Issue 22 Cover Story: Lily Cole
- Words by Peppermint
Once the darling of couture fashion houses, supermodel-turned-social entrepreneur Lily Cole is now the face of (and the brains behind) a different kind of enterprise altogether. She wants us to give more freely to each other in the future – resulting in stronger communities, less emphasis on economic growth and more reliance on the kindness of others through the ‘gift economy’. We met with her in Sydney to find out about her new social giving network Impossible, her eco knitwear label The North Circular and how she lives her message of sharing and sustainability.
Lily says of Impossible: “I think the way we construct ideas of what’s possible is very culturally limited and relative, whereas what’s actually possible is so much bigger than what we might imagine. It’s obviously very optimistic – arguably it could have been called Utopia – and it’s obviously totally possible, it just comes down to whether we choose to operate that way as human beings or not. It’s largely a choice.”
Read the full story in our latest edition Winter Issue 22 (and here’s a sneak peek of a few behind the scenes images…)
Images from top: Lily wearing The North Circular on the cover of Issue 22; In the Impossible office, London (both shot by Rachel Manns); Lily during our interview on the top floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney; Rebecca and Kelley with Lily.
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#PeppermintMagazine #TheNonsenseMaker #LocalMakers #SustainableCraft
Any New Year’s resolutions on your list? We love this from @OtterBeeStitching - “be brave enough to suck at something new”.
There’s no points for perfection, but you’ll get a trophy for trying. If nothing else this year, take the leap and try something new.
#OtterBeeStitching #Embroidery #BeBrave #TrySomethingNew #EmbroideryArt
Sunday serving suggestion ☀️
Gorgeous photos from @JolieFemmeStore - who make sweet garments from vintage bedsheets.
#PeppermintMagazine #SlowSunday #SwitchOff #Unplug #ReadAMagazine
A toast to the old you 🥂
We wholeheartedly love this post from the brilliant @EmilyOnLife:
“2026: Reinvent, burn it down, let it go (whatever it is). Year of the Snake it up. Exercise your boundaries, exercise your body, take one teeny step every day towards a life that feels better to be in.
But don’t you dare shit on your old self while you do it.
Hold yourself with reverence and tenderness and respect, because you got you this far. You did your very best with the information and tools you had at the time. You scraped yourself together, you made it work, you survived what felt impossible to survive: again and again and again.
You are perpetually in the process of becoming, whether you can feel it or not, whether or not you add it to your 2026 to-do list.“
Some very wise words from @Damon.Gameau to take us into 2026 🙌🏼
⭐️ We made it!!! ⭐️
Happy New Year, friends. To those who smashed their goals and achieved their dreams, and to those who are crawling over the finish line hoping to never speak of this year again (and everyone else in between): we made it. However you got here is enough. Be proud.
It’s been a tough year for many of us in small business, so here’s to a better year in 2026. We’re forever grateful for all your support and are jumping for joy to still be here bringing you creativity, kindness and community.
We’re also excited to be leaping into the NY with our special release sewing pattern – the Waratah Wrap Dress!
How great are our fabulous models: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress and @Tricky.Pockets - and also our incredible Sewing Manager @Laura_The_Maker! 🙌🏼
Ok 2026: let’s do this. 💪🏼
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