5 dresses for a more sustainable summer 

This World Environment Day, we’re shining a spotlight on some of the more sustainable fabrics we use to reduce the environmental impact of our collections. From organically grown cotton to polyester made from recycled plastic bottles, more sustainable fabrics make up 52% of our collections today and will make up 90% of our collection by 2025. 

Get inspired by our pick of five more sustainable summer dresses and learn about the fabrics that made them. 

1. The organic cotton dress

Benita Organic Cotton Dress

The Benita Dress has a full skirt and billowing sleeves to keep you feeling cool, in eye-catching sunset hues to brighten up every day. Its organic cotton fabric is grown using methods and materials that are kinder to the environment. This cotton avoids toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilisers to make production safer for people and wildlife. It’s also supremely soft and breathable to wear, especially in floaty silhouettes like this one. 

2. The sustainable cotton dress 

Gracie Sustainable Cotton Dress

Nothing says summer like a crisp, pure-cotton tea dress. The Gracie Dress brings retro appeal with its cinched waist, full skirt and vintage-inspired print. And it’s crafted from ‘more sustainable cotton’, which means cotton that’s been produced by farmers who are trained in sustainable agricultural practices. These farmers grow cotton in a way that reduces stress on the local environment and improves the livelihoods and welfare of farming communities.  

3. The linen dress

Linen Midi Dress

For a versatile sunshine staple, look no further than this chic Linen Midi Dress. Linen is made from the flax plant, which relies solely on rainfall, is grown without the use of GMOs, and produces zero waste, making it the ultimate choice for sustainable clothing. Linen’s also lightweight and breezy by nature, especially in the form of a tiered dress. 

4. The recycled polyester dress 

Maeve Recycled Polyester Dress

Polyester is one of the most suitcase-friendly fabrics out there, making the Maeve Midi Dress your perfect partner for summer escapes. Maeve’s recycled polyester is made from PET plastic bottles which are formed into strings of yarn before being dyed and woven together to create a soft-touch texture. 

5. The LENZING™ ECOVERO™ dress

Paisley Lenzing Ecovero Dress

This Paisley Print Dress is a bohemian dream with its shirred waist and cuffs and hi-low hemline. Its LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibres are derived from certified renewable wood sources and made using eco-responsible production methods. This fabric generates up to 50% lower emissions and water impact than traditional viscose, contributing to a cleaner environment. It has been certified with the EU Ecolabel, meaning it has consistently high environmental standards from raw material and production to distribution and disposal. 

Looking for even more sustainable style inspiration? Shop the Sustainable Edit. 

 

  

Local Icons: Virginia Nieto, Founder of Emonk Ibiza

Whilst shooting our summer collection in Ibiza, our crew couldn’t get enough of Emonk, a boho boutique selling the kind of shoes and accessories that are synonymous with Ibizan style. Here, we chat to Emonk founder, Virginia Nieto, about the inspiration for her designs and how they’re brought to life. Read her story and shop her collection […]

Meet the Model: Vanessa Breuer 

 

This summer, we returned to Ibiza, the birthplace of the Monsoon concept, and the inspiration for a collection of beautifully detailed, unstructured pieces. And who better to channel the bohemian spirit of our designs than one of the island’s own residents? Here, we get to know a little more about campaign model Vanessa Breuer.  

 

Vanessa Breuer with her daughter

 

Thanks for welcoming us to your beautiful home for our shoot today. Family life in Ibiza seems blissful. Having lived all over the world, do you feel settled here? 

Actually, I really do. I think this is the first time I ever felt totally at home. I always felt slightly uneasy in the town I grew up in, and although I loved living in New York, Sydney and San Fransisco, I knew they were just temporary. We only wanted to stay one or two years on the island, but it’s been seven now, and I can’t really imagine living anywhere else. 

What’s the most precious thing about life on the island? 

Life seems slower here. I feel less stressed and more in balance with nature.  

 

Vanessa with her daughters

 

Do you find being here feeds your creativity? 

Yes, for sure. I act on my creativity in the kitchen. When I’m home, I love cooking and baking and could spend hours doing that. I also enjoy arts and crafts with the kiddos. 

You’ve been to culinary school too – what’s your current favourite dish to serve? 

Oh, that’s a tough one – I love so many different things depending on my mood. I really love roasted sweet potatoes with a tahini sauce and some spice. Anything with tahini really. I’m also a big fan of Italian cooking. Simple and fresh. I usually go to the farm once a week, get a mixed veggie box and get inspired by the ingredients of the season.  

And how are you finding growing your own veg?  

It’s not as easy as I thought! When we just moved here, I was really passionate about the garden, but lately, I’ve been working more and haven’t given it much attention. Plus, there are so many amazing farms here that just do it better than me! Maybe I’ll just do herbs and some strawberries this year.  

What are your top tips for families visiting Ibiza – any hidden gems? 

Ibiza is a beautiful island for families. Spanish people are very child-friendly and you can take your children everywhere and feel welcome. The beaches in the north are less crowded, I love going there with the kids. No party people up here! We actually wrote a little guide ‘Ibiza for families’ that you can find on ouribiza.shop. 

How would you describe Ibiza in three words? 

Mesmerising, lush, and fun.  

 

Vanessa in our ikat print dress

 

What are your favourite looks from the shoot? 

Oh, there are so many! I love how flowy and light the Ikat Print Smock Dress is. I can see myself living in it this summer. The kids’ clothes are absolutely gorgeous as well – Evie’s favourite is the Embroidered Bardot Summer Dress and Luca’s is the Butterfly Embroidered Dress.  

Who are the women you’re inspired by? 

I get inspired by independent, strong women who have a mind of their own. Women who stand for their beliefs and follow their dreams. 

Discover the Back To Origin Collection. 

Back to Origin: Chapter Three – Ibiza

We’re on a journey back to the roots of our brand, to the locations that first inspired us when we set up our stall in the ’70s. This summer, we’re revisiting the very place Monsoon was dreamed up. Welcome to Chapter Three – Ibiza.  

Vanessa wears ikat print dress

 

We ventured to the north of the island, where our new collection was brought to life by model Vanessa Breuer and photographer Linda Wit, both residents of Ibiza, both passionate about its creative force and inspired by its wild nature. Between the lush hills, secluded coves, and our model’s stunning home (thank you, Vanessa, for inviting us), we captured our designs in natural light, from sunrise to sunset. And we got a real sense that this is a spiritual place to be. Our photographer Linda put it like this: “There’s this female island energy. If you let go, if you jump on the ride of this island, the island gives you so much magic and love back”. For those who’ve ever visited, we’re sure you’ll understand. 

Inspired by these exact surroundings, the collection has a distinctly bohemian and unmistakably Ibizan feel, with beautifully detailed crochet, embroidery and prints forming floaty, unstructured silhouettes. Our designers were drawn to the free-spirited attitude of our friends on the White Isle and wanted to bring that mood to every piece. And you can really feel it. Every shape has a sense of ease, allowing you to become the most carefree version of yourself. Which is what being on this island is all about. As Ibiza local Victoria Durrer Gasse told us, this is a place where “messy hair and sandy toes are perfectly okay”.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing conversations with local icons – artisans who find their inspiration in this magical place, and whose creations we’ll be making available on our website. For now, we invite you to explore the new collection and listen to our Ibiza playlists to get you in the mood for a stylish, bohemian summer. 

Back to Origin: Chapter Two – Designer Robin Hercia

 

Our spring campaign took us to Joshua Tree, where we had the pleasure of meeting Robin Hercia, a designer of textiles, graphics and interiors who found creative freedom in the Californian desert. Discover more about Robin’s craft, the local women who inspire her, and why she’s subconsciously putting gradients on all her designs. 

 

 

Our shoot is taking place in Joshua Tree – what is it about this place that inspires you? 

I moved out here for the space – the wide-open landscape and cotton-candy coloured sunset skies allow a creative mind to work at its own pace. Ideas are born from an intuitive natural place and the process of development and execution has clarity to it since the external world offers neutrality and lacks clutter.  

What was your journey to becoming a textile designer and what is it that makes you so passionate about it? 

I found myself in a post-secondary Textile Design programme after studying Interior Design. I wasn’t ready to enter the world and was still exploring who I am as a creative person. In the third semester of my first year, I met my biological mother and learned there’s a long family history of textile work among women in the family. It was a bit of a trip, and I took it as a good omen that I was on the right path. 

 

 

Did you experiment with other forms of art that inspire you today, even if you don’t practice them currently? 

I run a multidisciplinary design studio. A lot of what I do is graphic: package design, branding, art direction and custom artwork for albums and books. I also have two interior projects currently underway: one in Yucca Valley, California, and another in British Columbia, Canada. They’re two totally different places and I love working this way because I believe that design should be directly related to the vernacular of the place. The structure itself – the way it relates to its environment, and everything contained within it should be a reflection of the place it comes from. In this realm, I spend a lot of time learning what materials are inherent to these places, and how to make a space that has an honest relationship with its surroundings. 

What made you decide to start your own design studio? 

It was just the natural thing to do at a certain point. I’d worked for a New York fashion designer for most of the noughties, moved to California and took some time restructuring my life, and it sort of just had to happen in order for me to be able to work in the full spectrum of applied arts that I do. Any other firm would have me doing one thing, but I sort of need to do five to be happy. 

You use what you can get from the earth to make your inks – can you tell us a bit more about that process? 

Natural materials are more pleasant to work with, and, practically speaking, don’t require industrial safety equipment that a lot of chemical dye processes require. When I was in school, I recall working with a material that would burn through everything save for plastic: I’d rather live a life working in a healthy relationship with my materials rather than ones that are out to get me. I also enjoy the limitations of working with natural materials. Having every colour option in the world is overwhelming.  

Are there things in your everyday life that you draw inspiration from?  

The skies. I can’t stop putting gradients on everything. Even in completely unintentional moments I can look back at a piece of work and think damn it, I’ve put a desert sky gradient on that too. I guess it’s becoming a signature. 

 

 

What have been some of your favourite pieces to create? 

For the last few years, I’ve been working with knit and woven wools and silks. Contrary to popular belief the desert does get cold and experiences autumn and winter. Every year when the temperatures drop, I love getting back into these fibres because they absorb colour so richly. Even after several years I still look back at the drying lines and double-take the colours because they’re so deep and vivid. 

For those who want to find their inner artist but don’t know where to start, what advice would you give? 

Advice that somebody gave me once: “make something every day.” It will often stink but make it and move on. Eventually, there are days something you’re truly proud of comes out. Creativity is a muscle that needs to be exercised.  

What are your plans for this year, do you have any interesting projects that we should look out for?  

I have my first full-scale interior project underway. In a few months’ time, I’ll be able to start sharing finishing details. There should also be some big transitions in my textile studio in the coming months as well. That’s all I’m able to share as of now but I’m really psyched about where I’m putting my energy.  

Who are the women you’re inspired by?   

The ones I work within my own community. A lot of our local businesses out here are women-owned – many are colleagues, and some are personal friends. Our proximity to LA keeps us on the periphery of a major cultural centre which we all benefit from but it’s still a rural community and the hustle is real. The women who inspire me most are those that are around me every day kicking ass making it happen and making their lives in the most insane creative ways. Some of the accomplishments I get to witness blow my mind and I’m so honoured to be a part of this deeply artistic community.  

Follow Robin on her Instagram @robinofmojave.

Discover the Back To Origin Collection.