22 Established 1961 Lifestyle Features Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Q: Tell us about Splash vision for our products using sustainable and ethically techniques. Splash Eco-denim range is pro- Q: How can you handle competition in the future of the Middle East’s fashion sourced materials. duced using water saving processes and the fashion market? Do you have plan to market. Our design, sourcing and quality teams advanced machinery that consumes 70% attract your competitors’ customers? A: As one of the region’s leading fashion are contributing to the goals by spending less water & 30% less energy as compared A: Fashion is a very dynamic industry and brands, Splash aims to strengthen the adop- more time researching and sourcing sustain- to conventional denim, saving millions of gal- every fashion brand must constantly innovate tion of sustainable business practices in the able fabrics and manufacturing methods. lons of water annually. to stay ahead of the curve. The competition Middle East fashion industry. With the adoption of sustainable solutions Using FSC paper since 2015 has also has and is going to be strong, but it only It is a fact that fashion impacts the envi- and new technology, the brand will signifi- allowed Splash to reduce 200 metric tons of pushes us to innovate and better ourselves. ronment on a daily basis with textile manu- cantly decrease its carbon footprint. plastic waste in garment tags and packaging As a brand we understand fashion and facturing affecting the environment through The brand uses recycled polyester, pro- for over four years now. consumer trends and we want our customers the constant and relatively huge emissions of duced from discarded plastic bottles, that We also spearheaded the Better Cotton to feel they’re buying from a conscious greenhouse gas, water withdrawal, the further leads to less plastic ending up in the Initiative, Splash being the first brand in the retailer who offers the right trend at the right release of toxins into our ecosystem, ocean. Splash also makes clothes with eco- Middle East to procure sustainably produced time and at the right price. amongst other effects. friendly fabrics such as Tencel, 100 per cent cotton for use in its apparel. Thus, being sustainable is a core quality Raza Beig, Chief Executive Officer of Splash and Organic Cotton and Lenzing Viscose, across Our recent inspirational sustainability Q: How has the brand’s design philoso- within Splash and as a socially and environ- Fashion Director of Landmark Group. several of its fashion lines which is now 80 campaign, The Aquarium of Truth, is aimed at phy evolved over the years? mentally responsible fashion brand, our per cent sustainable. promoting awareness to conserve the ocean, A: When we started, we were a trader, vision is to encourage consumers to be part tions relevant to fashion fans in Kuwait. and strengthening the adoption of sustainable buying out of South-East Asia and selling it of creating a better, more sustainable future. Customers can choose from a selection of Q: What are the main sustainability business practices in the fashion industry. in this market. With the advent of European convenient payment options - pay by card at issues in the fashion industry today and Also, this year, we launched the Splash brands, we changed our business model to Q: How do you see the Kuwaiti the time of online purchase or by cash with how does your brand subvert them? 2020 annual calendar that promotes the that of a design house and built a team of in- market? no additional charges at the time of delivery. A: Sustainability is critical for fashion as it adoption of sustainable fashion for sustain- house designers, who study international A: eCommerce has changed the way con- With a flagship store offer of latest fashion is known that the fashion industry is a lead- able growth. The calendar conveys a strong trends and catwalks. Our designers work sumers shop globally and Kuwait is no differ- arrivals, shoppers can score free shipping on ing contributor to pollution as well as signifi- message that humans are not simply the closely with buyers to bring affordable ent. Consumers today want to nab the latest online orders above KWD 9. cant consumer of water. In addition, plastic offenders, but also the ultimate victims of trendy fashion to consumers. For a brand that fashion pieces from the comfort of their represents a new environmental and health global warming. The calendar urges cus- is built on the ethos of design, it is constant homes, office or on the go. Q: Splash launched last year an exclu- threat as the overuse of plastic is negatively tomers to come together for this significant evaluation that is required more than a dra- Kuwait is a key market for the group and sive limited edition collection for impacting the planet and contributes to dif- cause. matic change year after year. Splash’s recent entry into online retailing in Ramadan and Eid. Is there any new col- ferent forms of environmental pollution, As one of the region’s leading fashion the country is in response to the changing lection to be launched soon? including water pollution. brands, we want to encourage consumers to Q: What are Splash’s future goals? way consumers shop today. Customers are at A: New collection announcements will be With this top of mind, Splash has become consciously incorporate alternatives into A: Sustainability is a strong focus for the the heart of everything we do at Splash and shared in due course. the largest user of recycled polyester in the their everyday lives for a better future. brand. We plan to further advance our sus- the new dedicated website delivers several Middle East and North Africa region, recy- tainability initiatives in 2020 and aim to pro- exclusive online offers, products and servic- Q: Splash revealed that 40% of its col- cling 5.7 million bottles. Compared to the Q: How many branches do you have? duce 80 per cent of our products using sus- es. The friendly design assures easy naviga- lection is 100% organic and sustainable. traditional process of using new polyester, Do you have a plan to expend in other tainable and ethically sourced materials. tion across various product categories, as Tell us more. this process saves enough energy to power countries? well as convenient returns/cancellations and A: Splash has been at the forefront in rais- the United Arab Emirates for 10 minutes. A: Currently, Splash has over 200 stores secure payment options. Designed to offer a ing awareness on sustainable development. 100% of the denim produced by Splash is in 14 countries worldwide. We are looking more compelling browsing and shopping We have advanced our sustainability initia- sustainable primarily by two ways- one by forward to growing e-commerce presence in experience, the website’s content has been tives and reiterated our existing goals to using sustainable raw materials and two by new markets across the Middle East in the tailored to showcase products and promo- deliver fashion by producing 80 per cent of employing eco-friendly garment processing near future. 50 Cent vows to executive produce Pop Smoke’s posthumous album 0 Cent has vowed to executive produce late rapper 5Pop Smoke’s posthumous album. The ‘In Da Club’ hitmaker is determined to finish the record and has even reached out to fellow rappers Drake and Roddy Ricch to get them involved. Alongside two snaps of him- self outside and inside his private jet, 50 - whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III - wrote on Instagram: “i’m on the move listening to Pop smoke, i decided i’m gonna executive produce and finish his album for This photo shows architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom (center) taking a photo with architecture This aerial photo shows an overview of the Thammasat Urban Farming Green Roof. him.#abcforlife #starzgettheapp #lecheminduroi #bran- students after a tour of the Thammasat Urban Farming Green Roof at Thammasat University in — AFP photos Pathum Thani. soncognac (sic)”. And in a separate post he shared a picture of himself and Roddy, and added in the caption: “Tell @roddyricch i’m looking for him, i need him on Pop album. #leche- minduroi #bransoncognac #abcforlife #starzgettheapp (sic)” Roddy then responded with the shaking hand emoji and said: “Say less.”Curtis then followed up the post and this time tagged ‘God’s Plan’ hitmaker Drake. He wrote: “see i got @roddyricch on deck, this s*** gonna be stu- pid @champagnepapi where you at *****, don’t start acting light skinned on us. #abcforlife #starzgettheapp angkok’s future hangs in the balance. one can accuse the Harvard graduate of environment, listen to the land more,” she she will unveil plans to transform a vast, #lecheminduroi #bransoncognac (sic)” Rising sea levels, unchecked develop- resting on her laurels: She made her name says. “It doesn’t mean I am against develop- unused bridge crossing the Chao Phraya Just days before his tragic passing at the age of 20, Bment, groundwater extraction, and showing how the effects of climate change ment but I want it to be very meaningful, river into a park with bicycle lanes, bringing Pop had released the LP ‘Meet the Woo 2’. The ‘Welcome rapid urban population growth has left mil- can be mitigated by ensuring the issue is at very mindful, and at the right pace-so we more green space to a place with precious to the Party’ rapper died after he was shot dead on the lions vulnerable to natural disasters-scien- the heart of city planning. don’t actually kill our future.” Today her little of it. morning of February 19 at around 4:30am at a property tists warn the city itself may not survive the She and her firm Landprocess created ideas have been embraced at home, and in Hollywood Hills, California, after two men broke into century. New analysis by the Nestpick the internationally acclaimed Chulalongkorn abroad-she gave an acclaimed TED talk in the house. There was a gathering at the home and police 2050 Climate Change City Index says the University Centenary Park, an 11-acre (4 2018, and last year TIME Magazine includ- confirmed two men wearing masks shot the star - whose Thai capital could be hardest hit by global hectares) space in central Bangkok, which ed her in its “100 Next” list of global rising real name is Bashar Barakah Jackson - multiple times warming. tilts downward at a three-degree angle, stars. before fleeing on foot. But convincing clients, authorities, and The up-and-coming star was rushed to Cedars-Sinai other businesses to see the big environmen- Medical Centre in West Hollywood in an ambulance, but tal picture has not been easy in a mega-city was pronounced dead when he arrived at the facility. obsessed with economic targets and expan- However, the investigation into his death has since “hit a sion. Driving change as a woman in a patri- roadblock”, as witnesses have reportedly changed their archal society has been an additional chal- stories or given a version of events that is “provably lenge, but Kotchakorn insists there is “pow- untrue”. A private memorial was held in Brooklyn days er” in being different, particularly in an after Pop’s death. Meanwhile, a Paris nightclub paid trib- industry dominated by older men offering ute to the popular star with a hologram last week. A digi- only “conventional ways of thinking”. tal likeness of the rapper appeared on stage at Yard Club Many of her ideas were initially dis- Photo shows architect Kotchakorn and performed his hit song ‘Dior’. The venue posted on missed, but she held firm, explaining: “I feel Voraakhom posing for a photo. Instagram: “During yesterday’s #YARDWinterClub, we that was based on their fear. But it’s not my paid tribute to Pop Smoke, who died suddenly last week. fear.” “Women offer different kinds of judg- “If you just do a normal building, it’s just “It was important to us, important to you, important in ment, different kinds of attitude towards going to be the same. It’s just another build- short.”— Bang Showbiz problems... We have to bring that diversity ing. But if you create (something new), you to the table and create better decisions,” actually could touch and change their way This aerial photo shows an overview of the Thammasat Urban Farming Green Roof, designed she adds. of living, their way of eating, their way of by landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom, at Thammasat University in Pathum Thani. understanding of sustainability.” Things must change Kotchakorn has even greater ambitions for And while it is not alone facing such a allowing rainwater to flow through the A turning point came in 2011, when the city she grew up in-she wants to threat-Venice, New Orleans, and Jakarta flanking grass and wetlands. Water that’s Thailand endured its worst floods in half a “reclaim” the more than 1,000 canals that are predicted to be underwater by 2100 — not absorbed by the plants runs down to a century, which left more than 800 dead snake through Bangkok that are currently it does have a secret weapon in its battle to pond at the base of the park, where it can nationwide with hundreds of thousands dis- used for sewage. “Canals have so much life, negate the impact of a hotter planet: be stored and filtered for use during dry placed. Bangkok, built on once-marshy land so much potential to be public green space renowned architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom spells or released gradually. In cases of and surrounded by natural waterways, was and a skeleton of the whole city,” she who preaches mindful development over severe flooding, the park can hold up to a hard hit. Then came the World Bank warn- explains. mindless construction. million gallons of water. ing that 40 percent of it would be inundated Hailing her late mother as her inspiration, “We are talking life and death in this sit- by 2030. It was clear then things needed to and her 11-year-old daughter as her motiva- uation,” says the 39-year-old who is hoping Global rising star change, says Voraakhom, who grew up in tion, she hopes her work will solve prob- to bring Bangkok back from the brink, as Kotchakorn rails against Bangkok’s the capital and says air quality has deterio- lems for generations to come. She says: scientists warn extreme weather-flooding unchecked development-more than 10 mil- rated rapidly, as has food quality and secu- “Being a mother is really helping to push me and droughts-could ravage the city, leaving lion live in the metropolis packed with sky- rity because of the heavy use of pesticides. to create hope and solutions for the next as much as 40 percent submerged in the scrapers, factories, malls and hotels-warn- In 2018, she created Asia’s largest generation. You see that the things you next decade. Kotchakorn says: “I don’t want ing that an “addiction to growth” at all costs rooftop farm, which mimics the region’s build will last after your life.”— AFP to face it with fear. At this moment we have is jeopardizing its ability to thrive. famed rice terraces where run-off travels a chance to make change... We have to do it “We think about how we’re going to down layers of crops, conserving both right now to show the coming generations have more growth in our annual develop- water and soil. Winding around the 22,400 that this is possible. It is not about sitting ment... What if we shift the orientation from square-meter (241,111 square feet) rooftop Tom Hanks and waiting and doing the same thing.” No growth to really consider our actions on the is a jogging path and a lawn. Later this year