Fast Fashion Isn’t Style: Redefining Ethical Dressing with Justine Leconte

In this episode of Style POV, I sit down with fashion designer and YouTube creator Justine Leconte to explore what it really means to build a sustainable wardrobe—beyond linen dresses and neutral palettes.

Born in Paris and now running her own ethical fashion label, Justine has amassed over a million subscribers on YouTube thanks to her smart, accessible take on slow fashion, thoughtful design, and what’s actually happening behind the scenes in the industry.

We talk about her shift from fast fashion burnout to building a business grounded in integrity, the difference between “ethical” and “sustainable,” and how to spot the marketing traps brands often hide behind. Justine also shares practical, clear-eyed advice on how to start your own ethical style journey—without needing to toss your entire closet.

If you're curious about fashion with more purpose and less pressure, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Show Notes: https://gabriellearruda.com/fast-fashion-isnt-style-redefining-ethical-dressing-with-justine-leconte/

Where to Find Justine:

YouTube: @justineleconte

Justine Leconte Brand

TikTok: @justine_leconte

Instagram: @justineleconte

https://www.justineleconte.com/timeless

Timestamps

01:45 – About Justine
03:47 – Defining what “Sustainable” really means
04:33 – What it means to be “Ethical”
08:27 – A reality check
12:59 – Discovering your authentic style or following trends?
16:50 – Two-week seasons with Fast Fashion garments
20:22 – Question sustainability claims
23:28 – Sustainability as a value point
25:21 – The sustainable production phase
28:24 – The realization that started the journey to sustainability
32:54 – Secondhand shopping the right way
35:14 – The I-Can’t-Afford-It Argument
37:04 – Buying fast fashion is charitable? 
41:16 – Sewing as a dying art
42:41 – Top tip to get started with sustainability
46:04 – Parson’s Buddies

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Disclaimer: The Style POV Podcast content is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own. Gabrielle Arruda is not liable for any errors or omissions, and listeners use the information at their own risk.

Transcript

Gabrielle: [00:00:00] welcome back to Style POV. Today's guest is someone I've admired for a long time. Justine Leconte is a Paris born fashion designer and amazing YouTube creator whose work blends thoughtful design with transparency and purpose. She runs her own ethical fashion label and her YouTube channel has amassed over 1 million subscribers.

It is a treasure trove of accessible fashion, education, slow style wisdom, and behind the scenes realities of the fashion industry itself.

In this episode, we unpack what it actually means to build a sustainable wardrobe. Hint: it's not about linen and everything, or buying more beige. How to avoid the marketing traps of fast fashion companies and why the term "ethical" might be more important than sustainable. 

Justine also shares her journey from fast fashion burnout to building a label based entirely on integrity and how you can begin your own ethical style path today without overhauling your whole closet. This one is packed with [00:01:00] smart, clear-eyed advice, so let's get into it.

Hi Justine. I am so happy to have you on the Style POV podcast. Thank you so much for coming on. Um, so for people who might be new to your work, can you talk a little bit about your background and how you approach fashion and style? 

Justine: Sure. Thank you first of all for having me and for organizing the whole thing.

I just had to show up. So thank you for your work and for preparing everything. My name is Justine Leconte. I am a French born and raised fashion designer. I run my own label, which is called Justine Leconte for which I do the entire creative direction part as well as the sourcing and the production supervision.

So I'm very involved in the process of the designs that I bring out. So far we've done clothing, jewelry, and handbags, so also different categories of products. Mm-hmm. This label has existed since 2015, so it's gonna be 10 years this year, which is quite a ride. And on top of that I have a YouTube channel, [00:02:00] so that's originally where I shared behind the scenes and insights of working in this industry because I thought there was a lot of myth and ivory towers and idolized designers around there. And I thought, that's not my experience. So I wanted to share that. And it expanded into fashion tips, into advice on how to create your own personal style, how to play with proportions, colors, et cetera. And because that's a topic very close to my heart, how to make your wardrobe more ethical and sustainable.

So all that in that YouTube channel, I always say YouTube is actually my hobby. Fashion design is my main job. But the hobby grew 

Gabrielle: of course, yeah. 

Justine: To, quite a level. I crossed 1 million subscribers last year and I was elected the top creator for fashion by YouTube. Two years ago. 

Gabrielle: Wow. 

Justine: So it's a hobby that that blew up and that I really don't want to stop. So when people tell me like, are you gonna focus on fashion design or YouTube? [00:03:00] I say both. And it's still both. And I will keep doing both because I love both aspects of fashion. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. And I, I think they kind of go hand in hand because once you see the effect your designs have out in the real world, you can kind of see like.

Well, the person buying this, they should have this information. They should know more about how this piece of clothing was made, the value behind it, how they can develop a personal style that really reflects their true self. And I think sustainability and personal style and learning about yourself are really interconnected.

Yeah. I know sustainable fashion is so important to you. Can you like, kind of define what that means or what it means to you? 

Justine: That's a very broad question.

Gabrielle: I know. 

Justine: Difficult to answer, right? 

Gabrielle: Yes. 

Justine: You would know. 

Gabrielle: Yes. 

Justine: Let's start with sustainable. Sustainable is a word that doesn't have a definition. Mm-hmm. Anybody can say, yeah, this is sustainable. Yes. All our products are sustainably made, are they though? Because it doesn't have a definition, it's [00:04:00] overused um mm-hmm to dramatic extents. The thing is, sustainable for me means mostly the sourcing of the materials and the fibers that you use in your production.

It doesn't include whether people making the garments are properly paid and treated fairly. It doesn't include the supply chain after the piece is produced, transportation to the shops, to people who work in the shops, et cetera. So it's just the beginning of the supply chain actually, , the sourcing.

The word that I prefer is ethical. 

Gabrielle: Okay. 

Justine: It's also a word that has no definition, so it could mean whatever you want it to mean, but for me it's broader than sustainable because it includes all those steps in the supply chain. Mm-hmm. Before and, and after, like the entire thing. It includes are you paying people in the supply chain, not just the minimum legal wage, but like the minimum wage to be able to live from their activity.

Which is higher than the minimal [00:05:00] legal wage. How are you treating everyone? How are you being transparent to your customers? How is your customer service? Are you good at accepting returns and, and not discussing things? Do you accept returns? Because super fast fashion brands, ultra fast fashion mm-hmm.

They don't even accept returns because shipping back the item is not worth it compared to its value, which is insane. So all those aspects for me are included in ethical and not necessarily in sustainable. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. I think the problem too is that it's become marketing gimmicks to say, sustainable and, you know, people throw sustainable on anything and they're like, we used organic cotton that's sustainable.

And they piece out one little part of their whole process and then apply this broad marketing term Yeah. To, to their clothes. Which makes it really complicated. Do you wanna speak on that? 

Justine: Yeah. Can I jump in? Yes. 'cause I had a conversation with a friend recently who said, well, this garment, whatever she had just purchased.

Mm-hmm. It's made in organic cotton, so it's good, [00:06:00] right? It got me thinking like, okay, it's cotton. Yes, it's a natural fiber, so technically it should be good. But now fast fashion brands have found tricks. Like they intensively produce the cotton in a way that completely depletes the soils. So the environment, the water is actually suffering of it.

It uses massive amounts of water as you're just pointing out. Then it's being harvested in part by slave labor. This is happening still to this day, around the world. And then what's better? This organic cotton thing, which otherwise is not ethical, right? Mm-hmm. Versus recycled polyester. Which is a hundred percent recycled and a hundred percent recyclable.

Yes, in a closed loop. So no new resources will be needed for that polyester garment. So which one is better? Organic cotton or recycled polyester? It's not such an easy question to answer, is it? 

Gabrielle: It's not. And it's hard for the consumer because we kind of hold on to outdated [00:07:00] information as well.

We've been told, oh, polyester is bad, it's synthetic, we shouldn't do it. But as you're just pointing out, there's so many things that go into the process of getting that garment out, that piece of fabric out that we can't always believe the kind of superficial label of sustainable slapped on there. 

Justine: And sustainable is just one of them, right? Mm-hmm. People also say it's green. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. And then more vague. 

Justine: There's a little leaf on the product page in, like, green? Meaning what? I know and the, and the campaign shoot is green and the models are standing in front of the field and you're like, 

Gabrielle: Yeah.

Justine: This is green. You're like, what exactly is green?

Gabrielle: No, there's, there's no like sustainable leaf icon that's been bestowed for you to say, yes, you're sustainable. They're just using color psychology and you know, our marketing associations to be like, field equals green equals good. 

Justine: Exactly. And for me, that's one point that makes it unethical. A brand that would do that [00:08:00] for me is not being transparent and real about the products that they're selling.

Gabrielle: Yeah, of course. So how does one , begin a sustainable journey? As a fashion designer, you have so much information, you've taken so long to cultivate this knowledge to, kind of parse through all these misinformation if you will. How does the average person get started?

How do we not fall for the leaf? 

Justine: As a customer, I think it starts with a reality check. Open your wardrobe, look at it and consider how many garments in your closet do you not wear. Mm-hmm. And in all honesty, I think the answer wouldn't be 0%, right? There's some garments that you own that are not being worn enough or ever.

Mm-hmm. And so if you're in that situation, the first thing to acknowledge is: you do not need more clothes. 

Gabrielle: Fair? Yes. 

Justine: Because you're already not wearing everything you own, right? So sort out the stuff that you don't wear. If you haven't been wearing it until now, you probably won't wear it in the [00:09:00] future either, realistically, right?

So you sell it, you donate it, whatever you prefer, that's up to you. But then with what's left, that's where the creative work and the curation work of your wardrobe starts for me. Where you look at, okay, by product category, do you have enough of each category? Do you have enough tops, enough bottoms enough over tops?

So blazers, sweaters, things you layer on top of the top. Um, do you wear more dresses and pants? Does the proportion of dresses and pants that you own match that? Mm-hmm. I know I often hear women saying, oh, I own more dresses than I actually wear. Because in the end, on the daily I wear pants. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. Yeah.

Justine: Then you need more trousers and less dresses. You know, this kind of analysis really based on the numbers, like what does your life actually look like, and then where do you have gaps? 

Gabrielle: Yeah. It's an ongoing process. 

Justine: So, if you're missing pants, right? It's a curation process and editing process. If you are missing pants, then that's what you're looking for the next time you go shopping.

Mm-hmm. And you're not just going like. [00:10:00] Let's see where that takes us. And then you come up with full bags of stuff you didn't know you needed, you're not going to wear, and they probably don't even match your body type because they look cute on the model, but that's not how your body looks like.

Mm-hmm. Shiny object syndrome. This looks like great. Really, right? Hmm? Did you think you needed it before entering the shop? Hmm. Maybe not, right? And so at one point you will have the right proportions of each garment category, and then if you wanna go further and aim for the one-piece-in-one-piece-out principle, once you have enough in terms of the number, it has to stay this way.

Otherwise you start hoarding again, right? Mm-hmm. So just like you do with books, many people do that with books when they buy one book. They have to give or sell or whatever, another book. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: That's tough love.

Gabrielle: I know. 

Justine: Especially for books as far as I'm concerned, but like this prevents your wardrobe from from

Gabrielle: Ballooning out.

Justine: Ballooning, [00:11:00] that's the right word. Yeah. And then really it's about focusing on quality and the pieces that you know you're gonna wear many times because it's not the price tag that really matters is the price tag divided by the number of times you're gonna wear that item. And so if you're focused on that, you have a much more thoughtful and less hoarding approach to your wardrobe.

And in fact, on the mid to long term, you're actually saving money as well because you avoid so many decision regrets and garments that you worn like once or twice. And so it wasn't worth buying them. 

Gabrielle: And I think that the cost per wear is a really important mm-hmm kind of number to start factoring in, especially when you're switching to pieces that have a little bit more quality because they might be more expensive.

But when you actually have that number in front of you, of the ethically made sweater that you wear five times a week, basically, versus the dress that was cheaper, but you never wear, that cost per wear is going to even out and it's gonna be clear that the better [00:12:00] investment is the ethically made sweater, even if it costs more. So...

Justine: For sure, especially considering that we own more and more clothes, like every study conducted in the last 30 years shows that we own more than the last study measured. Like it's insane. So, we had less clothes 40 years ago and nobody was walking around naked. Yeah, right. So people managed to buy clothes at any budget.

Of course, there are different budgets and and lifestyles, et cetera, but no, you do not need more clothes. It's not an easy thing to acknowledge, but I think it's really the first step. 

Gabrielle: Absolutely. And I think it's one that you kind of have to sit with and kind of temper your reactive needs or your dopamine seeking behavior, because we tend to be like a new garment that's gonna make me feel good, that's gonna make me like my style again.

And we conflate happiness in the moment with authentic personal style. And they're, they're two different things, right? 

Justine: That and trends.

Gabrielle: Yes. [00:13:00] Okay. 

Justine: The faster the trends or the trend cycles, the more you feel that what you own is outdated and you feel like you need new, you need different, you need something else, and you keep shopping.

While personal style is actually based on timeless principles, like what colors suits your skin, your hair, the way you look, you yeah personally, the proportions that you have, your body type, et cetera. Uh, your personal preferences, which decade do you feel inspired by? Like those things are not dependent on trends.

Trends are great on my YouTube channel. I also make videos about trends. They serve a different purpose for me though, trends are options that you can pick and choose from. If the options that you are seeing one season suits your style and your taste. Mm-hmm. But trends for me are optional. They're like creative input.

That you can choose to take or leave. Yeah, and I say that pretty much in every trend video I make. I'm like a broken record, but that's really how trends should be taken. It's like food for thought, add a touch of something somewhere. They should [00:14:00] not question your entire style because otherwise, two seasons later or two years later, your entire style will feel dated.

If that happens, then you are not on timeless style, like you're not on the principles that really suit you, you are mm-hmm. rooting on trends. Yeah. 

Gabrielle: And I think that's a wardrobe balance problem too. If your entire wardrobe is based on trends and you're going to be turning them over, would you say it's accurate to say that's not a sustainable approach because there's nothing that's lasting through there? Or can or can you do that? 

Justine: Probably not. Probably not. I mean, trends come and go. They can also be cyclical, but like longer cycles. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: So now we are in revival from the nineties. But like then it probably will be out of trend for a solid 20 years before it comes back again. Like, Hmm. It's a long timeframe to work with if you choose nineties as your style. 

Gabrielle: I also think it's speeding up too. We're seeing so many of these micro trends creeping up so quickly that it's, even if you wanted to [00:15:00] be trend focused, it's almost like, is there a way to take on every trend? No. You would be buying something new every day if you tried to do that.

Justine: No. And where you headed is micro trends pushed by fast fashion brands, I think.

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: Right? Like because fast fashion brands launch new collections every two weeks instead of twice a year, originally fashion houses, like it's 50 years ago. Mm-hmm. Every two weeks. Then you need to suggest and offer many more trends for the next collection to be relevant and interesting.

So if you are going for trends from fast fashion brands, you'll be out of date, not in two seasons, but like in two weeks.

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: That's what gives people the feeling of, oh my God, like it trend on trend on trend on trend. Everything is accelerating. It's pushed and it's produced by fast fashion brands to sell more.

Gabrielle: Yeah, and I mean, as a fashion designer we can talk about this, like the idea that, there used to be two seasons and two collections a year, [00:16:00] and all the time that went into creating those and the time that those designers back in the day would take to make sure the fabric is beautiful, the seams are in the right place, the fit is beautiful, the care that went into the bindings and the novelties and everything that went into that.

You cannot do that in a two-week timeframe. You are cutting so many corners. And even more so than that, it's a consumption mechanism, right? Because we have, mm-hmm. In two weeks, if you're putting out a new collection, it has to be completely different to encourage more people to buy. You can't say, oh, this is just slightly different version.

Justine: That's right. And also the speed forces you to simplify. So those, I don't know, H & M t-shirts that look new every two weeks. The colors are new, the prints are new, the pattern is very similar, and they all look almost square because that's what fits everyone. It's easier and faster to sew. So you actually have less [00:17:00] options when you buy fast fashion in terms of proportions, in terms of materials used, in terms of construction. Which I'm sure as a fashion trained person, you appreciate as well. Like those garments in fast fashion are very, very simple. Mm-hmm. Like the dresses have no lining because lining is more expensive. A dress without lining is way less comfortable though.

Like people used to make linings for a reason. Yeah. And so if you skip all this, then you have a dress that rides up when you walk because you're missing a lining. It twists when you sit down and you're like, you keep having to put that skirt back in place. That's because the construction is not proper.

Gabrielle: Yeah. And it's almost unfixable too. You buy a garment that's a well-made garment that has the lining, that has all the proper seam allowances. You can take it to a tailor and say, Hey, you know, I need it to be let out along the sides. Can we do that? Like make it that perfect garment? That you feel good wearing wherever you go.

You take that fast fashion thing that is knit and has been surged on the [00:18:00] inside. They're gonna say, well, sorry, it's just stretchy. That's what it is. Or it's just a box we can't add princess seems to fit your bust or extend this to be something that fits your body like a glove.

Justine: Right, and as a woman who's a pear shape. Mm-hmm. So with a narrow waist and wider hips, I would know that the waist is always too wide and has to be taken in on tailored garments for me. You wouldn't take a $5 garment to a tailor. 

Gabrielle: No. 

Justine: It just makes zero sense. But a good suit you would take in the waist.

And you look fabulous. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. And I think a lot of people are having a little bit of an identity crisis being like, clothes just don't look good on me. I don't have style. And it's really not them. It's a result of where the fashion industry is today. 

Justine: Yeah. It's not you is the garment. 

Gabrielle: It is, yes. Yes. So we've already discussed a little bit about the fashion world and everything. But, like, what are the most common pitfalls that [00:19:00] people fall into or hurdles that people might get when they're starting, like a wardrobe refresh or a sustainable or ethical fashion building?

Justine: That's a very good question. I think the first step is to realize that sustainable, like a sustainable wardrobe does not mean beige linen... 

Gabrielle: thank you. 

Justine: Be you that shrinks when you wash it and loses its shape when you wear it. Um, that was 50 years ago. It's not the case anymore. You have just as many options in sustainable stuff as you have in not sustainable stuff.

There are many, many, many brands nowadays that offer ethically, sustainably made garments and accessories and everything. 

Gabrielle: Like yours. 

Justine: Well sourced leather, like from my handbags, uh, biodegradable, dyed without chemicals, et cetera. Ooh, I could write a book about this if you get me started, we are here until tomorrow.

But like, you have enough options. The problem is those brands are usually less famous and less present in the media, so you kind of have to [00:20:00] do a little bit more research. That is true, that's true. And especially question sustainability claims. When a brand says, sustainably-made. Are they supporting what they're saying?

Like really challenge that and ask for questions. If they have the customer service, ask them. That's what they're here for. Answer questions. Can you please tell me about the production process? The more detailed and transparent they are, the better. But it does take a bit of research, especially when the price tag is low.

For me, any sustainability claim is bs like. It's not physically possible, mathematically possible to have a $5 price tag and a sustainability claim. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: That just doesn't work. So, once you've understood that, I think shop from smaller labels, I can speak for Europe because that's where I live here on the High Street in city centers, most of the stores that you see are chains.

They're not independent labels or anything like that. And most of them, like most, most [00:21:00] of them by far are produced in countries where labor is exploited. That's how they can afford such low price tags. So those places for me are all out. Mm-hmm. The solution is go to, like, marketplaces, of curated designer shops, boutiques, physically or online.

And I think online you have more options and , more brands that maybe don't even have any physical stores that you can access because they do ship to you. So I'm a big fan of online shopping for ethical purposes, blogs, review brands. And often do it very well. Um, small fashion brands on Instagram.

I love to support, especially women-owned fashion businesses that I find on Instagram. I really get a kit from it. I love it. And usually what they make is so much better anyway. So it's a win-win.

Gabrielle: I feel like shopping for small designers or finding these brands and hearing their story is so important because of sustainability is really like a value point for them, a pillar of their business.

I. They're gonna wanna talk about it. It's not gonna be one sentence in [00:22:00] their bio or a little green leaf. It's gonna be, here's our whole process. This is why these clothes cost $250 instead of $5, and I'm going to share, you know, that this is where we source, and this is why, and this is why it's better than this.

I think that people really, when they're passionate about this, want to share it. So it's just kind of opening your eyes up to the non quick pace, right? People get excited about fashion, they get excited to buy something, to have a new style, and then it's like, boom, I'm going to Amazon, I'm buying a T-shirt because I now know that I'm a pear shape and this silhouette works good on me.

And it's like you just have to slow down. Do you find that patience is usually where people kind of fall off with this, that they have to research and like build that knowledge and that process up? 

Justine: I mean, I can only say that from the brand's perspective. Mm-hmm. Because that's, that's what I know. It often happens that people who are completely new to my world [00:23:00] would comment or send me a DM on Instagram or an email or whatever, saying, how is this so expensive?

This is so unaffordable. Mm-hmm. And at the same time, people who are familiar with my work, who take the time maybe to read the, I have a full production page on my website. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: And they shop a bag and then they write. This happens like literally every week. Every week of the year, they buy a bag, they receive it, and then they write.

This is the first time that I bought a designer handbag. I cannot believe the level of quality. Yeah. For an affordable price. So it's like completely the opposite. Mm-hmm. Once they understand what gets into a bag, they're like, I get it. Okay. Okay. I understand everything that's behind that price tag.

And in the bag I also have a QR code. In each of the bags of the different bags in my line. And if you scan the secure code, it takes you to an extra page where you have the entire supply chain for the handbag line. Like where the heart is 

Gabrielle: from. That's my point. 

Justine: How it's coated, how it's built, [00:24:00] the prototypes, the, the leather, how it's made, why it's biodegradable, how we tanned it with mimosa instead of chrome, because chrome is toxic and gets transferred to the skin when you touch it.

Ah, yes. And it's so unsustainable because of that. So we tan with mimosa. Why the lining is that color inside? It's because this way you can find your keys in the dark and whatnot. Like the entire thought process and sourcing and production of the handbags is on that page. And I haven't had so far a person who buys the bag, raise that information and then tells me this is not worth the price. Oh, this has never happened. 

Gabrielle: Of course, 

Justine: never 

Gabrielle: because you talk about the process. This is a value point for you. This is the life you lead and it comes through in your work and you want to tell people all about it. 

Justine: And it also so much more work from the brand's perspective to source and produce ethically rather than not.

Gabrielle: Oh, of course. 

Justine: And that's often something people are [00:25:00] not aware about. I think because production is production, everything. Everything needs sewing. But like, no, the sourcing is actually a lot more complicated. Finding the right production partners as well, and then supervising that, making sure that every step of the process is really ethical and sustainable.

This is a full-time job. Yeah. Um, yeah. When I'm in. 

Gabrielle: So you wanna talk production phase? 

Justine: That's all I do. Yeah. I do it. And that's, that's all I do. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. Do you wanna talk a little bit about how you started your line and how you found those ethical processes? Because it's not when you're going into it, you have knowledge and you have to find the right partners. You have to find the right materials, you have to look at it from such a broad perspective, right? It's not just, Hey, there's a company in China and they're just gonna do everything for me. And you know, I got bulk fabric on wholesale and that'll do. 

Justine: Wholesale, right? Yeah. So we don't have that in Europe. 

Gabrielle: Oh, okay.

Justine: I remember that from when I was studying in the US. My production and [00:26:00] sourcing is completely in Europe, first off. So if I want good knitting threads, for instance, I know that I can go to Italy. If I want a Jersey machine knitting like a t-shirt or a lightweight knitted top, I know I can go to Portugal. If I want heavier weight knits, I know it's in Poland, et cetera. Jacquard fabrics, the French are really good in that, around Léon, in that area. So that's all knowledge that I've gained over time. 

Um, to answer your question, how did I learn all that? It was a painful, very long process because those suppliers are not very digital. 

Gabrielle: No. 

Justine: So I visited all the fabric fairs and production fairs you can imagine.

In all of Western Europe at least twice per year to learn like, okay, where's the good stuff? Like how is that organized? Who has the know-how to do that kind of thing? Who can sew leather properly? Yeah, that took a couple of years, 

Gabrielle: I imagine. 

Justine: Now I know from the top of my head if I'm looking for this, I know x is the [00:27:00] country or this kind of company. I also have requirements of the company size I work with. For instance, I don't wanna be the smallest client of the company 'cause that's not a good situation to be in when you are negotiating. But I also certainly don't want to be the biggest one or only one because then they're very dependent on me and it means that they're not safe as a company.

Like, yeah. How fast fashion brands operate. Just to give you some background context, they make production companies in Southeast Asia completely dependent on their orders and then they have the bigger leverage. Mm-hmm. I think that's a very unhealthy relationship to have with a producer. So I don't work like that and I make sure that I'm like a mid-size client for them, that they have a healthy customer portfolio, you know? Yeah. For me, that's part of doing it ethically as well. Like I don't want to be able to press them and like, how do you say, strong arm them. Yeah. Into accepting my conditions that wouldn't be ethical either. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. You want it to be a [00:28:00] relationship, like a partnership where both people feel like they can speak and they can define their needs, and it can be a reciprocal conversation that grows. 

So you seem like you have so much knowledge about this and you've really put all of your knowledge and your values into your brand. Where did you start with sustainable style yourself? Like was this just something, a hobby? Was it something that's always been taught to you? Tell us a little bit about your journey, if you don't mind.

Justine: That starts a very long time ago when I was tiny, cute, and full of energy. Jokes aside, I was actually a very small child and now I'm one meter 80, so things can change. 

Gabrielle: I was gonna say, yeah. 

Justine: That, that's 5 11, 5 inches. 11. Yeah. Five feet, 11. So when I was little, I had only secondhand clothes. Because this is what my family could afford.

Either bought for one or $2 or the equivalent or handed out from my older cousins. Like [00:29:00] that's how it was. And I mean, it was fine. Those clothes were good. Like I was the ex of owner of the garment and it still works, right? I never really questioned that. And then when I was a student, that's the time when H&M's are our prime mark and everything all took off.

And suddenly they were in every city center in Europe, like every pedestrian area in the old towns, you had an H&M in the best position on the street. Like, whoa, how did that happen? And I remember going there as a student, I was still broke, but, but I had internships and stuff that was paid, so I had a bit of money.

And I remember being able for the first time to enter an H&M and come out with bags full of clothes thinking this feels amazing. Mm-hmm. I'm so cool. Like the, it's, I think it's a, it's a claim from a past chain campaign, right? Shop like a billionaire? 

Gabrielle: Oh. Uh, yeah, that sounds... 

Justine: Which is very smart because that's the feeling it [00:30:00] gives you, even though it's so unethical, let's not go there.

Um, so I was shopping from fast fashion shops, like $70 on one day, which I had never done, right? And it felt like I could afford anything. But then I got home, my closet grew dramatically, and then after a few wears and washes. The seams twisted, all the fabric shrunk, like, all my tops were too short and I have a long torso, so I noticed mm-hmm.

Um, the thread was not properly sewed and stopped, so everything would come undone. Like what? Hey, because the garments that I used to have, this didn't happen even though they were like 20 years old. So the level of quality was obviously, visibly so much lower and I got sick of it really quickly. 

So I went back to shopping secondhand and vintage for a while now I'd say it's a mix, but the average garment in my closet is a couple years old, at least. 

Gabrielle: That's amazing. 

Justine: That's even the new ones. Yeah. I think shopping secondhand has many [00:31:00] advantages also. I know many people say like, secondhand woo. Like, I wanna be able to afford new clothes.

I don't want to wear clothes already worn by someone else. And what I think is completely different, because if you buy what's in stores right now, you only have like the current trend. Whereas if you shop secondhand, vintage, like older stuff, you have all the past decades of fashion history to pick from.

Yeah, so actually you can get much better personal style if you have a mix of new and old clothes. 

Gabrielle: Absolutely.

Justine: I mean, that's the best argument for it I think. And I have accessories and things like great deals that I bought secondhand. I still wear them. They're absolutely timeless. What else can I ask for?

Gabrielle: Yeah. And when you dig into consignment and vintage pieces, not only are you getting something completely unique to you, but there's also more of a value connection for it. You're like, this is mine. Like I, I, it was a treasure hunt. 

Justine: I found it. 

Gabrielle: I found it. 

Justine: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Gabrielle: And I'm like probably the only person in this little area that has this piece. [00:32:00] And also even to expand upon it. There's different styling techniques, different fit techniques over different decades. So if you struggle with some of the fashion that's coming out right now, like everything's oversized, maybe going back a few decades, well you'll find your perfect silhouette, your perfect proportion that was common then. So there's so much wealth there. 

Justine: Exactly. Exactly. Kate Moss has the perfect body for the nineties. Mm-hmm. Yeah. If you are curvy, good luck. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: However, if you look into the fifties shelf... 

Gabrielle: Perfect. 

Justine: You're a queen. Like you'll find everything you want. Yeah, exactly. 

Gabrielle: So do you think that for someone who's struggling with a sustainable journey starting it, do you think that secondhand shopping is also a path they might want to explore?

And if so, where do they start with that? 

Justine: It is a great way to experiment, I think. You can just browse things in a good vintage shop, right? I wouldn't start with one that is super crowded and that has [00:33:00] no curation. I feel like it's always a bit overwhelming, even if I know personally what I look for, but like I still think like too much crowded.

I can't see anything. So I would always advise to start with shops that are better curated. So a bit more high-end vintage and secondhand shops where the salespeople are of good advice. And I would start by asking them like, this is what I'm looking for, this is my body shape. Any suggestions? And usually because they curate their own shops, they know exactly where to look and they will recommend the right thing.

Then it's up to you to experiment, like find colors that you're attracted to look at many garments and see, okay, this I like. Why this? I don't like. Okay, why not? Because this, these are learnings as well. And little by little, by doing this and by like looking at lots of things, you get a feeling for what your style and your taste actually is.

Gabrielle: Yeah. And , narrowing that down is like the first step before you even go into the store kind of understanding who you are so that timelessness can come through. But from what I'm [00:34:00] hearing of what you're saying, it's really interesting 'cause I, I just thought about this now, it sounds like personal connection to the brands you're shopping, to the people who are selling them to the shops that you are supporting.

Should maybe be more of a priority in our wardrobe building. Like, stop buying from this nameless company or limit what you're buying from this nameless company. Because you don't know what they stand for. You don't know what they're creating. 

Justine: Yeah. Buying from people is probably great advice. You're right. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. Like I love that you have those QR codes. 

Justine: And it works for me. Yeah. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. And like people are connecting with you in some sense. They're saying we share the same values. Like I do wanna learn how you tan the leather and I wanna learn, you know, why that's important to you and how you view that as something really intrinsically valuable.

And also when you get the piece, you're so much more connected to it. There's a story behind that. Mm-hmm. It's a big journey to start this as a designer or as a consumer, right? What are some of the pitfalls that [00:35:00] maybe people should watch out for when they're, getting into the ethical fashion world?

Is it always expensive for Right. You know, all these little things that's, 

Justine: That's what I hear the most. 

Gabrielle: I know. 

Justine: The I can't afford it. argument. And I have a lot to say about this. 

Gabrielle: Okay. I'm ready. 

Justine: The first thing I would answer is, yes, you can afford it. 

Gabrielle: I agree. 

Justine: You just believe you can't because fast fashion brands trained you to believe that they're affordable and that everything else is unaffordable and out of reach.

And so you've come to learn it and believe it, but it's not true. Yeah, because you can choose to buy less pieces. Instead of five fast fashion tops, you buy one. I mean, if you buy with the same budget, you buy one vintage garment, it's gonna be a great one. Yeah. At that price. Yeah. So the I can't afford it is not true.

You just haven't made a priority to buy less and to pay more for each piece, which is hard to swallow because there are still people [00:36:00] who will say, well, no, no. In my case, I really cannot afford more. And that might be true, but for 95% of people in the countries fast fashion is created for, which are Europe, north America, mainly Australia, Japan.

These countries you probably can afford more. Hard truth. 

Gabrielle: And also people are so used to fast fashion like degrading and turning into a worthless garment in six months or less that they think, I can't afford this 'cause I'm gonna have to buy something new in six months. But when you buy the ethically made quality piece, you can keep it for years.

So it's like a calculation that's missing there of, you know, you don't have to overturn those pieces so frequently. 

Justine: Exactly. So if you wear each piece more often and you keep each piece longer and people who've switched from fast fashion to a more sustainable and ethical wardrobe tell me that they now spend less money on clothing. Fact.

Gabrielle: I bet they get dressed year. 

Justine: And they're also surprised because it [00:37:00] doesn't seem intuitive, does it? But it's the case. 

Another objection is like, if I stop shopping fast fashion, then those people making the garments won't have jobs anymore.

 Who, 

who, let me take the example of Bangladesh which is one I'm familiar with. Bangladesh used to be very strong on agriculture. and basically self-sufficient. In the past couple of decades, they have specialized in producing clothes, so they've shifted from agriculture to industry to production, and they specialized in low value clothes.. that all get exported. It's not that they can't sew better or better quality, it's just that they have taken the, the slots kind of the role mm-hmm. Of very low cost clothing production. Everything gets exported mainly to the US and then to Europe main markets. And by now it's about one third of the country's exports. That consists of fast fashion garments. So they're extremely dependent canceling their order or whoever produces there at the [00:38:00] moment. It changes every now and then, but like classical fast fashion brands, they almost all produce at least something in Bangladesh right now. They're not self-sufficient in agriculture anymore, so they have to import food and other know-hows are dying in the country.

 Because people rush to the cities to become garment workers. Find out that the salary actually does not allow them to feed their families because the legal minimum wage is under the poverty level, right? The yeah. Mm-hmm. And then when COVD hit a couple of years ago, some fast fashion brands who had already ordered productions and the productions were already finished, said, you can keep it.

Our shops are closed. So we're not gonna sell it anyway, so you can just, you know, do whatever you want with it. We're not gonna receive it and pay for it. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. 

Justine: Imagine the situation. 

Gabrielle: I mean yeah, you're creating a country that, yeah, you're creating a country that is 

Justine: So by buying fast fashion in the end.

Yeah. You're pushing that [00:39:00] country into poverty basically. You make them dependent. And so no, it's not charitable of you to buy fast fashion garments. 

Gabrielle: Yeah, the whole country's economy is now dependent on these very uncharitable countries, and you've basically stripped away their internal support.

Like you were talking about how when you choose a partner to work with for knitting or anything. You want it to be an even relationship, right? Mm-hmm. Like you give me something, I give you something. I don't wanna be your biggest client. I don't wanna be your smallest client, but you've created an economy where that country is so reliant on this one form of business that if another country decides to open this up and undercut you, your whole economy has now almost collapsed, as was the case with Covid.

Justine: That's right. Bangladesh is currently one of the cheapest countries you can produce in. Mm-hmm. And again, they have great know-how in sewing, in fashion production. It's not like they can only do low cost, it's not the case at all, but they're like stuck in that [00:40:00] role. If the government decides we are gonna improve laws mm-hmm for working conditions or workers' rights or whatever, fast fashion, really are gonna say, okay, we are moving to, I don't know, another country in Africa that will build the capabilities for us and the production capacity and that is cheaper.

Yeah, Bye. So they're also like, even the governments are stuck. They cannot really help improve the conditions for the people there because they're already so dependent. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. And who knows in a decade if there's gonna be a different country pop up that now undercuts Bangladesh. Bangladesh is now in a lot of trouble, right?

Justine: Probably because things change Over the last decade, China used to be like the lowest production country, and now it's more expensive than other countries in Asia. Africa is ramping up. South America is ramping up and fast fashion brands are always looking and pitching new opportunities. if they can save a few cents somewhere else, they'll shift the entire production there. They have done it several times already. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. There's no [00:41:00] connection and there's no value of the skill it takes to actually create a garment. 

Justine: Um, no. This is completely undervalued. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. And I mean, sewing is kind of a dying art, but like. You know how to sew. I know how to sew. It is a time consuming, detail oriented process. Like, people deserve a good wage for knowing how to build these garments with such precision. 

Justine: Yeah. And I'm laughing because it makes so many memories pop up in my mind from fashion school. Like, I know how to sew a garment very well. Yeah. But I'm very slow. 

Gabrielle: Oh yeah, me too. 

Justine: Because, because it's kind of one or the other. I'm a slow sewer. I can do it properly, but it's gonna take time. Whereas in production, sometimes I see women who sew at the level of quality. I. But like so much faster. It's incredible. And I admire them because I'm like physically unable. Um, so yeah, I, I understand what you're saying. The value of sewing is completely [00:42:00] underestimated.

Gabrielle: I know. People, once they start, they're like, oh my God, that's how long it takes to do a binding or an invisible zipper. Like, I had no idea even just changing the feet and setting it up and, you know, it's like. 

Justine: Sewing bias tape. 

Gabrielle: All encompassing. Yes. 

Justine: Or, or any garment that's cut on the bias. 

Gabrielle: Don't, don't get me started on well pockets.

I remember crying about sewing a welt pocket. I was like, how does this one little pocket have like 13 steps? Um, okay. So give us your top tip for, a fashion journey that can have a lasting impact. Like what is the one thing that people should kind of take away? 

Justine: Personally, I would always start with what's my personal style?

What do I like? And maybe this looks like a mood board. Mm-hmm. What do I, like, who do I look up to? Who's my fashion idol? Um, everybody answers Grace Skelly, but like, 

Gabrielle: Fantastic. 

Justine: It's easier if it's somebody alive because then you can find street [00:43:00] style photos, um, on Google. Yeah. And then it's a little bit more.

Practical to mm-hmm build your board and get inspiration from nothing against Grace Kelly. She looked amazing. So start by defining your personal style. And for that, I would always look not in fashion, but like in other areas. Who's your favorite novel character? Who's your favorite movie character?

Which colors are you attracted to? Meaning, which ones do you already have in your wardrobe? Because usually you pick them because you like them. Which colors do you feel like you look great in and which one do you look completely sick in? For me, it's orange. So orange is like out. I know. At least I know forever.

Yeah. so that exercise of really looking for anchor points and references as your basis, and then you put all that together, that's, that's a mood board. And then every time you shop or look or ponder whether to buy this or that, look at that mood board and wonder would that fit onto that mood board?

Mm-hmm. [00:44:00] Yeah. Or is it completely different and both things together, I swear completely. And like the, uh, it gets very obvious when you have a basis to benchmark the government on. If that makes sense. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. It's that comparison point of would this fit in the same story are we telling? Mm-hmm. Is this the same movie we're creating?

Is it the same painting? You know, you're not throwing in, you know, Daffy Duck into Pride and prejudice, or, you know, like whatever it is. I'm pretty sure that you talk a lot about this on your YouTube channel. So tell us a little bit where people can find you and what you offer.

Justine: We've talked a lot about trends versus timeless style. I do have a resource, it's a free resource. It's a PDF guide that I created last year, which is called literally Seven Steps to Timeless Style. So if your listeners are interested, they can get it at JustineLeconte.com/timeless. 

Gabrielle: Okay. 

Justine: Actually over 14,000 people have already gotten that PDF guide [00:45:00] and they really feedback, like I have a feedback from at the end and they say it has really helped them understand where to start in defining their personal style.

And it gives a method. So you're not like, absolutely where do I even start? I'm completely overwhelmed. This is like step one, step two, step three, and then it's up to you to branch out. Mm-hmm once you have the confidence. 

Gabrielle: And I think your YouTube channel is also a great place for people to start understanding some of the myths of ethical style where they can go with that information.

They have their personal style, now they're ready to make it sustainable. You are absolutely kind of the guru of that on YouTube, so we'll make's 

Justine: That's very kind. Thank you. 

Gabrielle: We will make sure that 

Justine: I do have over 300 videos on the channel by now.

Gabrielle: Yeah. Wow. 

Justine: So it's quite the library. Yeah. so YouTube is a good place too, and otherwise on Instagram, in between videos. 

Gabrielle: Yeah. We will make sure all of that is in the show notes. So, to end it, let's end with a fun question. We've talked a lot about design. So where did you go to school? How [00:46:00] did you become a fashion designer?

Justine: Originally I studied business. Okay. I worked in business for a few years, and then I went back to school, and that was in New York. It was called Parsons, a new school for design. 

Gabrielle: That's where I also went. So that is, we were, uh, Parsons buddies. 

Justine: Wait, we're school twins. 

Gabrielle: I know. 

Justine: School twins almost. Yeah.

Gabrielle: Well, what, 

Justine: what was your, what was your favorite class? 

Gabrielle: Ooh, probably concepts. I loved the idea of creating the design. That was what got me for it. It was not sewing. Sewing. Oh my God. I know. I cried about the welt pocket. What about you?

Justine: I know exactly which pocket.

Um, I know we probably had the same teacher for that class. Let's not name names. Yes. Um, let's keep it professional. 

Gabrielle: Yes. We'll process the trauma on the inside 

Justine: or offline After this Offline. Yes. Yes. I think my [00:47:00] favorite class was knitwear. 

Gabrielle: Oh, that makes sense. 

Justine: I had a dedicated knitwear class. That's the class where I thought, Ooh, so many clothes sold are like.

Not knitwear and actually everybody's wearing leggings, so clearly there's a gap somewhere and we need more good options in knitwear. That's what got me the concepts, my very first collection for my label. Yeah. When I started was full knitwear, knitwear only amazing collection. Yeah. And I also love the accessory concept class.

Well, like accessories. 

Gabrielle: That kind of makes sense given where your, uh, design career went, uh, knitwear and accessories. Right. Um, 

Justine: yeah. 

Gabrielle: Oh, but that's like 

Justine: an after the aftermath of this, because I did jewelry first for my label. Okay. And I didn't actually have any jewelry class when I studied. I 

Gabrielle: don't, I don't know if they even had one Did they? 'cause that's like molds and stuff. 

Justine: I think an 

Gabrielle: optional one. Okay. I 

Justine: don't 

Gabrielle: know. 

Justine: I missed that one. Which I didn't take at any rate, so, so I didn't have any jewelry [00:48:00] background, but I thought I can figure this out. I know supply chain now. Let's try. Yeah. And it worked out really well. Really well. 

Gabrielle: Well, it led you to, I love this beautiful collection.

 It was just such a joy to have you on. I think you filled people with so much valuable information on where to get started with this incredibly important yet dense topic. And I think you make it very accessible for people. So thank you again, Justine. It was lovely talking to you. 

Justine: Thank you very much for inviting me and thank you for your smart questions.

Gabrielle: Oh, you're so welcome. Okay guys, until next time,