Sustainable Fashion

Build Your Own Lego Dress!

How cool would it be to be able to construct and reconstruct your clothing everyday according to your mood just like legos? Refinity’s “Fragmented” clothing lets you do just that with their colorful and customizable snap-on pieces that let you decide how long, short, wide or thin your outfit should be – no sewing necessary! Besides being totally cool, the concept is definitely one that is taking center stage in the eco-fashion realm because it reduces textile waste and allows people to easily remodel their clothes instead of throwing them away.

Junk Dunks: Upcycled Nike Sneakers Made From Metal Circuit Boards

by Yuka Yoneda, 11/08/09

When it comes to kicks, the rarer the better. And if you’re looking for originality, we guarantee you won’t find another pair quite like these upcycled junk-metal Jordans by artist Gabriel Dishaw. He whips metal and electronic scraps from old computers into crazy DIY shoe sculptures that will have any sneakerhead foaming at the mouth. We don’t advise wearing them due to the jagged edges, but they’re certain to be conversation starters when placed strategically on your coffee table.

Tara St. James’ Upcycled Zipper Jewelry Adds Zip to Your Wardrobe

by Yuka Yoneda, 11/08/09

Self proclaimed pack-rat and the design mastermind behind the eco-fashion line Study Tara St. James knows how to make upcycling look good. So we weren’t surprised to see that her latest endeavor takes something as mundane as old zippers and transforms them into objects of desire fit for the pages of Vogue (Anna Wintour, if you’re reading this, give Tara a call). Check out all of Tara’s beautiful beribboned, and shockingly affordable, necklaces and accessories before they all get scooped up!

THE OFFICIAL ECOUTERRE LAUNCH PARTY IS TOMORROW!

by Yuka Yoneda, 10/28/09

CALLING ALL NEW YORK ECO-FASHION CONNOISSEURS!

In about 24 hours, you could be nibbling on delectable vegan morsels by Rabbit Mafia, sipping refreshing organic drinks courtesy of 44 North Vodka, shopping the racks of sustainable fashion at KAIGHT NYC (15% off everything for one night only), and discussing the future of eco-fashion at the OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY of our brand new eco-fashion website, Ecouterre! But you have to RSVP first so send us an email at rsvp@inhabitat.com today to let us know you’ll be there!

rsvp@inhabitat.com

SEE THE DETAILS OF THE PARTY HERE>

P.S. We’re going to be raffling off this gorgeous Circle Cascade necklace by the Andean Collection at the party, so don’t miss your chance to win it!

ecouterrepartysponsors2

Wearable Shelter: Clothes You Can Turn Into a Makeshift Home

Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino

With the economy in the shambles that it’s in, who knows when you’re gonna be forced to find shelter on the streets? If things do get that bad, you’d feel a lot more prepared sporting the “Wearable Shelter” collection of fashions that actually transform into sleeping bags and tents. Designed by a trio of Philadelphia student designers, these smart clothes/homes were …

Fall Eco-Fashion Pop Quiz!

How well do you know YOUR eco-fashion?
Put your sustainability savvy to the test and get the best Ecouterre news of the week in easy-to-swallow, bite-size morsels with our eco-fashion pop quiz.

1. Playing off “farm to table,” what designer is bringing “ranch to runway”?

2. What suede-like, renewable fabric has more bark than bite?

3. What is Zegna’s hot new solar-powered jacket made of?

4. What does Popomomo stand for?

5. “Consciousness is the new hip” is what vegan shoe maker’s motto?

Answers right after the jump!

ANNOUNCING ECOUTERRE – our new eco fashion website!

DRUMROLL PLEASE!
We have an announcement to make that we hope will come as welcome news to all you readers who love our fashion coverage (and also all you readers who hate our fashion coverage ;) ! We’ve been toiling for months now on a new website exclusively dedicated to eco-friendly fashion, and we are thrilled to unveil the newest member of the Inhabitat family today: ECOUTERRE.COM

John Patrick Organic Spring/Summer Eco Fashion 2010

We’ve been fans of trailblazing eco fashion designer John Patrick Organic for years, and were thrilled to get a sneak peek at his latest collection at New York Fashion Week last Thursday. Summed up in two words, JPO SS 2010 is classic Americana. These are clothes that would have looked oh so right on Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde – flowy and flattering organic cotton and silk dresses cinched with structured recycled polyester trenchcoats and organic cotton twill seersucker blazers. Read on to see pics of our favorite pieces and a special celebrity guest!

TRAIDremade Makes Recycled Clothing Fashionable

With the current economic climate, “frugalista fashion” on the lips of everyone from VOGUE to Target, and people are using more of what they already have, and realizing that we don’t need to spend a lot to get a lot. TRAIDremade Boutique, a new collaboration between online ecoboutique Fashion-conscience.com and the charity TRAID, is manifesting both of these philosophies with their exclusive collection of bespoke clothing and accessories inspired by the latest couture looks right off the runway! Crafted from upcycled donated clothing, scrap fabric and vintage hardware, these high-fashion pieces will be extremely covetable and so will the price – starting from £20!

DENIM THERAPY Repairs Your Holey Old Jeans!

We all know what it is like to have a favorite pair of treasured jeans that are so comfortable and fit so perfectly that we want to wear them every day. The downside to this pure and beautiful jean-love is that too much wear leads to jeans wearing out – with telltale holes in the crotch and knees – and then before you know it, you have to either start patching, or search around far and wide to find another pair of jeans as great as your favorite. But now, thanks to Denim Therapy, there is a better solution! Denim Therapy offers an amazing (and very affordable) service to seamlessly repair all the threadbare patches, broken zippers, and holes in your favorite pair of jeans, and return them to a like-new state — without patches, seams or any indication that your jeans have been through the ringer and back!

Like most people, I had a favorite pair of jeans in my closet that was getting holey and threadbare, so I decided to check out Denim Therapy’s service for myself to see if they lived up to the hype…

5 Cheap & Easy Ways to Green Your Wardrobe

As Inhabitat’s fashion editor, I spend a lot of time (yes, a tad bit little longer than is required for my job) perusing through seriously crave-worthy fashions, from the frilly and ethereal, to the haunting and hardcore. That being said, looking at all of these beautiful clothes can be very bittersweet when you’re working with a less than rockstar budget. In fact, one of the biggest complaints I hear about ethical and eco-conscious fashion is that it is just too expensive! I definitely acknowledge the fact that buying a lot of these labels is not cheap, but you have to admit that it makes sense that clothing using the latest and most innovative fabrics and paying fair wages to local people would be more pricey. I try my best to save up and buy my favorite eco-chic pieces when they go on sale to support the cause, but who says you need to spend big bucks to rock a look that is both green and cutting edge? Here are 5 easy and supercheap ways to green your wardrobe by using your noggin instead of your benjamins.

Velvet Leaf Classically Tailored Organic Dresses for Fall

Here at Inhabitat, we always say that it doesn’t matter how sustainably a garment is made if it doesn’t look good. Think about it – if you make a blouse out of 100% certified organic cotton but it’s fugly and no one buys it, you just wasted energy, money, time and the cotton itself. Luckily, when it comes to having the best of both worlds, Velvet Leaf knows how it’s done. Designers (and sisters) Laura and Becky Carter whip up organic clothing that is part vintage charm, part global nomad, and all sustainably and fairly made. Check out our favorite Velvet Leaf looks (including 2 brand new preview looks from their smart and girly fall collection) in our gallery.

7 Spectacular Sustainable Summer Party Dresses

When you walk into a warm-weather shindig, you want all eyes to be on you! And what better way to achieve that effect than with a showstopping, summery sustainable dress. We’ve compiled 7 of our favorite eco-conscious frocks, shifts, and gowns from best eco-steal (so you don’t have to break the bank) to most versatile (so you can wear it over and over again) for your viewing pleasure. Click through the gallery to see our recommendations and prices.

Eco-Designer Profile: Project Earth Day Winner Stacy Longo

The success of this year’s Project Earth Day eco-runway show which took place in April in NYC was a brilliant indication that green fashion is no longer just a fad. The energy-packed show featured today’s hottest eco-lines as well as a student competition which challenged the brightest designers of tomorrow to whip up their own sustainable garments. All of the designs were brilliant, but in the end, FIT student Stacy Longo’s mod, hand-woven outfit prevailed, winning her the grand prize. We were lucky enough to catch up with Stacy to pick her brain about the inspiration for her design and what eco-fashion means to her.

WEEDROBES: Clothing Made from Leaves!

There’s no doubt about it – floral prints are all the rage for this summer and fall. Everywhere you look, it’s pretty petunias, brightly-colored begonias, and lush lilac. We love these looks, but eco-artist Nicole Dextras is taking flowery fashion one step further with her intricately woven …

Edit’d: An Excellent Example of Eco Fashion

Not sure if you’ve noticed, but fashion has been changing. And I don’t mean changing like fads and trends changing – that’s the old fashion. New fashion has a brain. New fashion has staying power. Not sure what that means? Well Australian designer Helene Ang and her new line Edit’d are the perfect illustration of my point. Helene deconstructs luxe vintage garments and breathes new life into them by slicing and stitching them into contemporary silhouettes. Each piece comes complete with a history of its humble beginnings so that you can daydream about its old life each time you put it on. Pretty powerful considering that we are essentially purchasing a story, an idea and a lifestyle each time we buy a tulip skirt, patterned sundress or aviator sunglasses. And you really get that with Helene’s pieces. So much so that if I had to make a PowerPoint presentation showing what new fashion is, it would be very similar to Edit’d website. In fact, I think I will take a stab at explaining what new fashion is using Edit’d’s summer collection, European Vagabond. Here goes…

Philippe Starck Will Never Be Idiotic Enough to Do Fashion

It is not surprising that world renowned french design star Philippe Starck, most famous for his posh hotels and slick furniture recently said “I will never be idiotic enough to do fashion.” The setting of his proclamation, however, was a bit perplexing – it was in Florence at the launch of Mr. Starck’s new eco-conscious clothing line. Say what?!

Well this is also the guy who said ‘Design is Dead‘ and announced his retirement from the world of design, while simultaneously launching a line of eco-chic mini wind turbines. We aren’t quite sure what Mr. Starck has against the f-word, but we are pretty confident that his adamantly non-fashion line made of luxurious cashmere and silk cloaks, knit dresses and jackets does indeed fall under the realm of fashion, whether he likes it or not. But you can be the judge of that.

House-Wear Clothing Made From Paper!

Ever imagined wearing a dress made out of paper? House-Wear, a truly imaginative brand founded by artist Laura Sansone is all about eco-fashion, but in a different way than what you may have seen before. Laura’s cheeky and light-as-a-feather PAPER WEAR line is made out of Tyvek, a material which is usually reserved for mailing envelopes! Not only do these clever garments “push the envelope” by using a familiar material in a new and exciting way (something we love here at Inhabitat), but the trompe l’oeil look is spot-on in terms of what’s hot right now in fashion.

D&A Eco-Fashion: Editors’ Picks!

Last week, we were excited to be the exclusive media sponsor of the Green Room, an eco-focused space within premiere fashion trade show Designers & Agents. Although we were technically ‘working’ at D&A, the bright and cheery Green Room looked so much like an eco-fashionista’s dream boutique, complete with bubblegummy eco-art and elegant furnishings by Uhuru, that we couldn’t help but want to go shopping! And we did! From ruffly sweet sweater dresses to sleek silver recycled tyvek tops, we tried on so much eco-goodness that we knew we had to share our favorite looks with you. So without further ado, here are our favorite new green styles from the D&A trade show – modeled of course, by yours truly….

INHABITAT REPORTS LIVE FROM D&A GREEN ROOM 2009!

This week, we’re psyched to be reporting live from the ‘Green Room,’ a devoted space within premiere fashion trade show Designers & Agents featuring the hottest emerging eco-collections. Things may have been dreary outside, but this bright, airy green fashion wonderland has been providing us with plenty of eye candy to keep our minds off of the weather. From futuristic shift dresses made from Tyvek to cozy alpaca wool frocks adorned with ruffles, the creative use of materials and masterful craftsmanship of each unique design is a testament to how far sustainable style has evolved from the bland, hempy looks of yore. Read on for a sneak peek gallery of the brightest budding talent in sustainable clothing and accessories!

INHABITAT REPORTS FROM D&A GREEN ROOM!

We’re at D&A today!

Being the sustainable style junkies we are, Inhabitat is joining forces once again with premiere fashion trade show Designers & Agents to bring you the best and brightest in cutting-edge eco fashion coverage from today through Wednesday. The NY Inhabitat team will be on the scene in the ‘Green Room,’ a gallery space dedicated to showcasing environmental design and eco fashion collections (not to mention green furniture, books and products), so stop by and say hello! Remember, emerging designers can only show once in the Green Room, so this is your chance to glimpse the newest budding talent (before everyone else knows about it).

VIDEO: Project Earth Day Fashion Competition

This year’s Project Earth Day Eco Fashion Design Competition officially blasted away any stereotypes that eco-fashion is boring or crunchy. We’ve captured all of the highlights – from the brilliant student designs to the latest looks from all of our favorite eco-designers – on video for your viewing pleasure. Check out the above video to see how the student design competition went down, and the video below for the professional runway show.

+ …

D&A Green Room Exhibit Coming to NYC Next Week!

D&A is on the way!

Being the sustainable style junkies that we are, Inhabitat is joining forces once again with premiere fashion tradeshow Designers & Agents to bring you the best and brightest in cutting-edge eco fashion from May 4th-6th next week. The NY Inhabitat team will be on the scene in the ‘Green Room’, a gallery space dedicated to environmental design, showcasing eco fashion collections as well as green furniture, books and products, so stop by and say hello! Remember, emerging designers can only show once in the Green Room, so here is your chance to glimpse the newest budding talent (before everyone else knows about it).

SPRING SALE: 25% Off Melissa Sandals!

ATTENTION ECO-FASHIONISTAS!Now that spring has officially sprung, your feet want to be free! Happily, Brazilian shoe brand Melissa allows vegan and eco-conscious fashionistas to free their feet while keeping a small environmental footprint. We love Melissa’s spring collection of fun jellies, flats and sandals so much that we have decided to hold a big sale – FOR ONE WEEK ONLY – on all Melissa spring sandals and jellies.

Project Earth Day Eco Fashion Show 2009!

If you weren’t able to attend this year’s Project Earth Day Eco Fashion Runway Show, we have good news for you: Inhabitat was on the scene at Openhouse Gallery to bring you all of the pics and juicy details. From several killer runway shows to a rockin’ reception where people (including our very own editor-in-chief, Jill Fehrenbacher) were chatting so excitedly that their voices were hoarse the next day, Project Earth Day officially blasted away any stereotypes that eco-fashion is boring or crunchy. FINALLY!

SUSTAINABLE STYLE: Preloved Spring ‘09

Sometimes sustainable style has nothing at do with organic cotton, hemp, or vegetable-dyed leather. Case in point: Preloved, the aptly-named Canadian clothier, takes a novel approach to eco-fashion by collecting orphaned vintage garments and whipping them into one-of-a-kind pieces that are more than just the sum of their parts. From structured skirts made out of vintage blazers to breezy tanks fashioned out of sweater scraps, Preloved’s Spring ‘09 collection is no exception. With pieces so obviously born out of creativity and eco-resourcefulness, we knew it was love at first sight.

Fashionably Natural Opens LA Fashion Week

Velvet Leaf

Los Angeles Fashion Week kicked off this past Thursday and Inhabitat was on site at an exclusive runway show, Fashionably Natural, that featured four of Los Angeles’ emerging eco-fashion designers. Hosted in collaboration with SOYJOY and nonprofit Gen Art, Fashionably Natural showcased the talent of Bridgid Cattis, Popomomo, The Battalion, and Velvet Leaf– making it Los Angeles’ largest collection of eco-fashion designers to hit the runway.

Actress Maggie Gyllenhall, was present in support of the designers and to make introductions. The variety of styles and textiles, which included denim, soy and bamboo jersey, organic cotton and silk found throughout the collections demonstrates the versatility of eco-fashion and leaves no doubt that “Eco-Chic” is not a passing trend.

ECOLLECTION DAY 2: Fresh Eco-Friendly Fashions

ECOLLECTION took sustainable fashion to the mainstream this week in Las Vegas, introducing an international audience of buyers to a variety of emerging eco-brands and products. Inhabitat scoured the floor to find the latest and greatest in sustainable style, so keep an eye out in Spring 09 for these cool new wears!

ECOLLECTION DAY 1: Sustainable Style Hits the Mainstream

MAGIC’s sustainable lifestyle show ECOLLECTION debuted this week to an international crowd of fashion industry buyers. The expansive showcase featured a juried and progressive collection of eco-minded apparel and products, as well as seminars, fashion shows, a plush lux lounge, and a bookstore. The sheer volume of exhibitors illustrated how many new brands are turning an eye toward sustainable design. While the products varied in degree of true “green-ness,” the overall fashion prognosis is optimistic. By fall, it will be much easier to shop for a stylish and sustainable wardrobe. Check out the highlights from day one!

Recycling Made Sexy by GOODONE

Looking for some eco-funked out fashion that retains that urban vibe? Enter Goodone, an award-winning London based sustainable clothing collection…”with an edge”. Designing one-off clothing made from hand-picked, locally-sourced and recycled fabrics Goodone is a fashion company aiming to redefine UK public perceptions of recycled clothing. The thrifty and talented designers from Goodone are moving mountains by reducing mountains of waste fabric for a new take on fast fashion and resourceful hipness.

SUSTAINABLE STYLE: Species by the Thousands Shoes

Keds-style shoes might be easy to come by pretty much anywhere, but how often do you find designs this cute, and this original, that are also eco-friendly? Brooklyn design duo, Species by the Thousands, has created a whole new eco-freaky spin on Keds with their hand-painted canvas slip-ons featuring silhouetted critters and funky flora and fauna. Designers Erica Bradbury and Michele Colomer have a pretty dark sense of humor, too, with their quirky tag line, “How do crazy people go through the forest? They take the psycho path.” If you are obsessed with finding and sporting the latest in edgy green fashion, look no further, as Species by the Thousands will be presenting their designs at the Project Earth Day Eco-Fashion Show here in NYC on April 24th (that’s tomorrow kids!) Inhabitat’s Sustainable Style team is really looking forward to this parade of exotic species on the runway – as sustainable style gets a bit wild for the crowd.

Jill Fehrenbacher and Inhabitat in Domino Magazine!

With Spring finally starting to spring, we are excited to announce that Domino Magazine has just published a feature story on our Inhabitat founder Jill Fehrenbacher. The April issue of Domino – the guide to living with style – is tinged with green as Earth Day approaches and that’s where Inhabitat founder Jill Fehrenbacher makes an appearance in the monthly My Green Life feature. Decked out in sustainable style favorites like Mika Machida and Veja, she talks about living green in NYC and her vision of the perfect way to spend April 22, 2008.

FIN ECO FASHION – Fall Collection 2008

FIN Knit Black Dress

As follow up to last week’s coverage of New York Fashion Week and the House of Organic line up, we wanted to take a closer look at the stylish Norwegian eco-fashion house, Fin and their Fall 2008 ‘Eco Lux’ presentation. Fin’s design philosophy runs as deep as the fjords of Norway, and principal designer Per Age Sivertsen has notably added volume and embroidered detail to the most recent collection as a means to celebrate movement, flux, and the dynamically draped female form. Fin has moved to the front of the fashion pack not only for its feminine and flirty green designs, but also for its ability to combine sustainable style with a carbon neutral credit buying program. There may by a hint of ‘poetic boho’ in their recent collection, but their mission is both playful and downright serious in its adherence to environmentally sound practices.

BAHAR SHAHPAR Eco Fashion – Fall Collection 2008

Bahar Shahpar Prepster Plaid Jumper

When we first spotted New York designer Bahar Shahpar’s adorable eco-friendly fashions last spring, we were instantly smitten with the playful colors, impeccable tailoring and smart-yet-sassy aesthetic . Whats not to love about cute, colorful, wearable frocks and skirts produced locally in New York City from natural, organic materials? Last summer, Bahar’s iconic flower babydoll dress (shown below) could be found on just about every eco-chic girl in town, and we predict another Bahar Shahpar craze will hit soon when the designer’s new fall collection hits stores in September.

SUSTAINABLE STYLE: ‘House of Organic’ Fall 2008 Collections

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 >