CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
HUMAN TRACES:
ETHIOPIA
HUMAN TRACES:
ETHIOPIA
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
DESTINATIONS
DESTINATIONS
The Dreamtime, or the Dreaming, portrays the Aboriginal beliefs in spiritual existence. According to the tribes that first settled down in the continent, the Dreaming's roots date all the way back to the very begging of the creation of the world. The meaning and ideology of the term is generally not so well-understood by non-indigenous people as it is referred to as part of the culture of one of the early nations, which differs from modern perceptions.
The Spirits were the creators of everything. They made the land and the seas, the rocks and the plants, the sky and the earth. They were the higher power and the Australian Aborigines spent their lifetimes honoring this power, which guided their path and shaped their way of thinking. Not only creators of everything, which could be seen as well as felt, the Spirits also gave the Aborigines the Dreaming.
The time when everything started existing according to the initial Australians, was called the Dreaming. This is the foundation of the continent's culture. The origin of the Dreaming goes way back - 65 000 years back in time to be exact. The Ancestors of the nation shaped the land, forming some parts of it as sacred. The Aborigines were very careful and overprotective of those places, strongly believing in their significance.
The Australian Aborigines are known to have believed that the world didn't have any shape and was therefore empty. Darkness dominated, and life was simply asleep, but this changed when the creation began happening. After the Dreaming and the influence of the Spirits, objects began taking shapes and came to be. They created the four elements: water, earth, air and fire, as well as all the planets, the Sun and the Moon. The Dreaming therefore is a continuous process, which never ended. It is a small cosmos on its own, unifying the past, present and the future into one.
The Australian Aborigines' home riches so many vivid areas of the continent, including Fraser Island, Tasmania, Palm Island, Groote Eylandt and Mornington Island. The Aborigines had very strong believes in relation to the powers of the land, claiming that they never owned it - it rather owned them. The only reason they were able to call it their home is because they were looking after it and the land was taking care of the people in return.
Equally important to the Dreaming was the tribes' understandings of the disappearance of the Spirits. There came a time, when the creators of everything vanished from sight. Some of them were thought to have started living in sacred places, which is why the Aborigines perceived their homeland to be so sacred. The ancestors of today's Australians used to believe that the creators started living in rocks, in water holes and some went up to the sky to guide the people from above and keep them safe. Others transformed completely, taking the forms of the rain, the lightnings and the thunderstorms so they could be part of peoples' life.
Among the hundred's different Aboriginal languages, there isn't a word to describe 'time', because to them this simply doesn't exist. Dreaming and Dreamtime are used to replace it and summarize the ideologies of the Aborigines about everything they knew, everything they could see, feel and experience. This is why the Dreaming has such a vivid, and overwhelming meaning and has survived the obstacles of time. For the past couple thousand years, the Dreaming has built a rich cultural heritage that can identify a whole nation.
Read more about the Land, its connection to people and the way it has been perceived from different generations in the very first print issue of ORIGIN. The Land Issue covers varied topics, most of which remain related to cultural aspects of the land and its importance.
A lot of people travel to explore places and learn about them which is the message that ORIGIN wants to spread. With traveling, however, comes certain responsibilities that we should all be aware of. Elephants riding has become a popular way to explore locations by land. People have been doing this as part of their trips, mostly to places such as Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia and other parts of Asia. It is a common thing to see in certain places in Africa as well. We investigated the activity to explain why it is wrong and riding elephants should be banned everywhere.
Our first print issue studies culture and traveling represented through the land. We explored various location around the globe and learned what makes the land so valuable, which nations cherish it and how it helps us establish an identity. Traveling is important to us but traveling responsibly and making an impact is what we feel proud to stand behind. This is why riding elephants as a way of amusement should be reconsidered.
Let’s talk about the details. Elephants are very caring and extremely intelligent animals. It is a well-known fact that they never forget anything. When kept in captivity instead of spending their life in the wild, elephants die younger. Unlike in other species, this is common for the gentle giants and is often a result for stress.
Many African cultures respect elephants, believing they symbolize strength, loyalty and power. However, power can be a very tender concept. Elephant used as a tourism tool suffer from great pain daily. Elephants can be hurt very severely from the weight of carrying people and a trainer on their backs. The reason for this is the design of their spines. They have sharp protrusions, extending upwards from their spine instead of having round spinal disks. The protrusions and the tissue that serves to protect them can be harmed easily from weight pressure. Once a damage to their spine has been made, there is no going back and sometimes the harm can be irreversible. While this can’t be physically seen, the harm that the chairs can do to the elephants’ skin is. It is often the case that the chairs and the weight on their back can damage the animal’s skin and cause pain to their body. The chair, called Howdah, that gets attached to their backs, rubs on their skin and can cause blisters, which can sometimes get infected.
The training that elephants are required to go through when in captivity sometimes adopts a traditional Thai ‘phajaan’ or ‘crush’ technique. Explaining the technique would compare it to the animals’ spirits constantly and continuously being broken by the means of torture and social isolation. This is done in order to tame them. Elephants are wild animals, this is their nature as they are born in such conditions. Making them safe and obedient around people requires them to go through such training. As horrible as it sounds, in some places young elephants are taken away from their mothers to be abused with nails, bull hooks and bamboo sticks to make them obey rules, given by people. The animals often lack sleep and are starved to become submissive.
Actions from such nature are cruel and harmful as the technique is used to crash the animals’ spirit. Once wild and free, elephants become a source of tourism and entertainment. Nobody, who cared about sustainable tourism should ever ride an elephant.
In a sense, elephants have a human soul. They socialise and feel everything – pain, happiness, grief, sadness etc. They spend their life building families and finding friends. The largest land animals are a gift from nature and it is our responsibility to take special care of them and make sure they live according to their nature. Many animals, who are kept in captivity, are forced to live in isolation and carry heavy loads all day long, which is a wrong way to treat them. Their strength and power shouldn’t be abused but treated gently and celebrated by people. Elephants require minimal care to stay happy and healthy, which comes from giving them freedom to behave naturally and socialise. It is our responsibility to be culturally aware while traveling and make sure to spread awareness about the problem.
You can read the rest of the article as published in the LAND issue.
LÉA THE LABEL- THE BOLD SWIMWEAR BRAND DESIGNING MINIMALISTIC LUXURY WEAR FROM 100% REGENERATED NYLON
Cape Town Campaign. Photography by Susan Buth.
Léa Daaboul, founder of Léa The Label, was inspired by the ocean to create timeless, yet sustainable swimwear from pre-consumer waste pulled out from the world’s oceans. We talked about the craftmanship of the designs, her fashion statement for the industry and her go-to destinations ideal for sun lovers
Words: Emily Georgieva
Photography: Léa The Label. Susan Buth. Kenza Le Bas.
May 2020
Sustainable swimwear that's chic and represents a forward-thinking fashion statement? Yes, please! Léa The Label is THE brand you should know about, if you are anyone between a beach-born ocean child and a sun chaser with a love for booking holidays by the seaside. The brand specialises in eccentric, yet sophisticated designs created for the modern travel woman, who loves to spend her free time at the beach or by the pool. Shoppers can mix and match between the pieces to create their own look. Each collection is themed. However, the designs are minimalistic, bold and colour-coordinated so any product you decide to buy could be easily combined with other essential wear such as white shirt or wide-brimmed hat to look stunning.
The founder, Léa Daaboul, is a Lebanese-born designer, who spent time living in some of the most metropolitan and fashion innovative cities in the world. From Rome to Paris and New York, Léa had worked in the design and luxury buying industries. Yet, her passion for being close to the sea was her biggest inspiration. The ocean is the force of nature she always turns to for inspiration and the designs by the brand seem to reflect this in many ways.
O Sole Mio Campaign. Photography by Kenza Le Bas.
‘‘The swims in the “O Sole Mio and Cape Town Campaign” were inspired by my last year’s trip to India, specifically the rich hues and architecture of Jaipur.’’
Léa Daaboul, founder of Léa The Label for NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
Cape Town Campaign. Photography by Susan Buth.
O Sole Mio Campaign. Photography by Kenza Le Bas.
Every swimwear item that Léa The Label makes is designed to challenge the concept of achieving comfort with high quality feel of the materials and styles; sustainable product approach with premium quality fabrics that meet high-end customer standards. Italian eco-friendly fabrics are carefully chosen. They are created when pre-consumer waste, usually pulled up from the sea. From yarn and fishing nets to industrial plastic waste, the materials are processed through Healthy Seas and the Net-Works™ projects, as well as the ECONYL® Recycling Program. The collected waste is treated, cleaned and eventually brought back to its initial origin.
Léa The Label has managed to tackle the industry that is responsible for generating a total of 10% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of focusing on fast fashion, the label embraced the organic approach of slow-paced production to ensure the quality of the products, and to leave as little carbon footprint as possible. Individuality is given to every piece of the multiple swimwear collections. Browsing Léa The Label's online shop is a very personalised experience. The shoppers have an opportunity to chose swimwear that is made in a forward-thinking way and that can represent their personality.
Not only gorgeous, the collections are also inspired by the places they are named after. Léa The Label fits perfectly with the lifestyle of a minimalist nomad and luxury travellers who adore being around the sea for as long as possible. The brand is one of our favourite swimwear labels. We are extremely happy to share with you what we got to talk about with Léa as she shared more about her design inspiration, the changes she wants to see in the fashion industry and her go-to sunny travel destinations.
Cape Town Campaign. Photography by Susan Buth.
NOMADSofORIGIN: We fell in love with Léa The Label from first sight.
Léa: Thank you so much for the kind words and excited to be a part of this interview with NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Your products are a carefully crafted balance between minimalism and contemporary eccentricity. What is your must-have all-time-favourite swims design from all the collections?
Léa: I love all of our styles in our collections as each piece is designed for different occasions or specific wear, our styles range from casual to resort. I have to say our signature styles like the Loren Top and Portofino one-piece for example are some of my favorite and most unique pieces but I absolutely love my staple go to basics, such as the Palermo and Elba Tops and Loren or Capri Bottoms for all around comfort and everyday beach wear.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Sustainability is a huge part of your ideology as the brand is eco-friendly. You work with ECONYL® and use Italian materials to create premium swimwear that’s comfortable and resilient to chlorine. Do you think more labels, especially in the fashion industry, need to adapt to a similar approach of working with eco materials and sustainability in mind?
Léa: I think if eco-friendly luxurious fabrics that are more durable than most swimwear fabrics are available in the market, then why not make the positive change and contribute to help save our oceans.
NOMADSofORIGIN: The designs in each collection are influenced by a place. PRIMEIRA is inspired by Algarve, Portugal; O SOLE MIO is by Puglia, Italy; and CAPE TOWN is by Cape Town, South Africa. What are your go-to travel destinations that each lover of the sunny days spent at the beach should know about?
Léa: Travel definitely plays a dominant role in my inspiration from the design process to shooting our campaigns. The swimwear designs are inspired by my travels and experiences around the world with an appreciation for culture, art, style and yoga, as I practice yoga daily and have been an instructor for a couple of years now, something I am very passionate about, all of which have played a part in the birth of the brand.
For example the swims in the “O Sole Mio and Cape Town Campaign” were inspired by my last year’s trip to India, specifically the rich hues and architecture of Jaipur. We currently also manufacture responsibly in Bali, which is one of my preferred serene islands to unwind and recharge, a place where the yoga, beach culture and sustainable visions are widely common.
Photography: Aura House
Photography: Aura House
O Sole Mio Campaign. Photography by Kenza Le Bas.
NOMADSofORIGIN: What is your bestseller swimwear design?
Léa: Our best selling pieces have always been our signature Loren, Portofino and Monroe swimsuits, however we are beginning to see a broader variety depending on the country as each market is quite different.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Your swimwear is made from ocean waste. Post and pre consumer waste such as plastic, fishing nets and nylon are collected, cleaned and transformed into your timeless designs. This is an amazing superpower! Why did you decide to create this incredible label in such a unique way?
Léa: The fashion industry grew rapidly over the years compared to when I was still at University and it is still growing at a substantial pace. During my last year at University, I specialized in lingerie and swimwear, as I found it so intriguing and challenging to create something so minimal. However I felt that there is more to fashion than just designing pretty clothing and was determined to create with a purpose.
My earliest childhood memory was the ocean in Lebanon where I spent a large sum of my youth, and watching the blue water disappear over the years and being replaced by plastic bags and waste was quite daunting. So why not create while reducing our carbon footprint.
Our concept is more focused on supporting the slow fashion movement with minimal and timeless collections and avoiding fast-fashion and mass production to allow more time for creativity and construction. We want to focus more on ethical fashion using the highest luxury eco-friendly fabrics for an affordable price and offer staple pieces to ensure our consumers that years down the line, their swimwear is still durable and in style. Even the slightest changes can go a long way. We hoped and continue hoping that by creating our swimwear from 100% regenerated nylon we can contribute to saving our oceans and help bring awareness and change.
NOMADSofORIGIN: If you could collaborate with any other brand, which one would it be?
Léa: There are many inspiring companies and people in this industry that we look for and would love to collaborate with who share a similar approach on ethical matters and sustainable ways.
NOMADSofORIGIN: You have created quite a community of consciously shopping travellers. How would you advise them to change their fashion shopping habits beyond purchasing swimwear?
Léa: It is very easy to be discouraged in the fashion industry, and always having to keep up, whether that is a brand, a fashion student or a consumer. It is important to have the understanding that it is acceptable to move slow and shop or design consciously, rather than moving fast and compromising on quality. Of course it is difficult to always shop eco-friendly as it is not constantly available, however I think that by shopping timeless quality and staple pieces, it is already a positive step forward.
NOMADSofORIGIN: We are so happy to be part of your community! Keep up being amazing and use your superpowers for good. Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
Léa: Thank you so much for the support and the opportunity to share our story. Less is always more and it is lovely to see many brands shifting to sustainable ways.
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NOMADSofORIGIN x Léa The Label
Cape Town Campaign. Photography by Susan Buth.
O Sole Mio Campaign. Photography by Kenza Le Bas.
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NOMADSofORIGIN is an independent annual publication with a focus on sustainable travelling and global cultural values. Each issue features interviews, engaging articles and photo guides, which take our nomadic readers through different destinations and introduce them to local people's perspectives.
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