Slow living, and fashion, is not a one size fit for all. The conscious fashion industry is growing in small steps, but there is definitely momentum, says Jackie May, founder and editor of Twyg. Stella Hertantyo stumbled across the lifestyle two years ago after attending a clothing swap, and has been an enthusiast ever since. MatieMedia spoke to Stella about thrifting, conscious consumption, and the importance of supporting local.
Stella Hertantyo found her way into slow living through fashion. She is an advocate for thrifting, clothing swaps and conscious consumption. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
Slow living and slow fashion are closely related. “It means taking the time to be mindful about the way that you are existing on the planet, and around other people,” says Stella Hertantyo. “I think we need that shift in mindset to try and to define ourselves beyond just consumers. We often refer to people as ‘consumers’, but we are capable of a lot more than that,” Stella explains.
The 23-year-old slow living enthusiast found her way into the lifestyle through fashion. She started thrifting in her mid-teens. Not because she was aware of the impact of the fashion industry, “just because it was something that fitted with my style. I liked owning pieces that nobody else had,” she says. Stella studied a BA multimedia journalism degree at the University of Cape Town. It was only in the second year of her degree that she started hearing the term ‘slow fashion’ being thrown around. “I was very curious about it,” she says.
Conscious living
Stella’s slow fashion journey intentionally started after she attended her first clothing swap in 2019. Masego Morgan, now a close friend of Stella, was involved in hosting the event called ‘Thrift and Gift’. Stella’s mind was opened to the lifestyle. “You can get new clothes for free and you’re swapping with somebody else. It’s amazing,” she says.
A year later, she started a blog about slow fashion in South Africa as part of a university assignment. “It has blossomed into a whole lot of different avenues from there,” says Stella. That original blog led into the blog ‘cnscs_’ (pronounced conscious) that Stella co-founded with Masego.
“Cnscs_ was born from a feeling of lack – a feeling that we wanted to create something that we would appreciate in our lives. And hopefully other people would too,” Stella explains. Masego and her found that most of the information about slow fashion that they could find was coming from the global north.
Stella Hertantyo speaks about her friendship with Masego Morgan, and the conceptualisation of their blog cnscs_. AUDIO: Kirsty Bucholz
“Stella came into my life at a time when I felt quite alone in my ideas of the slow fashion space, especially in South Africa. I felt it lacked discourse on how race plays a role in the fashion industry and how we talk about ethics around fashion,” says Masego.
Their initial vision for the project was a collaborative space where they could host swaps and events, and create an in-person community. But because of Covid-19, it became a blog platform where they could write about the industry, according to Stella.
Stella Hertantyo co-founded cnscs_ with her friend Masego Morgan, which gave them a platform to write about all things slow fashion. “They are growing a slow fashion movement that people want to be part of because it is delightful,” says Jackie May, founder and editor of Twyg. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
“It’s very important that people like Stella and Masego, who are both very knowledgeable about these issues, share inspiration. They are growing a slow fashion movement that people want to be part of because it is delightful,” says Jackie May, founder and editor of Twyg.
Stella and Masego are advocates who show that the “aesthetic element” exists in conscious styling, says Thabiso Musi, an upcycle designer at Nehemiah Project. “It’s still beautiful. It’s still fashion. It’s just that it has this element of thoughtfulness that underpins it,” he explains.
Slow fashion, but make it affordable
When deciding which brands to support, Stella likes to look into who runs the brand, their ethics, and how they run their business, she says. “I tend to support a lot of small brands. I think small is often as sustainable as you can get,” she adds.
Generally, smaller brands work closely with the people in the supply chain, explains Stella. They either make clothing items to order, or limit their production in some way, she adds. “They’re accessible to you, you can ask them questions. Especially in these times, when business is really tough, financial sustainability is very important,” she says about supporting local entrepreneurs.
Stella believes that sustainability looks different on everyone. “It’s a balance between what people can access, and the impact. A lot of the big brands that are heralded for that title [sustainable fashion] – I don’t even own them because it’s expensive,” Stella says.
“When I came into the space, I thought I had to dress very beige, and wear hemp and linen,” says Stella Hertantyo. She has since realised that thrifting and clothes swapping allows her to find lots of colourful and eccentric items that suit her style. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
On top of this, these brands do not fit with everyone’s style. “It was a whole journey for me to realise that, first of all, buying is not the only way to create a sustainable closet. But also, we can thrift and swap and find lots of colourful things,” explains Stella. “When I came into the space, I thought I had to dress very beige, and wear hemp and linen,” she adds. Stella wants people to see that there are many options to choose from when consuming consciously.
“I think it’s important that platforms like cnscs_ show how accessible, transformative and personable conscious fashion can be. [They] disrupt the ‘slim rich white women in linen’ archetype which is so alienating to so many people considering sustainability,” says Emma Jones-Phillipson, a friend of Stella’s who also has a passion for slow fashion.
People who inspire
Stella met Jackie May in 2019. Her friend Masego was interning for Twyg at the time and asked if Stella could write a few stories for the publication. Since then, Stella has been a contributing writer on an irregular basis. “Twyg was really the only publication that was speaking about slow living and slow fashion. It was a foundational place for me to learn,” she explains. Stella is excited to be officially joining the Twyg team next year.
Masego was a big inspiration to Stella when she first started her slow fashion journey. “I reached out to her because I had followed her on Instagram for a long time. She was the only person speaking about these issues locally, and from a young person’s perspective,” says Stella. “She just also has incredible style,” she adds.
Within the fashion industry, Stella is inspired by the small brands who do their best to decrease their impact or make products that are really considered. She mentions Rewoven, a black-owned textile recycling innovation project that recycles pre-consumer fabric waste into new fabric.
“They’re one of the only slow fashion businesses that I know of in South Africa that is taking a circular approach to things,” says Stella. On a smaller scale, fashion students who go against the status quo, who shift the narrative of how fashion is produced, make her feel very positive.
Stella’s outfit details: Hat: birthday gift (bought from a local market), bag: @daisiejo, jersey: thrifted from @pereiravintage, dress: @maison_meso, pants: @afashionstudentscloset, and sneakers: thrifted from @growyourownfunk. PHOTO: Kirsty Bucholz
How to live (more) slowly
Look at how much you are buying, says Stella. “Really sit with it and understand the intention behind your purchases. We are in a world that champions consumption in every way,” she adds. Stella suggests challenging yourself to do a few months of ‘no-buying’ of clothing items, to “see how that shifts your relationship with your clothing”.
Push yourself to consider, “how can I interact with fashion in a way that’s not just about financial exchange? Can I learn to mend? Can I attend a swap? Can I try natural dyeing? Can I borrow from a friend?” says Stella. According to Stella, some of her favourite charity shops for thrifting in Cape Town include TEARS Charity Centre, Hidden Treasure, St Luke’s Combined Hospices Charity Shop, and Oasis Charity Shop.
There are many ways to interact with fashion and express yourself with fashion that’s not just linked to buying, explains Stella. “Once we can define our relationship with fashion beyond consumption, I think that will make the biggest difference,” she adds.