Regardless of whether or not you’re as gung-ho eco-fashion as we are, it’s incredibly interesting to see the evolution of sustainable fashion from casual wear towards haute-couture. New York Fashion Week’s The Green Shows certainly made this trend very obvious both in the fashion-forward collections that were chosen to grace the runways and in the increased interest they attracted this year. The Green Shows showcased an incredibly diverse lineup of eco-fashion collections this season, from old hollywood glamour to avant-garde deconstructuralism, from punk-rock craziness to the ethereal bohemianism — proving once and for all that ‘green’ comes in all sorts of styles and flavors these days. If you weren’t able to make the shows, check out the extensive coverage of Green New York Fashion Week over on our sister eco-fashion site Ecouterre; we’ve got tons of great pics and reportage on the shows for your viewing pleasure >
SAMANTHA PLEET
Eco-designer Samantha Pleet really charmed the pants off of us (or perhaps onto us, in this case?) with her quirky and fetching Fall Winter 2010 collection. Made from sustainable materials such as organic wool, Chinese mud silk, and recycled Ultrasuede, the fun plaid rompers, pleated skirts and flatteringly ruffled mini-dresses really took our breath away.
Click here to see more looks from the Samantha Pleet show >
DEUX FM
Nova Scotia-based eco-fashion line Deux FM transported the catwalk to an era of old school glam with drapey dresses and alluring floor-length gowns that any Hollywood starlet could fall in love with. And we found ourselves a bit starstruck too when we recognized some alum from America’s Next Top Model walking in the show!
Click here to see more looks from Deux FM >
And click here to see who we spotted from America’s Next Top Model! >
POPOMOMO
Living up to its name (which stands for post-post modern movement), Popomomo’s AW 2010 line came from an intellectual place inspired primarily by quartz crystals and CIA satellite images of polar ice caps. Called “City of Quartz,” the architectural designs and geometric shapes in very easy to wear and match charcoals, greys and hits of teal really made us think (beyond the thought “Wow, I really want that blouse”).
Click here to see more looks from Popomomo >
JOANN BERMAN
While queen of upcycled rocker chic JoAnn Berman’s fashions are probably not for everyday wear (unless you’re extra, extra fierce), her energy-charged, colorful presentation was quite possibly the most fun out of all The Green Shows. Her boogeying, baton-twhirling, just plain having a great time models did a fantastic job showing off masterfully constructed, one of a kind looks that seemed to fly down the runway.
Click here to see more looks from the JoAnn Berman show >
WILLIAN
While the weather outside was frightful (with a big snowstorm raging in NY), Willian’s Fall Winter 2010 collection was delightful with spring-like, floaty fabrics and flattering, feminine shapes.
Click here to see more looks from the Willian show >
EKOVARUHUSET
We loved the sophisticated, ethnic stylings of Ekovaruhuset’s Fall Winter 2010 line, which featured the collective designs of Johanna Hofring, Meiling Chen, Tor Söderin, Renata Mann, Mika Machida, Kaori Yamazaki, and Melissa Kirgan and Xing-Zhen Chung-Hilyard of Eko-Lab. The show featured everything we love about House of Organic – delicate crochet work, hand made details and of course, the use of organic fabrics – but we especially adored the addition of the swirling charcoal-ink prints hand painted by Emmy Award-winning artist Jennifer Wen Ma.
Click here to see more looks from the Ekovaruhuset show >
VAUTE COUTURE
While no animals were harmed making Vaute Couture’s vegan line of outerwear, us humans thought the classic women’s jackets and dapper men’s pea coats were to die for!
Click here to see more looks from Vaute Couture >
THIEVES by SONJA DEN ELZEN
Designer Sonja den Elzen really differentiated Thieves from all of the other lines at the show by making the gutsy decision to omit color from her eco-friendly Fall Winter 2010 collection. The mood of the show was dreary, dark and combat-inspired, but when we took a closer look, the trendless, versatile garments themselves were totally ready to wear off the runway and onto the streets of New York.
Click here to see more looks from Thieves >
GARY HARVEY
British designer Gary Harvey brought upcycling to the next level – couture – with his brilliant gowns made from old Levi’s 501s, ’70s floral print maxi dresses, logo tees, and the pages of the Financial Times, just to name a few.
