Born in Uganda, Jose embodies a unique blend of cultural heritage and contemporary design that challenges today’s throw-away culture. Her commitment to sustainability is evident in every piece she creates, showcasing a new approach prioritizing ethical values and environmental responsibility.

Related story – Eco Fashion Week Australia values diversity among models

Her recent collection, presented at Eco Fashion Week Australia in Perth and Busselton last November, was visually stunning and one of the most unique runway shows during the month-long event. Australian models showcased their fashions in various looks, proving that eco-fashion is anything but boring.

Jose Hendo’s use of barkcloth

Jose Hendo’s designs prominently feature barkcloth, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage material in 2005. Barkcloth is regarded as the oldest cloth created by humans. In Uganda, trees from the family of Moraceae regenerate new bark cloth that can be harvested annually for up to 50 years.

As a fashion designer, she incorporates a range of eco-friendly fabrics, such as organic cotton, silk, hemp, and bamboo, and top-of-the-line materials like linen, wool, and denim. Each creation is not just a garment; it’s a one-of-a-kind piece that promotes the use of organic materials while telling a story about mindful consumption.

By utilizing upcycled textiles and sustainable practices, Jose Hendo crafts stunning eco-fashion pieces and encourages consumers to rethink their choices. In an industry often criticized for its environmental impact, her work stands as a beacon of hope for those seeking stylish yet responsible fashion options. 

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Diversity is part of all designer runway shows today, but the industry standard expects female models to be a minimum of five feet 10 inches tall and have a size two figure. As female models have caught up to their male counterparts, male models must now be six feet two inches or taller once the ladies put on their high heels. 

Above photo: Designer Joschua

Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills, Director of Eco Fashion Week Australia, has always selected models of various heights and body sizes, reflecting the world in which we live today. Her models ranged from five feet to the standard and included different body types. Typically, shorter models are used for catalogue photography and as fit models.

Fashion runway shows are designed to be an immersive experience that conveys the designer’s brand. Usually, it lasts less than 15 minutes, resulting in months of preparation and hundreds of thousands of dollars for fashion models, a backstage crew of make-up and hair artists, tailors, lighting technicians, runway photographers, choreographers, musicians or deejays, emcee, and a stage manager.

Over the past decade, social media has made fashion shows more theatrical, which I find distracting. However, nothing replaces a well-made and cohesive collection on the runway. 

Top European designer seasonal collection shows now feature more than 100 models lasting up to 30 minutes. Their straight-line runway shows always leave a lasting impression that captivates audiences, for it is all about the garments.

When I review a designer collection from the front row, the first outfit must wow me, and the anchor – the last garment must be awe-inspiring. During the show, the assortment must build on the collection for their prospective clients.

A designer collection isn’t remarkable because of extravagant staging. Selecting the right model who speaks to your audience, regardless of height or body measurement, creates memories that remain with us. 

That’s the winning formula with the fashion models from Eco Fashion Week Australia.

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EFWA is more than a sustainable fashion runway show; it also includes gallery exhibitions and seminars that educate the public on the ever-increasing fashion waste and its effects on the environment and society. 

Above photo: Sylvia Calvo, Barcelona, Spain

More fashion news:

Green Embassy’s Ghost Glacier collection opens EFWA Busselton

Australians, on average, purchase 56 new garments a year, double the global average, according to the Australia Institute. Today, Australians are the biggest clothing consumers, creating a 300,000-ton-mountain problem of textile waste.

Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills curated the Closet of the Anthropocene to celebrate their community’s creativity by re-imagining existing garments and saving them from landfills.

On opening night, invited guests at the Ellenbrook Art Gallery were treated to a private fashion show featuring over 50 models representing local and international designers participating in EFWA in Busselton and Perth. 

Several of the fashions displayed were outstanding: Ghost Glacier, a beautiful blue floor-length dress by Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills that symbolized the melting glaciers. 

Sylvia Calvo’s outfit is constructed from hand-painted silk by Anna Albert, and discarded jute coffee bags were eye-catching.

Remarkable was the R3 Warrior Women garment, crafted by Uganda-born, British-based eco-stainable designer Jose Hendo, which was constructed from Barkcloth, an organic-bio-degradable cloth manufactured with no added chemicals or textile agents. 

The Closet of the Anthropocene brings to light one of today’s most significant global waste issues and should not be missed. 

EFWA is working to build awareness and find workable solutions to save our planet. 

For exhibition hours, visit Ellenbrook Art Gallery.

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