When HELLO! catches up with our brand-new sustainability columnist, Amelia Windsor, she is preparing to attend the Serpentine Summer Party, widely viewed as one of London’s society events of the season.
Dressed in a made-to-measure hot-pink tweed dress by London’s Hax Tailoring and paisley magenta heels, accessorised by a glitzy bag made from crisp packets, the model and socialite becomes animated as she speaks about her outfit’s sustainable credentials.
The look is borrowed from her own wardrobe: Amelia, who turns 30 next month, is rewearing a pair of chunky Michael Kors platforms that she donned for the V&A’s summer party in 2023 and a night out in Mayfair in 2022.
It’s these small efforts to live sustainably that Amelia, who introduces herself to hello! as “Mel”, will highlight in her monthly column, sharing her advice for living life through an eco-friendly lens.
Future-proofed
“It’s such an exciting space that’s constantly evolving, and I love to find brands and companies that are truly paving the way forward,” she says, adding: “I can’t wait to share them with HELLO!’s readers each month.”
Amelia has walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana, having also undertaken placements with the high-fashion brands Azzedine Alaïa and Bulgari while studying French and Italian at the University of Edinburgh.
Just as her profile has grown, so too has her passion for doing her best to mitigate her impact on the planet, reflecting the green-leaning credentials of the royal family as a whole.
“Living more sustainably has been a gradual process of learning and discovering,” she tells us. “The eco-friendly world is a space where people share knowledge and accept that you can’t be perfect, but the small changes you make can have a positive impact on you personally, as well as on the planet.”
Those small yet vital changes are evident in the career choices she has made: Amelia is selective about the brands with which she works and regularly collaborates with fashion houses that share her environment-first ethos.
Her first ever fashion collaboration, with the luxury footwear brand Penelope Chilvers, came in 2018, while she was studying in Rome – and 20% of the proceeds were donated to War Child, a charity that supports children affected by violence and armed conflict.
“I’d been working with War Child for a little bit and I thought it would be really nice to link the two,” she said at the time. “It was a perfect match.”
Since then, she has collaborated with the handmade jewellery brand Salome on a pair of “Amelia” vegan pearl earrings, with the proceeds donated to the Cross River Gorilla Project, of which she is a patron.
Her work with the luxury knitwear brand Brora resulted in a portion of sales being donated to the Blue Marine Foundation – the same charity that counts Princess Eugenie as an ambassador.
Now, the charity will also receive a donation from Amelia’s column – and she is thrilled about it. “Blue Marine Foundation has done so much with regard to fighting policy that is harmful for the oceans,” she says.
“Its projects around the world, creating and sustaining protected marine zones and educating communities, are truly incredible.”
Doing her bit
It’s the small changes to her everyday life that inspire Amelia to keep advocating for a sustainable approach. She explains how subscription services, for products ranging from body wash to beauty essentials, help prevent impulse purchases.
“I am a huge fan of subscriptions and refills – they’re a great way to support independent businesses that are making a difference,” she says of the services that can deliver all manner of necessities to your door, generally in less packaging than their shop-bought counterparts, limiting waste and encouraging mindful consumption.
Asked who she admires, Amelia cites the climate activists Tori Tsui, Kalpana Arias and Dominique Palmer, praising their social-media posts and their writing for flagging “positive climate action, as well as raising awareness of critical situations. They provide hope in a time of despair,” she says.
© FilmMagicFrom mindful travel to homegrown fashion brands and beauty buys that don’t cost the earth, Amelia’s column will showcase lesser-known names in the environmentally minded world.
Social media is an “endless source of inspiration” when it comes to making those choices, she adds. “Instagram is great for finding little-known brands making a difference in the eco space. Once your Discover page knows what you’re into, it’s pretty great what you can find on there,” she says.
“I am super-grateful and excited about the column. I’m looking forward to delving into what is happening in the space and learning along the way.”
Pick up the latest issue of HELLO! to read Amelia’s first column.
Read the full article here
