This month we met Zoe Robinson, the founder of Think Style, an award winning London-based Personal Style and Image Consultancy for men and women which
specialises in ethical fashion.   Zoe is also Fashion Editor of EggMag, London and Brighton's guide to 'culture with conscience'.

What first inspired you to get involved in ethical fashion?

I used to be a fast fashion addict and shopping was a hobby. Then about six years ago a colleague mentioned she didn’t shop in certain high street stores since the media revealed sweat shop labour in their supply chain. I knew very little about it but made it a priority to find out. Over the next couple of years I soaked up as much as I could but I did find the transition a difficult at times - trying to find the right balance – as it was ultimately about challenging a lifetime of habits.

Then four years ago, when I made the decision to launch my own business, with the aim of showing how stylish ethical fashion can be.

What gets you excited when you get up in the morning?

Well, this morning I was excited to see what Livia Firth had cooked up for last night’s Oscars!

I wrote about Livia’s first Green Carpet Challenge in 2010 for EggMag and she ramped it up a level last year. But who would have thought this time two years ago we’d see Meryl Streep wearing eco Lanvin to accept her Oscar? It’s just incredible to see what Livia, Lucy Siegle, Jocelyn Whipple and Eco Age have achieved – they have proven without a shadow of a doubt that sustainable couture can cut it at the highest level (and on the most scrutinised stage there is). There is now absolutely no excuse for designers and high street brands not to have sustainability at the core of their business – they can no longer make the ‘it’s just not stylish enough’ argument. If it’s good enough for Meryl...

How do you see your business developing over the next 5 years?

The first piece of advice I got when I launched was that my business would evolve but I had no idea just how much, and I have big plans. I’m currently developing an exciting web project which I can tell you more about in a few months time.

I’ve learned that as an entrepreneur you do have to be able to adapt, particularly in an industry which (thanks in no small part to Livia and team Green Carpet Challenge) is growing by the minute. Ethical fashion will go from niche to mainstream - as resources become more depleted it will have to - plus it’s what people want. Sales of eco clothing grew 72% in 2010 and a recent YouGov poll found that 89% of people aged 16-24 want to see us all living more sustainably.

What kind of people are your clients? How important is it for them to buy ethically?

It’s a mixture – clients include teachers, lawyers, Accountants, PRs, Creative Directors and business owners to name a few. As well as private clients and I now work as a writer and consultant to charities and business, advising on anything from uniform, to fashion shows to lifestyle events and campaigns.

For some clients it’s very important to buy or source ethically which is why they come to me, others are curious to know more but are not fully committed. Some people want guidance on their style and ethical fashion is not on their radar at all. Then it’s my job to introduce them to options that just happen to be more sustainable than what they’d usually choose.

What do you think is the most important factor in trying to change consumer behaviour?

Communication. Once consumers understand why the fashion industry needs to be more ethical, they can’t help but start to challenge their own behaviour. But ‘ethical’ ‘eco’ etc needs to be communicated in the right way – rather than being overly heavy (which is a real turn-off) it should be celebratory, stylish and empowering to the consumer.

I think this Chinese proverb sums it up pretty well: “Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”

Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal are great examples – they didn’t just tell the consumer what school dinners they should be eating or where chickens really come from, but they involved us all. Crucially, they also demonstrated that the healthy, ethical alternatives are just as tasty, if not more so than their unhealthy counterparts. That is what I and my colleagues who are championing ethical fashion are trying to do, and what Livia, Meryl, Kenneth, Colin and co demonstrated on the red carpet last night.