Etc…

I am a bit dismayed that this post on some of the most innovative clothing design I’ve seen in awhile (from either eco or non-eco designers) has been overshadowed by a discussion on models and weight. I certainly do not mean to make light of these issues. However, I think the commenters above underscore that if you take a cross section of society you will find people who are naturally thin and those who are naturally curvaceous. I would argue that both can be perfectly healthy and both could look perfectly fabulous in SANS designs. That certainly doesn’t mean there are not a lot of issues surrounding the Standard American Diet, obesity and anorexia, but I think it might be a bit unfair to lump all of that on SANS. I have spoken with Alessandro from SANS and he expressed that they made an effort not to use size “0″ models. He states:

“Both of those girls were very healthy. For one, it was her last job before going home to Hungary to study architecture and the other was a sweet 16 year old from Boston. Both were size 4-6 which is nowhere near size 0. Some girls are just naturally built like that. Not to mention they were both 5′10″…”

He also assures me that they have customers in all shapes and sizes that are quite happy wearing their clothes. I, for one, look forward to being one of those customers.

Being super thin has gone from being a sign of starvation or illness a hundred years ago to the height of fashion today, and yet maintaining such a body weight without dying is only possible through modern technology requiring no physical work- try having that body and growing all of your own food or providing shelter for yourself, or carrying water to and from a well every day, for example. It’s like bound feet or royalty growing their nails impractically long as a sign that they could afford to not work.

What I am saying is that sustainability ought to be about who you are not what you wear, and in this case while what the model is wearing might be sustainable, her entire existence is not.

SANS is in the process of updating their website, so check back there for purchase information. This is their Spring line, so it is not in stores yet, but I know some pieces have been picked up by Kaight http://kaightnyc.com. If you cannot find any information in a month or so, shoot them an email and I am sure they will be happy to tell you where you can find their items.

Actually, model weight has been a recent international issue. It happened when Spain required models to have a BMI (height to weight ratio) above 18 to participate in shows and has spread to several other countries. In fact, it was just reported on in today’s WWD.

“NEW YORK — The Council of Fashion Designers of America is moving ahead in putting together its strategy on the global debate on weight.”

So, while there are some changes, it is likely that most models are going to remain thinner than the average population and this is nothing new. Additionally, what comes down the runway is not always what ends up in the store, the clothes are often fit to the model. The issue rather seems that you don’t want to wear clingy clothes to avoid accentuating certain areaas. I completely understand that, but, as Jill said, I don’t see how that prohibits you from wearing other items in this line such as the jeans, t-shirts, jacket and cape top. I also second Jill’s admiration for the socks. The potential of socks as an accessory has far from been reached and I cannot wait to get myself a pair of these.

So, if this isn’t your style, don’t fret. There is a growing variety of styles in eco-fashion many of which can be found online. During the last year I wrote about a store a month on http://fiftyrx3.com. I am in the process of indexing the site to make information easier to find, but until then you can also check this incomplete list. Right now probably every store is having a sale, so it may be a good time to investigate.

shops

Good luck!!

How about the jeans, the cardigans, and especially THE SOCKS! I know they are sort of impractical, but the socks are my favorite thing in the SANS line…

Anyways, I hear what you are saying, but I think if you look at the sans website, you will see a lot of drapey dresses, and comfy cute stuff like sweat pants, T-shirts and sweaters that really would look good on any body type. I hear you on the short, stretchy mini-dresses, but that is not the only thing that SANS does.

Love the fabrics though