Three this season…. Why are we getting so excited about tees? We were so enamoured when we found out about Misericordia, we couldn’t help but go tee-total. What could be simpler for Spring/Summer than a range of the finest, softest organic cotton tees emblazoned with inspiring words?

Especially for you guys, we’re expecting a host of the brightest, bestest T-shirts to help you throw off those jumpers and greet the first signs of Spring. Everyone will ask you what your tee says – all the slogans are in Spanish – so you get to deliver meaningful translations whilst looking deep into someone’s eyes. Bring on the heat.

Misericordia Portraits

‘Misericordia is a project combining avant-garde artistic and social commitment. …Misericordia is a team of seamstresses who have been working with their hands, spirit and heart since 2002 in Lima – Peru. The hope and the will are within us. To live means to fight. We sew to learn and to discover another World. No longer Utopia. The Misericordia collection tells our lives and the aventure [sic] of Aurelyen, the designer,  across Peru and Latin America.

Misericordia clothes are beautiful because they are made by a young team with authentic values and human emotions: joy, fear, courage, passion… We work by craftsmen and our efforts are immense to make every garment. It is a conquest process of pride and pleasure. Misericordia chooses scrupulously each of the raw materials to develop unique clothes with the highest quality, to represent the wealth of Peru.’ Full on words from the Misericordia website.

I love the way English is used from an additional language perspective, so many times there are special quirks and unusual turns of phrase that make us appreciate the nuances afresh. Misericordia’s tee slogans and statements are just as surprising, empowering and emotive in translation. As you think of the meanings you can imagine the sheer pride that each person expresses through the work that goes into each garment and how the designer’s images are brought to life. And one person has made the tee from start to finish – it’s not passed down a production line – it’s crafted by a skilled person who can appreciate the final product. Lucky you!

So here we are, sat by the front door like giddy puppies, waiting for THE tees at land on our doorstep. We can’t wait to share them with you very soon.

Slogan and print tee by Misericordia

As soon as we get hold of Mens tees images they’ll be added, unless the real thing arrives first, in which case straight to the store.

Posted by Georgia

Spring/Summer 2011 Part III

D’you know, I’m not even thinking of Spring now. I’ve skipped right into Summer: green grass, gardens in full bloom, a picnic breakfast in the park, long languid Sundays. I’m there. And I’m ignoring the horizontal rain gusting in my face today. Magic Number Three has a new brand arriving imminently for Spring/Summer: Beaumont Organic. Ah, if I could imagine a dreamy Summer wardrobe to go with my Summer longing, this is it.

We’re feeling all balletic around here, thanks to Natalie Portman in Black Swan, and I’m loving that the Beaumont Organic styles we’ve chosen are just perfect for swanning around in this Summer. We’ve got the soft, feminine side covered with a pale pink floating dress, a sheer layered tunic, and a delicate floral print scarf. Whilst the dark dramatic side is invoked with an ingenious pair of black organic cotton harem pants that transform into a strapless, cropped jumpsuit. To top off the collection is a sumptuous blazer jacket, softer than a boyfriend jacket, but still with a touch of sexy seventies bravado. All will be revealed very soon!

Hannah of Beaumont Organic is the epitome of her ethical lifestyle brand. When she visited us with the Beaumont Spring/Summer sample collection Hannah looked effortlessly chic wearing her own designs. She is passionate about the organic cotton and silk fabrics used for her garments and is conscientiously involved in the high-quality production, regularly travelling out to the Portuguese family-run factory where the products are made. Hannah also considers the environmental impact of her fashion to the extent that the products are transported by road to the UK instead of by air.

I’m expecting to find some Portuguese sunshine nestled amongst the delivery when it arrives! Enough to inspire my daydreams of summer living….

Jacket and Tunic by Beaumont Organic for SS11

Posted by Georgia.

Spring/Summer 2011 Preview Part II

Ok, I own up to it, the latest cold snap was down to me – I foolishly started writing about warmer weather in the first Spring/Summer Preview post. Well just watch it snow after this….

Do any travelling around the UK and you know full well that Spring dawns on the land over a period of weeks. It was great having my suspicions confirmed watching QI the other night (I must admit I get a daft amount of trivial yet uncannily useful facts this way): that Spring starts in the South and gradually moves North. I love the idea of walking the length of the UK, following Spring flowers bursting into life – now that would be a green carpet. Bear with me I’m negotiating a clunky segue into the topic of bamboo.

So, speaking of plants that grow really quickly(!), how about that bamboo? It’s not unusual when I point out to someone that a particular garment is made from bamboo that a look of incredulity flashes across their face. But it’s exactly the reason that bamboo grows exceptionally quickly that makes it a sustainable crop for textile. There are so many plant-based alternatives to synthetic fibres and ones that are far healthier to wear. The pros for bamboo material are numerous. It has a sheen and softness akin to silk, is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, more breathable and with better wicking properties than cotton, and absorbs dyes more quickly and effectively resulting in rich colours. What I love about wearing bamboo jersey is that it drapes well and doesn’t cling or crackle like synthetic materials – it feels luxurious yet you can machine wash – and there are other sustainable fabrics that have similar benefits when you wear them: Modal and soy. You can already find Modal jersey garments in our online store from Paris-based brand Article 23 – I’ve a few Modal pieces from previous collections and they’re still going strong after plenty of washes and wear.

A great advocate for sustainable textiles is the eco-brand Nancy Dee. Their mission is to deliver style-focussed fashion that’s responsible and affordable – as they put it, ‘day into night wear’ meaning you can get the most out of each garment with clever accessorising. For me, Nancy Dee get it right with their mix of retro influence and simplicity. The Nancy Dee styles we’ve chosen for Magic Number Three this season are winning interpretations of the ’50s and playful marine stripe trends. The styles are body-con (will follow your curves) yet offer a fluidity that allows for movement and relaxed chic. I adore the mix of colours with cut out details (Penelope dress) and the panelling of different fabrics (Lula top). Pieces from the Nancy Dee SS11 collection we’ve picked out will work well together and look stunning with the Olsenhaus shoes featured in Part I. I would love Paris in the Springtime in the Lula top with Gabby trousers. Spring must be just around the corner (I say hopefully)!

Penelope dress by Nancy Dee

Lula top by Nancy Dee

Gabby trousers by Nancy Dee

Isla dress by Nancy Dee

Posted by Georgia.

 

 

Spring/Summer 2011 Preview Part I

I’m sure it’s getting warmer and lighter! It feels like we’ve had our fair share of bleak Winter already. Part of my longing for Spring is for the upcoming season of fashion. All those irresistible samples of clothes and shoes that we delighted over last Autumn, whilst trying to remember what Spring feels like, are now tantalisingly closer to delivery.

I’ve had peep-toes and sandals stored for the Winter that are now calling my name. I check the temperature every morning to see if it’s time to bundle my socks away and feel fresh air around my toes! Maybe a bit longer. I have a friend living in London who wears flip flops right through the year – I really don’t know how she does it.

There’s an indomitable thrill I get when I find the perfect shoes for a season. Shoes that nod at inspirational high fashion trends and wink at me, whispering ‘we’ll go with so many outfits!’. But I want more these days. I can’t help thinking about the piles of cheap, badly-made footwear that get thrown out after a short wear or worst still dumped when no-one buys them. I remember my dad sitting down of an evening with his shoe polishing kit and meticulously grooming his work shoes. Shoes that he’d wear and re-sole until they really wore out. My dad even had a go at making his own sandals (oh yes, he had the beard to match at the time). To this day I’ll still examine the stitching and punch work in a shoe, all the while thinking of the decorative impressions I used to hammer into scraps of leather on my dad’s workbench. I want well made but I also want to know that my shoes were made by someone who takes pride in their work and who takes home a fair wage.

I was brought up as a vegetarian and I have flirted with veganism but was ultimately overcome by dairy products. You’ve got to be dedicated and it’s this mindset that influences people to seek out animal-friendly footwear. It used to be difficult to find vegetarian or vegan shoes, or at least shoes that said something elegant and stylish. Now it is difficult not to find an alternative. Helped to prominence by celebrities such as Natalie Portman and Cameron Diaz, vegan-friendly footwear has never looked so good.

One outstanding footwear brand that supports animal welfare is Olsenhaus. Elizabeth Olsenhaus, the designer and founder, lives a philosophy that imbues her brand and her work. When I met Elizabeth for the first time at a showroom in London, to view the Olsenhaus Pure Vegan SS11 collection, I could tell that what she believes is reflected in her designs with impeccable grace. She has opened the box and pushed the envelope of footwear design through researching new materials and making them a feature. There are other vegan footwear brands such as Beyond Skin who use faux suede made with recycled plastic film from TV screens but this is the first time I’ve seen a shoe heel made with recognisable recycled plastic, flecked with a myriad of colours from waste packaging. Catalina is an inspired high fashion shoe with style firmly planted on the ground.

During our showroom visit, Elizabeth talked about the small factory in Mexico where her shoes are made and how often she goes to visit. It made me smile to hear a hard-working New York businesswoman slightly frustrated with having to work around the afternoon siestas taken by workers. Not so much a culture clash but certainly two different paces of life meeting. This did not sound like a sweatshop to me! Elizabeth makes sure that she works and communicates closely with the people who produce her footwear so she can confidently state that her footwear is produced in fair trade conditions.

So many designers, craftspeople and skilled workers have been making for months to produce beautiful shoes that are truly going to brighten our lives this season. And I for one am more than ready to wear them. For SS11 Magic Number Three will offer the Catalina, Grace Palmeto and Sydney – three very different styles for many occasions and outfits, to fit perfectly with the collections we have picked out. Roll on Spring!

Catalina: Black Faux Suede Shoe with Recycled Plastic Heel

 

Grace Palmeto: Printed Textile and Faux Suede Peep-Toe Shoe

 

Sydney: Two Tone Faux Suede Boot with Cutout and Lace Details

Posted by Georgia.