INSPIRATIONS FROM THE ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION WORLD
Finding the best way to limit the impact of your wardrobe can be a minefield.
Knowing where to start, what choices to make and who to trust can make taking that first step into the world of eco-fashion a daunting process.
Elizabeth Laskar, eco-fashion consultant, co-founder of the Ethical Fashion Forumand co-creator of a new biodegradable jewellery line Crumple Design, took RTCC through her top tips for anyone wanting to be more sustainable when they shop.
http://www.rtcc.org/living/six-steps-to-sustainable-fashion/
An environmentally friendly approach to fashion is nothing new. The seeds were planted back in the late ’80s and early ’90s when designers like Martin Margiela filled catwalks with upcycled butchers’ aprons and Moschino with statement-making tees. The idea behind the shift: to encourage everything from greener production to heirloom sustainability by passing on quality pieces instead of throwing them away.
But jargon like “carbon footprint,” “slow fashion” and “artisanal sustainability” haven’t always resonated with the general public. After all, the concept of fashion essentially depends on the turnover of tastes, and what we think looks good, not the motives behind it. Appealing to consumers’ inner-environmentalist would mean calling on their sense of style, not necessarily their ethics. And thus, the trend was born.
“You no longer have to be an eco-warrior or a hippie to grasp the message. For the cool and stylish, green is the new black,” affirmed Suzy Menkes in a2006 New York Times article addressing the then evolving fashion industry.
http://www.thegenteel.com/articles/society/eco-fashion-trendy-or-timeless
Held at the glorious Metropolitan Museum it is organized by Anna Wintour and Vogue US, and it’s the Mecca for all fashion designers, an opportunity for them to showcase their most opulent creations. Compared to the Oscars ceremony, where the carpet is slightly more conventional and women aspire to a more traditional “shiny” look - the Met Ball is all about “show”. Being over the top is positively encouraged. Let’s face it, that’s what a ‘ball’ is.
And where there’s an opportunity for sumptuous gowns and fashion statements, the Green Carpet Challenge must surely go. In fact, the Met has been a big influence on the GCC. Regular followers may recall that last year, Colin and Stella McCartney were the night’s hosts. In celebration, Stella made me a w onderful green gown (later auctioned for Oxfam). This was our first GCC collaboration with a huge name designer and it opened a door. In the last few months we have worked with Tom Ford to Valentino and Armani, not to mention some true Hollywood royalty.
If you’re dedicated to wearing eco-friendly apparel and accessories, a good place to start is figuring out where to find fashionable items that will help save the earth. There are several different brands and companies to choose from and of course each company has their own unique style. Here are a few companies that you should most definitely check out. Wearing ethical and sustainable apparel will help save the environment and make you look ethic – chic simultaneously.
If you’re wandering past Dray Walk this weekend, or over the next two weeks, you might notice things are looking a little different. The walls of two facing buildings have been entirely dressed up in second hand threads, as part of the M&S Fashion Lab project. Marks and Sparks have teamed up with the London College of Fashion and Oxfam to launch a pop up fashion recycling studio. Visitors are invited to donate a tired bit of clothing which will then be reconstructed by a team of fashion talents – including designers Michelle Lowe Holder and Gary Harvey. Until May 9th, the space will be holding talks, sewing classes and workshops, (all free) to promote and explore the future uses of unwanted clothes – they might want a wash first.
Constructed from vintage bandanas, these Allagiulia slip-ons were dreamt up by the Venetian-born designer Giulia Campeol. So they’re basically made for an Italian holiday.
http://www.allagiulia.it/index1.php?aid=3&collezione_id=&lingua=gb
Recycled and super-creative prom dresses
You’ll never have to worry about wearing the same dress as someone else if you opt for a recycled version.
Marks and Spencer: Shopping and Swapping: 2012
Mr. Miyake’s studio on Tuesday beat the Alexander McQueen wedding gown for the Duchess of Cambridge, created just a year ago by Sarah Burton, as well as a variety of other nominees, including the Céline autumn 2011 collection by Phoebe Philo and the “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
As the impact of the fashion industry on the health of our planet becomes harder to ignore, shoppers must take responsibility for their purchasing decisions…seeking out the knowledge of independent boutique owners is a great way to start.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/LocalHem/onlineboutiques/prweb9433582.htm
Gisele Bundchen has proven she is more than just a pretty face. This supermodel founded The Clean Water Project, which focuses on the preservation of water quality. She also created her own eco-friendly skincare line, Sejaa, and it is free of chemicals and synthetic preservatives. Sejaa containers are made with recyclable plastics and manufacturing is done with renewable electricity. She also recently built a green home.
Andrea Lindvall
Livia Firth in Henrietta Ludgate for her new boutique on Yoox
