Nylon - October 2008 - (Page 56) garden of edun Ali Hewson is wearing a long black coat, dark blue jeans, and cork wedges that elevate her tiny stature to about 5’5’’. When she walks into the quaint Dublin restaurant where we meet, everyone looks out of the corners of their eyes. It’s unclear whether they’re staring because they know who she is—Hewson is U2 singer Bono’s wife—or if it’s simply because she commands attention. With her perfectly polished look, the latter seems to be the case. She takes a seat at the table and proceeds to apologize for being a “tad bit” late. She is easy to forgive. Our day is pretty much planned out: Eat lunch at the cafe and then walk over to Drury Street for a photoshoot of Edun’s fall ’08 collection—Hewson’s clothing label with Rogan Gregory that’s all about ethical production and high style. “We’ve come a long way,” says Hewson, as we finish our food and make our way to the shoot. “It was a huge learning curve.” Edun, which has been around for eight seasons, remains the leader in progressive manufacturing. Their main focus is to help build up communities and create sustainable employment in economically depressed countries—like India, Uganda, Kenya, and Peru, to name a few—by producing garments there. And, of course, there’s the eco-friendly aspect: The company makes sure everything is made in a way that causes the least harm to the planet—they grow their own cotton which eliminates the use of toxic pesticides, and they even have a program called the Conservation Cotton Initiative in conjunction with the Wild Life Conservation Society, which teaches and supports African farmers to grow and cultivate the plant organically. “When we first started, it was all about a good story, but now we can really focus on the designs.” This season’s creations were inspired by nocturnes—tranquil, expressive, and dark musical compositions inspired by the night. “Edun’s aesthetic is a mix of music, poetry, and different art forms,” says Hewson. “It’s got nature, it’s about night, it’s dark, mysterious, and sexy.” The women’s collection features T-shirt dresses with snowflake prints, blouses and tunics adorned with exposed zippers, beautifully tailored silk shirt dresses, a structured trench coat with all-over button details, and basics like jeans. And all of these minimalist pieces are jazzed-up by using lush materials such as silks, cotton, alpaca and wool blends, lace, and metallic threads. It’s obvious from Hewson’s enthusiasm that she is proud to see her label flourish and garner international attention. For every garment at the day’s shoot, she has a story behind it. But whether it’s her favorite piece—an asymmetrical sweater dress—or just a T-shirt, Hewson knows that the important thing is that the clothes are desirable to the customer. “We have the social aspect of Edun down, but we are also trying to make clothes that you can wear to look good,” says Hewson. Even though Edun has become a major player, Hewson insists that it took time to build up the brand, despite her celebrity status. “We are a small company trying to do big things,” she says. “At times it was difficult—and still can be difficult—for this tiny little company.” It’s now 5 p.m. and our day together is winding down. Hewson has a charity event to attend in another country. So now, with daughter in tow, she says her goodbyes, turns the corner and disappears. And just like when she walked into the restaurant earlier, as she leaves, she elicits stares from the people on the street. Yes, that’s Bono’s wife, but she definitely commands attention on her own. 56 profile stylist: sharon blankson. makeup: samantha joseph. model: alexandra mcguinness. special thanks to justin and bridget. sweater dress by edun, shoes by sum fortune, stylist’s own hat, tights, and necklace. NOW THAT DESIGNER ALI HEWSON HAS PERFECTED EDUN’S SOCIALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PRACTICES, IT’S TIME TO HAVE SOME FUN WITH THE CLOTHES. BY RAJNI LUCIENNE JACQUES. PHOTOGRAPHED BY FINLEY FARRELLY
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