How one ethical clothing company, Ascension, is changing the face of eco-fashion, one stylish piece after another

London, England - home of Buckingham Palace and High Street – is now home to its first ethical-fashion store, Ascension Clothing. Launched just this November, the Ascension store is leading the pack in ecological, socially responsible, and fashionable fashion, proving that gone are the days of rough, hemp potato-sack dresses. This fall, EF had the opportunity to ask Ascension’s co-founder and CEO, Adam Smith, about the environmental and social importance of ethical fashion and about how Ascension Clothing is proving that its pieces are not only Mother Nature-friendly, but sophisticated and wearable enough to compete with mainstream labels.

EF: Describe the string of thoughts and events that culminated into your decision to start an eco-fashion clothing company.

Adam Smith: I had worked in retail for over 14 years, during which time I saw the negative impacts from the supply chains of mainstream Western brands on the people and environment in the Far East and Indian sub-continent. I decided that I wanted to start a business that respected those within the supply chains. I met my co-founders nearly four years ago - Quentin Griffiths (who founded Asos.com) and Chris Powles (who grew up in Kenya and has an affinity for wildlife preservation) and together we saw a gap in the fashion market for the best ethically produced clothing. At the time, there was very little on offer in terms of ‘green fashion’ and what was on offer was incredibly niche, not particularly design led and difficult to find. There was not a single destination in the UK that brought together all of the best of ethically produced fashion. This is where we saw a big opportunity. We used Quentin’s successful background in e-tailing fashion and my background in general retail and e-commerce to build Adili (Ascension’s original name), with the goal to bring together the best ethical fashion brands from around the world.

EF: What were the first steps in starting Adili?

AS: I saw such a significant opportunity to not just offer the best range of ethical fashion, but also to prove to the business world that a business can be run ethically and profitably. Chris and I spent a great deal of time researching the potential market and speaking to everyone who was leading this movement for sustainability in fashion. The hardest part was finding suppliers! I prepared a business plan with Quentin’s support and we put in the initial capital to set up the company in April 2006. We launched our brand five months later and rebranded to Ascension this past summer. 

EF: How has Ascension evolved over the years?

AS: We’ve made a lot of changes to our business over the past year. Not only have we changed our name, but we have also changed our business model and strategy. Our customers told us that they wanted a more handpicked selection of product and our target consumers told us that they were confused by the name Adili. So, we moved forward by changing our name to Ascension which we felt was more progressive and fashion forward. It took us a while to find our niche and to understand what consumers were craving. We started the brand as a very ‘deep green’ fashion brand, with ethics at the forefront and styling taking a back seat. Over the first two years we widened our range to offer the most comprehensive selection of eco brands for men, women, and children in the UK. 

EF: Have your goals for the business changed as well?

AS: Our principal goals for the business have never changed. We want to educate consumers about ethical issues, spearhead development of ethical projects, and prove that business can be run in an ethical and profitable way. We are also determined to help bring ethical fashion into the mainstream.

EF: What was the eco-fashion landscape like in the UK when you started the business?

AS: It was a hugely different landscape. There was very little in terms of ecological fashion to choose from. Today there are so many more eco brands, and excitingly, universities like the London College of Fashion and their Centre for Sustainability are preparing young designers to enter the fashion world with a greater understanding of ethics. This in turn, over time, will change the face of fashion.

EF: What sort of an impact do you hope the  store will have on your brand and eco-fashion in the UK?

AS: We want to have a BIG impact. We are so excited to have launched the very first ethical fashion store in central London. This store is a great opportunity to tap into the mass market and gain customers who would never have searched for ‘eco fashion’ online. We appeal to consumers who want to look great and who will choose to shop with us as they trust that our clothes have been made in a respectful way. We also plan to hold lots of in-store events to help inspire, engage, and communicate our ethical values. The longer-term aim is that ultimately consumers will start to demand ethical fashion more and more so that high brands will have to adapt and change the way they produce their clothes.

EF: What change have you seen in the habits of consumers?

AS: Since we launched we have seen a new wave of customers shopping with us. They have become moderately green consumers, which is partly due to our marketing activity to attract them. But it’s also very obvious to us that our customers will not simply buy ethical because it’s ethical. They are demanding great quality and brilliant styling as well as the underlying ethical story. This has meant we’ve had to work harder to find the right product lines, including a lot of effort put into developing our own clothing labels. The recession has also played a big part for us – good and bad. Without the recession we never would have been able to start some of our recent initiatives, but it has also meant that our customers’ shopping habits have changed. Our customers have become more considered in their purchasing and are very reactive to offers, competitions, and are much more price sensitive. We’ve had to adapt our buying significantly to meet this demand; a major objective of our own labels is competitive pricing.

EF: What do you think comes first, consumer demand for eco fashion or the supply?

AS: I think it’s actually a bit of both; the consumer needs evidence that ethical can mean stylish, a key objective for us, but equally, without a burgeoning interest from consumers in developing an ethical lifestyle, there would be a very limited market in which to develop a retail business.

EF: Do you think the majority of people will ever understand that cheap clothing is not worth the environmental degradation and social injustice it causes?

AS: I’d like to think so, but in reality there are a large number of people for whom this is unlikely to become a priority.  Our job is to convert as many advocates to our cause as possible.

EF: How can business owners like you, and designers, models, manufacturers, etc., better promote buying ethical clothing and living a green lifestyle?

AS: We need to work together to build up the industry and to impart our knowledge to the big players in fashion to help them to change the way they work. Ultimately many consumers still believe that ethical means substandard, hippie tree-hugger, and itchy hemp sacks. The first step is to prove to consumers that ethical is cool.  I sincerely hope that we are starting to do that – our growth suggests that we are making progress in this area.