The NEW Influencers - Maddie

Tell us about yourself and your background

I have an art background and I have been living in various cities in Europe, such as Paris, London, Brussels and now Barcelona. I would love to keep discovering more cities in Europe and live there, but for now I believe it won't be as easy as it used to be. However, you never know what can come next. I'm very open to change and discovering new places’ cultural aspects. I also love to see how people used to dress up before WW2. It helps to understand how some materials can be worn and how humans were benefiting from them related to the weather for example. Although some clothes were only worn for a specific reason or celebration.

What’s the sustainability landscape & people’s mentality like in Barcelona?

I have a feeling that Inditex (Zara) is still very strong in people's choice in Spain. Plus Primark is getting bigger and bigger. The main shopping avenue is taken by those brands and have no other presence in the city, which makes it hard to drive people to other parts where small shops are promoting sustainable shopping. They are all spread out in the city which makes them very isolated from each other. I do think change is coming from food shops. I recently saw some little shops that sell utility items for housekeeping plus shampoo, all from recyclable materials, local and sustainable production.

Why did you start your blog & Instagram?

I really wanted to bring awareness that you can find treasures on second hand platforms and shops, and avoid fast fashion. Capsule wardrobe and lasting clothing were not much of a debate at the time. Soon after it did especially with the pandemic.

Why did you want to focus on sustainable fashion?

I realised that second hand clothing was great for the planet and people. Also it avoids having all the unwanted clothes sent to Africa and killing their own local production. Sustainable production has the same ethical perspective on fashion. Together with circular fashion there is the idea of how we can reduce our impact on the ocean, on life on other people. We realise that everything is very linked. It is not just about recycling your trash at home. Consuming choices also include fashion consumption. Reducing our impact is also about choosing better. Thinking. Not being impulsive. It is not about being a control freak, there is a big perspective on well-being.

What do you find interesting & inspiring about sustainability?

Someone said that a country is rich when their people are educated. Not university wise, but having manners. To be polite and grateful. No one has to say hello when entering a big fast fashion shop. If we think about it, that's a bad start. When you enter any small shop, you have to be polite, whether you say hello first or second. That's what I find interesting and motivating. What’s inspiring is that more people have stopped considering second hand clothing a sign of poverty.

What do you like & dislike about doing brand partnerships?

I've enjoyed all the partnerships I've done so far, because they challenged me to style clothes I would not have worn otherwise. It stimulates creativity and opens new horizons, and I've discovered many new materials. However, I think it's time to slow down now, so I haven't been saying yes lately as I used to. I'm looking at the offer more as if it was a personal purchase. Do I need it? Which is also to show people that marketing in clothing is not about throwing things on and out. If I am conscious in my everyday life, I don't need to be different on social networks.

How can we as individuals live a more sustainable lifestyle?

I'm using soap nuts in my washing machine and it's incredible to see that detergent is not necessarily the way it has always been presented; and the quantity you need is much less than you think. Start small, see how it works, and give some-thing new a chance. Clothing wise, sustainable clothing can sometimes look a bit simple, or too utilitarian. But you can acce-ssorize and combine with clothes you already have. Plus so many designers who up-cycle are great creators, so if you want something more unique you can look to them.