Little Black Pants Club

11/11/2021

Hand drawing instructions for our new knicker pattern. Working from 3 years of teaching lingerie sewing to break the processes down into understandable bites.

fabrics and sizing 10-24

Do you sew your own underwear? Do you like drawn instructions?

Sending off a kit this week to .town for testing 😍👏

19/09/2021

Some thoughts on where we are, and how we might change course.

Look- I know that this one might be coming out of nowhere. Even I feel a little nervous about putting the T word, which we all agreed should only be ghost pronounced in polite company until 2028, and Mass Production, which the whole of economics will chase you down the street with flags to tell you....

12/03/2021

One of our lovely members works on documentaries, for pay it forward Friday we're sharing her latest call out. Especially as our members will be up to some eco dreaming that deserves to gate crash everyone's television!

X

05/03/2021

This is such a supportive group- We're super grateful for all your ongoing support and we want to Pay It Forward. (Pay It Forward Friday)

If you have a product or service, or want to shout out a member of your community that makes something cool or is making change with their hardwork- tag them in the comments I'll start with some of the great things I already know about. Can't wait to see what you all get up to!
xx

03/03/2021

New Blog Post- (New Blog)

We'd love to hear what our gang thinks before the big bad world finds it!!

But can we guarantee that living wage in our supply chain?! Well the short answer is No! We don’t own a lacemaking mill :-(

22/02/2021

We're feminists. And it means we approach designing pants differently.

We believe that feminist ideology puts care at the centre of society, not making profit. So we think about care in every aspect of what we do.

That means that your comfort and happiness are REALLY important to us. We make your pants to fit YOUR measurements. No more feeling like your body is wrong, like you're somehow less because you're not a normal size or shape. Clothing that is made to fit you can reconnect you to the things that make your body unique and amazing.

And we are always available for zoom chats to discuss your sizing, discuss what's working for you, or what's not. Just book a chat through our website, and we'll listen to your deepest darkest lingerie traumas! and use our expertise to make underwear really work for you.

It also means that we respect the (self identifying) women who make your pants. We run a really small studio where everyone can have a say, and where everyone is paid a living wage for the work they do for us.

We operate as a not for profit, all the money you spend with us goes into Living Wage for our technicians, design development of ecological materials, costs (rent- boooo) or education programmes in our local area through our advocacy programme -Fast Fashion Detox.

Care is at the centre of what we do. Care for our community. Care for our Makers. Care for your body. Care for this amazing planet.

Made to measure Lingerie. Ethical Everyday Pants on subscription. Made to Measure Treats that put you first.

17/02/2021

Post Capitalist Pants.

This system of ours, is just getting in the way of real change.

Buy your pants from a brand that puts the future before profits.
Support us to pay Living Wage to our London Seamstresses.
To develop regenerative local fibre systems.
To challenge the big boys on their outdated practices.

We make to measure, so anyone can be a part of this movement.

Made to measure Lingerie. Ethical Everyday Pants on subscription. Made to Measure Treats that put you first.

15/02/2021

Five Things A Feminist Business Should Do
Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in false promises?? There’s a lot of people making commitments- targets on climate change, plans to implement x or y by 2092, supporting movements when they get momentum. But does it actually feel like things are changing? And are they changing fast enough.
Here’s Five things that we believe a Feminist Business should deliver on. I.E five things that they can actually do, not just chat about.
Horizontal Governance. This means that every member of the team has a say in how a company is run. Why is it important- because it values the input of every person, rather than just elevating one or two people to positions of power. Feminist dialogue is about breaking down traditional notions of what makes a person valid and valuable and valuing the contribution everyone makes to society. Plus it's good business because who’s gonna have the best knowledge about how to improve efficiency of a particular task? the person who does it day in day out OBVS! This goes especially for workers in supply chains, particularly in the global south.
Share Profits/Cooperative Ownership. So many businesses (like you wouldn’t believe how many) are actually owned by… da da daaaaaa White Men. Because they need investment to get going, and investors are usually White Men. It means that they could essentially be exploiting feminist ideals to just send money (and money means power lets not forget) to the same old patriarchy. Cooperative ownership means that any femme bodies who are part of the business can share in its success, and any wealth generated is dispersed throughout the community. Simples.
Flexible Working Hours. Even though a lot of women make the perfectly valid choice to not have children, we can’t ignore the vulnerable position that women can end up in if they have a child and cannot access flexible employment. What a nightmare. Allowing workers to fit their work around their other commitments allows them to live a fuller life and experience greater autonomy.
Offer Inclusive Sizing. It’s time to cut the excuses on this one. If you’re business model means that you are (even unintentionally) excluding some bodies, then you need to reexamine and change your business model. It just takes a little imagination. We have to stop invalidating some people because of their measurements. Maybe mass production isn’t the best thing since sliced bread (ewww) after all.
Listen to Femme Bodies. It’s really important to build a collaborative understanding of the needs of the Femmes you’re serving. It's so easy to fall into the same traps when we think we know best. And sometimes an empathetic ear is the best solution. Of course you can prey on people's insecurities to sell them stuff. But if you really want to empower Femme Bodies, listening is the first step to understanding the real issues that need addressing. Dialogue is totally Femme Power.
Do you agree?

15/02/2021

Little *not so black* pants sets launching soon on our website. VERY LIMITED RUNS of these unique vintage laces. Make sure you've setup a membership so you get first dibs.

The gorgeous Lena Mae Lenman modelling a custom Hopkins Bra, Cuffay Thong and Suspender in red and pink.

15/02/2021

Extra comfy lingerie made just for you.

You can feel great about your body, and feel great about your purchasing when you Join Our Club.

Have your lingerie made to your unique measurements by our Brixton team all earning a Living Wage.

Deadstock and vintage fabrics. Ltd Edition designs. Zero Waste.

A better future is possible.

Made to measure Lingerie. Ethical Everyday Pants on subscription. Made to Measure Treats that put you first.

05/02/2021

We'd love you to take part in our fashion film project. All we need is an hour of your time, and a tiny slice of your beautiful imagination.

Details going up on our website forum this weekend;

http://wix.to/zUD1B4I?ref=2_cl

Fashion Week is coming up! An event that has very little impact on any of our lives ,😂... Or does it?!

Since studying my master's; reading essays on aesthetics and attending lectures on socialisation, I've become more aware of the storytelling function that culture performs in a society.

On a personal level it's easy to ignore culture that doesn't affect us. But I think we're all starting to realise that the stuff we're up against- climate change, proto fascist governments, poverty and neo-colonialism... Require a collective resistance. A new story that new communities can feel a part of. And it's a chance to build new culture to tell that narrative.

Part of the old story, is that someone else will sort it out for you- you're just a consumer who gets to choose, but other than that you're pretty helpless.

The New Story is ours for the taking. We get to create and build it.

We're asking you to take part in a Fashion Film Project with us. It's very easy, and I already know that so many of you are creatives in your professional and personal lives. So I know we'll make something really beautiful.

All participation is self directed and anonymous. We hope you'll find it fun!

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