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Social distancing is tough, especially for new parents. Like many, Mother of Pearl’s Amy Powney has found herself at home over the last few weeks, waiting out the after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic. While time spent indoors with a little one is inherently joyful, an unprecedented crisis presents new challenges. As a designer, Powney has always focused on sustainability and ethical fashion. Since the birth of her eight-week-old daughter Niamh, those concerns have been amplified. The childrenswear market is brimming with cute, teensy items that most infants will grow out of in a matter of weeks. Yet somehow Powney has skipped all that in favor of environmentally sound pieces. “My view on fashion remains the same. [Since becoming a mother] it is just strengthened,” shared the British designer via email from London. “We should all embrace self-empowerment through what we wear and buy clothes that we love, just less of them and great quality.”
As such, Niamh’s wardrobe, which Powney regularly shares on Instagram in adorable updates, is composed of hand-me-downs and borrowed items. “Arizona Muse gave me boxes of things from her baby girl, including a crib. The plan is to have the same bundle back on and we can circulate until they are worn out,” says Powney of her model friend. “I’ve also been looking into renting to try and avoid buying too much as I know she will grow out of everything so quickly. I rent basic bundles from Bundlee, and when I have bought pieces, I’ve tried to buy organic cotton where I can. I love Mama Owl and Stella McCartney.”
Aside from shopping eco-conscious baby clothes here and there for her daughter, Powney avoids overconsumption. Earlier this year she launched Fashion Is Our Future, a campaign that encourages people to post a pledge—buying more vintage, avoiding non-biodegradable materials, reusing instead of shopping—that benefits the environment. She’s adapted hers to reflect motherhood. “I promised that, like me, my baby would take them all on! The entire campaign is built around the motto that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” she says. “This means supporting brands that are transparent about their supply chains, over-wearing, and oversharing on social media, renting, buying second hand, and ensuring anything new will be passed on. Reusable nappies are next on the list!”
Busy juggling a newborn, a business, and her continued efforts to push for sustainability in fashion, Powney has seen her style—and creative output—evolve in the last few months. “I have spent my life being super-busy; I can never sit still, even in self-isolation I am embracing housebound things I wish I'd had the time for previously,” she says. “I love easy pieces that I can wear in the day. I can usually be found in a boilersuit and then add a lip or earring and a new fab shoe and go out to events. I hate feeling uncomfortable and I love a uniform, an iconic look like Karl Lagerfeld or Bill Cunningham, it defines you. As Mark Zuckerberg says, it’s one less thing to think about every day if you have a busy mind.” Whether or not that ethos will carry over into Mother of Pearl’s next collection remains to be seen, but for the moment, Powney is focused on matters closer to home. “All babies are different, all mothers are different, and it’s the most wonderful experience, and everyone hits their milestones in their own time,” she says. “For me, when Niamh was at six weeks and giggling away, that changed my entire life for the best, and it will never go back.”
