Organic is the New Rock n'Roll
by Bonnie Alter, London on 05. 2.07
Or: Don't F*ck with Nature. Both are the themes of rock royalty Jo Wood, wife of Ronnie (guitarist for The Rolling Stones), who founded Jo Wood Organics. Looking every inch the legendary rock chick, complete with Katharine Hamnett tee-shirt (Clean Up or Die), Jo was speaking as part of the programme at the London College of Fashion. She told the audience about her journey--starting with a mis-diagnosed illness in India, turning to organic in her search for a cure, and ending up with a natural cosmetic business and writing a book. Having changed her diet and her life style, she became convinced that we have to think about how chemicals affect our bodies. She started examining beauty products, and mixing her own with organic oils and herbs. She put them in lovely antique bottles and gave them to friends. For her it was a natural progression to identifying the niche for a luxury product that was organic, but had sex appeal and beautiful packaging and that would have a mass market. The final push was provided by her husband: "Ronnie told me that I would never get it together". And she was off--in a quest for a sophisticated and eclectic product that broke all the rules. She is a passionate organic enthusiast: when on tour with the Stones, she visits markets and cooks on a portable stove in her hotel room to make sure that she and her family can eat in a healthy way. Her book, "Naturally", is a conversational explanation of her progression and includes recipes and helpful tips. She says that the cosmetics industry is ten years behind the food industry--where organic is almost mainstream. As for her slogan " Don't F*ck with Nature: the Americans hate it and changed her brochure, and the website is banned in Dubai. But that won't stop her. :: Jo Wood Organics Via :: London College of Fashion
