Sustainable fashion pioneer Amy Powney launches new venture AKYN

Sustainable fashion pioneer Amy Powney has stepped away from her role as creative director at Mother of Pearl to launch a new venture AKYN.

Powney began working at Mother of Pearl in 2006 and went on to take up the role of creative director, where she made a reputation for herself and the brand as leaders in conscious fashion. The brand stood out by combining elevated design with sustainable, high quality production and accessible pricing.

The new venture, arriving in late Spring, has been announced today with Powney named as partner and creative director. The move to establish AKYN will enable Powney to "use her voice and expertise on a wider scale, creating deeper impact and striving for continued and meaningful change within the industry," a statement said.

Powney was brought up on a farm "off grid" in rural Lancashire and she has said that her family's lack of materialism informed her approach to fashion. She studied for a degree in fashion at Kingston University, starting in 2002, and joined Mother of Pearl upon graduating in 2006. She stood down in December of last year.

The brand was once a regular fixture at London Fashion Week and was the recipient of the BFC / Vogue Designer Fashion in 2017. It has been stocked by some of the best known retailers worldwide, including Net-A-Porter, Harrods, Goop and Neiman Marcus. 

In 2023 Powney made waves with her celebrated film Fashion Reimagined, which documented her mission to create a sustainable collection from field to finished garment and transform the way we engage with fashion,  She also delivered a Ted Talk in 2024 entitled How to Fix Fashion and Protect the Planet and she sits on the board for sustainability for Copenhagen Fashion Week.

AKYN is described a "purpose-driven brand grounded in elevated design and sustainability". It is set to be unveiled in May of this year.

Main image: Amy Powney by Trish Ward.