An Interview with our Founder, Keisha Dessaix for NET-A-PORTER

We are so proud of our launch with luxury online retailer NET-A-PORTER. Sustainability meets luxury as our signature collection of organic cotton intimates joins the NET SUSTAIN family.
 
In celebration, we have shared with you an interview with our founder & creative director Keisha Dessaix. Read on to discover more about the origins, ethos and inspirations behind the LÉ BUNS brand.
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Can you tell us more about your background?
Before LÉ BUNS I spent years working in fashion, for the most part managing portfolios forluxury brands Miu Miu and Paul Smith.Growing up in coastal parts of Australia, the sunny & sandy days naturally led me towards a minimalistic approach to clothing.
 
Why did you decide to found your brand?
Right before the inception of LÉ BUNS, I was going through a transitional period in my career craving an outlet for my creative side. Like a lot of women, day to day I would always be on the go - dashing between work commitments, squeezing in recreational sessions before / after work and catching up with friends in between. I always struggled to find femme contemporary, flattering cotton staples (let alone Organic) & versatile pieces to suit my varied lifestyle – lo & behold LÉ BUNS was born.
 
Why is using sustainable methods in manufacturing, sourcing and production important to you?
Making beautiful garments without compromising the environment or people involved in the process is at the heart of everything we do. After spending a number of years working in the industry and coming to understand the amount of waste and questionable practices taking place; I didn’t want to be just another label in the market contributing to these practices and to the excessive amount of textiles being sent to landfill. I wanted to create a clothing option that could serve a deeper purpose to the market, promoting thought and consideration around conscious consumption through LÉBUNS values and our brand identity.
 
We can see some of the lingerie is made from eco-friendly materials and would like to understand more about where the organic cotton is grown?
Most people may not realise that sadly less than 1% of all cotton is grown organic. The cotton farming industry is notorious for leaching dangerous toxins into the ecosystem, using more insecticides than any other crop in the world. It is estimated that each year cotton producers are responsible for the use of 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 10% of the world’s pesticides.
 
These toxins are harmful for farmers and workers, us as consumers, and entire wild life ecosystems. The majority of mainstream non-organic cotton underwear products available are a notable part of the problem. Our intimates are made with GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton sourced from China & Turkey. Unlike conventional cotton, Organic Cotton eliminates the use of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and Genetically Modified Organisms that are currently being grossly emitted by the conventional cotton trade.
 
We can see you are doing a lot to reduce your carbon footprint, are there any other changes you're currently working on?
We are always evaluating our entire cycle and developments in the industry to identify areas of opportunities to improve our practice. Waste minimisation is a core focus of the business and we’ve been pleased to recently accomplish a milestone within our green initiatives to remove plastic from our manufacturing cycle. By introducing biodegradable bags to our production and shipping cycles (rather than polyurethane bags), we’ve eliminated a significant output of plastics commonly used in the industry that take hundreds of years to breakdown.
 
Where do you find inspiration?
As designers we all have the opportunity to drive the demand for green manufacturing through our practice. Balancing a minimal, classic design, I draw inspiration from designing the collections with longevity of wear in mind. My focus through LÉ BUNS is to connect women to timeless and flattering pieces that they can feel great about wearing, in both the quality and the values they are supporting.
 
What's the most important thing you've discovered since launching the brand?
The effects of excessive consumption on the planet are becoming alarmingly apparent.Since launching, it’s encouraging to hear the response-that as a community we are really questioning what impact our consumption is having on the planet more than ever before.Consumers are clearly becoming increasingly mindful & aware of how they can support sustainable practice. It’s an empowering time! As shoppers each of us can drive & demand positive change by simply supporting ethically focused brands & initiatives.

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