Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Gretchen Jones at NYFW: Geologically Inspired

Gretchen Jones never fails to impress – her design aesthetic moves beyond her clothes and into her always thought-provoking presentations.

Obsidian Gown.

This season’s theme was deserts, geodes and crystals. With pieces named after minerals, and the floor designed with a hand-lain sand mandala, the impression was one of old earth, crystal lattice structures out of a geology textbook, and the infinite color and myriad glimmer imparted by the earth’s bedrock.

And like real stones, some textures with complicated and rough, and others were smooth; all had a visual weight to them that remained in the mind’s eye long after the lights went up.

Vintage Southwestern jewelry by Ruby+George in oversized shapes complemented the dresses, blouses and trousers, and soft, face-shadowing hats from Little Doe nodded at a vintage movie influence.
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H&M’s Spring 2011 Conscious Collection: Eco Fashion Breezes into April

H&M is making good on its promise to continue expanding their commitment to using sustainable fabrics. Their upcoming Spring, 2011 collection, Conscious Collection is the follow-up for Spring 2010′s Garden Collection. Utilizing organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester, the all-white collection means that it will work with everything from denim to silks.

“It’s no longer just about organic cotton. The possibilities for creating a complete fashion statement with eco smarter materials are huge now. By designing recurring Conscious Collections we have the opportunity to show in a variety of ways what’s possible using more sustainable fabrics,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M head of design. “Shades of white are the season’s biggest fashion trend. White creates a romantic feeling with lace and broderie anglaise, but it is also the basic color in a sporty, relaxed style and in a preppy tailored look for men.”

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Shopbop.com's Earth Friendly Category

I’m not sure how long this has been around, but the fabulous shopping site, Shopbop has a whole category (alongside Top Sellers and What’s Hot) called Earth Friendly, featuring clothes, shoes and accessories that are made of organic cotton, bamboo, and other sustainable fabrics.

Needing a new flowey summer piece to top off my shorts (but that is still appropriate for going out in the city), I found some really great options.

L, Larson Grey Flora Chiffon Blouse, R, Murphy Katherine bamboo top

L, Theory organic linen top, R, Beau Soleil Tini Tank

Why Not Bamboo? Q&A with Eco-Fashion Designer Sara Kirsner of Doie

Sara and I get into bamboo. Check out my dress . . . it’s from the Doie spring collection!

Considering I’m on a mission to cleanse my corporate-retail past and embrace eco-fashion, I’ve decided to learn as much about environmentally friendly fabrics as I possibly can. My first lesson comes from Sara Kirsner, the talent behind Doie, a beautiful collection of Asian-inspired bamboo jersey fashions.

All of Sara’s pieces are locally produced in New York City. I got to pay a special visit to her office and observe the designer at work amongst a plethora of bamboo swatches, organic cotton samples, and many adorable dresses. After picking out my favorite one from her spring collection, Sara and I talked shop and answered the ultimate question . . . why not bamboo?

Olivia: Sara, you obviously had some pretty good gigs with very famous and well-respected designers such as Marc Jacobs and Donna Karen. What made you leave that glamorous high-fashion world and start your own environmentally-focused line?

Sara: Contrary to what people might think, high fashion is only glamorous for the fifteen minutes the clothes are on runway. Even though it’s artwork, the amount of time and effort that goes into those fifteen minutes is crazy. I wanted to create clothing that was more accessible to the “everyday” woman.

I started out using regular cotton. After my first collection was produced, I was showing it to my friend’s mom, who also owns Vivaterra, an awesome website featuring eco-lifestyle products. She loved my collection and asked if I could make a few pieces for her in a sustainable fabric such as bamboo or organic cotton. I really liked bamboo and after learning more about it I decided to continue using it for all of my future collections. My family is very environmentally conscious. It just seemed natural. After learning how environmentally disastrous cotton is, I will never go back.

Olivia: It’s funny that you say it just seemed natural, because unlike spandex or polyester, cotton is a plant fiber and is commonly thought of as being “natural” and therefore ecologically sound. In reality, however, cotton uses a massive amount of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. To top it off, developing countries waste huge amounts of precious water and fertile land to grow cotton as a cash crop to repay national debts. Simultaneously, people who live in these countries are malnourished because of the shortages of water and agricultural land.

Sara: Yes, there is that misconception. In reality, however, five of the most commonly used cotton pesticides in the U.S. (cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite, and trifluralin) are known cancer-causing chemicals and classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as Category I and II Chemicals— the most dangerous chemicals class.

Bamboo production is not completely virtuous as there are harmful chemicals used to breakdown the bamboo into fabric, but bamboo growth does not require any pesticides and is 100% sustainable.

Olivia: Fashion and environmentalism aren’t exactly two peas in a pod. Do you ever see the fashion industry fully embracing environmental practices? Is it even a possibility?

Sara: I think it’s “trendy” right now, because of the celebrity following, but I am hoping that it will be a lifestyle change for people and not a trend. Organic food was trendy at one time and now it is a choice that people make every day. I am hoping that will happen with eco-fashion.

I think if there is more demand for eco-clothing, the fashion industry will have to step up and change their practices. I think once large companies start to become more aware of how much harm they are doing, they will change some of their practices.

Olivia: Can you tell us a little more about bamboo jersey? What makes it your fabric of choice?

Sara: Besides being amazingly soft to the touch, bamboo is a highly sustainable resource. A grass, it’s the fastest growing plant in the world and doesn’t require pesticides. Bamboo is also naturally anti-microbial, which means the fabric actually prevents bacteria from growing on it, resulting in clothing that remains odor-free longer than other fabrics . . . meaning less trips to the dry cleaner, which is always a major plus for the planet and your wallet!

Olivia: So the question really is why not bamboo? Do you plan to continue to use bamboo for all of your upcoming seasons or are you going to branch out to other sustainable fabrics? If so what other fabrics are eco-friendly?

Sara: For next spring (’08), I will use bamboo, but plan to incorporate organic cotton into the collection. I think that organic cotton is a great eco-fabric and I am excited to use it.

Olivia: One last question Sara. Where can we buy your amazing designs?

Sara: If you go to my website: www.doiedesigns.com there is a list of stores where you can find my line. You can also order directly from the site.

Nylon Mag: Sense and Sustainability

Loving the new Nylon article, Sense and Sustainability. It covers some great new designers who are recycling cashmere, working with natural materials to create unique jewlery, and creating high-end eco-couture. Props to Nylon for regularly featuring green designers and sustainable fabrics in their Greenpages. (You can also download their latest issue- gratis- for tree-free viewing!) While other fashion mags dither, Nylon brings it every issue.