5 questions with Olivia Wilde

SINGAPORE — Besides being an actress who is passionate about her work, Olivia Wilde is also an equally ardent activist and the co-founder of the e-commerce website, Conscious Commerce (http://www.consciousco.co), which she launched with her friend, Babs Burchfield, a few years ago.

Wilde said: “(It is) a company that pairs brands with non-profits to raise money through retail. We’d spent a lot of time in Haiti on extended aid trips before and following the 2010 earthquake, and saw that traditional fund-raising can often have only a short- term effect.”

She added: “We wanted to create a platform for ethically sound businesses, so we go after products that people love to buy — fashion, accessories, beauty, gifts — all made by brands and designers that are committed to giving back through commerce.”

It is probably fitting, then, that Wilde is now the face of H&M’s Conscious Exclusive collection. This is the fourth consecutive Conscious Exclusive collection from the high-street brand and the pieces use sustainable materials such as organic linen, hemp and leather.

“(I love) this amazing long flapper dress, especially because as well as being made from more sustainable materials, the beading is all recycled too.” she said about her favourite pieces in the collection, “TIt’s one of those dresses that is really simple and really effective.” Zhang Weifang

Q: What made you want to be the face of H&M’s Conscious Exclusive campaign?

A: I’ve been an activist raising awareness and funds for humanitarian and environmental issues for some time now. But sometimes, I want to do more than just campaign. I want to make sustainability part of my everyday life. What’s great about the H&M Conscious Exclusive collection is that there’s no compromise on style. It’s a collection of pieces that I want to wear, that are all made from more sustainable materials. It’s how I think fashion should always be.

Q: What does sustainability mean to you?

A: For me, fashion is about pleasure. I love to play with my style and try new things. To be able to do so knowing I’m wearing pieces that are more sustainable makes fashion even more enjoyable, because it feels like you’re doing something that’s worthwhile. I think people assume that more sustainable clothing is going to be boring or depressing, as though it’s taken the fun out of fashion. It’s actually not the case at all. There are so many amazing designers and creatives who are making more sustainable fashion, and H&M’s Conscious Exclusive collection is such a great example of it.

Q: What do you think about the collection?

A: I love the diversity of the collection. It’s not about one look or one theme. It’s about individual pieces, which is great because it means you can wear them in your own way. What’s exciting are all the details of the collection, whether it’s the cut and shape, the design twists, the fabrics or the embellishments they’ve used. Each piece is something different and something special.

Q: Can you talk us through some of your favourite pieces?

A: One of my absolute favourites is the hand-painted print dress. It’s got this really elegant shape to it, almost like it’s a ’50s gown, especially with its layers of tulle in the skirt. It’s printed all over with hand-painted images of birds that are just beautiful. It also has pockets in the sides that give it a really relaxed feeling. The tuxedo blazer and pants are amazing (as well). The cut is really sharp and the fit is perfect. It’s like your dream tux blazer, but with an added twist, because there’s a slash in the sleeves right up to the elbow. It turns the blazer into something really special. The tuxedo pants are perfect too, with the black stripe down the side. They’d look great worn with the blazer or with just a T-shirt and high-heels.

Q: What’s the main message you want to get across from being the face of the Conscious Exclusive collection?

A: The main message for me is that sustainable fashion can be a reality today — it’s not something that’s idealistic or unobtainable. H&M Conscious Exclusive shows you can have the best fashion made from more sustainable materials and at an affordable price. This is the new standard, showing exactly what you can do with sustainability right now.

Transcript courtesy of H&M

H&M’s Conscious Exclusive collection will be available at the H&M store at Orchard Building from April 16. Prices range between S$24.90 and S$449.