Hello, to all our quarantined clients, suppliers and fans out there.

What an incredibly weird introduction to type. Here in Los Angeles we’ve officially passed the one month quarantine period. It has felt surreal seeing what’s happening at this current moment to the global economy. It can be depressing to think of the impact this will have on so many lives including our families, friends and colleagues, and overwhelming to think about whether or not this will end soon or if this will come back. I’m sure many of you are having similar emotions, while also restructuring your work, life and families, along with balancing the “new normal.”

I’ve wanted to put together a message for a while, but I wanted it to be the right message at the right time. I wanted to take stock of what this means to both the fashion and travel industries as my career and company are at the intersection of both. I haven’t quite figured it all out yet, but I wanted to share with you what has shifted, how, and why it’s important for our future, plus some very personal resources that you may enjoy. Perhaps it may inspire you to try a new way of thinking or maybe a new way to repurpose your clothes.

A mindset of “hope”

As America started to shut down March 19, a few short days later, Oprah and Deepak came to the rescue with a powerful 21-day meditation challenge titled “Hope in Uncertain Times.”

I’ve been doing these meditation challenges for the last three years and wow have they helped transformed my way of thinking and being.

As Oprah quotes Maya Angelou, “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay.” I decided to choose hope.

Resource: Oprah and Deepak Free Meditation Experience

MY TRUE SELF IS WIDE AWAKE

As I brought hope into the present moment, I had to subside my fear. I made a conscious decision not to become obsessed with all the noise of the media and to only allow myself to continue reading 1440 Daily Digest (a 5-minute read of all the daily news), which has been a habit for years and favorite thing to read while drinking my morning coffee or a coconut matcha latte.

This has allowed me to stay present and hopeful everyday. In this mindset, I was able to dig deep into the core of what I had created with Trvl Porter and why. There were two reasons –
1) the idea that you could travel to your destination and have a personally styled wardrobe waiting for you
2) building this idea based on a value of sustainability by offering rental clothing and not owning any inventory.

Resource: 1440 Daily Digest

CORE VALUES SHINE BRIGHT

The current pause in travel has understandably halted our business, but it has given me the opportunity to focus more closely on parts of the industry I have long cared about: sustainable fashion and emerging, US-based designers.

It seems there is a collective pause happening in the fashion industry right now. From the conversations happening, I can tell you there will be a reset on the current way of doing things and reinvention will occur. Personally, this is extremely exciting to me because it is needed and overdue.

Back in the day, I used to be a fashion designer here in LA for a few different labels. Each of which focuses on applying their own production practices with a focus on the bottom line. Everything from sourcing cheap fabric, with unethical labor from factories in China (all to create the cheapest product possible); to more labor intensive processes like sourcing organic knit cotton fabric from Italy, sewing and ‘clean’ dyeing small batches here in LA sent directly to stores like Anthropologie. The latter was a much closer way of creating something that is sustainable and reduces impact on the environment, while also creating jobs closer to home. THIS is where I started to develop the value of how clothing is made.

And then in 2015, I watched The True Cost Documentary. It cast a light on the impact ‘fast fashion’ has on a global scale. These effects, when fully understood, can be catastrophic and gut wrenching to think about. It was at this point that I understood how I was voting with my dollar. I wanted my vote to be something that was responsible and fair for all parties involved.

Resources: True Cost Documentary

HOPE BRINGS SIMPLICITY

This is a time where there is a lot of noise – my advice to you is to get still for at least 5 minutes a day, find something to be grateful for and hold on to some form of hope. If there is anything I understand right now, it is that we can’t control much of what is happening externally. We do, however, have agency over our thoughts and how we process what is happening around us.

As I think about moving forward, I’m taking action on what I truly value and getting more involved with the conversation of sustainability in fashion and (hopefully soon), travel. This has sparked a hopeful chord for small, emerging designers and led to some very amazing introductions and conversations.

Day by day, we’re transforming what we can do in the current moment and my team is learning how we can help at this time.

Resources: Fashinnovation, CFDA Sustainability Resources

SIMPLICITY BRINGS RESOURCEFULNESS

As I write this during the kick-off of Fashion Revolution Week and a day before Earth Day, I wanted to share with you some easy ways to join the sustainable movement. Be sure to tag @trvlporter on social media with the hashtag #giveyourclothesasecondlife so we can see how you’ve been inspired.

1. Post a selfie on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with one of Fashion Revolution’s posters with the hashtag #whomademyclothes and #whatsinmyclothes. Your plea for transparency can affect major changes for fashion brands.

2. Clean out your closet and donate used clothes to our favorite non-profit organization here in Los Angeles called Freedom and Fashion. Their mission is to use the arts of fashion and beauty, to empower youth and women overcoming sex trafficking, domestic violence, and other injustices. At this time they are taking donations to provide to their survivors.

3. Try rental! We’re currently sending personalized rental items directly to your house. If you need a wardrobe update, create a “trip” to your living room, with the details of what you need for enhancing your current quarantine attire.

4. Repurpose items you already own by doing a bit of DIY. Cut the legs off of pants and viola, shorts! Make crop tops by cutting up blouses and shirts. Slice old t-shirts to make face masks. Check out our social media for details on how to participate in our #GiveYourClothesASecondLife campaign running until 5/5/20.

Be well – and stay safe!

Stefanie

Keep a lookout for a more in-depth posts about the effects of fast fashion, what is sustainable fashion and how you can be a more ‘green’ consumer.

Resources: Fashion Revolution, Freedom and Fashion, Trvl Porter, 27 Creative Ways To Reuse Old Clothing