/ id / is an ethical & slow fashion brand creating a wearable experience for mindful & passionate lives.  "We create fun pieces with bright colours and bold silhouettes. We bring a combination of fun, sophistication & versatility into our designs to create timeless pieces. Unique clothes are the product of timeless designs & mindful making!"

What attracted you to the fashion industry?

I had a passion for designing clothing since I was a child and have been very lucky to have mum whose incredible skills brought my designs to life. I always wanted to start my own business and operate it (somehow) in both countries, Georgia and the UK. Why Georgia? Because I grew up in Georgia and always felt I owed to Georgian women and that I could do something to help and empower them (in Georgia many women need jobs, especially jobs that pay fair wages). ‘Eureka’ moment came when I decided that I was going to design my own wedding dress and make it with my mum. That’s when I reconnected again with designing & making clothing and decided that I was going to start a fashion brand. I saw this opportunity as a way of connecting two of my passions – creating beautiful clothes and transforming women’s lives.
 
Tell us about your brand
 
/ id / is an ethical and slow fashion brand. We design and handcraft very limited pieces using rescued textile waste.
I’m lucky that I can wear a unique piece designed by me and made by my mum. And I want other women to experience the same feeling of pride when wearing a garment that has a meaning, that becomes their lifetime companion (not just a piece of cloth that might not even get a wear or get discarded after a season). That’s why in addition to creating timeless pieces, we offer made to order service with no additional costs. This also has environmental benefits – we only make what we need to make.
 

When did sustainable practices became important to you and how you integrated them into your business?
 
I grew up watching my mum growing a community of empowered women - making clothes for her friends, teaching others how to sew in her little studio and sharing profits with her own interns. I started the business out of the passion for wanting to create a worldwide community of strong, empowered women with infectious happiness and confidence. So, ethical business practices came with the very start and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sustainability was also an integral part of my vision. In addition to accepting responsibility to look after our planet, community and future generations, I had a strong desire to create a brand that connects & balances clashing parts of human identity – uncontrollable desire ( [/id/] ) of buying something and conscious decision (super-ego) of not buying it. Letting consumers express their identities through fashion and nurture their values at the same time is another way of empowering more women. I called the brand / id / as a symbol of empowerment because I think no one can suppress [/id/] regularly.
 
What other sustainable brands are killing it for you at the moment?
 
Raeburn – I love the concept and admire how they are showcasing transparency in the fashion industry.
 
What is next for your brand?
 
Grow the brand to involve more women and raise funds to empower more women; Take our sustainability strategy to the next level by adopting a 100% closed-loop system.
 

For more information on / ID / please visit http://www.id-uk.co.uk/