THE MONC BLOG

For our latest In The Frame Spotlight, we caught up with Brett & Scott Staniland, the identical twins who are causing the fashion industry to do a double-take. Whether you recognise them from the runway, their straight-talking educational content, or a certain UK reality show... Brett and Scott have spent the last several years challenging the status quo in menswear and pushing for wider industry reform.

For the last 8 years, Venetia La Manna has been campaigning for a fairer fashion future. From co-founding Remember Who Made Them, to her work with The Or Foundation and the Speak Volumes Campaign. Venetia uses her platform to hold big-fashion accountable and to amplify the voices of those on the frontline of the fashion polycrisis. 

For the naturally inquisitive, there is a story behind everything, and fashion historian Rosie Okotcha loves sharing stories. From Victorian Mourning Jewellery to the first ever handbags, a scroll through Rosie’s page takes you on a journey through time (and fashion) in a matter of minutes. For our latest ‘In The Frame’ spotlight, we spent the day together at the V&A.

After being put through rigorous questioning by the RHS Sustainable Excellence Awards judging panel, including the legendary dragon Deborah Meaden, our commitment to craftsmanship, responsible design, and sustainable materials led us to taking home the Sustainable Lifestyle Product Of The Year Award at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Quality sunglasses are essential for all serious gardeners, so we were happy to help out Tom Massey and his incredible team at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show - keeping the sun from their eyes, and hopefully, easing some of the hard work that went into creating their stunning Avanade Intelligent Garden.

To celebrate, we sat down in the garden with Tom to hear all about his concept and design.

Slow fashion designer, Lydia Bolton, is on a mission to make sustainable fashion more accessible. Meeting individuals and brands where they’re currently at on their sustainable fashion journey, Lydia holds skill sharing workshops that help people feel included, empowering them to make small steps in the right direction and see the potential in what they already own.

For our latest ‘In The Frame’ spotlight, we visit Lydia at her studio in Hackney Wick to learn more about her work and take part in one of her up-cycling workshops.

Jade Mcsorley didn’t set out to work in sustainable fashion, but after a decade spent in front of the camera, modelling for the fast fashion industry, she knew she had to make a change. We talked to Jade about her journey, how academia and industry can work together, whether AI could ever imitate a shopping spree and why the smallest actions, like swapping clothes with a friend, might just be the most powerful.

Lens blanks are circular pieces of material left behind after shaping a pair of spectacles on sunglasses, and they contribute to the whopping 80% of material wasted in each production run. Read about how one of the Product Design CSM students we partnered with last year came up with a potential solution.

With its complicated lexicon and more numbers than expected, to the untrained eye, an optical prescription can look like a secret code. We've broken down what every element of your glasses prescription means, empowering you with confidence when it comes to your eye health. 

With years of experience under his belt, our store manager Chris possesses the uncanny ability to match a frame to any face perfectly - and ever the natural conversationalist, he’ll always give you his honest opinion and valuable advice. Meet Chris and learn about the niche background that makes him an expert on choosing a frame. 

Eats, visits and innovations kicking off 2025. From Miga, a modern take on Korean traditional dishes, to innovations in 3D printed wood and exhibitions from renowned artists Mickalene Thomas and Noah Davis, take a look at what’s getting us inspired in the first few weeks of January.