When Spanish designer Nieves Ruiz Ramos started up her own label she wanted it to be ethical. After 10 years designing for Zara and other high-street retailers she felt that fashion was becoming increasingly like junk-food. The industry was producing more clothes, at cheaper prices with little consideration for who and what was behind the label.

Nieves wanted to give an on-trend fairtrade alternative to the high-street shopper. Towards this end her designs continue to reflect the latest styles, the clothes are flattering and the prices affordable. The key difference is that bibico’s producers have fairtrade certification.

A women’s co-operative in the Mumbai slums manufactured bibico’s Spring/Summer 09 collection. The collection features pretty prints with unique embellishments and crochet detailing. It is currently on sale in TOPSHOP, Oxford Circus, where it was launched in-store this February as part of their Fairtrade Fortnight.

The winter collection, which will be available later in the year, includes knitwear that was made by a small fairtrade craft centre in Nepal that provides a living wage and opportunities for business development for local craftspeople.

Nieves lives and works alongside her producers as her designs are stitched and knitted. She now considers them to be her friends as well as her business partners. She has listened to their life-stories and learnt how these self-run fairtrade organisations have helped turn many vulnerable lives around.

Bibico is about lovely dresses. It’s also about reaching out to marginalised communities, forging sustainable livelihoods and demonstrating that we can be both fashionable and fair.

The bibico Spring/Summer 09 collection is available online at www.bibico.co.uk and also in various stockists around the UK and Europe.

For more information you can contact bibico at info@bibico.co.uk