Her name is Babs and her vibes are immaculate.
“I hope you understand what I mean,” Olivia Wilde says from someplace in Italy. “This person is my person in so many ways.” The acclaimed director/actress/secret retail genius is referring to Babs Burchfield, the 40-year-old co-founder of the sustainable lifestyle company Conscious Commerce, not in a romantic sense, but arguably as essential, a business partner. During the indie sleaze era, the women met on a charitable expedition to Haiti and instantly became life, work, and hair companions. Both are the same blonde hue (beach, not bleach) and use their flaxen locks as swishy accents when they converse. So far, they’ve assisted major corporations such as Audi, H&M, and Anthropologie in making better environmental decisions. “But our ultimate target is Bali,” Burchfield says. “We’re going to be the Golden Girls there, right?” Olivia jokes.
It turns out that the duo found their latest project, a line with the environmentally certified label Cleobella, in Bali. The line of gowns, designed by Ange and Jim O’Brien, has the general vibe of “Laurel Canyon flower therapy, but make it fashion,” and is created with organic cotton and fair-trade labour in Bali and India. A breezy nap dress, a sultry crochet cover-up, and an oversized button-down that you might recall from Don’t Worry Darling are among the eight pieces.
For the past ten years, you’ve been best friends and business partners. How did you realise it was a good match?
Olivia Wilde: We were both on our way to Haiti. Babs was the founder of the Artists for Peace and Justice organisation… She was a total badass when it came to running this group, being an authentic human, having a full creative vision, generating funds, and doing outreach without being smarmy at all. I was astounded.
Babs Burchfield: “Smarmy!” what a great word! Yeah, yeah. That is prevalent in philanthropy and Hollywood in general. It irritates me.
OW: People didn’t necessarily think of me as business-minded at the time, but I am. And she truly is, in the same manner… It shouldn’t be difficult to figure out where your clothes come from.
BB: You can’t go to a coffee shop now without being told, “The beans are from here.” They are harvested responsibly. They are beneficial to the community.” But it wasn’t like that when we first started! “We’d be lot more eager to invest in fashion if they showed us where our funds were going,” we said. I’ve been on factory tours of various quick fashion facilities, and they’re terrifying. You can’t unsee the conditions or the wastewater. Healthy people and a healthy environment must coexist. That is not an option. Everyone claims they are “sustainable,” but they are not. The future is one of regeneration. It must reinvest resources in the land and in communities.
Is social media making or hindering your mission?
OW: We’re trying to get people to think more about what they wear and how they buy it. This Cleobella line is one of our favourites because it is both timeless and trendy. It’s designed to last you through numerous seasons and trips… On Instagram, however, there is a culture of continuously photographing yourself in a fresh attire in order to demonstrate that you are a new version of yourself. But you can do it with lighting, camera angle, and styling.
[Laughter] BB: Take her advice; she’s a director!
OW: It’s awesome to stand up for something. That person getting paid to tag Forever 21 as part of an endorsement contract and not caring? They’re not fighting for anything. That is the debate we are fighting for.
How does one embrace the idea of always having new style but not necessarily new clothes?
BB: I try to only buy things if I can envision it having a long life. It’s not as simple as, “Oh, that’s a dress I want to buy on a trip to Italy.” “Oh, pack that for Italy, then slip on a sweater at a beach party, then do a huge heel for cocktails,” right? That’s fashion. And there’s something really enticing about your versatility, as well as the knowledge you bring to it.
You began Conscious Commerce in your twenties and are now in your thirties. How has your style evolved over the last decade?
BB: I think you have a little more confidence when you’re in your 30s. At least, I hope so! And it’s a special type of confidence that allows you to have pleasure because you’re finally accepting what you have… You are the only person who understands how to be yourself. So you choose clothes that you genuinely enjoy.
OW: Oh my god, my twenties! Ha! It’s interesting because Babs and I recently got back from a shopping trip in London. We just went to vintage shops. And I observed… now that I’m in my late 30s, I lean toward higher-end labels in vintage stores. I think it’s fantastic to be able to invest in a brand I believe in, whether it’s Alaa or Gucci, and to extend the lifecycle of an item that has been worn but is still in excellent condition. And, while I’m not a brand whore—I don’t care what brand I’m wearing—I do respect the work of specific designers, so I invest in their products because I believe in them and enjoy giving them a second, or occasionally third, life. Who knows what comes second, third, or fourth. But this isn’t my early twenties, when I was all, “I’ll work any ripped tee and any awful band T-shirt because I like the feel of it.” Not any longer.
Is your friendship influencing your sense of style in any way?
BB: You buy things more carefully now that you know you can rely on your pals to tell you, “Do not get that ugly thing; you do not need it and it will not function.”
OW: I’ve noticed that shopping has changed! Because someone I implicitly trust is saying to me, “Olivia, don’t get that. That is not something you require or desire.” The same degree of trust that goes into establishing Conscious Commerce is exactly what makes me feel really, really wonderful in my clothes. That kind of trust takes time to develop, and it can only be achieved through mutual compassion and honesty.
Don’t Worry Darling’s trailer has gone viral, and everyone is talking about it. Is there a connection between the movie’s retro vibes and this collection?
OW: The first thing you need know is that the outfits were designed by Arianne Phillips. She possesses a vast and fantastic knowledge of fashion and vintage. She began her career travelling with Madonna. She’s worked on Broadway and in films. And after we started working together, she taught me a lot about antique clothes. When designing this film, we looked at several different fashion eras. And we kept coming back to the traditional staple pieces and what style has endured. I’m drawn to shapes that have survived cultural upheaval or socioeconomic change, you know? That’s what a classic is—what survives, and [in the film], the concept of “what survives” is incredibly interesting. So our main character, Florence Pugh, dresses in a white button-down men’s shirt.
Like the Cleobella collection’s button-downs?
OW: Thank you very much! And I remember thinking to Arianne and myself while developing the film, “We have to put a white button-down into the film because it is something so ageless that now, in 2022, we identify it as sexy and classic.” In 1958, a lady putting on her husband’s clothing was equally beautiful and seductive, as well as manly and amusing. It’s a woman seizing control of a man’s work clothes. That is critical! Then there’s the knit dress, which is sexy in a throwback Palm Beach kind of way… Don’t Worry Darling takes place in the 1950s Palm Springs environment of the pool and the desert. So, yes, there is a link between the film and this capsule, as well as how we’re using fashion to tell the tale of these people.