Want to make your clothing style go further? Tove & Libra is a women’s sustainable fashion brand that’s all about creating your own look through convertible pieces that can be cleverly transformed and mix-and-matched. Co-founder CHRISTINE CHOW tells us more.
Who is a typical Tove & Libra shopper?
Our typical shopper may be a professional who’s looking for comfortable pieces that are smart enough for work, yet stylish enough to transition to after-hours; or a full-time mum who needs versatile outfits to take her from school drop-off to lunch, to running errands or a committee meeting. She’s someone who has come to appreciate quality over price, yet appreciates good value. And she has a sense of personal style, so she appreciates that our brand focuses on flattering, evergreen cuts that she can come back to, unlike fast fashion where even if you find a piece that works, it will disappear within a season. Our typical shopper also supports local and sustainable fashion businesses in various ways.
Tell us how you got started with your Multi-way Collection?
Our Safari Shirt and Convertible Pant were the first two pieces in our Multi-way Collection. You can wear this style as a belted shirt or layer it as a vest; we made the belt removable so you could also tuck it in as a top. By pairing the top with the Convertible Pant, you get a jumpsuit look – but without the inconvenience when it comes to using the bathroom!
As a pant lover, I think this is a bit of a holy grail – a pant that can be either relaxed or tapered! Its “regular” design is a relaxed fit, slightly cropped so that it looks great with either summer slides or sneakers. You can use the snaps at the back hem to taper the leg, which then looks great with heels, or can be easily tucked into boots.
And what about some newer pieces?
We expanded our collection this season with the Multi-way Tank Top. We wanted a more casual option to match the Convertible Pant, but something elevated above a basic tank. So we added mother-of-pearl buttons for polish, and gave it a split hem. The hem allows movement if you leave it untucked, but you can also knot it up for a chic statement. It’s long enough to tuck in the whole top for a smart look, too. The Tank Top is also reversible front-to-back, with the other side having a clean neckline for accessorising with statement earrings or a necklace.
There are a lot of ways to play with this seemingly simple piece; my favourite is actually knotting the top in the back. We’re very happy with this final design and that’s why we’ve offered it in four colours. I don’t believe there’s currently anything like it in the market.
What are some other mix-and-match options your pieces provide?
The Convertible Pant is a great daily essential that matches with anything from a camisole to a bodysuit or T-shirt. The Multi-way Tank can be worn with any of our Pull-on Chinos for the perfect smart casual outfit. It can also be dressed up with a maxi skirt like our flowing Hi-Lo Wrap Skirt. We’ve also released a Paperbag Bermuda to match the Tank Top for an easy breezy lounge vibe.
Tell us about your use of Tencel as a material.
Tencel production is low-resource and low waste, and the Tencel trademark (versus generic lyocell) ensures that the raw material has been responsibly sourced from managed eucalyptus forests.
Since Tencel is more expensive than common rayon, it felt like a perfect way to apply a multi-way design concept so our pieces could appeal to customers as being not necessarily cheaper, but better value.
How else does Tove & Libra focus on sustainability?
We started this brand to show that fashion can be made and consumed in sustainable ways. Through our family history as manufacturers, we’ve seen respect for clothing production erode over the past decade – the success of fast fashion has pressured commercial fashion companies to follow the same high-volume-low-price playbook.
This is unfair to the people who make clothing, and it’s not beneficial for customers either, since you have fewer options for quality clothing that fits or lasts as well as it looks. We want to advocate for sustainable fashion that is planet-friendly and people-friendly, from production to customer.
Visit the online store at toveandlibra.com store to see the collections, and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram @toveandlibra.
Subscribe to Expat Living now so you never miss an issue.
