We could not think of a better way to talk about ‘sustainable style’ then to report on the recent Fall 2008 House of Organic fashion show here in New York City. Presented by our favorite eco fashion design collective Ekovaruhuset at the LEED-CI Gold-certified Haworth NY showroom, the entire presentation was a demonstration of how fashion can be both accessible and dreamy when it comes to the hands-on application of sustainability principles and organic processes. Johanna Hofring, the founder of Ekovaruhuset (which translates to ‘House of Organic’ in Swedish), assembled a first-rate line up of eclectic designers who are also featured at her artisanal eco-boutiques in NYC and Stockholm. Ekovaruhuset‘s one-of-a-kind, handmade eco-creations hang together as a collective that redefines the appeal, creativity and luxury of organic design.
For lots more photos of the ‘House of Organic’ Fashion Shows, check out our flickr feed >
Ekovaruhuset Flamingo Dress – by Mika
EKOVARUHUSET
The House of Organic show featured the gamut of sustainable artistry – from the hand-felted dresses with embellished crocheted yokes and collars of Ashley Helvey and Kaori Yamazaki to the hand-painted, patchwork and found object laden dresses, pants, and tops of Desiree Hammen. Melissa Kirgan, whose blue hemp twill coat with shell buttons was perhaps one of the most polished and marketable pieces shown, also took risks with materials such as ivory-hued hemp, cotton crochet, screen-printing, eko-tanned chestnut deerskin, and yellow cotton fleece to create rich conversation pieces about just how varied the possibilities are for layering and accessorizing one’s eco-garments. MIKA’s Flamingo dress (shown above) was both bold and charming in its silhouette and playfulness.
Ekovaruhuset Faux Fox Shawl – by Meiling Cheng
A hemp and cotton draped evening dress with ‘wool fox scarf’ by Meiling Chen provided a beautiful and clever alternative to the usual red carpet solution for a night out on the town, while a black wool cocoon coat with ruffle scarf by XingZhen Chung-Hilyard was also extremely elegant in its geometric cut and organic form.
White Crocheted Poncho by Johanna Hofring
Johanna Hofring‘s creations continued their exploration of free-form crochet and applique additions to wool dresses and ponchos. We love that Hofring has led the crusade in sustainable style for quite some time (before it was hip on these shores), as her dedication to using organic and fair trade materials has been ongoing, fueled in part by the Swedish Fashion Council‘s commitment to such practices. Also available for viewing before and after the show were inspiring examples of hand-crocheted and knit garments made from angora and wool that had been sustainably harvested or farmed.
Anja Hynynen White Dress + Blue Vest
ANJA HYNYNEN
Anja Hynynen, a Swedish designer who sells her beautifully tailored garments in Ekovaruhuset‘s Stockholm boutique, also did a thoroughly impressive show of her woven fabric garments following the Ekovaruhuset presentation. Her pieces are exquisitely crafted in their attention to detail, and together with Ardalanish in Scotland, she has created a collection of organic, native breed tweed ensembles woven from local Hebredean and Shetland Wool.
RIGHTEOUS
Fairtrade Swedish brand Righteous shows off their cute & very wearable Fall 2008 collection
BAHAR SHAHPAR
NY Eco-designer Bahar Shahpar’s Fall 2008 Line was full of adorable gems like this plaid jumper
FIN FALL 2008 COLLECTION
Fin’s Fall 2008 Collection was full of classy, flirty wearable pieces like this black knit dress
For all of our extensive photos of the six sustainable ‘House of Organic’ Fashion Shows,
check out our flickr feed >
And stay tuned for more in-depth reportage next week from each of the Sustainable Fashion shows.
We applaud Ekovaruhuset, Johanna Hofring, and all the designers involved in the fashion week House of Organic presentation as we look for inroads and continued inspiration on the uncharted sustainability fashion map that lies ahead.
+ Ekovaruhuset
+ Ekovaruhuset Spring 2007 Fashion Show
+ Johanna Hofring
+ Anja Hynynen
INHABITAT FASHION WEEK FLICKR FEED >
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