The Buzz: Outland Denim recognised as force for good, and Hermes recreates the record store experience

The Buzz: Outland Denim adds more awards to the mantelpiece, and Hermes spins silk discs.

Meghan and Harry were a boon for Outland denim. Picture: Getty Images

Buzz does love a fashion for good story, and Outland Denim just keeps delivering them. You may have heard of the label thanks to a certain Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, wearing its jeans while in Australia last year with Prince Harry. Launched by James Bartle in 2016, after six years of self-funded development, the Tamborine Mountain-based company has a mission to save women in Cambodia from human and sex trafficking. And this week the company adds more kudos to its back pocket with not one but two Global SDG Awards, set up to applaud private companies according to their engagement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There are 17 categories, judged by more than 65 private sector leaders from across the world and industries. Outland Denim was the only company to win two awards, in the categories (goals) of No Poverty and Decent Work & Economic Growth.

“It’s amazing,” Bartle tells Buzz of the dual wins. “We’re pretty excited to get that kind of recognition.” And while the Markle effect has brought with it a spike in recognition — and sales, resulting in more women being trained and employed in Cambodia — there is another reason awards such as these are so important to Bartle. “It’s about credibility. People might hear about us through the Meghan Markle effect, but there’s always that shadow of a doubt: Are these people doing what they say they’re doing, or is this just marketing? Especially in Australia, we all think that way. Australians and Canadians are so sceptical, we call bullshit. So this is proof upon proof that people can have confidence in the brand and what we stand for.”

Bartle must be getting used to accolades like this, although he is always genuinely humbled by the attention for the brand. Last year Outland Denim was the only fashion company in Australia to receive A+ ratings across all categories of the Baptist World Aid Australia Ethical Fashion Report. The company was recently named as one of the CO10 in the global Common Objective Leadership Awards of 2019, which recognises ethical and sustainable practices in fashion, and last year was one of six finalists in the Thomas Reuters Foundation Stop Slavery Award. See outlanddenim.com for more.

Monday night saw the launch of the preliminary schedule of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia, the fashion industry’s week of weeks. Preliminary is a useful word, as there are plenty of gaps on the timetable yet to be filled in. A lot of the big names that showed in recent years are absent, so Buzz wouldn’t be surprised if some of them are enticed to pad it out a little. Stay tuned for updates.

Men — and women — of Melbourne, Hermes has an immersive treat in store for you this weekend. But not in its own flagship store. Think downstairs record store, browsing racks of albums and even cassettes — remember those? Except that you will actually be browsing the best of the Hermes men’s silk collection of scarfs and ties, repackaged into LP and tape format. Neat, right? And to further enhance the record store experience, there will be live music to hand on each night, from Remi, the Delta Riggs and Mane. Festivities kick off on Saturday and run for three nights at FortyFiveDownstairs. Get amongst it.

Final word today goes to actor Minnie Driver, whom Buzz has just started following on social media after stumbling across this tweet: “I just met an ‘influencer’. What do you influence I asked her. I influence your decision about which handbag to buy. I said, I have handbags older than you. She said, great I’ll tell you which bags are worth the most and you can make some money. I am now in a bar.” Make mine a double, Minnie.