Self Portrait
A graduate of Central Saint Martins, the Malaysian-born designer, Han Chong, unites a refined aesthetic with a deft understanding of structure and materials that has propelled the brand’s meteoric rise and upended the contemporary fashion market.
Designed in London, made for the world - Self-Portrait believes in celebrating and empowering the women in the clothes. Femininity ensured by elegant functionality, reflecting a sincere engagement and appreciation for a contemporary way of life.
Self Portrait is a mindfully-made brand
AT SELF-PORTRAIT, THEY ARE MAKING A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO IMPROVE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND ARE COMMITTED TO REDUCING THEIR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT BY UTILISING MORE RESPONSIBLY SOURCED FIBRES IN THEIR COLLECTIONS.
FIBRES: In 2019, Self Portrait began their journey into reviewing their fibre breakdown and subsequent collections launched in 2020 reflected those changes with the introduction of GOTS certified organic cotton and GRS certified recycled polyester.
Their SS21 swimwear saw the biggest change as they worked with their suppliers and REPREVE®, the recycled performance fibre, resulting in garments made from between 35% to 100% recycled materials.
These substitutions will continue within their collections with the mindset to increase these practices with every new offering.
ANIMAL WELFARE: Self Portrait demands that all suppliers adhere to their policies regarding animal welfare and prohibit the use of materials taken from endangered species, real fur or pelts, angora, real horn shell or Mother of Pearl. Leather, wool, cashmere and mohair are only sourced from producers that practice good animal husbandry.
SUPPLIER BASE: All Self-Portrait garments are designed in-house at their East London studio and manufactured between China and Italy. Before the pandemic, the Self-Portrait team made bi-annual visits to their suppliers to carry out their own due diligence and risk assessments, ensuring that their manufacturers adhered to their code of conduct. They will resume this as soon as circumstances allow.
PACKAGING: Self Portrait hopes that all customers enjoy a memorable and unique experience whilst shopping with Self-Portrait. All the paper used in their packaging is FSC certified.
AFTERCARE: Due to their intricate designs, most Self-Portrait garments are dry clean only. In 2018, they began collaborating with Green Earth Cleaning, which uses a silicone-based, a non-toxic and non-hazardous alternative to traditional chemical-based methods resulting in a gentler solution for people and for the planet. They recommend customers to follow the after-care instructions on their garment labels and look for cleaners who utilize more sustainable processes. Green Earth Cleaning now operates in over 40 countries.
FABRIC SWATCH DONATION: With over 350,000 tonnes of clothing making its way into landfills each year, they dispose of unwanted fabric swatches by donating all excess materials to First Mile, which works with third-party charities to repurpose them as new materials. This allows them to reduce the impact on the environment and their carbon footprint whilst increasing recycling rates.