Livia Firth has long lauded the fact that environmentally friendly attire is hard to come by at the best of times. And, I have long had nightmares of hemp skirts and rope woven sandals. So, both Livia and I, along with many others out there, happily welcome any new sartorially astute eco-conscious designs. Ethical fashion designers, From Somewhere have teamed up with sportswear giant, Speedo, to create a new twist of eco-fashion and swimwear-couture.

The collaboration came about after FINA, the world’s governing body on swimming, ruled out Speedo’s LZR Racer Suit (as worn by Michael Phelps) due to new swimming regulations. Speedo was left with a surplus of unsellable swimsuits. So what does a major player in sportswear do? They teamed up with From Somewhere, a label dedicated to upcycling and reclaiming fabrics to produce aesthetically astute sustainable designs.

The collection includes cocktail dresses and evening gowns both party and pool ready. To be honest, I’m not sure if one is meant to shimmy or swim in these dresses, but I’m not sure it matters. Cute with a nod at the ‘60s there’s a fishtail frock which engineered what seems like every section of the Speedo LZR Racer Suit in its creation. A more accessible number is the ‘Fairy Dress’, actively playing with the bodice of a swimsuit by incorporating it, intact, into the silhouette but with frills and a skater skirt it’s both East London cool and St Tropez appropriate. Not an easy feat to combine.

Launching in Selfridges on 21st March to coincide with Climate Week and exclusively online at Yoox for International Earth Day – 21st April, a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Green Cross International.