Ali McAleavy
Ali McAleavy worked in fashion for over 20 years for some of the most well-known UK brands, most recently as Head of Buying for Topshop. Disillusioned at the growing dominance of fast fashion which prioritised price over quality, and the overconsumption it encouraged, she decided to be part of the solution, not the problem. As a mum of three she recognised the obvious need for sustainable options in children’s fashion, where clothes and shoes are often outgrown before they are outworn. In 2021, she launched ZIG+STAR, an innovative children’s footwear brand that uses sustainable design to create products that grow with the child, while incentivising circular practices to prevent their products ending in landfill. They have won awards for both design and sustainability and are stocked in Selfridges.
