The Estethica exhibition at London fashion week, which wrapped up its fourth season on February 13th, showcases some of the best in sustainable fashion around, with an emphasis on UK designers. The event has firmly established its reputation for raising awareness and promoting the concept of ethically-minded fashion within the industry and the public, showcasing long-established ‘green’ brands alongside emerging sustainable fashion designers. Estethica celebrates designers who choose to work with recycled materials, organic and other sustainable fibers, and those who adhere to fair trade labor standards.

This year’s exhibition was packed once again, featuring regulars like People Tree, Junky Styling, Terra Plana, Ciel and Katharine Hamnett, as well as international brands of note, like Beyond Skin, Fin, Viridis Luxe (photo at the top), Noir and Izzy Lane (one of the designers featured in the Portland Fall Fashion Week 2007 shows). Not to be forgotten, accessories lines, such as the jewelry collection of Fifi Bijoux and bag-designers Nahui Ollin, Sonya Kashmiri and Pibiones all made an positive impression. Trends spotted, courtesy of Bonnie Alter at Treehugger: “lots of greys, whites and blues (despite the fashion mag’s insistence on colours this spring), clothes are either casual or over the top and most interestingly-many designers are working with socially deprived groups to develop new skills or maintain old ones.”

Talk about cradle to cradle planning in design, I love the fact that Makepiece’s collection is designed to be composted when the outfit has been worn to pieces. Now that’s closing the loop.

Not all brands were from across the pond. San Francisco’s Del Forte Denim exhibited, as did one of our long standing favorites, Stewart+Brown.

According to Orsola de Castro, founder the UK ‘green’ label From Somewhere and co-curator of the event, “Support for the sustainable fashion movement has been incredible worldwide, but in the UK we have exceeded all expectations, with unprecedented moves toward a more ethical fashion industry. Estethica is central to this shift.” Source: Crush Communications Press Release.

Estethica has helped pave the way for similar events in the US, from growing ‘green’ exhibits at mainstream fashion trade shows like the S(eco)nd show at Pool and the Go Green Initiative at Designers & Agents, to the flurry of ‘green’ fashion weeks this past fall, including those in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and more, all vying for the title of “Greenest of Them All”. With each new ‘ultimate green fashion’ event, it becomes clear that eco-fashion is not only here to stay, but growing at an exponential rate. Designers are realizing that not only is it the right thing to do, but it is also an investment in our future, with great potential for financial reward along the way. As Matilda Lee, Green Pages Editor for The Ecologist, said, these designers “should be commended for holding fast to their principles of putting sustainability on the agenda and for valuing long term vision over short term gain - in short: for designing with the planet in mind.”

Thank you Estethica for giving us one more example of the fact that style, sustainability and smart business are not mutually exclusive. More...

(Image via Inhabitat)

The FutureFashion show has come and gone, much buzz has been created and many have something to say about, skeptics and supporters alike. An article by Lauren David Peden for Vogue shared some inspiring comments from participants, including Barney’s New York fashion director Julie Gilhart, who was instrumental in bringing together the 28 participating designers. Apparently, Julie grimaces at the phrase “eco-chic”, stating, “I hope we don’t use that word anymore. It’s just the way it should be....It’s more luxurious to really think about where your fabric comes from, about the impact of it on the environment, and about fair trade and labor issues.” Adding to the idea of this is ‘just the way it should be done’ was Rogan Gregory, the man behind Loomstate and EDUN, who pointed out that compared to even 5 or 6 years ago, finding high-quality, sustainable fabric is much easier. He tells Vogue, "Now, the demand is greater, so there are all these great fabrics available, which makes designing a lot easier. People understand that this is the way of the future….Why wouldn’t you do this?” More...

Your calendar is chock full of cocktail parties, work parties and general holiday festivities. As you stare into the depths (or shallows, for some us) of your closet staring at your fall back black dress, you soon realize that the one you have long depended on, like an old friend, is just not going to cut it anymore. Perhaps the hemline is just a tad high at this stage in the game, despite your fabulous gams, or maybe it is showing the good times you have had in it just a little too much. It's time to retire your stand by and slip into a little black dress that's green to boot. Here are a few of my faves: More...

If you missed it last year, be sure to take it in this year as the creative energy behind this show is amazing! I was fortunate to be a judge at last year's show and the ensembles that strutted down that runway were truly inspired. Check out last year's panel of judges. More...

If you missed it last year, be sure to take it in this year as the creative energy behind this show is amazing! I was fortunate to be a judge at last year's show and the ensembles that strutted down that runway were truly inspired. Check out last year's panel of judges. More...

The first night of Portland Fashion Week started off with a bang! With high hopes, the fashion elite filed into an industrial warehouse turned posh club to pack the house for the opening night shows. After a few hours of mixing and checking out the booths, the crowd made their stiletto-clad way to the runway. More...

The first night of Portland Fashion Week started off with a bang! With high hopes, the fashion elite filed into an industrial warehouse turned posh club to pack the house for the opening night shows. After a few hours of mixing and checking out the booths, the crowd made their stiletto-clad way to the runway. More...

Being the "greenest" city in the United States according to Sustain Lane, and 2nd greenest city in the whole world, according to Grist Magazine, of course Portland has to host the greenest Fashion Week of all.  Beginning Friday, October 19th and running through Wednesday, October 24th,   Portland Fashion Week will be helping to fulfill its mission to "bring renewable and independent fashion into the mainstream.”  From what I have seen so far in my support of the event, PFW is more than well on its way. More...