New York’s Fashion Week may be over for now, but eco-friendly designers left a clear message to the world: Fashion can be aesthetically beautiful and ethically responsible. Mainstream designers don’t have to take from existing raw materials to create fashionable collections and further contribute to global shortages. Rather we can all be inspired by Suzanne Rae, Duro Olowu and John Patrick’s transformation of sustainable materials into high-fashion looks and discover our inner green designers.
Suzanne Rae used organic cottons, recycled hemps and raw silk to create a simple and relaxed fitting collection of beach-ready swimwear, playsuits and dresses. Many of the looks were paired with Tumbleweeds sunglasses constructed from beautiful strips of scrap wood. Duro Olowu gave audiences an energy jolt with brightly colored dresses made from reclaimed silks and vintage fabric trims. Veteran eco-fashion designer John Patrick’s Organic collection showed audiences many possibilities of using sustainable materials with models dressed in boxer shorts made from upcycled vintage neckties and accessorized with oversized clutches and totes constructed from recycled nylons.
Just as each of these Fashion Week designers reused existing materials to create fashion, you can also discover your inner eco-fashion designer with a few lessons.
Take a Class in Green Fashion Design
There are schools all over the world offering courses to help you become the next sustainable designer or stylist at Fashion Week. You could end up earning a paycheck; regardless, you’ll help make the planet and others more beautiful and healthy. But if deadlines and classrooms are not your style, you can start a group in your community for local designers and start swapping tips.
Another quick way to learn more about your specific interests is to attend a class sponsored by a local business, club or school. There are classes on topics ranging from repurposing clothing to making your own jewelry.
Jump Right in with Do-It-Yourself Projects
For those on the go and don’t have time to enroll in classes, do-it-yourself projects and tutorials are other great tools to help you organize and complete tasks. They provide you with a list of necessary materials and step-by-step instructions, so you can work at own pace. Most projects are inexpensive, and you are likely to find many materials lying around your house or in local thrift shops and craft stores.
Study up!
There are endless resources to help you create eco-chic designs. You can continue reading blogs like this one and do-it-yourself magazines to get more ideas. You can also visit local markets and attend trade shows to gain insider tips from fellow designers.
These are few ideas to help you find your inner green fashionista and start recreating fashion from things all around you. But if you can’t enough of the runway, check out London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks beginning soon!
Images Credit: NataliaYeromina / Shutterstock
Green Beauty Girl
I believe Eco fashion to be more than just natural fibers in clothing. It is producing products that promote health to the body and the earth.