#TOGETHERBAND Launches Its New Black On Black, Diversity-Supporting Bracelet At The Fashion Awards 2021
Jo Wood wearing #TOGETHERBAND
Bottletop founders Cameron Saul and Oliver Wayman have teamed up with the British Fashion Council to drive awareness of the UN’s sustainability goals and raise money for charity…
If the fashion industry is meant to be unsustainable, Cameron Saul and Oliver Wayman never got the memo. The duo are the brains behind Bottletop, a British luxury brand, founded in 2002, in order “to empower people and planet through sustainable design and creative culture”, as their mission statement puts it.
Bottletop’s #TOGETHERBAND was conceived in response to the 17 Global Goals, (officially known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs), established by all United Nations Member States in 2015, to provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity worldwide.
Ethically made and sustainably sourced, the friendship bracelets that are #TOGETHERBAND’s stock in trade represent each of those 17 goals: and, a new addition to their repertoire has just been launched at The British Fashion Awards, where Tommy Hilfiger was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award and Kim Jones, Artistic Director for Dior Men and Fendi, took the Designer of the Year gong.
Created in collaboration with the British Fashion Council, the Black On Black Edition bracelet has been launched in order to help drive awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and raise funds for the British Fashion Council Foundation, a charity which promotes equality to ensure the fashion industry is truly diverse and accessible to all.
The band’s rope is made from recycled Parley Ocean Plastic®️, and the black clasp is made from Humanium Metal, created by melting down illegal firearms sourced from El Salvador, one of the world’s most violent countries. For every #TOGETHER product bought, they even promise to plant a tree.
“The Black On Black #TOGETHERBAND bracelet embodies all our values in a single beautiful object,” explains Oliver Wayman, Co-founder of Bottletop and Co-creator of the #TOGETHERBAND campaign. “These core values include sustainability, creativity and the need to raise awareness of the UN Global Goals, all wrapped up in one stylish package that people are proud to wear and share.”
It’s been a busy winter for the #TOGETHERBAND duo – whose concept is derived from the Mulberry Bottletop campaign which saw bags made from recycled bottle tops from Africa lined with waste leather from Europe. Last month, they opened an interactive pop-up store on Regent Street as part of a “Clean Power” campaign. Displayed amongst artwork and bright flags produced by London artist Morag Myerscough were 100 per cent recycled Clean Power products, including four T-shirts featuring Myerscough’s artwork and colourful tote bags.
Since 2008, Bottletop has presented fashion collections in London and Paris on a seasonal basis, and sold to retailers and design stores including Selfridges, Harrods, Conran and Harvey Nichols. The duo have also undertaken music and arts projects including ‘Sound Affects’ compilation albums on which electronics artists adapt the music of Africa and Brazil with leading artists.
They also founded The Bottletop Band – an Anglo-Brazilian supergroup whose members include The Libertines’ Carl Barât, Eliza Doolittle, Gruff Rhys, Matt Helders and Tim Burgess.