This month my mission is focussed on creating a real silk that is also vegan. I figured if I can find enough empty cocoons, wild and discarded by their original inhabitant, this silk, originating from a waste product and not being from an animal kept captive or killed, would indeed be vegan.

Obviously this is not a mass production product, nor particularly commercial, but it will make a great piece of art.

Do you want to help me, and the amazing artist Mikey Georgeson, who is collaborating with me on this project, achieve our aim?

You can back our kickstarter and find out more here

I and the moths thank you enormously!

Ms Tammam

The post A vegan silk… we’re going to find one! appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I didn’t make a new collection this season, instead at Tammam, we made a film.

Slow fashion lives longer (and looks better)….and darlings did you know – just because someone says they are ethical, doesn’t mean they are…. of course you can trust me, and if you don’t – take a look at the transparency of Tammam, on our websites.

Watch Ms Tammam Comments On; Green-washing in the fashion industry on YouTube

Yours in white-washed green-wash

Ms Tammam

The post London Fashion Week (and Green Washing) appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years and vegan for much of that, yet as a natural carnivore with constant cravings for flesh (and lover of meat substitute of all kinds), I was intrigued and couldn’t resist a trip to The Vegetarian Butcher concept store, in The Hague, full of the finest vegetarian “meat” around.

I happened to be there for a meeting recently, so on my way back to Amsterdam, where I stayed at the eco conscious and vegan friendly Albus Hotel (see my review on Ethical Hedonist soon),  I popped in to see what the Veg Butcher was all about…

I was greeted by Paul, the chef , who isn’t even a vegetarian, but proclaimed that since he opened the Butcher 4 years ago and he has cut down on meat consumption, he feels much healthier. Like me, the Dutch are lovers of the taste of meat and The Vegetarian Butcher caters to them, by creating very true tasting alternatives. Although only about 50% of the products are vegan (whey and egg are used in some), my favorite, which is vegan, was the chicken, it seemed so real I was amazed.

Paul admits the products are still a processed food, but they are much healthier than eating too much meat. They also add iron and B12 to the protein rich items, which are all frozen to cut out the need for preservatives, to ensure they fulfil all your nutritional, as well as taste and texture needs.

Just what any good vegan fashionista needs, right?

Yours in a vegan meat frenzy.

Ms Tammam

The post Eco couturier meets The Vegetarian Butcher appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Paris has just hosted another Couture Fashion Week where the cream of fashion is showcased for the unutterably rich and insanely fashionable to lust over.

Couture is about craftsmanship. The word “couture” is the french for “sewing”, “seam” or “dressmaking” and “haute” means “high”. In Paris couture is the highest of the high.

The reason is simple, true couture has to adhere to the highest standards of craftsmanship, production methods and materials. A genuine couture garment is in itself a work of art. Almost impossible to replicate precisely due to the amount of hand work that has gone into making it and often taking weeks or even months to be made. An ideal option for a wedding dress, if you are looking for something really special.

Unfortunately there is a dark side of couture, which many followers seem to turn a blind eye to. It is well known that many of the couture houses are great friends with fur (companies) and although there are waves of fur being en vogue OR totally unacceptable, there are always going to be people who want it – despite the supermodels’ best efforts….

Here is the mini “Karlito” by Fendi in mink, silver fox and goat fur. Its a totally pointless, unattractive, strange little bag charm, which not only doesn’t have any real use, it is also ensuring the murder of innocent animals.

Of course at Atelier Tammam you can rest assured that we won’t be using any dead animals, in fact we are an entirely vegan company with the exception of our peace silks, which come from empty cocoons, ensuring the moth is allowed to fly away (rather than getting boiled alive like in conventional silk production) and occasionally some vintage silks, if we are given them. We have never used any furs or leathers in our collections and have spent years developing alternatives to traditional animal fibre materials for our creations. We work to haute couture standards, using traditional craftsmanship, many skilled hands (always fair trade, often in India or Nepal to support communities there as well as in our London atelier) and the most luxurious of materials  – all sustainably sourced.

Proof that cruelty free couture can be glorious too.
See my couture week round – up of the best gowns on the catwalk in Paris this season.

Yours in Haute Couture

Mme Tammam

The post Haute couture for the vegan fashionista appeared first on Chic Vegan.

For our last fabulous fashionista event, the goody-bag bags were provided by the wonderful Lush who also provided some gorgeous vegan lipsticks, bath bombs and soaps hand made especially for the event.

Inside the bag you could also find more amazing vegan treats from a range of fantastic companies including PopChips salt and pepper, salt and vinegar or original, Oh! Organics lip balms, toners eye creams and other skincare delights, Hodmedods British beans – UK grown Fava beans to be precise, Vegusto the best vegan cheese out there, Sacred Vodka the best hand crafted vodka out there!, Chocshot delicious chocolate alternative that is vegan, healthy and delicious, Mr Prempys divine raw cakes, delicious Mara Seaweed to make any vegan meal taste delicious, our favourite raw chocolate from Conscious and Zephorium soul tonics (yes they were big bountiful bags!)

They also included some of the fantastic Cakes ‘n’ Treats cake. Divine!

We are making up a new batch of fabulous vegan fashionista goody bags for our summer promotion – if you want to be in with a chance of winning one and feeling like a VIP follower of fashion folly – follow @HouseOFTammam on Twitter and tweet to us using the hash tag #TammamGoodyBag – telling us why you deserve a bag full of vegan treats. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted at the end of the summer promotion.

Yours with goodies

Ms Tammam

The post Oh so fabulous vegan fashion goody bags – dahling!! appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I promise next time I will give you some fashion insights, but this week all I can think about is A Sustainable World 2014 Art competition and exhibition.

I have been running this competition to find some fabulous vegan sustainable and cruelty free art for my atelier. We have been overwhelmed by the number of entries as well as the quality of them.

You can see who was shortlisted at AtelierTammam.com/sustartcomp or better still join us to view the exhibition in person at Atelier Tammam, 5 Hastings street, London, WC1H 9PZ (a rare opportunity to visit the atelier without an appointment).

The exhibition is open to the public and artworks are available to buy with profits going to animal welfare charities.

Friday 16th – 11am – 6pm

Saturday 17th – 11am – 4pm

Sunday 18th – 12 – 4pm

Monday 19th – 11am to 4pm

I personally can’t wait, but first I have to play hostess at the private view, where famous vegan Meg Matthews will be joined by art industry insiders and celebrity ecoistas, as well as the shortlisted artists for a night of exclusive viewing, a fabulous vegan reception sponsored by Vegusto, Sacred and Pop Chips plus one of our infamous goody bags… want to know what’s inside? Check the SustArtComp Facebook after the event and covet the bags full of vegan treats….!

Yours in Art (back to couture next week)

Ms Tammam

The post A Vegan Art Exhibition appeared first on Chic Vegan.

For my first post on this fabulous site I’d like to let you all know about  a competition we are hosting at Atelier Tammam.

I have been looking for artwork for the walls of my bijoux showroom in Bloomsbury for months, but nothing was working for me, I wanted something that would reflect not only beauty and creativity, but also that has a sustainable cruelty free message.

So A Sustainable World 2014 was launched. An opportunity for visual artists to create a piece of “activist art” to win a coveted spot on our awaiting walls. 10 Finalists will win a place at our  4 day exhibition (where they can chose to sell their work if desired), including being showcased to a host of VIPs and Industry experts and judged by our amazing panel, including PETAs Meg Mathews and contemporary art legend Mikey Georgeson.

3 Finalists will win a spot on the wall of the atelier for up to a year.

One overall winner will see their artwork developed into a textiles print and used to create a Tammam couture gown (vegan of course) and worn for a celebrity photoshoot. It might even get a trip down a red carpet or two.

How very exciting!

If you’d like to enter or know someone who would the information is all here

You can like our Facebook page to be kept up to date with it all and put the 16^th-19^th May in your diaries and come to the Atelier for a rare chance to come inside (without an appointment) and see the work of our shortlisted artists.

Yours in vegan chicness

Ms Tammam

The post Vegan Couturier Mme Tammam and her sustainable art competition appeared first on Chic Vegan.