Haute Couture goes eco-friendly
June 4, 2008
Organically made clothing took the world of high fashion by storm in 2008. Top fashion designers now utilize eco-friendly fabrics and turn them into Haute Couture. Designers like Rogan Gregory, Linda Loudermilk, Lisa Gorman, Richie Rich for Heatherette, Bahar Shahpar and brands such as J Brand, American Apparel and John Patrick Organic are all pioneers of the emerging green fashion movement. Recently, Guess Inc. announced that the company will also be coming out a new eco-friendly line that which will feature everything from denim to cotton tees.
In January, a fashion show called FutureFashion, showed off just how far green fashion has come in the past year. Organized by a New York-based non-profit company, Earth Pledge, the fashion show inspired many famed fashion designers to work with organic fabrics for the first time. Instead of using the traditional cashmere and silk fabrics, the designers used sasawashi, a Japanese fabric made from paper and herbs, peace silk and hemp. Since the fashion show, many other designers have pledged to incorporate organic fabric into their clothing lines. Some well-known designers that took part in the fashion show were Phillip Lim and Stella McCartney.
The great thing about eco-fashions is that they don’t involve the use of harmful chemicals and bleaches to color fabrics. Clothing that is considered eco-friendly is typically made with raw organic materials such as cotton, which is not grown with pesticides, and reused materials such as plastic from recycled soda bottles. These clothes are also made under healthy working conditions, by people who are earning fair wages.
The move toward eco-friendly fashions is receiving major support from the fashion industry. Those designers that made the switch to organic fabrics will soon realize the benefits of such a strategic move. In the midst of many major global warming concerns, it is important for everyone to contribute to improving the health of the environment. Plus, think about how great it will feel to be recognized as a designer who is trying to save the planet? Using organic fabrics is not only eco-friendly, but also super beneficial for the image of the designer. Overall, it is a win-win situation. Plus, all the clothes are super cute. Here are some eco-friendly fashions from the eco-conscious designers.
It’s finally here!! On Friday, May 30, the highly-awaited premier of Sex and the City Movie took the nation by storm, making $55 million its opening weekend. The show’s fans have longed for this follow-up since the series’ end in 2004. Over the past decade, the world watched Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte as they dated, went on shopping sprees, drank cosmopolitans and acquired fabulous careers. With each season, the ladies of Sex and the City morphed into fashion icons for women across the country, and possibly all around the world. The show introduced women to high-fashion brands such as Chloe, Blumarine, Manolo Blahnik and a bundle of others. The show also taught women how to effortlessly mix and match designer items with bargain finds. Most importantly, Sex and the City conveyed the message that women can have fun with fashion, especially in the work place. In a Wall Street Journal article, “The ’sex’ effect: Empowering to Some, Trashy to others” by Christina Brinkley, she discuses the idea of Sex and the City fashion in the workplace. Brinkley writes that after the Sex and the City era, women started feeling much more empowered to be girlie, expose cleavage and be more daring in general. Being an aspiring, fashion-loving young woman, I understand the importance of style in the workplace. Our personal style give us character and a certain appeal; however, I also understand the importance of being tasteful with my ” workplace style.” It is essential to keep your audience in mind when getting dressed for work. Brinkley points out that dressing suitably is a social skill, and these social skills are important for climbing the ladder of success. To me this means that it is important to make the distinction between what is work-appropriate and what isn’t. In the public relations industry personal image is vital for success. Representing oneself in a positive, put-together manner is a key element in the industry. Similar to how public relations practitioners represent their clients, they should also have the ability to master essentials to represent themselves. Brinkley advises women to go the conservative route, instead of the Sex and the City route, to avoid conflicts and bad impressions.
However, dressing conservatively doesn’t always have to be boring. There are tricks to making a simple outfit more fun, without sacrificing its conservative element. Accessories such as a big necklace, a bracelet or a pair of pearls will give the outfit a flair and a sense of your personal style. Personal style is a form of PR, which is why it is important to distinguish between what will give a good impression and what will give a bad one. Brinkley says “It’s style, not fashion,” and that one phrase alone sets the guidelines for power dressing. I believe that style represents taste and an understanding of what will make one look professional in the workplace. Here are some images that show a modern conservative outfits that aren’t boring.
Workplace attire put aside, I am a huge fan of Sex and the City fashion. The colors, the prints and the outrageous designs are my guilty pleasure. The pink carpet Sex and the City Movie premier on May 30 was a total melange of metallic colors, bright summer tones and custom designer pieces. Patricia Field, the costume designer for the series, returned to her post and worked on the fashions for Sex and the City Movie. In the series, Field dressed the ladies of Sex in the City in everything from designer couture to thrift-store finds. There is no doubt that the movie excels in its fashions and as a fan, I wouldn’t expect anything less.
I think that everyone woman should have the power to express her character through fashion. Feeling good on the outside results in what feels like “internal tranquility.” Work style however is much different from street style and it is essential for women today to understand the difference between the two. I guess we can’t all get away with what Sex and the City’s PR maven, Samantha Jones, can.
