Our People: Natalia Bertolo. she/her

Our People: Natalia Bertolo. she/her
Thanks again for supporting Koha Apparel and quite literally putting your body on the line. While you're not pulling a blue-steel look for Koha Apparel, what might we find you doing? It was a pleasure, honestly! When I'm not playing petite model for Koha, I'm an ordinary 9-5 gal working in fashion as a Sustainability Lead. I also volunteer as Assistant Country Coordinator for Fashion Revolution and have my own small eco & ethical swimwear brand AURAI SWIMWEAR. In my free time, I love to sew, upcycle stuff (clothes, furniture, decor, anything goes) , hike and dance like nobody's watching somewhere in K Rd.
 
What made you want to volunteer your time with Koha Apparel? Since the first time I came across Koha I have been deeply captivated with the cause. I'm very connected with my clothes and often use the ritual of putting an outfit together as a way to feel energised, empowered, creative. It is amazing how Koha is positively impacting so many lives using unwanted, pre-loved, and/or overstocked garments. From the sustainability point of view, it's giving new meaning to what otherwise would be considered waste and most likely end up in landfill.
What were some of your favourite pieces from our 'new season'? Just got myself a pair of Karen Walker pants! I know they fit like a glove (hello, Kerry! :) ) so I'm super happy with my latest Koha find. 
 
What would you say to encourage others to shop more sustainability? 
I feel we've gotten to a place where citizens know sustainability is something they should care about, but they are not informed enough about what it means to be sustainable. This is it, guys. Getting comfortable with and finding joy in second hand shopping is a big part of this behavior shift that we all need to aim for! 
 
What are some of your favourite places to shop? Koha Saturdays is a new destination for sure. I live in Birkenhead and we are quite spoiled in terms of cool op and second hand shops here ( The Attic, The Collective, The Nic Nak Shack are my favorites ). I'll only buy new if it's for high-quality staples, so I'll go for brands like Standard Issue, Affinity Basics, AS Colour organic range. I haven't bought from Hej Hej yet but I'm looking forward to supporting this amazing brand too.