Q&A with Fanny and Charlotte, the founders of The Raw Editions.

We chat to Fanny and Charlotte, the founders of The Raw Editions. The Raw Editions prioritise effortless, sustainable and timeless pieces to create your ideal wardrobe. In this interview, we ask Fanny and Charlotte about what the brand means to them, the story behind it, the challenges of sustainability and what the future holds for The Raw Editions.

Could you tell us about The Raw Editions? How did it all start?

Charlotte and I both worked for luxury houses for a few years and we felt that something was missing. We value the heritage and the craftsmanship of luxury houses, but we wanted to start our own thing in fashion, but with a more cautious approach towards the environment. We have also always been attracted by the “effortless cool” style, as well as the transparency and commitment of some australian brands when it comes to doing business.

The Raw Editions is an e-commerce platform where we display impactful brands with that hint of bohemian style we love. The labels we are sourcing are redefining tomorrow’s fashion by always keeping in mind their impact on the environment.

What is the story behind the brand name?

We thought of The Raw Editions, in reference to “Raw Materials”. In real life the simplest things are always the best and we have the same approach when it comes to fashion. We aim to work with brands which focus on the use of natural and organic fibers. We appreciate it even more when brands rely on certification such as GOTS and OEKO TEX.

Editions refers to the fact that we want to offer our customers a selection of the most fashion forward and sustainable brands available in the world. We aim to keep this selection small and to update it often.

From browsing your website, I can see that sustainability is at the forefront of your work; in what ways do you practice sustainability?

Since fashion is a statement, our purpose within The Raw Editions is to prove that sustainability and fashion are great together. Existing as a business has an impact and our planet, we chose to practice sustainability by:

1) Carefully selecting the brands we are presenting to our final customers. Nobody is perfect but we want to underline the actions implemented by the labels we are sourcing, to minimise their environmental impact.

We know where they manufacture clothes and we ask about the workers’ treatment. It’s difficult to guarantee that everything is 100% clear because auditing is long and pricy. In general, brands are transparent on their sustainable practices because they understand the challenge behind it. We choose to notify their actions by using a little sign on each product description in the sustainability section.

2) As explained before, we wish to focus on brands that favour natural materials. We request certification such as GOTS and OEKO TEX as much as possible.

3) We banned plastic by working with suppliers who also refuse to use plastic in their packaging and shipping methods. At The Raw Editions all orders are packed in 100% recycled tissue paper and sent in 100% compostable mailers from No Issue.

4) We have a partnership with Tree-Nation, a non profit organization that allows citizens from all around the world to plant trees. Planting Trees has been proven to be one of the most efficient solutions to fight climate change. Through their reforestation and conservation projects, Tree-Nation helps restore forests, create jobs, support local communities and protect biodiversity. For each order placed on our website we donate a percentage to the organization to plant a tree.

As a starting business this is what we implemented so far. Our goal is to improve all along the way. We see it as an ongoing process.

What are the most popular pieces?

The most popular pieces so far are the phoenix jumpsuit and the ryder romper. The Liana and the Marion dress are also very popular, but our clientele is waiting for more occasions to take them out! We have very positive feedback on our selection, which is very encouraging.

Although The Raw Editions is new, what have been the biggest challenges you have overcome?

Our biggest challenge when starting a business is to be resilient in every situation, and to focus on both short and long term objectives.

Do you have any top tips for someone wanting to start their own sustainable slow fashion brand?

Our tips are to always keep in mind why you started, get relevant information, trust your feelings and surround yourself with reliable people. Sustainable fashion is still under construction. We all have a role to play.

How did you build a network in the fashion industry? Would you say it is hard today to

make yourself stand out amongst all of the brands on social media?

Definitely, there are great fashion brands worldwide with a real identity. Starting from scratch is challenging, but the most important is to stay true to your brand values. We are still working on the social media part.

As a new business, what are your biggest aspirations for the future?

We want to grow organically, stick to our values and our identity by proposing effortless cool sustainable fashion. We really believe that the brands we carry deserve to be seen. We have only just started but we have met great people on this adventure, our photographer Sophie, our model Jeanne. They are a great source of inspiration. It really gives us strength to overcome everyday challenges.