ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
In and out of Astral Apparel Angel Armoury I am passionate about eradicating waste and operating in a fashion as environmentally sound as possible. I am not a ‘fast’ business. I consider my collections ageless. I possess no surplus stock or materials. My studio and despatch office are free of single use materials. If I generate any waste that cannot be recycled by traditional waste streams, I let said waste to eco waste management companies. All metal scraps are melted for reuse, indeed my own financial homeostasis is something to be tended to. Not a single offcut goes to waste or landfill. My packaging is recyclable and crafted by recycled materials, utilising environmentally friendly ink. My dispatch and packing materials are biodegradable.
Due to the frivolous nature of my wares, it is paramount that my environmental impact is harmonious at the very least. I consider my work a reflection of myself, so it is essential that my values are mirrored if I am to move with accountability and integrity.
I will only collaborate with traders who values are in alignment with my own. Environmentally speaking, this means sourcing crystals and gemstones cut by hand. Minimising environmental impact and protecting local people, who I believe in turn to be conglomerates of the environment. This requires local traders investing in local communities as opposed to gargantuan corporations. Instead of large scale mining, the crystals, metals and gemstones incorporated at Astral Apparel Angel Armoury are obtained by hand, thus retaining value in all senses of the word. My collaborating traders must abide and honour environmental impact as well as licensing and pollution control.
I am dedicated to learning and developing to maintain my business as a force for good, as far as vanity, materialism and expression goes.
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Salutations! Welcome to the virtual hub for Astral Apparel.
My name is Nancy and I am the founder, designer, curator and merchant of Astral Apparel.
I specialise in weaving scalemaille, basic goldsmithing, setting gemstones and crystals, and fashioning garments (usually hand sewn) that evoke nostalgia or otherworldliness. I like to incorporate vintage or antique findings, making some of my pieces small runs or even one offs. I have been commissioned by various international performers as well as the National Theatre in London, England.
My creations are an inspired amalgamation of my flirtations in circus and dance, my long term academic affair with astronomy, the maritime history and internationalism of my birth borough and childhood fantasy RPGs.
Astral Apparel began when I studied Fashion Portfolio Preparation at Kensington & Chelsea College shortly after leaving school. My first collection was inspired by folklore and vintage circus. In later years I would develop costumes for my own musical performances [for Nova Halo] and dance. I then discovered how to weave scalemaille to lower the costs of owning any, and from there I developed a passion for learning about metals which led into jewelling. As well as my own handmade creations, Astral Apparel has more recently become a stockist for carefully selected gems I find in all kinds of secret treasure troves.
I firmly believe that dress can be transcendent. I hope that when someone wears Astral Apparel, they feel elevated from the mundane. Though the main justification of dressing is functional, I believe that adornment holds an underrated, sometimes undiscovered power, too often reductively be passed off as frivolous or superficial. Adornment is alchemy, a way to play, inspire, express gratitude or tell a story. A medium for lucid living, a prompt to enjoy the present moment, sensuality. Adornment does not underestimate the power of inviting beauty into our surroundings, to cultivate joy, which we all need a bit more of. And while joy is not exclusive to material goods, it is not excluded from it either.
For the magpies, perpetual dress up enthusiasts or those in search of a style re-awakening- I welcome you to peruse Astral Apparel's offerings and thank you very much for visiting.
Nancy x