Kiera Court - In questions

Kiera Court

Meet Kiera Court, Singer Songwriter & self-professed dog lover, as she tells us about her collaboration with Madia & Matilda

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I'm a musician and songwriter based in London. In my spare time I like to wear nice suits, drink coffee and am actually have the cool capacity to cut my own fringe. With scissors. I could probably even cut it with pliers if they were to hand. I also really like dogs, but who doesn't?

Kiera is wearing the  Amelia - Dress

How long have you been Singing  for? 

I've been singing for a while - I don't have an exact date, but all I know is that I love it. I just love sounds.

Kiera's Dog Alfred wears Slate Dog lead from our Shop Unique Selection

Is there anything specific that inspired your Madia & Matilda photoshoot?

Mainly my dog. He's my rock and very photogenic - I wouldn't be surprised if he got scouted for Premier Pooch Models (does this exist?) or something. Madia & Matilda feels kind of homely - solid and sustainable like a friend you can always rely on and true to its roots. I didn't want to go too over the top with the shoot and portray the sense of honesty I feel Madia & Matilda conveys in the photos. 

Which is your favourite Madia & Matilda piece of our Summer 18 collection? 

I love the Henny cotton skirt. It's so light and breezy. I could gallop around London in that, hoping on and off the tube without have to groan at the tight constraint of jeans, or unbuttoning of a trouser. It's very classy and would look great in the day with a crisp shirt, blouse or in the evening with a cami top.

Beauty secrets... 

My hair is so big because it is FULL of secrets. 

Seriously though, I don't I have any specific routine as such at the moment. All I do is make sure I'm clean and well hydrated (like a plant). I try to drink a lot of water. A decent amount of sleep is essential too. I think the key to looking beautiful though is feeling it - a warm energy transforms a face and radiates around you. Everyone's perception of beauty is different and remembering that will get you far.

I don't wear a lot of make-up, and when I do, it varies from either dark eyes or bold lips. One or the other. Like boobs or bum.

 Kiera wears Jenna Cropped Trouser

If you can take us to your hometown for a day, where will you take us to? 

I was born in Chelmsford, Essex. If I were to take you there, we would most certainly not go out at night unless it were to the Bassment (get it) bar for some blues, jazz and just genuine good music. Hylands House would potentially be on the cards. That's where I walk my dog sometimes, and my dog comes first. We'd have to hit up A canteen in town though as they do gorgeous brunches. 

Follow you at... 

You can follow me at @kieracourtt on Instagram and Twitter 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kieracourtt 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kieracourtt 

Like me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kieracourtmusic

Watch me on Youtube: www.youtube.com/kieracourt

Read me on Medium: www.medium.com/@kieracourtt 

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

We've Been Nominated For A Muddy Awards

https://glos.muddystilettos.co.uk/vote/womens-store/



Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Fashion Revolution Week - Meet The Team

Discover Madia & Matilda at the Ethical Fashion & Lifestyle PopUp. 

                We will be showcasing our collections at 

               39 Pepper Street, London, E14 9RP, UK.

Madia & Matilda is designed and produced in the beautiful Cotswolds by Shalize Nicholas. Shalize graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University after working within the industry for retailers and designers, such as Mary Katrantzou in Paris, Tesco's and Littlewoods. 

Set apart from the 'fast-fashion' industry, Madia & Matilda's chief objective is to create using zero waste ethics. Unfortunately, the fact that most fashion retailers view wearing the same clothes more than once as 'uncool' has negative effects on the environment. Clothes put into landfill create waste which takes years to biodegrade. We at Madia & Matilda oppose the rule that fashion is transient and disposable, and aim to produce garments with the lowest environmental impact possible.

What we are doing differently

Our brand was born from a wish to contribute positively to the idea of “slow fashion”. This view of fashion emphasises the importance of respect for the planet and the sources of the materials we use to make our garments. We hand-make all our clothes and have the greatest respect both for our workers and the materials we use. The clothes are made from recycled fabrics which might normally be thrown away. Some garments are up-cycled: transformed from old or unwanted garments to beautiful new ones. 

We also offer an alterations service in our shop, mending and adjusting customers’ worn and torn clothes to give them a new lease of life. 

Our clothes are intended to be timeless pieces to add to the customer’s existing wardrobe. In this way we like to think of our business as a kind of antidote to the rigid seasons-based fashion industry we are urged to subscribe to on the high street today.

Check our website for a general overview of what we do and to stay updated on our press releases. www.madiamatilda.co.uk

Opportunities 

Madia and Matilda provide opportunities for local and young people, encouraging them to gain experience. We work with universities and local colleges and initiatives, bringing production back to Britain. 

All our packaging is biodegradable and we recycle where ever possible.

Free registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kitty-ferreira-friends-ethic…to be kept up to date with in store events, from swishing to workshops.

Connect with our in store seamstress for repair, mend and alterations and details on each brand will follow shortly:) #whomademyclothes#fashionrevolution

Shop Unique - Spotlight on Hettie

Hettie

Hettie is a small business which specialises in making accessories from British wool. It’s based in Warwickshire, remains family-run and uses fabrics woven in the UK. Hettie create timeless, chic accessories, from bags to little bow-ties for dogs. These items are made with love and are perfect for anyone who wants to invest in ethical, British fashion—like us at Madia & Matilda! That’s why they feature on our website as a like-minded fashion brand. It’s a brave move to work mainly with one material, but it also encourages its beauty and versatility to shine. Hettie has perfected this idea to bring us a delightful collection of woolly wonders!

A small range of products enable a manufacturing method which is thoughtful and trustworthy. Allow us to present...

The Hettie bag. Available in a variety of fabrics and colours and made in a beautiful, classic design, this bag will cheerfully see you through your all adventures. It’s a great size for everyday use, not to mention full of easy-to-wear charm!

Hettie’s Ella cross-body bag has your back, from country walks to quick dashes into town (unless, like us, you only went in for milk and came out lugging a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and a box of Viennese whirls). Like the Hettie bag, this case comes in a variety of lovely hues (so you can coordinate to your heart’s content!)

Hettie’s Pet Collection shows the fun side of the company. The “stylish bow tie,” it says, “will attach to your collar with elastic.” If you’re going to market to dogs, you may as well go the whole dog (see what we did there?). Pet accessories range from little neckerchiefs to gorgeous collars any dog would be proud to wear. Check them out in-store at Madia & Matilda!

The Kate bag is for those of us who, like me, love to be prepared for every eventuality. Hand cream? Sun glasses? Pencil? Socks? Keys? Dog treats? And the great thing about this bag is (quite apart from it looking amazing) that all of the above and more will fit in it very comfortably. We’re sold.

The incredible powers of wool as a material include its sustainable nature, warmth and amazing strength as a fibre. Hettie’s accessories are produced in a way which causes very low negative impact on vulnerable ecosystems (although we can’t promise you’ll be safe from bag envy!), which is why we chose strike up a partnership with them. When you buy a Hettie product through Madia & Matilda, you’re investing in two companies which take sustainability and ethics into serious consideration: in other words, help look after the planet and look damn fine doing it!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

What Are My Clothes Made Of?

Meet the Fabrics

This week, Madia & Matilda bring you their collective wisdom about fabrics, plus some cool stuff about being eco-friendly while you're being clothing friendly.

What d'you mean there's more ironing to do? Pass the wine Janice. 

Cotton: the Sturdy, Stand-By-Me Friend in the Squad

Cotton is pretty hardy, as fabrics go. Of the friendship group it's the dependable, wise friend you can always count on (who is also ultra-breathable and machine-washable). Cotton is a natural fibre which is lovely to wear next to the skin. 

Linen: the Comfy, Badass Grandma Who Has No Time for Your Rubbish

Another natural fibre, linen shares many of cotton's best qualities: it's breathable, durable and comfortable to wear. Linen's other great qualities are its amazing durability, non-stretchiness and keeps you cooler than cotton in the heat.

Silk: the Mind-Blowing, Ethereal, Emotionally Unstable Beauty Queen 

Silk is a natural fibre which is famously picky when it comes to care. However, it's such a beautiful fabric that many people just can't resist its charm. It's breathable, hypoallergenic and comfortable to wear, and that's just for starters! 

Wool: the Lovely Warm Grandad with the Scratchy Beard

Another natural, hypoallergenic fibre! Wool is incredible: cosy and comfy, both insulating and breathable, what's not to like?! (Unless you're vegan. Fair Play.) Wool is also dust-resistant (take that, dust allergies!). True, it can be scratchy, but nobody's perfect.

Polyester/Nylon: One Half of the Glam, Up-For-It Plastic Fantastics

Polyester and nylon are both man-made materials derived from plastic. They were invented in the '50s, and have enjoyed much fame since as a hardy material. Quick-drying and great at maintaining shape, polyester and nylon are good all-rounders. 

Acrylic: the Other Half of the Glam, Up-For-It Plastic Fantastics

Acrylic clothing is similar to polyester and nylon: versatile, easy to  wear and care for. Another synthetic plastic fibre, acrylic fibres were invented by the Germans in the '40s. If you're trying to buy less plastic, you may want to avoid buying acrylic clothing. 

Clothing Care and the Planet: Compatible?
Washing machines and electric dryers typically use lots of energy, but there are lots of ways you can cut down your energy consumption while giving your clothes great care. 

• Wash your clothes less, e.g. wash jeans every week or so rather than every couple of days. Really, it's that simple! 
• Use a biodegradable, petroleum-free washing detergent (see below!). Or you could use soap nuts, super cool little berries which are harvested largely from trees in India and Nepal. ("Chuck a few more nuts in the washing machine would you, honey?" Go on, you know you want an excuse to say that)
• Give your dryer a rest (or send it into retirement) by letting your washing dry naturally. On a sunny, breezy day your washing could be dry in an hour. Amazing!
• Make sure you're putting on full loads of washing instead of just a couple of items. This will save you money as well as reducing the amount of energy you use
• Hand wash silk or wool items. This also reduces risk of the fabric warping or shrinking. Use a special wool/silk detergent and be gentle!
• For other ways to make your clothing care greener, visit this link

Ecover and the Green Clean Crew

Ecover are champs of the green clean initiative. Created and based in Belgium, Ecover make effective cleaning products that smell amazing. You may have heard people saying that green cleaning products aren't as effective as mainstream, chemical-based ones, but it's just not true. Give it a go, and let us know what you think! Read more about the ethos of Ecover here.

Method also make beautiful clean products which clean beautifully well (try saying that three times fast!). Created by "former roommates" and fellow "superheroes" Adam and Eric, Method products are "gentler than a thousand puppy licks" and do a wonderful job of cleaning your home! How's that for endorsement?! For more about the Method method, click here.

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Area Code: In Shoreditch this Christmas

Shoreditch

When you throw around words like "trendy", "hip" and "ultimate cool", you expect something pretty special. We've rounded up a few of the unmissable delights of London's creative hub, including art, fashion and drinks. Ladies and Gents— welcome to Shoreditch!

Image credit: www.thestageshoreditch.com

Lara Intimates is the love child of friends Cindy and Faith. They created the company after discovering how poor conditions were for workers in the lingerie industry, particularly in China. Garments by Lara Intimates are "made of material that would have otherwise gone to landfill", reducing waste produced by the fast fashion obsession, which applies to lingerie too. Based normally in Soho, the brand is holding a pop-up shop in Shoreditch on the 8th of December— and as they say on their website, "pants make nice gifts". We're sold!

Image credit: Lara Intimates

Blitz: a vintage-lover's dream. Possibly Europe's biggest vintage shop, Blitz is described in the New York Times as "a contemporary art exhibition". Stuffed with hand-picked garments to drool over, we wouldn't miss this one for the world! 

Aida is a boutique store that we love and is like minded to us offering a very stylish selection of everything from socks to stationary. With a huge range of clothing and homeware to choose from, where better to go for Christmas gifts other than us (obviously)? Heck, where better to go to treat yourself?!

Image credit: Cosy Mag

You've pounded the streets for hours and now it's basically dark (and probably drizzling), and all you want is to sit down and boast about your fantastic purchases over a drink. Best classy Shoreditch bar?

Nightjar is a speakeasy-style bar, described as "sexy AF" by one visitor on its website. It's wildly popular (for good reason!) so you're advised to book a table. Team our gorgeous Carly dress with an oversized jacket for some laid-back vibes for the occasion!

Vida Bakery, a cute cafe for the working lunchbreak or to get someone a little sweet treat thats vegan and lovely! 

Who can resist a good cupcake? Not us! We've tried these and they're delicious. Drop and sit down, take a moment to savour the goodness... We recommend the Cookie cupcake!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Women and Empowerment

Women

This week we're talking about women and empowerment! The issues of social equality, including economic, marital and historical, have been debated for hundreds of years. Many books have been written about women and their place in society. So what's the latest?

Well, it's become a bit of a free-for-all. Thanks to the internet we can share our views far and wide under the protection of the UK Human Rights act of 1998, which says that "everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions". But the overwhelming feeling at the moment is, of course, that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities in every area of society. This in itself might not seem too difficult in theory. However, another aspect of this feeling is that women and men deserve equal respect and be treated as equals. In practise this has been shown to be slightly more tricky.


    Photo credit -Tonight Josephine 

Anyway. We're not here to discuss politics (or are we?). We're focusing on women in power, women in business and women who don't give a flying squirrel what anybody thinks of them while they get on with their lives.

Allow us to introduce Serena, Michelle, Emma and Suki!

Photo credit - Stuff.co.nz

Serena Williams

A powerhouse of epic proportion and a keen advocate for equal pay and rights for women and people of colour, Williams has for a long time been kicking ass. This happens on the court and off it, and for this reason she totally belongs on this list. 

In an essay called 'How Black Women Can Close the Pay Gap', Williams acknowledged that "growing up, I was told I couldn't accomplish my dreams because I was a woman and, more so, because of the colour of my skin". She goes on to speak about the "cycles of poverty, discrimination and sexism" endemic to Western society today, and urges that reversing this will take "dedicated action" by "all of us", including men and women "of all colours, races and creeds". Click here for the full essay.

Photo credit - Newsweek

Michelle Obama

What an inspiration! She's been ranked as the 13th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes, but this doesn't begin to describe Michelle Obama's enormous efforts to do good in the world. She's unafraid to address the challenging, complex issues faced by society today, and especially by women and girls.

In her speech during Campaign Week 2016, just before Donald Trump was elected President, she mentioned her work with Let Girls Learn, saying "I wanted [the girls present] to understand that the measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls". Let Girls Learn is an education initiative "led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)" and created by Michelle. To read the full transcript of her New Hampshire speech, which emphasises the importance of women's autonomy and power today, click here. 

Photo credit - wikipedia

Emma Thompson

This legend of British cinema has won basically every award going, including two Oscars, two Golden Globes and three BAFTAs. She has no time for sexist rubbish, and certainly no problem talking about it. Thompson has been quick to defend and applaud the women who have spoken out against Harvey Weinstein in the recent scandal, saying "I spent my 20s trying to get old men’s tongues out of my mouth". It's a gruesome image that fits an equally horrifying situation. 

Alongside her vow to "always speak up" on such issues, Thompson has dedicated a lot of effort and money to foundations such as the Refugee Council and the Helen Bamber Foundation. The former charity works with refugees and other people seeking asylum in the UK, offering "practical support and advice". More about the Refugee Council here. The Helen Bamber Foundation works with "people who have experienced extreme human cruelty, such as torture and human trafficking". More about their work here.


Suki Waterhouse 
Avid fan of Madia & Matilda, actress and model now turned singer Suki Waterhouse is a multifaceted wonder woman, with own accessories label as well. The label, co-created with best friend and business partner, Poppy Jamie, provides proof that when the sisterhood comes together, great things can be created! Find out more about their work here. We hope to see Suki in some of our designs in the future. 

Sincerely Madia & Matilda