That Southern Charm

Jeff Garner is a Tennessee born designer of sustainable clothing label Prophetik. As soon as Garner walks into the room all eyes fall immediately upon him. His dirty blonde hair is scraped back into a ponytail and he's wearing his worn in riding boots that he's had since he was a boy. With clients such as Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus and supporters such as Jimmy Choo this guy seems promising. It was the first time that I had ever heard of him yet the second he began to speak I felt instantly privileged to be in his presence. His soft welcoming tone oozes warmth and his authentic southern accent makes you feel instantly at ease. For a guy that seems to be going places, he seems incredibly humble and down to earth.

He's a man that eats the same three things everyday, only wears naturally made clothing, sleeps a mere four hours a night and doesn't watch TV or follow the media. Instead he prefers to seek solace in nature, horse riding being one of his main hobbies. As well as making beautiful clothes he really is a charming and sincere character. He doesn't seem to be weighed down by the pressures of the industry. He says himself that the minute he no longer loves what he's doing, he'll quit. He also seems to have a firm grasp on what is important in life. His interpretations on life being utterly inspiring and thought provoking. He talked about people always complaining to him about things they 'have' to do. He commented wisely that “No one has to do anything.”. His point ultimately being that people are free to do anything they want to, so do exactly that and enjoy every day!

He confesses that you can often find him sleeping outside. His explanation being that it is always better to be uncomfortable as that way you are more alert and attuned to what is going on around you. In a world obsessed with the need for constant comfort, he proposes an interesting outlook right?

His current Spring/Summer 2011 collection, 'Midnight Garden' which was shown at London Fashion Week was inspired by one of his many dreams. The collection exudes romanticism with the focus being on the fairytale concept of the damsel in distress and knight in shining armour. The women were wearing beautiful floor length flowing dresses made of Hemp, Silk and organic cottons, whilst the men were in beautifully made prince like waistcoats and shirts. If you haven't guessed already, Garner is a self confessed romantic and this reflects heavily in his collections.

What's more is that his collection is completely sustainable. His fabrics are all made ethically using natural plant dyes that are non harmful to the environment. He even uses traditional methods of producing the clothing. He doesn't use foreign factories to mass produce his clothes. No, in fact they are all produced with love in his home town of Tennessee. If that wasn't enough, they are all made by women who have worked in the industry for years and if it wasn't for Garner, would be out of a job.

His designs emanate the old world, with dresses reminiscent of the Victorian era. Though much of his clothes are made of Hemp. Keen to shake off the fabric's hippy associations, he stresses that the fabric is the best out there as it is extremely strong and durable. Thus, he emphasises that the throwaway culture of today needs to be changed and the notion that clothes are disposable should be eradicated. His point being that clothes should be kept, worn and loved for years. Yes they may be a little more expensive than normal, but they will last you much longer than anything from the High Street.

He understands why big companies don't adopt the sustainable outlook. Hence, why he hopes his label will spread awareness to the influential designers. He wants them to realise that it is possible to combine both sustainability and style on a mass production level. He's got a long way to go, but if anyone is going to change things, it's Garner.