Houston Fashion House Enjoys a Breakthrough Moment at London Fashion Week

Magpies & Peacocks Proves Recycled Materials Can Shine

By Matthew Ramirez // Mar 4, 2019

Photography Simon Armstrong

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Magpies & Peacocks' Ahshia Berry strikes a pose with recording artist Elle L, the official UK ambassador to M&P, at London Fashion Week 2019. (Photo by Simon Armstrong)

Houston fashion design house Magpies & Peacocks may have finally had its breakthrough moment – to a standing-room only crowd at London Fashion Week 2019. Part of the institution’s Fashion Scout showcase, which highlights up-and-coming progressive and unique designers, Magpies & Peacocks returned to a full house just one year after debuting at London Fashion Week.

The nation’s only nonprofit design house, Magpies is most notable for its commitment to crafting fashion from upcycled and reused source materials in its designs, promoting sustainability in a fashion industry notorious for creating a cycle of excessive waste.

Magpies & Peacocks debuted two new sustainable collections via Houston-area designers. Returning to London Fashion Week, again on behalf of M&P, were the zero-waste looks of Houston-based label Re:ne(w) by René Garza. The designer presented his Detux: Luxury Deconstructed collection.

Also taking the runway, Jerri Moore and Clarence Lee‘s collaboration, Undone: The New Americana collection, which featured hand painted textiles by Houston artists. The visual talents making their way onto the New Americana collection, included the renowned Robert Hodge of Project Row House fame and painter/multimedia artist Nicola Parente.

Providing an additional style statement, Houston shoe designer Alice D’Italia accessorized the catwalk with its line of custom Italian-made soles.

As Magpies & Peacocks’ Ahshia Berry told PaperCity about the hometown love in London, “Local art and design is in the DNA of Magpies & Peacocks.”

SHOP

Swipe

Texas Hill Country Olive Co

Joy Gift Shoppe

Still Austin

L Majors

Zilker Belts

Kindred Spirits

Milk & Honey

Maison Palo Santo

Verdadero Tequila

ATX Leather Co

Eco Estate Jewelry

Long Hill Wagyu

CRUX Climbing

Aesop at Domain Northside

William Paul Floral Design

ELARIA

Oli Tea

WCC

Lake Austin Spa Resort

The Garten

Coloring Austin

Matcha Yall

Shannon Sleepwear

APIS

Music Lane

The Mercantile at Mill + Grain

Alchemy for the Home

More than 350 packed the historic Deco interiors of Covent Garden’s Freemasons’ Hall to take in the collections from Garza, Moore and Lee.

PC Seen: Laura Pradelska and Christian Vit of HBO’s Game of Thrones; Errol Douglas MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire, a prestigious title given to Douglas by the Queen for his hairstyling services in 2008); Brixton-based music producer Dan Vinci; model Simone Murphy;and Elle L, a London-based recording artist and the official Magpies & Peacocks UK ambassador.

Both collections presented by Magpies & Peacocks were entirely crafted from waste textiles, including end-of-life linens, bolts ends, fabric scraps, deadstock (never sold pieces) and used clothing.

Magpies’ 6,000 square foot warehouse in the EaDo (east downtown) neighborhood “has been affectionately described as Andy Warhol’s Factory meets Bergdorf Goodman.”

Both collections debuted to electric soundtracks curated and produced by Searmanas for Garza’s Detux and Houston-based DJ Flash Gordon Parks for Lee and Moore’s Undone: The New Americana presentation. Each generated big post-show buzz.

Capturing the high of the bold LFW splash, Berry told PaperCity, “One minute I was preparing seating assignments and the next moment, I looked up to a completely packed house, eagerly crowding and awaiting the Magpies & Peacocks show.”

“The energy in the room was so outrageously good and highly addictive.”