Practice English Listening B1 Exercises – Topic: Fashion

1

he uses recycled materials

2

1 T   2 F; Christopher uses other spare military materials, like parachute material.

3 F; Christopher employs local people in England to make his clothes.

4 T   5 T   6 T

7 F; Christopher gets the ideas for his designs firstly from the original fabric or piece of clothing. Then he adds ideas he gets from other places.

3

1 b   2 a   3 a   4 b   5 b   6 a

Interview with College of Art graduate Christopher Raeburn

Narrator:   Christopher Raeburn is a fashion designer with a difference. His clothes are both extremely fashionable and good for the environment, too. He started making recycled fashion items from old military uniforms when he was at university. These days, his recycled brand, Remade, is a fashion success, and he is now making clothes from other spare military materials, such as parachute material.

Christopher Raeburn:   I’m based here in London in the East End, Hackney Wick, but err … originally I’m from Kent in southeast England.

I … I never really set out to um to create an ethical or sustainable brand. For me it’s just more about intelligent use of materials, it’s about um the fact that I knew I wanted to do my production here in England and because I … I love the fabrics and I recycle the fabrics. Inherently, you’ve already got a very sustainable brand you know because you are recycling, because you are doing your production because you are employing local people.

This season we’re actually splitting the collection into three sections. We have the Remade that hopefully everyone knows and loves before, we’ve got our lightweight fabrics, you know the parachute and, erm … waterproof fabrics, but this season we’re also working in a new British erm … section of the collection and that’s very much focused on, erm … incredibly good quality British milled wools.

We’re actually doing my London Fashion Week presentation at Aldwych Tube Station. It hasn’t actually been used for proper underground, err … trains for 10 to 15 years now and so we’ll be getting in and doing a very different event, erm … it’ll be multimedia, I’ll be presenting my new film. And for the first time I’ll also be working with um models as well presenting the garments, erm … both men’s – and womenswear.

Narrator:   The ideas for Christopher’s designs come firstly from the old fabric or piece of clothing he’s recycling. Then he adds ideas he gets from other places. He’s particularly interested in the military, adventure, outdoor activities and cultures that come from cold places, like the Inuit. He connects all these ideas in the different garments in each collection.

1

1 future   2 community   3 environmentally

4 conditions   5 energy   6 electricity   7 Smart   8 kill

9 temperature   10 sports   11 ill   12 lights   13 dress

14 colour

2

Clara:   Do you have any ideas for our research project?

Adele:   I’ve been looking for an interesting topic, but to be honest, I haven’t come up with anything yet. Can you give me a hand?

Clara:   Well, I’ve been reading about fashion of the future, new designs, new technology and all that.

Adele:   Do you mean the kinds of clothes that we’re going to be wearing in the future? I’m not really into fashion …

Clara:   Actually, it’s more about future fabrics and how we’re going to use them.

Adele:   Well?

Clara:   OK. I’ve found out that there are designers who create eco-clothes.

Adele:   Eco-clothes?

Clara:   Yeah. They’re clothes that are not only good for the community but also environmentally friendly. The designers make sure that the clothes aren’t made by people working in bad conditions. Local workshops are set up so that people can earn a good salary. And eco-friendly clothing typically helps protect the environment, too, apparently.

Adele:   How do they work, exactly?

Clara:   Well, there are fabrics that collect the energy from when you move. Then, the energy is converted into electricity.

Adele:   Interesting. So, a few years from now, we’ll probably be using this fabric to change our phones, right?

Clara:   Well, as long as you keep moving, yes!

Adele:   That reminds me of smart fabrics. I saw an exhibit about them at the science festival. Some scientists are working on fabrics which can kill bacteria and regulate body temperature.

Clara:   Wow! How does that work?

Adele:   Well, these fabrics keep your body temperature the same in any kind of weather. And I read that they can be used to make sports clothing, which would help people who exercise in very cold or very hot climates.

Clara:   Really? That is amazing.

Adele:   I’ve also read that there are other fabrics which can help reduce muscle aches and prevent us from getting ill.

Clara:   Wow, that is so cool. You know, I saw a fashion show once where the designers used lights in the clothes. It was a dress made from lights. They change colour as you move.

Adele:   But what was the point of that?

Clara:   Well, I do agree that it’s not very practical. I don’t think many people are up for wearing a dress made of lights. It sounds like someone designed it just for the fun of it.

Adele:   I’m not a fan of that idea, to be honest. It’s pretty over the top! As far as I’m concerned, a dress made from lights is useless. Anyway, it looks like we’ve finally come up with some good ideas.

Clara:   Yeah, I agree. So, we have clothes which are environmentally friendly, clothes which help with our health and clothes which use technology. Which one should be focus on?

Adele:   I like the idea of clothes which help people with health problems.

Clara:   Are you sure? It seems pretty complicated.

Adele:   Yeah, I think it’ll be fine. I do think it’ll be interesting and there are a lot different articles on the topic.

Clara:   OK, let’s do it!

1

1 She’s a talented fashion designer.   2 Qatar

3 unique designs that combine traditional Muslim fashion with French chic

2

Possible answers:

1 growing up in New York

2 problems dressing in modest way

3 tried to combine culture with fashion

4 Muslim clothes

5 people think of burkas

6 teachers – how to create fashion without miniskirts and sleeveless shirts?

7 fashion = more than showing body

8 style = traditional chic

9 young designers reusing traditional styles

10 popular outside the US – Doha, Dubai, etc.

3

1 F; Aysha grew up in New York.

2 DNS   3 T   4 DNS   5 T   6 T   7 T

8 F; In China and India, you can see that many traditional styles are being reused by young designers.

9 F; Aysha receives requests for her clothes from women in Malaysia and Singapore and she might open stores there some day.

1

Host:   In today’s show, we’ll be interviewing the talented fashion designer Aysha Al-Husaini. Hot on the heels of her fashion week show, Aysha’s new collection is very popular in Doha. She got the attention of the fashion world with her unique designs, which combine traditional Muslim fashion with French chic. Aysha, thank you for coming to the studio.

Aysha:   Thank you for having me.

Host:   First of all, can you tell me where you get your ideas from?

Aysha:   Well, I come from a Muslim family. My parents are both from Qatar. I was born there, but then we travelled a lot. I went to school in New York and I went to a design school there. These days, I spend my time travelling between Qatar and the United States.

2

Host:   How did you feel about growing up in New York?

Aysha:   Well, as a teenager in New York, I had a lot of problems trying to dress in a modest way. For example, when you look at summer fashion in New York, the trend is always to wear skirts, shorts and sleeveless shirts. I didn’t feel comfortable wearing them, but at the same time my friends thought it was strange to wear long sleeves and jeans in the summer. So I’ve always tried to combine my culture with fashion. As a teenager, I would make my own clothes, like colourful skirts and scarves. I wanted my designs to be individual. They were unique and, eventually, people admired my clothes rather than laughed at me.

Host:   I see. So, do you know what ideas most people have about Muslim clothes?

Aysha:   Well, I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding about Muslim clothes. The thing is that when you say Muslim fashion, people in New York think of a burka. You know, like the blue or black cloaks which cover women from head to toe.

Host:   And could you explain what you think Muslim fashion is?

Aysha:   Let me give you an example. When I first started at design school, my teachers would ask me strange questions, such as how I was going to stay in the fashion business if I’m not going to design miniskirts or sleeveless shirts. But as far as I’m concerned, there is much more to fashion than showing your body. There are millions of Muslim women who live in the United States and Europe who want to wear fashionable clothes. There are also women who simple like to dress in a modest way.

Host:   So, are you saying that there is a need for fashionable clothes for Muslim women?

Aysha:   Absolutely. We want to be fashionable and be ourselves at the same time. My feeling is this: I want to create clothes which are modest, but at the same time, give women confidence – clothes which allow women to be themselves.

Host:   I see what you mean. So, how would you describe your style?

Aysha:   Well, many reviewers have described my style as ‘traditional chic’, and I guess I’d agree with them. What I think is that combining traditional with chic is a huge area in fashion. I keep my eye on the fashion trends in other countries. When you look at the works of other designers in China and India, you can see that many traditional styles are being reused by young designers. Above all, people like to be individuals and show their cultural roots – they like to show where they come from.

Host:   As I understand it, your designs are must-haves for Muslim women outside the United States as well. Could you tell me more about that?

Aysha:   Yes. In addition to New York and Paris, I sell my collection in big cities like Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Another thing is that I also receive requests for my clothes from women in Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, so someday I might open stores there.

Host:   Well, I hope you decide to go for it! That would make a lot of women around the world very happy. So, Aysha, thank you for coming to the studio today.

Aysha:   It was my pleasure. Anytime!

3

Host:   In today’s show, we’ll be interviewing the talented fashion designer Aysha Al-Husaini. Hot on the heels of her fashion week show, Aysha’s new collection is very popular in Doha. She got the attention of the fashion world with her unique designs, which combine traditional Muslim fashion with French chic. Aysha, thank you for coming to the studio.

Aysha:   Thank you for having me.

Host:   First of all, can you tell me where you get your ideas from?

Aysha:   Well, I come from a Muslim family. My parents are both from Qatar. I was born there, but then we travelled a lot. I went to school in New York and I went to a design school there. These days, I spend my time travelling between Qatar and the United States.

Host:   How did you feel about growing up in New York?

Aysha:   Well, as a teenager in New York, I had a lot of problems trying to dress in a modest way. For example, when you look at summer fashion in New York, the trend is always to wear skirts, shorts and sleeveless shirts. I didn’t feel comfortable wearing them, but at the same time my friends thought it was strange to wear long sleeves and jeans in the summer.

So I’ve always tried to combine my culture with fashion. As a teenager, I would make my own clothes, like colourful skirts and scarves. I wanted my designs to be individual. They were unique and eventually people admired my clothes rather than laughed at me.

Host:   I see. So, do you know what ideas most people have about Muslim clothes?

Aysha:   Well, I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding about Muslim clothes. The thing is that when you say Muslim fashion, people in New York think of a burka. You know, like the blue or black cloaks which cover women from head to toe.

Host:   And could you explain what you think Muslim fashion is?

Aysha:   Let me give you an example. When I first started at design school, my teachers would ask me strange questions, such as how I was going to stay in the fashion business if I’m not going to design miniskirts or sleeveless shirts. But as far as I’m concerned, there is much more to fashion than showing your body. There are millions of Muslim women who live in the United States and Europe who want to wear fashionable clothes. There are also women who simple like to dress in a modest way.

Host:   So, are you saying that there is a need for fashionable clothes for Muslim women?

Aysha:   Absolutely. We want to be fashionable and be ourselves at the same time. My feeling is this: I want to create clothes which are modest, but at the same time, give women confidence – clothes which allow women to be themselves.

Host:   I see what you mean. So, how would you describe your style?

Aysha:   Well, many reviewers have described my style as ‘traditional chic’, and I guess I’d agree with them. What I think is that combining traditional with chic is a huge area in fashion. I keep my eye on the fashion trends in other countries. When you look at the works of other designers in China and India, you can see that many traditional styles are being reused by young designers. Above all, people like to be individuals and show their cultural roots – they like to show where they come from.

Host:   As I understand it, your designs are must-haves for Muslim women outside the United States as well. Could you tell me more about that?

Aysha:   Yes. In addition to New York and Paris, I sell my collection in big cities like Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Another thing is that I also receive requests for my clothes from women in Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, so someday I might open stores there.

Host:   Well, I hope you decide to go for it! That would make a lot of women around the world very happy. So, Aysha, thank you for coming to the studio today.

Aysha:   It was my pleasure. Anytime!