VIN + OMI TIMELINE
2001
Development of garments for Dior, Dior Couture, Louis Vuitton, Mark Jacobs, Luella, Julien Macdonald, Frost French
Designed and produced a capsule collection of sustainable bags for Selfridges
Research and Development of sustainable business models and product production
2002
Research and development of new business models with tech start ups in Silicon Valley.
Business Consultancy to start ups
2003
Global data collection and research for implementation of VIN + OMI design formula and business model based on multi-faceted approaches.
2004
Launch of VIN + OMI
Launch of Creative London with the Mayor of London . Design of first VIN + OMI label collection : sustainable latex fashion collection and show at Bloomberg TV
Pioneering development of rPET fabric from ocean waste plastic, Shanghi , China . Development of circular processing project to turn plastic in to textile to benefit local communities
Introduction and sponsorship of Asia wide ocean waste plastic collection schemes
2005
Launch of the 3 River clean up project. A VIN + OMI funded and organised clean up of plastic waste from the Yangzi , Huai and Yellow Rivers in China . Plastic collected was sorted and recycled into textile and products locally for the benefit of the community and volunteers.
Work with the charities Sightsavers, Research Autism and Oxfam to creatively direct campaigns
Development of a range of rPET fabrics and introduction of collection schemes in the UK
2006
Launched the VIN+OMI research lab with ongoing research programmes
Development of 3 River project throughout China in conjunction with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of People’s Republic of China. Development of circular economy projects to resell the garments made from the rPET textiles
Consultancy to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of People’s Republic of China
2007
Development of our waste plastic collection programme in India. Establishment of start up collection projects in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Mayapur. Working with the MoEF in India.
Development of sustainable Interior Design textiles and furniture range.
Development of our pilot WEAR IT programme with Nottinghamshire Youth Services and the Artpoint Trust to clean up the River Trent , turn the collected plastic into textile and develop a youth fashion programme
2008
Sustainable consultation for the Downtown Dubai development project, Dubai
Interior design for 12 apartments and reception, Downtown Dubai. Using sustainable materials and processes
Development of our UK crop programme, growing organic flax and plants for our R & D programmes
2009
Development of a latex planation in Malaysia. Production of organic, eco, sustainable latex which is produced ethically, with care for the plantation village
Creative Direction, design and costume for Pamela Anderson’s first pantomime performance
Research on biodegradable processes on our latex textiles
2010
Dress commissioned for Michelle Obama
Development of rPET hybrid fabrics with minimal microfibre release and microfibre catcher material for use within the washing machine
Research and development of a range and textures of our rPET fabrics
Development of recycled plastic into interior furniture
Development of educational modules and programmes with national and International universities
2011
Development of our Amalgam fabric, a hybrid of our organic, eco latex and rPET made from collected ocean waste plastic
Consultation on environmental and ocean clean up schemes Mexico . Client : Secretaria de Medio Ambient y Recursos Naturales
Established VIN + OMI Foundation supporting global programmes
2012
Creative consultation and curation for the Historical Royal Palaces . Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and the Tower of London
The VIN + OMI foundation supported the development of the Bageshwar nettle textile programme. This programme rehabilitated a community decimated by a landslide and supported the start and growth of an eco textile business
Development of creative programmes for the Royal College of Art , cross disciplines
2013
Sustainable consultation for Hannover, Germany and Ashford Kent input into Masterplans and sustainable action plans
Interior Design and Build Consultants for the Tule Springs Housing Development Las Vegas
Development of sustainable ready to wear clothing lines and consultation
2014
Showcased our Conceptual collection of rPET clothing at the Mayfair Hotel London.
Collaboration and consultation with the Cumberland Hotel . Interior design of the restaurant and bar areas and key suites with sustainable materials and processes .
Showcased our Rock n Roll Macaroon show at the Cumberland Hotel . The collection was made from rPET fabric made from ocean and beach collected waste plastic from the Dorset coast
2015
Showcased our Acid Alpaca collection, A collection made from our no-kill pet alpaca and sheep fleece clippings
Prototype results from our new mushroom and chestnut leathers
Showcased our Futurewood collection. This collection was made from waste bark and wood by products and latex from our eco plantation in Malaysia
VIN + OMI foundation funded and Texteis de Plantas project in Brazil. VIN + OMI consultation and support.
2016
Showcased our Colourotic show which featured colour coordinated hair, outfits and accessories made out of recycled plastic textiles
Originated the campaign Stop Fucking The Planet for Debbie Harry
Costume design for the character Bubble in the Absolutely Fabulous Film
Showcased our collection, The Dreaming comprised of garments made from rPET made from three UK waste plastic collection schemes
2017
Showcased our collection Submerged held at The Sanderson Hotel, which showcased fashion made from textiles from ocean salvage as part of VIN + OMI UK ocean clean up schemes
VIN + OMI curated Merge party for Frieze London with artists including Banksy
Start of our CAN 2 CATWALK project. Which worked with the homeless in Birmingham UK to collect cans from the parks and streets and turn it into our unique VIN + OMI metal fabric for the catwalk
Showcased our groundbreaking Stop Fucking the Planet collection with Debbie Harry as our lead model. The collection focussed on our pioneering new textiles including our new mushroom leather
Appointed Global Ambassadors to leading art company Daler-Rowney
2018
Showcased our collection We Are Not Sheep which centred around our no -kill fleece , recycled plastic and new chestnut leather
Opened the State of Fashion movement’s exhibition in Arnhem , Netherlands
Initiation of the circular project with the Riverkeeper Organisation. The VIN + OMI team collected waste plastic from the Hudson River and turned it into textile and T shirts for the organisation .
Development of the groundbreaking BIN 2 BODY project to recycled waste plastic from London Men’s Fashion Week and turning it into fashion for Fashion Week
VPRO documentary Future of Fashion , based around VIN + OMI
Showcased our Thought is the New Religion collection at St Pancras station. This collection featured our award winning Bin to Body project that took the waste plastic bottles from London Fashion Week Mens and transformed it into clothing for this collection. The show was also in support of the Mayor of London’s eco water fountain installation at St Pancras .
2019
Sustainable consultation with Daler-Rowney and introduction of the long term project to turn their waste plastic paint tubes into rPET textile and fashion garments for our catwalk collections
VIN + OMI showcase our Planet Rewind collection on the digital billboards of Piccadilly Circus and throughout the UK
Development of our UK Sustainable Estates programme
VIN + OMI’s collaboration with Prince Charles using weeds and estate waste from his estate.
Showcased our STING collection at The Savoy Hotel which included our collaborative nettle fabric with Prince Charles . Our residency at the hotel also included sustainable consultation.
Garments from the STING collection obtained by international museums including the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
2020
In February we held our collection RESIST at the Savoy Hotel. This collection included dresses made from recycled paint tubes . Our nettle fabric ,Hydrangea, horse hair clippings and willow taken from Highgrove in our ongoing collaboration with Prince Charles
Garments from the RESIST collection archived by the National Museum of Scotland
We responded to the COVID pandemic and the NHS’s call for protective masks. We produced over 8000 eco masks for the NHS and further raised £16,000 from the sale of our 5 layer recycled protection mask to the general public. 100% of profits went to NHS charities.
We produced our collection Dystopia made from recycled clothing dyed with oak leaves and rust. We also pilotted the use of bog cotton from Prince Charle’s Mey estate in Scotland. We also used rPET fabric made from waste plastic paint tubes from Daler-Rowney and linen from our UK crops
2021
Studio VIN + OMI embarked on production and direction of a full length feature film drama in collaboration with a range of international artists, models and actors. This film’s aim is to convey how the future of the planet is in jeopardy and what may happen. The sci-fi film Kepler 62f stars Debbie Harry
Our fashion show Future Flowers was held at the Dorchester Hotel in September . This featured our ongoing relationship with Team GB /Adidas recycling their kit into new garments . The show also featured the first dress made of bog cotton on the catwalk and nettle fabric from Highgrove. VIN + OMI’s designers were appointed Sustainable Designers in Residence at the Dorchester
The VIN + OMI foundation developed new projects in India to aid the recycling of plastic from waterways. This included developing a new plastic recycling plant and waste collection programmes with incentives to clean up the environment
Our work continued with the research and development of new sustainable products from the waste produced by UK’s country estates. We developed new fabric from Willow cuttings and jewellery from hard-to-recycle plant pots from HRH’s Prince Charles’s Highgrove estate.
Following 7 years in development Studio VIN + OMI produce the worlds first dress made out of chestnut leather. This dress will be showcased at the February 2022 fashion show .
Completion of our VIN + OMI X Riverkeeper project, where we collected waste plastic from the Hudson river and recycled it into microfibre stable garments for the charity organisation.
2022
To coincide with the ART fashion show at The Dorchester Hotel an exhibition of 38 of our abstract and flower prints were showcased in the hotel lobby - printed on rPET fabric made from ocean and river salvaged waste.
Our 19th Fashion Show ‘ ART ‘ was held at the Dorchester Hotel . This show featured a variety of sustainable innovations and processes , portrayed as ‘ART’ . At the show we revealed the world’s first dress made from chestnuts. We also showcased two dresses made from Highgrove willow cuttings and a Highgrove nettle jacket. We also turned hard to recycle Highgrove plant pots into jewellery . These pieces sat alongside recycled Johnstons of Elgin selvedge strips and recycled Jaegermesiter promotional items. We also used recycled clothing, recycled plastic textile made from the salvaged ocean and river plastic from the VIN + OMI Foundation clean up schemes. We recycled canvases and portfolios and used paint tubes from leading art brand Daler-Rowney
VIN + OMI continued their work with the hotel as Sustainable Designers in Residence
We held a press premiere for our new feature film Kepler 62f. The preview of the film was attended by lead actress Debbie Harry and key actors. The premiere was discussed on several TV stations the following day.
We have developed a new metal and plastic amalgam material that is durable and uses recycled materials. To showcase this lightweight material we are developing a pavilion structure for exhibition in a London park.
Confirmation of pieces from our sustainable fashion collections being housed in the permanent collection of London’s V & A museum
SURVIVE ! Pilot project in Malawi, Africa to introduce circular economy projects to villages and introduce recycled housing shelters and building materials. Materials for the shelter’s structure are used from nearby towns waste materials. This ongoing project will provide a sustainable framework for villages to adopt and roll out. .
Creative Sustainable Ambassadors for KMS, engaged to design sustainable programmes for the brand and collaborate on creative projects
Shortlisted for Dezeen International Design Studio of the Year https://www.dezeen.com/awards/2022/shortlists/vin-omi/.
VIN + OMI X LAWFORDS Launch of a new long-term project to explore ways in which the antique industry can repurpose severely damaged pieces of furniture into contemporary pieces via sustiainable materials including community collected waste plastic
Sept 2022 saw OPINIONS our 68 piece collection, held at the Congress Centre, London. This fashion show showcased new innovations. Waste nettle and plant materials taken from King Charles III Highgrove residence were used in a new spinning technique to produce tightly knotted threads that were dyed with blackcurrant, beetroot and chlorella. Waste nettles were also used from The Royal Parks, Kensington Gardens in a new latex amalgam fabric. We also launched NETMORPH a new textile made from recycled, reclaimed fishing nets via a buy-back scheme organised by the VIN + OMI Foundation . The show also featured textile from Daler-Rowney’s collected waste plastic and headpieces made from KMS waste salon bottles and recycled wooden office furniture .
2O23
Our February Show was held at One Hundred Shoreditch. Our collaboration with the hotel included VIN + OMI being announced as Social Enterprise Ambassadors for the hotel. This year long arrangement will include working on new projects to develop the hotel’s reach into the community and develop charity benefiting initiatives
The February show, SPACED, showed examples of our continuing collaboration with King Charles III. Plant and plastic material from the gardens of his residence at Highgrove were processed into textiles and jewellery to form part of the current collection. New ways of working with cellulose fibre collected from waste wood from the King’s estate was showcased alongside new ways of working with waste plant fibres.
Through our VIN + OMI Foundation UK based clean-up schemes, we used a range of waste materials that was turned into textiles for the catwalk collection.
We continued their work with UK fishermen who donate and collect discarded nets and plastic. Our Netamorph fabric produced from was woven with wool and other textiles intercepted from going to landfill to produce new hybrid fabrics.
Sculptural outfits were on show, made from textile made from ex Royal Navy wetsuits. Latex originated from the eco VIN + OMI planation was shown alongside their new plant based materials that bond plant fibres in new ways using VIN + OMI eco bond. Two new plant materials made from bonded waste plant fibres are in this collection . These are part of ongoing research and development with Oxford University
Also included in the collection is a metal foil material made from collected cans from our Birmingham social services project, working with the homeless to provide an income for them in a relaxed unstructured way.
As always, a percentage of the outfits at the show were made from garments heading for landfill, overstock or ‘rejects’ from other brands.
Dresses fashioned from textile made from recycled plastic and paint tubes from art brand Daler-Rowney were on the catwalk with dresses made from recycled waste from London clean up schemes for Jaegermeister.
The hair for the show used recycled wigs and recycled plastic hair accessories from hair brand KMS utilising their hair salon and company waste
VIN + OMI continued their work with leading hair brand KMS / KAO to develop a new research project Future Salons. This consultation work looks at new ways that KMS can work with their salons and is underpinned with sustainability and social impact in mind
Via the VIN + OMI Foundation, collection of waste cellulose material from public footpaths and bridleways in Wales was made into texile and donated to youth employment schemes throughout Wales to assist in textile based training programmes
The National Museums Scotland commissioned VIN + OMI to make a dress for their exhibition Beyond the Little Black Dress. This ground breaking dress incorporates flax, nettles and horsehair from Highgrove and is embellished with a strong RESIST statement.
VIN + OMI continued their collaboration with King Charles III at his Sandringham residence. Waste materials obtained from his estate were gathered in spring and research into new ways of working with the materials continued throughout the year
Textile and a dress was made from Butterbur, a broad leaf plant growing at the side of the lake at Sandringham. The dress and textile was a world’s first made by weaving and eco bonding the fine fibres.
The Butterbur dress and garments made from nettle and cellulose fabric from The Sandringham Estate was show at One Hundred Shoreditch as part of the OMNIA collection. This collection also included printed dresses with textile made from microfibre bonded recycled plastic waste from Daler-Rowney. Recycled linen from the hotel One Hundred Shoreditch was also made into garments for the show.
VIN + OMI embarked on a new documentary series The Other Side. The series, presented and directed by Vin and Omi, explores the other side of cities and places around the world. Sponsored by Jagermeister, this series includes Ibiza, London, New York, and Bogota. It showcases nightlife, eco and sustainable projects, local icons, artists and creatives. Any profits from the series will be distributed to the charities and causes featured in the documentaries. Series 1 is expected to be completed in Spring 2024
The VIN + OMI foundation put out an open call for new projects to be considered for support. The call was targeted at areas in need of environmental support. Eco and conservation projects are being considered side by side for ongoing development.
2024
The VIN + OMI foundation launched Lotus project in Burma ( see Eco Innovations )
A new project MISCANTHUS UK ( see under Social and Environmental Impact ) was launched. The eco agricultural project was initiated in 2020 and will be developed in 2024
Vin and Omi become Ambassadors for Project Zero