CarrieMe picks their favourite brands exhibiting at Pure 2013

The CarrieMe team just made it to Pure in Olympia today, which was full of the new season's collections for the Spring/Summer 2013 as well as forward planning for Autumn/Winter 2014.

Pure held at Olympia, London

As usual, its always difficult to choose just a few brands, so we decided to double up and highlight in two different blog postings our favourites... looks like Carrie is lusting after handbags as she couldn't choose anything else!

Makki showcasing its new SS13 Collection

First up is Makki, a 10 year old brand that designs luxurious handbags that are responsibly made from eel skin, which is a by product of the food industry in South Korea.  Worn by the Duchess of Cambridge as well as other celebrities, Makki's new colourful collections include wonderful fuschias and purple clutches, just visible here.

Paperthinks colourful shoppers

Still on the recycling trail, Paperthinks is a new company using 100% recycled leather for its shoppers and accessories and at least 50% recycled paper.  The leather feels soft and durable but still light and flexible and of course, with an offering of 24 colours, Paperthinks is definitely in tune with the CarrieMe ethos of lots of colour.

ShuSac's colourful SS13 Collection:

Last up is ShuSac - a new company looking to find a home for those towering high heels that we ladies love to wear but can't really walk any distance in!  Designed with 2 different compartments, one for each shoe, it ensures these statement shoes don't get scuffed in your bag when you switch to flats and you get to choose from a myriad of colours.

So what will be your favourite in the shops this Spring?

Time to spring clean your wardrobe? CarrieMe loves H&M's eco-conscious initiative

Is your wardrobe bursting at the seams? Feeling like a fresh start - well in March 2013 you can head to H&M with your bags of unwanted clothes (from any brand) and H&M will recycle them and exchange each bag for a H&M voucher!

Its fantastic that this high street retailer is promoting and rewarding recycling with the aim of preventing unwanted clothing from clogging up landfill sites.

What's more, full of new initiatives, H&M are launching the new Conscious Collection as part of their ethical range, an "ongoing commitment to a more sustainable fashion future" made from sustainable materials such as organic cotton, Tencel and recycled polyester.  H&M have a variety of items in the collections from everyday pieces to fresh summery dresses to reach out to a variety of women, as well as a men's and children's range. Here at CarrieMe I'm loving this dress due to land in-store in mid-March:

Plus by having Vanessa Paradis as the face of the collection, they've really topped the style stakes. A recognised model and total beauty, she said, "I like being part of something like the Conscious collection, I try my best to shop consciously.  Vintage is very much part of my wardrobe.  I love the style and the way it works in an eco-friendly way because I like to use and reuse old clothes". 

Vanessa Paradis

Oohhh better get cracking on that wardrobe - aiming to buy this fab maxi dress with H&M eco vouchers, now that would be a double whammy: wallet friendly and eco.  

What about you - what would you exchange?