Green Cotton

We have been covering Fashion Week (particularly New York and London shows) at Green Cotton for the last few seasons, always keeping an eco eye on the runway. Though we are not always able to find much “green” in the tents, we are able to review the latest trends and predict how they will impact the eco scene. We are also thrilled to report whenever we see the green movement making major strides in the fashion industry. Thankfully, this is one of those posts. While Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week chose to make its last season at Bryant Park a carbon-neutral production (see Treehugger’s report), there was another even more eco event going on in the city while mainstream designers sent their wares down the runways. We are thrilled to report on The GreenShows Eco Fashion Week, which was held right alongside the mainstream shows at New York’s Fashion Week, from Sunday, February 14-17, 2010.

This season’s GreenShows event was its second annual (after a successful debut during New York Fashion Week last September). So far it is the only exclusively eco-fashion showcase that takes place during Fashion Week. Devoted to showing only eco-friendly, ethically sound and fair-trade designers, The GreenShows promised to keep its production 100% environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Taking place at the aptly-titled 311 E11 Village Green, the first LEED-Gold certified residence in the East Village, with sets made out of recycled and compostable materials, it appears The GreenShows kept to the highest environmental standards.

Ten star designers on the eco-fashion front were chosen to showcase their wares, including Samantha Pleet, Vaute Couture, Popomomo and Gary Harvey (for a complete list of designers, see The GreenShows website).

Samantha Pleet (collection featured top right) is a Brooklyn designer who creates garments from organic cotton and organic wool in a wind-powered NYC factory. She has gained fame as the designer behind Rapscallion for Urban Outfitters and the erstwhile one-half of eco-design duo Bodkin. Her romantic designs, from sweet pleated skirts to plaid rompers to long layered dresses, are clearly retro-inspired—what quirky-indie darling Zooey Deschanel might wear to a movie premiere or just on a bike ride (on a vintage bicycle, natch). Indeed, Eco-Chick writer Starre Vartan reports that Pleet was influenced by the movies—and by romance. “I love cinema and I love my husband, so the line is influenced by that,” Pleet said. The Fall 2010 collection exudes the same charm and whimsy that makes her Urban Outfitters line so popular—only much more eco-chic.

Chicago-based Vaute Couture (pictured above in purple and white coats) is perhaps best know for their line of quality vegan coats (no wool, silk, or animal-derived products are used; instead, designer Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart uses an alternative fiber called Primaloft ECO). Their GreenShows debut featured some gorgeous coats, including one ultra-feminine, high-collared, buttoned style in stunning white, along with knitwear made from soy bean farming waste. Any woman could instantly become a glamazon in one these amazing coats—but knowing she would be stepping out in eco-style makes the luxe designs even more satisfying.

L.A. line Popomomo made its New York Fashion Week debut—and lived up to its name, (which stands for “post-postmodern movement”) with its “City of Quartz” collection (inspired by the Mike Davis book of the same name and CIA satellite images of polar ice caps). The easy-breezy collection featured looks that L.A. girls love, and for good reason. Simple dresses with striking details, like pops of color, ruffles and exposed zippers, may not be ideal for fall on the East Coast; for eco-fashionistas in the City of Angels, however, this line is truly heaven-sent. Organic cotton, recycled polyester, hemp denim and Tencel are just some of the fabrics used in these L.A.-made designs. Like fellow GreenShows featured designer Pleet, Popomomo’s Lizz Wasserman also has “Urban Outfitters designer” on her resume.

British designer Gary Harvey (Tshirt dress pictured above) upped the ante on upcycling with his couture collection of gowns—all created from recycled, upcycled and recyclable materials. Nothing, it seems, is off-limits in Harvey’s imagination, from old Levi’s and wedding dresses to laundry bags and issues of the Financial Times (30 copies, to be exact). His jaw-dropping designs will have you rethinking how to recycle paper—and what on earth to do with all your old t-shirts.

While these clever designers weren’t the only ones to put their visions on display at The GreenShows, the above group represents a few of our favorites. Green Cotton will keep an eye out for more designers like these in the future. We are also currently sifting through the London and Milan Fashion Week shows and will share all the “green” we can find.

We would also love to know: do you follow Fashion Week? If so, what do you think of this season’s shows? Are you eager to see more from The GreenShows next season? We know we are, and can’t wait to see which emerging eco-fashion talents will appear next. Stay tuned to Green Cotton for more Runway coverage!

Image sources:
Photo source: Samantha Pleet plaid romper (photo by Starre Vartan) at Eco-chick
Photo source: Blue Vaute Couture coat, Vaute Couture
Photo source: White VC coat at Ecouterre
Photo source: Popomomo dress
Photo source: John Garvey white organic tshirt dress (Treehugger)

By Erin Dale

Photosource: Jill Fehrenbacher. www.inhabitat.com

Green Cotton is excited to announce one of the greatest “hot ticket” Eco-Fashion events this Earth Day: The 3^rd annual Runway Show and Student Competition which will take place at “Project Earth Day” in New York City on Thursday in Lower Manhattan April 23rd, at 6 pm. Project Earth Day was created originally to celebrate NYC-based leadership in the fashion, interiors, and green building industries, and is featuring some of the most talented budding Eco-Fashion Designers as well as the most innovative brands making sustainable design in the fashion world today.

Bahar Shahpar is playing the role of stylist and co-producer for this event in partnership with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), guaranteeing the event will be a success and on the frontier of Eco-Chic Fashion.

The theme this year is ‘Through the Looking Glass: An Exploration of Scale and Proportion,’ explained by the organizers as a metaphoric play on dimension: “Our Wonderland is present-day New York City, viewed through a distorted lens – where big is small, small is big, and the worlds of building and fashion collide through an exploration of scale.”

The student competition gives new designers an opportunity to get great media coverage, be voted on by a distinguished panel of guest judges, and generate buzz about their new label or collection. Another function of Project earth Day, therefore, is to help those in the established Eco-Fashion world identify new talent. Last year’s winners assure us that picking this year’s winners’ will be challenging. Previous winners include Amira Marion, Maritza Romo de Fusco, Judy Lee, Ashley Newsome, and Daphne Woo.

2008 Grand Prize Winner: Amira Marion. Photosource: www.inhabitat.com

2008 Second Place Winner: Maritza Romo de Fusco. Photosource: www.inhabitat.com

Project Earth Day’s broad group of contributing sponsors reflects the growing understanding of how important sustainability, as well as fashion, are in our modern world. This event has the potential to have a broad effect on the Eco-Fashion world, and imbue an urban Eco-Chic feel to the most modern of trends. A limited number of tickets are still available, so if you could somehow make it to this event on Thursday, you would probably be doing yourself a favor!

Stay tuned for Green Cotton’s recap of this event at a later date!

By: Julia Rea

Green Cotton attended one of the premier Green expos in Boston last weekend, “Down:2:Earth”. The event was hopping with stimulating lectures such as “Why Are You Green?” by Meaghan O-Neill, editor of TreeHugger.com and PlanetGreen.com and “Edible Wild Plants and Mushrooms of New England” by Russ Cohen, expert forager and wild foods enthusiast.

Of most interest to us, and all you eco-Fashionista’s was the Runway show, featuring some of New England’s best emerging and establish eco-friendly designers and companies.

The Runway show (video clip above) featured Ibex, producer of Merino sportswear. Ibex sources their fabric from New Zealand farmers who are as devoted to their animals and sustainability. Ibex’s use of this ultra-soft, high performing fabric and their commitment to sustainability allow them to offer customers “the best of what nature and human ingenuity has to offer.”

Jute & Jackfruit, the online boutique devoted to providing the highest quality environmentally and socially conscious fashion, also took part in the runway show. Jute and Jackfruit presented a number of their hot new Spring collection including dresses and knitwear by Indigenous Designs and radiant dresses by Kelly Lane, each of which were paired with candy wrapper handbags by Nahui Ollin and silver soda pull tab handbags by Escama Studio.

Shannon Glasheen recently graduated from the Boston School of Fashion Design, and creates funky dresses and outfits made from reclaimed vintage fabrics and clothes. Each piece is one of a kind, very green and very hip.

WE ADD UP walked in the runway show with a sampling of their organic cotton t-shirts at the heart of their global campaign to get the word out about global warming. Every shirt is counted, representing people taking part in this battle. On the back of each shirt is a phrase that describes easy ways to reduce your personal carbon footprint – such as, Unplug, Carpool, Bike, and Hybrid. You can choose which action you will take daily to reduce greenhouse gases, and you will be added up! Their shirts are charming, ethically sourced, and support a great cause.

Helen Riegle showcased her unique organic, sustainable and cruelty-free handbags in gorgeous spring colors. Each handbag is meant to “challenge conventions, live responsibly, (and) embrace style.” We love Helen’s designs, which are clearly inspired by nature, while remaining beautiful, ethical and (importantly) practical. Helen Riegle bags are currently produced primarily in Costa Rica at a small factory with clean and safe conditions, devoted to paying employees living wages, vacation pay, healthcare, and other benefits.

Tara Lynn featured pieces from her Bridal eco-collection that were simply gorgeous. Made from all organic and sustainable fabrics such as hemp and cotton, the garments are more art than fashion. Tirelessly hand embroidered with beautiful flowers, they make one look like a woodland fairy! Tara Lynn runs her fashion studio on solar electricity and donates 5% of her profits to various environmental organizations, proving herself a true eco-fashionista, or “Earth Bitch” as she named her collection of wearable art jackets.

Other designers included 4March, a Cambridge-based luxury women’s wear design team and Ella Vickers, maker of designer handbags from recycled sailcloth. All designers featured in the fashion show radiated with unique style, color and form while demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and the environment.

D2E Expo in Sustainability continued all weekend with tasty food samples, interesting exhibitors, animal face painting, lectures, coffee, wine and beer,  and a whole lot more, coming together to result in a dynamic festival supporting a great cause. Green Cotton had a terrific time exploring and meeting the many wonderful vendors devoted to the environment in one way or another. Let’s hope that next year, D2E can attract even more visitors, as we Bostonians and New Englanders become more aware of and interested in our impact on the environment!