Written and edited by Mia Foale. Interviews conducted by Isobel Preece and Henry Empson. Outerwear by Tutussie and stylist’s own. Styled by Kat Koehne. Photographed by Dagny Tepper and Isobel Burns. Modeled by Kat Koehne and Sally.

*Interviews have been edited for length and clarity*

Established in 2021 by St Andrews alum Sissi Xia, Tutussie is an emerging brand which puts sustainability at the heart of its practice. Combining the excellence of traditional craftmanship with an innovative approach to design, materials and production, Tutussie has created a brand based on timelessness and longevity, encouraging us to buy less, and to buy better. Tutussie outerwear embodies the spirit of St Andrews: a look to history and heritage, and an appreciation of what it can teach us – whilst also prioritising originality and a look towards new ways to improve both the clothes we wear, and the impact they have on the planet. Here at Haute, we were lucky enough to preview Tutussie’s new collection of luxury coats, and sit down with Sissi Xia to discuss the brand. In presenting the collection, we hoped to showcase the parts of St Andrews that inspired the merging of the classic and contemporary in these timeless coats.

Haute: Could you tell us a bit about your brands journey?

Sissi: I founded Tutussie in January 2021, during the second wave of the pandemic. I felt the urge to create and build something that has a positive impact. I decided to launch a fashion brand that is committed to sustainability and superior craftsmanship where every piece is curated with longevity in mind. In the current scope of the fashion industry, having a sustainable approach is incredibly important. With Tutussie, I want to encourage and promote conscious consumerism, connecting fashion t awareness and responsibility.

Haute: How did your time in St Andrews lead you down this path/inspire you to establish this company?

Sissi: I studied Psychology and Management and wasn’t really thinking about establishing a brand. Being a model at Sitara definitely gave me an insight to the fashion world but the inspiration came to me much later.

I worked at Sotheby’s for a year after graduation and I was highly inspired by masterpieces created by the world’s most renowned artists. From Salvatore Scarpitta works to Zao Wou-Ki's paintings, to Aalto' furniture, I acquired a rationalist vision of design by gleaning how they served a utilitarian purpose in a cleverly simple way. Tutussie merges minimalist design and contemporary fashion, creating womenswear made of luxurious and eco-friendly materials to improve people's lives in small but important ways.

Haute: What three words best summarise your brand?

Sissi: Timeless, eco-friendly, transparent

Haute: What was your favourite part about establishing your brand? Have you made your independent brand your full time job?

Sissi: This is a tough question. Building a brand can be quite hectic, but I genuinely enjoy the entire process of it. I particularly like designing new pieces for new collections – this is where I can be creative and make my visions come to life. And now, I am able to focus on my brand full time.

Haute: Your website has a clear focus on sustainability a lot, what is slow fashion and why do we need to care about it?

Sissi: Fast fashion is the second-largest polluter in the world. It contributes to water pollution because of the toxic waste-waters that are released when making clothes with poor materials, not to mention the excessive use of water it takes to make each fashion item. Fast fashion also contributes to a tenth of the world’s carbon emissions, and relies on inhuman working conditions and labour exploitation to maintain its cheap prices.

Slow fashion, on the other hand is a socially conscious movement. While encouraging people to buy items less often, it validates purchases of higher value. This movement rejects fast changing trend and clothes made with minimum quality. So basically slow fashion not only slows down the consumption cycle, but it also encourages slower production which in effect avoids exploiting natural and human resources. With slower production cycles, the environment has more time to regenerate. Significantly, the slow fashion concept is about the global clothing industry, where the new vision of sustainability is already actively pursued.

Haute: What’s the biggest problem you see in the fashion industry today?

Sissi: The biggest problem in the fashion industry right now is that consumption is at all-time high. We’re consuming more and more but we are owning our items for a much shorter period of time.

Haute: What does sustainable consumerism mean to you? And what steps would you recommend to consumers trying to make more sustainable fashion choices?

Sissi: One can make a positive change in the world by valuing quality over quantity. By purchasing from a sustainable fashion brand, you ensure that your clothing is ethically produced. Nowadays it’s important to know what you’re buying, who made your clothes. I think Vivienne Westwood summarises it very well: “Buy less, choose well and make it last”.

Haute: Your brand focuses on a ‘sustainable and ethical approach’ what challenges have you met in the supply chain and how have you ensured this aim?

Sissi: At Tutussie, we try to make our environmental impact as minimal as possible. All our fabrics are 100% natural and 100% biodegradable. Natural fabrics require little to no toxins in the production process (as opposed to man-made fabrics). We do not use any polyester or polyester blend fabrics; polyester can only be recycled a limited amount of times because it loses so much of its quality after being broken down, and it releases micro-plastics in the recycling process that pollute landfills and oceans. We chose not to use polyester mixed fabrics despite the fact that they are more affordable (because they cannot be recycled — the process to separate polyester mixed fabrics takes too much effort and requires too many chemicals). Consumers now want to be reassured that the products they buy are made responsibly throughout every step of the process, from the raw materials down to the final product.

We utilize a short supply chain so that there are no intermediaries between production and manufacturing. We work with a small-scale factory where each piece is handmade with care and excellence. The employees are also respected and celebrated - benefiting from higher wages and world-class working conditions.

Haute: Do you think Covid has been a step forward or step back for sustainable fashion?

Sissi: Covid has definitely been a big wakeup call for the fashion industry. When the pandemic hit the sector many fashion brands and retailers experienced a sudden drop in demand leading many big brands filing for bankruptcy. Shifting to more sustainable business models is an essential step for businesses to survive. I believe the pandemic will accelerate the transition to a more sustainable fashion industry.

Haute: How do you see your own business expanding in the future? What goals do you have for your brand?

Sissi: We are in the process of partnering up with a large retailer so we hope to reach more people with our products. We have also started planning our next collection and we have plans to bring more type of products on board. Our long-term plan is to promote sustainable fashion and simplistic timeless designs. Following fast trends is outdated.

Haute: What’s your favourite piece in the collection and why?

Sissi: That’s a difficult question, as all of the pieces are like my babies. If I really had to choose one, it would be probably the The Cashmere Wrap in Off White. A beautiful white cashmere coat will always be the most elegant piece in your wardrobe.

Haute: What’s your favourite spot in St Andrews?

Sissi: The Old Course. It’s beautiful and iconic.

Haute: And the obligatory question: what’s your wildest memory from your uni experience in St Andrews?

Sissi: There are too many - and I would keep them private!

What became clear when styling and shooting the collection is the influence that St Andrews, and its most iconic locations, had on its design. This is a collection that is perfect for the St Andrews student in its innovative approach to classic elegance. We had a quick chat with Haute models, Sally and Kat, to find out more about the clothes and shooting in some of their favourite St Andrews spots.

Haute: Firstly how was the shoot, what did you feel like wearing the clothes?

Sally: The shoot was really fun! I enjoyed wearing all the coats - they were very beautiful. They felt easy to style and I liked how versatile they were! They felt easy to dress with anything, from fancy clothes to streetwear.

Kat: I agree, I think they felt luxurious and had a really good quality. The details were beautiful.

Haute: Do you think the clothes relate to the traditions and history of St. Andrews with the St. Andrews alumni designer?

Sally: Definitely. They could easily have been worn with a dress on the way to a gorgeous event or ball, especially the fur which had such a lovely and warm Scottish quality to it.

Kat: I think the designs in general were very good mix of modern and traditional design which is very central to St. Andrews with the old elements of the town - the ruins and cobbled streets - mixed with the modern and international vibe of the students

Haute: Did you each have a favourite piece from the collection?

Sally: I really liked the coats that we wore with the streetwear section with the fur hoods

Kat: I liked the wool trench coats, they had a great movement and whilst being warm also felt really light.

Haute: When you buy clothes, is sustainability important to you?

Sally: Admittedly, before coming to St. Andrews I didn’t know much about sustainability - but since coming here and especially getting involved with FS, it’s definitely something I’ve looked into more and I have become much more aware than before.

Kat: It definitely is. I am quite interested in fashion, so know a lot about the actual manufacturing process - which is incredibly wasteful. I think it’s really important for smaller brands to think more sustainably. The price point is definitely an issue, but I think I invest in sustainability through shopping from second-hand stores like Depop. Also, whenever I make my own clothes I use deadstock fabrics. Anything little that you can do goes a long way!

Haute: Do you each have a favourite up and coming brand at the moment, or even a brand that you keep buying clothes from?

Sally: Mine is pretty basic. I tend not to shop at expensive brands as I feel like you can get the same styles from smaller brands. However, I do think that Gucci is really cool and I love all their new collections.

Kat: I also like looking into smaller brands, there’s one called Danielle Guizio. In general I am interested in a lot of young American designers that are breaking out with new collections that have a focus on sustainability.

Haute: If you could describe this collection in one word, how would you describe it?

Sally: Luxurious!

Kat: Elegant!

Timeless in the Town: Tutussie in St Andrews