Through her traditional tailoring techniques and choice of natural fibres, sustainable designer Eloise Salter celebrates the true art of slow fashion – as Janine Sterland discovers on a visit to her Derbyshire workshop
In a design studio overlooking the River Derwent on the outskirts of Belper, ethical clothing designer Eloise Salter carefully adds the finishing touch to one of her signature outerwear pieces.
Crafted in a richly toned Scottish waxed cotton and drafted with skilful pattern cutting techniques, this clearly is a coveted wardrobe addition – proving that not all garments are in fact, created as equal.
“Most high street clothes are quickly mass-produced, whilst in comparison, my designs are all made with care and with durable high-quality materials,” explains Eloise, who founded her namesake clothing brand Salt&Co Studio last year. “From sourcing naturally made fabrics, through to creating a flattering fit and a timeless look which doesn’t necessarily follow trends, my garments are designed to last a lifetime of wear.”
Garment development, design and making, she reveals, have always been a core part of her life since a young child – an interest inherited from her mother and shared with her sister. “I grew up in a very creative household and, when we were little, my mum always made our clothes.”
It inspired Eloise and her sister to learn how to sew and, as teenagers, they sold their hand-made designs in a little boutique in Nottingham. “This ignited my interest in clothing and I really developed my design experience from then on in,” Eloise says fondly.
With this entrepreneurial approach to her work instilled from an early age, and having developed an affinity towards clothing design, Beeston-born Eloise embarked on a tailoring apprenticeship in central London with renowned master tailor Edward Sexton.
“At the time I found that these skills weren’t necessarily as popular nor appreciated as they are now,” says Eloise. “In comparison, current tailoring apprenticeships are inundated with applicants. I feel this is partly due to a growing appreciation for well-made, durable clothes rather than poorly manufactured mass-produced pieces.”
“In London during my apprenticeship, I would repeat the same process for months until it was fully refined, before moving on to the next technique. It may sound monotonous, but the repetition taught me the finer nuances of the craft.”
Reflecting on her time spent in the capital, Eloise describes her Savile Row experience as a key influence on her work as an emerging designer, and that these skilled techniques are instinctively woven throughout her Salt&Co Studio collections. “In London during my apprenticeship, I would repeat the same process for months until it was fully refined, before moving on to the next technique. It may sound monotonous, but the repetition taught me the finer nuances of the craft.”
Honing such time consuming and time-honoured methods were, she says, an eye opener into the wider fashion industry. “Understanding why some garments were priced so highly due to the quality of the fabric, the cut, or the inclusion of sewing techniques such as hand stitched linings, influenced me to use similar values throughout my designs – these continue to underpin my brand to this day.”
With the support of the King’s Trust to evolve her business, combined with teaching her skilled tailoring techniques to students at Nottingham Trent University, Eloise furthered her design experience through an MA in fashion.
“I wanted to challenge my pattern cutting skills and, with this standard of learning, I could develop my own projects focused on exactly what I wanted to learn,” she says. For Eloise, this was urban cycling wear.
“Cycling is a big hobby of mine and, as a keen cyclist, I felt that there weren’t many clothing options which allowed you to transition off a bike and then straight into an office environment – perhaps if these options did exist, this would encourage more people to cycle rather than drive,” she says with a smile.
With a minimalist, clean lined and tailored approach to design, Salt&Co Studio clothing is, Eloise agrees, very different to sportswear. However, with a knowledge of the fabric functionality and simplicity in silhouettes of the sports garment sector, whilst having a genuine interest in lowering her own carbon footprint, alongside tailoring skills engrained into her work, Salt&Co Studio was born. “With my background in tailoring, interest in fabrics and having a passion for sustainably made clothing, I was keen to create a brand that combines these values – I’m really proud to have developed a coherent look that showcases this.”
Discussing her experience gleaned in garment craftsmanship, Eloise says that the art of slow fashion begins with the quality of making. “When garments are well-made and the cut feels good, we form a relationship to appreciate our clothing. Throughout my collections, I hope to encourage customers to buy less and invest in pieces which not only look good, but are designed to last. This, ultimately, is a slow approach to fashion, rather than a fast fashion mindset.”
The details which embrace this approach to her work as Eloise describes, may be minute, but they make a longstanding difference. “Take Salt&Co Studio trousers for example, at the top of each pocket I add a reinforced stitch known as a bar tack. As this part of the garment is a stress point, these extra stiches ensure that the garment will endure their everyday use.”
Eloise adds that, “even the stitch lengths themselves are shorter for a higher standard of making. This level of detail isn’t always adopted in fast fashion pieces because it adds time to the make process.”
As well as a high attention to manufacturing details, another core part of her conscious design beliefs she says, is to avoid waste. This innovative concept is noticeable nearby, in a large dark olive and midnight blue bag hanging unassumingly from a studio chair – which I discover, is made from workshop off cuts.
“I convert my leftover wax cotton garment cuttings into bucket bags by sewing the remnants into a large patchwork of fabrics – this then forms the bag itself. Not only does this minimise waste, but the process means that no two are the same,” Eloise says satisfiedly.
This sustainable approach to design is woven throughout all of Salt&Co Studio pieces which, Eloise explains, are all made from naturally derived rather than synthetically produced fabrics. “My natural fabric choices are considered for their quality, and many are also British made such as jersey from manufacturers in Leicester, as well as Dundee based wax cotton from Halley Stevensons.” This iconic Celtic brand Eloise describes, nods to her support of British makers – which today is marked by her studio located next to the river in an area renowned for its contribution towards textiles manufacturing. “There is an incredible history here, and I feel so fortunate to be near to the riverside and to mills which have been linked to making for centuries – it’s a joy to continue this heritage.”
To discover more visit: saltandcostudio.co.uk Instagram: @saltandco.studio