SCOTTISH fashion brand Cloh creates menswear with a conscience, having been founded by independent designer Faisal Mohammed, who is a passionate advocate for protecting the environment.
Mohammed attended Edinburgh College of Art, where he graduated with a BA in fashion. Before this, he had been awarded a place at the business incubator unit at Glasgow Clyde College and received a diploma in fashion.
The incubator facility, which is designed to assist start-up businesses in the creative industries sector to develop and succeed, offered Mohammed valuable insights into the business side of the fashion industry as well as leading to a studio space at Fashioned in Glasgow, a support service for designers seeking to manufacture in Scotland.
Throughout his education, Mohammed felt passionately about the negative impact the fast fashion industry has upon the environment.
Post-graduation, Mohammed made it his mission to help minimise this impact and created his menswear clothing label Cloh, a brand designed for customers seeking a more ethical lifestyle.
Discussing his brand intentions, Mohammed says: “Cloh was born out of a desire to challenge fast fashion and throw-away culture, by following ethical production standards The brand intends to be honest and transparent to its customers, sharing all stages of the creation of the garments.”
From the brand’s original collection, Mohammed made it his ultimate goal to use and source 100 per cent repurposed fabrics. The range consists of shirts, trousers and coats.
Throughout the design process, every inch of available fabric is used in order to reduce wastage. Additionally, garments are not mass produced; once a Cloh order is placed, the team ethically source fabrics most similar to the original piece to recreate the garment. This means no two garments are the same.
Further distinguishing itself from mainstream fashion brands, Cloh focuses on relaxed silhouettes, functionality and minimal design aesthetics. This came about because Mohammed found that there was a lack of intelligently designed comfort clothing which does not revolve around pyjamas and T-shirts.
Cloh successfully establishes calmness and serenity through carefully selecting materials and colour. The palette consists of neutrals and pastels, colours which filter out noise and help to reboot the mind and reinforce comfort.
Looking to the year ahead, the Cloh team will release their A/W18 collection this month and seek to get the brand name further established.
Mohammed explains: “We plan to establish and run a successful business with a natural growth and a secure relationship with clients and buyers.”
cloh.co.uk
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