Urban Tropical Meets Scottish Highlands (Oh Yeah!) in Auralis' Fall/Winter 2012 Preview

Maria Pants in NYC grey and Luciana Top in Coco Crema
pants: wool and tencel jersey blend
top: 100% organic cotton jersey

We’ve been watching Auralis Herrero-Lugo eponymous line since she debuted at the New York Fashion Week’s Greenshows a few seasons ago. Since then, she has refined her designs, learned about eco fabrics and processes by doing, and most recently, taken on Scottish partner Jennifer Macgregor-Dennis, for the F/W 2012 collection shown here, which takes Urban Tropical to the hills of Scotland.

“What would Iris Chacón, the Puerto Rican icon, wear to wine and dine in a Scottish castle?” Auralis asks. (See above and below!)

Sofia Cape in Bracken
Harris Tweed 100% wool

The majority of the fabrics you see here were hand dyed at Auralís’ Studio using only natural, sustainable, fair trade dyes. “The process of dying fabric requires large quantities of water. Achieving our rich colors naturally was the next logical step for our eco-venture. Madder gave us Bracken, which covers the Scottish hills it also gave us Maga; Puerto Rico’s national flower. Logwood brought us Heather, Scotland’s violet flower and our staple New York City Grey,” says Auralis.

Antonia Dress in light Heather
100% silk habotai hand dyed using logwood

Harris tweed, the world’s only commercially produced hand woven tweed, was used in some pieces, and a collaboration with fellow sustainable designer, Zaida Adriana Goveo-Balmaseda rounds out the Autumn/Winter offerings. “The collaboration includes a scarf and a turban, knitted using a blend of organic merino, baby alpaca and silk yarn; luxurious on the skin and beautiful on the eye,” according to the brand.

Arran jacket in Gigha with NYC Grey crepe plise lining
Harris Tweed 100% wool, lined with crepe plise (organic cotton, silk and hemp blend)

Ella Dress in Heather
100% silk habotai hand dyed using logwood. wood buttons

All images by Monica Felix.