Fashion Evolution

On November 7th, Fashion Evolution: Consumer Power will discuss the most talked about and challenging topics facing the retail and fashion industries today. Keynote speaker Amy Hall, Director of Social Consciousness at Eileen Fisher, will lead into an expert panel discussion with executives from:

• Naomi Gross, FIT Professor and Assistant Chairperson
• Faizun Kamal, Founder of SourceFK
• Gia Machlin, Founder and CEO of EcoPlum
• Telicia Bunch, Director of Technical Design for a global fashion design company
• And last but certainly not least, our very own Founding Partner and Creative Director at MBF, Manuela Fassbender

Organized by Ampleen, Fashion Evolution will highlight on how consumers are driving the industry and welcoming Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into their culture. The evening will examine how far Sustainability and CSR have come and what the future holds for them. Not to mention, it will be a fabulous networking opportunity complimented by wines, small snacks and an environmentally friendly reusable and recyclable gift from FACE Stockholm. 

photo via Fashion Evolution

So mark your calendars for Fashion Evolution, hosted at the Scandinavia House in New York City at 58 Park Avenue, November 7th from 6-9pm. For more information and to register, go to: https://fashionevolution.eventbrite.com/.

Talking Integrity With Tara St James

After chatting with her as part of the "Sustainable Fashion Tour of NYC" a few weeks ago, we had to get to know more about Tara St James, and who wouldn't? Owner and head designer of the Brooklyn based sustainable label, Study New York, Tara continues to bring integrity and honesty to the table in everything she does.

photo via Sarah Kerens

MBF Trend Consulting: Please tell us more about your company and your background.

Tara St James: I knew very young that I wanted to design clothes and work in fashion. I studied menswear in college because I liked the rigid structure of tailoring. I still apply a lot of those principles to my womenswear designs. Another underlying principle I learned from studying menswear - though it was not mentioned outright - was a disregard for trendy items, with a focus on craftsmanship, fit and longevity of wear. I started my career working in the denim industry, then worked for larger fast fashion brands in Montreal and New York. In 2009 I left my last job designing a high street brand called Covet and started Study. I started Study at a time in my career when I was very frustrated with fast fashion and mass production. With Study, we wanted to not just source sustainable materials but also produce them locally. There is a bit of a disconnect between sourcing sustainable materials and then producing garments in a large factory in China. I had a lot of experience sourcing sustainable materials through previous roles, however, producing the clothing locally was something completely new for me, very different, but a really enjoyable experience. I love being so hands on. We have also looked at our business model and want to provide an alternative to fast fashion and the traditional fashion calendar. We have moved away from seasonal collections, which never made sense to me. We now provide monthly editions and develop a few new pieces for the months ahead. This has been a great change for me and the stores love it as they are getting new stock in that is relevant to the time of year and can really build a collection.

photo via Christine Arndt

MBF: What is the meaning behind your company name “STUDY?” 

TSJ: The name was born of a desire I had to really examine my production process and focus on a different technique every season. That began with zero waste patternmaking, then progressed to weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, pleating, etc... Now that I'm no longer producing seasonal collections I still focus on different techniques but I spread that focus over several months rather than each edition. 

MBF: You are involved in different projects like the Uniform Project and the Awamaki Lab. Can you tell us a bit more about the new tradeshow concept “Origin” taking place in Italy next year?

TSJ: I was invited by Not Just a Label to a teaser event for their new concept in trade fairs, called Origin. I believe NJAL has done a better job explaining the concept than I could, but I wrote a little about the experience on my blog. It was an enriching experience for me and I'm grateful to have been invited to participate, meet other designers and industry professionals, and partake of Italian hospitality for a few days!

photo via Christine Arndt

MBF: What are the biggest changes you have seen in your industry in the last year?

TSJ: 2013 seems to be a year for change for a lot of people, especially in my circle of friends and colleagues. This change is occurring on both the personal and professional level in many lives. For me it began a time of introspection into my business model. The fashion calendar never felt right for me. When I started Study in 2009 it was with a collection called The Square Project, a collection of zero waste garments made using squares, and it was intended to be more of a research project than a collection – hence the name, STUDY – but I was quickly absorbed into the fashion system and therefore the calendar. It took until now for me to realize that I didn’t have to subscribe to anything, and I could create my own calendar. While I’m not the first designer to choose to work outside the traditional fashion calendar (producing seasonal collections), it has become increasingly obvious to me that not only do the production methods used by fast fashion companies as well as the fabric choices designers make have a huge impact on our environment and the socio-economic well-being of other human beings, but our consumption has gotten so out of control that a statement needs to be made. By eliminating collections from my business model, and only producing a few garments every month, much closer to the season and when I feel there is a need for them on the market, my goal is to limit the availability of the brand to customers and hope they will carry these consumption values to other items. I only produce what I believe is beautiful and wanted. I believe consumers are starting to demand this change and are seeking out beautifully made, long-lasting quality garments that eschew trends. Fast fashion will reach a plateau very soon and send customers back to wanting original but less temporary items.

photo via Tara St James

MBF: What have been/are your biggest challenges in the industry?

TSJ: The greatest change I have seen with the business is the dialogue that has happened between myself and my retail outlets. Not only have they been incredibly supportive of the change but it has allowed me to really learn more about their needs and interactions with their customers. I have yet to figure out how I want to maneuver sales to my retailers. In the past I worked with a showroom and attended trade shows where buyers could come and order the next season's collection. Now I find myself needing to send styles out to the retailers once a month and while photos are a good way of doing this, I don't believe it's the only solution, so at present I'm talking regularly to my retailers to figure out the best way to approach them monthly with new product.

MBF: Since sustainability and technology are the major drivers of any industry, do you find that this shift is trickling across the industry?

TSJ: The fashion industry is notorious for being slow to adopt technology and the two have yet to find a harmonious relationship despite the recent enthusiasm for 3D printing and ecommerce apps pushing the industry forward. Speaking strictly on a sustainability focused level, technology has been tremendously important in recent years with radical changes in water and chemical treatment facilities, printing and dyeing technologies, fiber separating and recycling plants, etc... and soon I believe designers with an interest in sourcing sustainably will have an edge over those who do not mainly because of their understanding of these "new" production processes.

MBF: Where are you thinking of taking Study in the near future?

TSJ: I want to include more collaboration in the Study brand, whether it's for the main product range, an off-shoot or for private label development with my retailers. I love the idea of product development on a broader scale. 

FIT's Sustainable Symposium

Last Friday as a part of FIT's Sustainable Fashion, Health, and Beauty Symposium, we attended the "Sustainable Fashion Tour of NYC." Key stops included Eileen Fisher, Nanette Lepore, Stoll Fashion and Technology Center, and even a chat with Tara St James at Washington Square Park.

photo via Amy DuFault

The tour was organized by Amy DuFault, a sustainable fashion writer, editor, and consultant with over 9 years of experience repping eco designers, co-owning a "conscious clothing" boutique as well as holding a position as editor for the online magazine, EcoSalon. Her mission is to unite the sustainable fashion community through events, collaborations and the creation of "Brain Trust," which connects over 100 members from the community, from farmers to investors. Not to mention, she is also selling t-shirts that call to end fast fashion by supporting what's really important, workers' rights.

photo via Amy DuFault

We all are familiar with the brand Eileen Fisher, but how many of you know the fashion house has a green program that takes used cloth back and donates it to non for profits? After speaking with designer Mimi Wong, we also learned about their domestic sweater production constructed in a small family owned knitting factory in Long Island, which is basically nonexistent here in the US. The brand is also extremely conscious from noting garment contents on labels to communicating fair trade fabrics and social responsibility initiatives on their website to auditing factories and offering workers training programs.

photo via Amy DuFault

Nanette Lepore not only works very close to the season, with Fall 2013 production and delivery, Spring 2014 sales, and Fall 2014 sourcing all happening simultaneously, but the label also produces up to 500 plus pieces per month in eight different factories based in New York. Not only is Nanette Lepore a valued member of the Save the Garment District initiative, but Nanette Lepore has expanded her "Made In The USA" mentality by manufacturing quality, handcrafted shoes at a factory in downtown Los Angeles.

photo via Stoll Knitting

Stoll Knitting is a German knitting machine manufacturer whose core business is selling machines. With the new technology of their multi-gage knitting machine, they have created the Stoll-Denim Collection, an entire knitwear line made with either no seams or fully fashioned to reduce waste. Word around the industry is that this new technology may be featured at the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam in 2014 so keep a look out!

photo via MBF Trend Consulting

Tara St James is the owner and head designer of Study New York, a sustainable womenswear label based in Brooklyn which tackles another sustainable component of the production process with every collection. Currently, she takes a seasonless approach to design and releases 3-4 new pieces per month. Through better, more direct communication from start to finish of the supply chain, she believes we can further move forward towards a transparent and more conscious industry. Stay tuned for a full fledged interview with Tara in one of of upcoming blogs!

What's Your Story?

Who doesn't love a great story? We know we do! And in today's retail environment, the significance of a story to your concept is more than crucial. It's all about the who, what, where, why and how of your brand. With the ability for consumers to get practically anything from around the world via the internet, they want to know they're buying something special. We are no longer limited to what brick and mortar stores in our local area offer, but an endless amount of online stores and plethora of products in the international marketplace. Our values are changing and preserving a sense of community, even online, remains key especially in the vast world of the internet.

photo via Culture Baby

Culture Baby is an online global children's boutique that not only sells clothes, toys and accessories for your favorite little ones, but celebrates cultural heritage from around the world. They strongly believe that children should know about the world they are living in and what better way than to wear and play in it? From Africa, Asia, South America, Europe and the USA these carefully selected products are made from an array of international entrepreneurs and designers. Culture Baby takes it even one step further by offering non-toxic and organic items as well as sustainable, ethical and fair-trade merchandise. We spoke about the importance of going global a few posts ago and we feel this brand is a major innovator in the international children's wear arena, especially since children love a good story even more than adults!

photo via The Sinclair

If you're in the Boston area in the near future, make sure to grab a bite at The Sinclair Kitchen. This music venue now doubles as a trendy restaurant to your pre-concert evening out and offers delightful eats under Chef Michael Schlow's expertise. The venue which is part of The Bowery Presents, is influenced by the likes of New York, California and New Orleans. With communal tables, a fantastic bar downstairs and a more traditional dining atmosphere upstairs, this spot tells the perfect story of food, drink and music.

video via Made by Hand

There's nothing more special than handmade products. Martinez Cigars, started in 1974, hand roll all their cigars at a factory right here in New York on 29th street. Not only was this craft passed down from father to son, but today it has become a neighbor meeting place for a fine cigar, friendly face and good story.

photo via Alkemie

Last week we stopped by the Designers & Agents international trade show to check out some of the most innovative emerging brands out there. One of the first ones to grab our attention was Alkemie, a socially and environmentally responsible jewelry brand brought to life by a lovely husband and wife duo who both come from former jewelry backgrounds. Their entire collection is handmade in LA and made of 100% reclaimed metals and sustainable and earth-friendly dyed leathers. So far they have been featured in editorials in Spanish Vogue, French Elle, Lucky, WWD and Spin Magazine, to name a few. Most of their pieces are priced under $200 and sold at one of our favorite shops, Treasure & Bond!

photo via Alkemie

While chatting with the couple, we couldn't take our eyes off of Ashley's really hip East West Musical Instruments jacket, deemed the back pack jacket so motorcyclists had an extra pocket while riding. But what's really interesting is Ashely's story about how he had to get it...About 15 years ago, he went to an East West collector in LA and in order to get the jacket he had to find another collectible East West jacket to trade it for, which took him over a year to do. East West Musical Instruments originally started by making instruments and then one day decided to make a fringed leather shirt, which quickly sold to the iconic Janis Joplin. From there it was fashion history and they expanded to make unique leather jackets, pants, shirts and bags that sold to the likes of Jerry Garcia, Robert Plant and Elvis Presley, among many other rock legends. How's that for some music history?

photo via Kempton & Co.

Looking for a new "it" bag? Kempton & Co just may be it! These one of a kind, technology friendly bags are made of vintage materials like linen and hemp. The Deceiver bag collection (our personal favorite) sparked from designer Fiona Kempton's idea to give her stylish handbags a built in protective sleeve for laptops. Some of her other versions are adorned with sewn in wallets, iPad holders and special compartments for your keys so you can now travel with ease. Their first shop is set to launch this Spring in Brooklyn and will feature custom work, monogramming on small leather goods and even some other brands, for men too, so stay tuned!

photo via Susan Woo

Based in New York with a focus on both luxury and sustainability, Susan Woo stands by the fact that "luxury equals thought and consideration." She uses natural and organic silks, wools and jersey blends, which she believes are synonymous with high quality and a modern way of living. To her, "fast fashion is buying a look" and "luxury fashion is story telling." If that's so, we definitely want to see the sequel to this story!

It's all about the stories we tell. Where does it all come from and how? We are more informed these days and with that we ask more questions. It's no longer just about the ending, but the entire process from concept to creation to the end user. Your story is your mark on the world. We all have a unique story to tell that makes us stand out from the rest, it just has to be told in the right way, at the right time. So, what's your story?

To Be or Not to Be...Green

In the retail sector, the amount of things to consider when going “green" is well, unthinkable. From production to shipping to brick and mortar operations to actual consumption, there are countless approaches to utilizing eco-friendly tactics. For the next generation of retailers, sustainable practices are going to top the list, as not only consumers, but the world itself demands change and a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Here at MBF Trend Consulting, we are firm believers in environmental awareness and our responsibility to preserve the world we live in. Just like anything else, what is education without experimentation? While we understand the industry is still rapidly adjusting, today we would like to highlight some brands doing it right and which ones are still in the learning process.

photo via yad!g.com

Marks & Spencer
With an objective to become the world’s most sustainable retailer by 2015, Marks & Spencer is definitely in route. Recently the brand launched its 2012 M&S Sustainable Retailing Challenge, which offers MBA students from around the world the opportunity to pitch their eco-friendly ideas while competing for a cash prize and most importantly, a chance to increase the brand’s sustainability strategies. Not only is the brand trying to get consumers involved but is also on a mission to re-evaluate its packaging strategies as it implements the Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool. What used to take months, can now be done in under 25 minutes as the brand can quickly assess how packaging impacts affect its design process saving energy, time, resources, and money. We look forward to what the UK based retailer has in store for us next!

photo via usluairlines.com

Uslu Airlines
We've discussed the nail brand many times before, but we just can't help ourselves as it yet again releases another groundbreaking product and this time it's even eco-friendly! While most nail polish removers contain acetone or other harmful substances, Bio, is a new water based product that "penetrates nail polish." While the product doesn't work as quickly as normal nail polish remover, it does get the job done and in a much less toxic way. We feel it's definitely worth the wait!

photo via Monkee Genes

Monkee Genes

Certified by the strict demands of the Soil Association, Monkee Genes is a fair trade organic denim line. The brand's motto: "no slave or child labor, blood, sweat, or tears." With a range of different cuts and styles, the label is ethical, trendy, and affordable at under $100 USD. Be sure to keep an eye out to see how these "genes" evolve!

photo via wwd.com

Stella McCartney
Well Stella definitely has gotten her groove back as she releases a new eco-friendly sunglass collection this spring. Made of more than 50% natural and renewable materials, the shades are composed of bio-injected plastic or acetate plastic. Either way, both use minimal pesticides, water, and petroleum. McCartney was quoted saying, "The greatest challenge was the amount of time that was spent on research and testing to get the best quality product possible with the highest performance in terms of resistance, while still maintaining the style and finish we always try to achieve." With a dedication like that, these shades are sure to keep you cool this spring!

photo via nytimes.com

Levi's
Levi's is another denim label dedicated to improving it's eco-friendly procedures. Not only has the brand worked toward water efficiency and conserving cotton cultivation after severe flooding last year, but now it is ready to introduce stone washed denim that is smoothed by rocks and uses absolutely no water in the process. Keeping with this theme, all tags encourage denim wearers to wash less, in cold water, or simply not at all. The brand advises that putting jeans in the freezer kills more odor causing germs than in the wash. We predict that this "waterless" element will be the next trend to hit the market.

photo via ecouterre.com

Meanwhile as so many retailers have made significant progress in the sustainable sector, we have to remember that the name of the game is "trial and error" so the occasional blunder is unavoidable. Greenpeace, an environmental organization, is calling out 14 global companies who are supposedly discharging harmful chemicals into the atmosphere during manufacturing. These brands include everyone from Abercrombie & Fitch to Nike, Puma, H&M, Ralph Lauren, Adidas, and even Uniqlo, among others who many are coincidentally enough members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The organization's Dirty Laundry Report, shows that these brands are responsible for releasing hazardous substances into waterways across the globe. Water is a limited resource just like anything else so these brands need to adapt soon and eliminate the emission of dangerous toxins into the environment. We have to know what's wrong to know what's right, right?

While some brands have successfully begun to adapt to the increased demand for more sustainable methods, many are still exposing the world to hazardous mechanisms in an effort to maximize profits or simply out of mere carelessness. While it is a learning process, actions speak louder than words. In the near future, we hope to see more retailers take action and really get out there and make a difference.

Kavita Parmar and The IOU Project

photo via: IOU Project

One of the highlights at this Summer's Berlin Fashion Week was the pleasure of meeting Kavita Parmar, Creative Director and Co-founder of the IOU Project. We'd already heard about the IOU Project back in New York; so as you can imagine, we were more than thrilled at the opportunity of a one-on-one interview. What stood out is how passionate Kavita is about her work -- it was so inspiring that we wanted to share this with you! Interviewed by Manuela Fassbender, Creative Director and Founding Partner of MBF Trend Consulting, we share our special interview with Kavita Parmar and how she got started with IOU. Enjoy!

Manuela Fassbender: How and when did you start the IOU Project? What was your motivation?

Kavita Parmar: This Project grew out of my frustration as a designer with the current fashion system that I felt did not nurture "BIG Design" - not just making things pretty but truly designing the eco system around their production and make it sustainable, nor did it protect excellent craftsmanship or artisanship. It had turned into a race to make things faster and cheaper, not better. So about one and a half years ago we decided to do a small experiment in our flagship store in Madrid creating a collection which was made keeping in mind the needs of the artisans, myself, and at the same time creating a unique product that would give the client something really well crafted just for them.

photo (above): Kavita Parmar

Manuela Fassbender: What is your background and how did it lead you to this project?

Kavita Parmar: Like I mention above, I am a clothing designer and have two brands that I design and produce for the past 10 years, Raasta and Suzie Wong. Working on those collections through the traditional fashion cycle, I realized that it was a race to make things quicker with shorter shelf lives and hence, with bigger margins which was a frustrating exercise personally. I have worked extensively with artisans for both the Raasta and Suzie Wong collections and I had lived first hand the difficulties that artisans in Europe and India were facing trying to compete with cheaper mechanised production. Yes, we were making things cheaper but, we were also loosing age old techniques and making them without doubt of lesser quality. This experience and wanting to do something about it lead to the birth of the IOU Project.

Manuela Fassbender: What brought you to Berlin and to the Bread and Butter Show?

Kavita Parmar: We were invited by the organizers of Bread and Butter Berlin to put up a POP UP SHOP Experience here at the Tempelhof airport. They are very supportive of the new emerging ideas and loved the philosophy behind the project and have supported us whole heartedly.

Manuela Fassbender: Do you see a change in the consumer who is shopping with a more conscious approach? Who are your customers?

Kavita Parmar: You and I -- normal people from all walks of life. I definitely believe that there is a shift in the consumption pattern. We have become very aware of the scarcity of resources and the loss of authenticity due to mass production and consumption. The rise of vintage shopping is a clear example of this trend. People are looking to express themselves, their individuality, and their point of view on the world. Look at the number of new blogs created each day. The exciting part is that now we have the technology to be able to do that.

photo via: IOU Project

Manuela Fassbender: The IOU project has been referred to as a ‘movement’, with a business model that fosters true transparency and authenticity. Do you think other commercial companies will follow suit?

Kavita Parmar: I certainly hope so. We are a for profit organization and I like to think of us as a proof of concept. I believe we have all been doing our accounting wrong and it is time to clean up the books and take into account the real costs: loss of skills and job options, harm to the environment by consuming and producing without regard, lack of decent working conditions for many factory workers around the globe...I think these are big costs that we are ignoring and we cannot do so any more. If we were to really account for all this we would realize that what we think as cheap in fact comes at a very high cost.
Transparency is fundamental to put forth these ideas. We do believe that we need to know and be aware of how we affect other people and the environment by our actions and what we can do to make things better for us and others. We need to start taking personal responsibility.

Manuela Fassbender: Currently IOU is successful with women, men’s, and unisex apparel; will the initiative expand into other markets such as children’s wear, home goods, or accessories?

Kavita Parmar: We already have a shoe line making its debut this month and of course we are working on more accessories and home goods for Thanksgiving.

photo via: IOU Project

Manuela Fassbender: How can consumers and advocates of the IOU Project stay engaged? Tell us more about your e-commerce initiatives and “virtual trunk shows”.

Kavita Parmar: We are very active in our relationships with our clients on line. We want engage in a real dialogue with them and have had a tremendous feedback from them in this short time that we have been live since mid May. In less than 2 months we have over 1 million citations on Google and over 260,000 blog posts mentioning the IOU Project. It is evident that we have touched a nerve.
Our clients are our brand ambassadors . We have gone a step further and created the Trunk Show Host platform on line to further engage and share with them. Anyone who is interested in the project can have their own unique Trunk show on our website with no monetary cost to them. All they need is a Facebook and a paypal account. They get to dig through our inventory virtually and select their very own IOU products. Since all IOU Pieces are unique, they have a completely unique Trunk Show which they can very easily share with their friends and followers on Facebook , Twitter, blogs or other social media. Any sale on these pieces generates a 20% revenue for them the first week, 15% the second week and 12.5% the third week. They can go back to the inventory and restock and exchange their selection at anytime. So they can make money by talking about and promoting what they believe in.

photo via: Facebook

Manuela Fassbender: What are your short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals? How do you see the project expanding and how do you want to grow? Have you considered collaborating with other companies, sponsors, and celebrities?

Kavita Parmar: We at present are working with 243 weavers out of the entire 20,000 weaving community so our short term/ immediate goal is to work with as many more as possible. In the mid term we feel that IOU is an experiment in creating what we call a "prosperity chain", that allows goods to be bought and sold in a way that benefits everyone involved and not just a few. We plan to grow the platform and invite other brands with similar values to increase the products we offer to our Trunk Show Hosts and in the long term hopefully, our online social platform, created for like minded people, will encourage a more sustainable form of commerce and develop symbiotic businesses.


Without doubt we believe we will be growing organically, we already have a lot of other brands with similar view approaching us to collaborate, varying from shoe companies, chocolate manufacturers, beauty products, magazines, and celebrities. This is very exciting as there are many various opportunities and people are willing to think out of the box to promote an idea that we all believe in.

Manuela Fassbender: What are some challenges the project faces and how do you plan to overcome them?

Kavita Parmar: We are definitely short staffed right now. The interest in the project has been amazing and we are all passionate about what we do and working long hours. We are already increasing our team and inviting new people on board, people who are as passionate as we are and are not afraid of following their hearts and making new rules.



If you are interested in learning more about Kavita Parmar and the IOU Project, please click here to visit their website. 

A Tribute to Our Earth

In celebration of Earth month, today's blog post is dedicated to the latest events focused on improving sustainable and ethical practices within the fashion community. Like Julie Gilhart states in her most recent talk at Afingo's Fashion Forum at FIT, the best strategy to promote eco and social consciousness is through education. Through consulting, university lectures, media, and public conferences, people of all backgrounds are recognizing that sustainable fashion cannot move forward solely by smart, attractive branding and marketing tactics. Designers, industry insiders, and consumers alike must first be educated and understand the ins and outs of what truly defines sustainability in order to really embrace it and take things to the next level. 

photo via: Fortune Brainstorm Green

Earlier this month, Fortune held it's annual Brainstorm Green Conference. Bringing in some of the world's best thought leaders together, the event allowed them to explore "innovative ways companies can drive sustainability-based transformative change initiatives." At this three day event, all issues ranging from climate policy, green packaging, coal, green marketing, China, to electric cars were brought out in the open for discussion. In case you missed it, selected videos from the event are available via their website. Click here to get started!

                                                  photo via: MBF Trend Consulting 

More recently, New York's Fordham University also introduced it's 1st Annual Fashion Law Institute Symposium this past Friday. Discussing various topics such as new developments of eco-friendly strategies, preventions of greenwashing, and production concerns in today's economy, the conference brought together fashion industry experts from all areas to speak about today's most pressing subjects. Panelists included representatives from LVMH, Garment Center Supplier Association, BCBG, Harper's Bazaar, Zero Maria Cornejo, and Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, just to name a few.

photo via: California College of Arts

New courses are also being developed in universities so students and working professionals are better informed in adapting to today's environment and able to respond with innovative design and exciting new directions. California College of Arts newest offering in professional development, the Fashion Sustainability Workshop Series and Certificate Program, is now accepting applications. This unique series focuses on teaching new tools and strategies by integrating principles of ecology and applied to real-world projects. The faculty list is extremely established, including leading visionaries such as Bob Adams, designer/farmer and IDEO Fellow; Timo Rissanen, pioneer in no-waste pattern cutting and coeditor of Fashioning the Future; and Kate Fletcher, author of Sustainable Fashion and Textiles:Design Journeys. However, this is not the school's first effort in pushing sustainability forward. Graduates of the school have gone to work with eco-friendly brands such as Natalie Chanin and Loomstate, or have launched their own eco-friendly labels.


Furthermore, the magazine industry welcomes a fresh new face as Six Magazine just made it's debut a few weeks ago. According to founder Alina Ratsep, "Six" refers to fashion's "sixth sense". She states, "It's because ethical fashion should be the normal way fashion industry operates. It shouldn't have to be explained--this is something we know and feel on a certain level, the sixth sense level."

photo via: Ecouterre

The magazine celebrates designers, individuals, independent brands and companies who are creating a more ethical and sustainable future for the fashion industry. It represents slow fashion, a respect for clothes and it's makers, and a return to individuality. The magazine is comprised of a daily blog, a digital quarterly, and a biannual print edition. Click here to read their first issue free!

Overall, we are noticing a huge development in the rise of sustainability, within and outside of the fashion industry. As the topic is being introduced in schools and lectures, students are slowly becoming familiar with the importance of social and environmental responsibility, possibly years before entering the workforce. This allows for a new way of thinking, leading to innovative products and businesses. As one of the biggest obstacles is changing consumer behavior, we also believe that an emphasis on education will lead to a development of a Sustainable Index Standard. This allows a common language that can be clearly understood and trusted by both industry insiders and consumers.  Furthermore, companies should also come up with incentives to motivate consumers to change; automatic behavior needs to change to make a conscious choice. We hope, and strongly believe, that the fashion industry will pave the way in this endeavor.

As we have always said, eco-fashion is not a trend but the future! And although Earth Day should be every day, we hope that this month will particularly inspire you to be more proactive in taking better care of our planet. And in case you are a New Yorker, we encourage you to check out EDAY to get the latest schedules of New York City-based Earth Month and Earth Day events.

The Green in Fashion...

"Sustainable," "organic," and "eco-friendly" are terms that are still relatively new trends in the fashion industry. It may seem like we've been hearing these words forever, but it really wasn't until early last year when major retailers and designers began to heavily market eco-conscious goods. 2009 was the starting year for many companies to seriously think about going green as many eventually began offering eco-friendly versions of their key products such as H&M's Garden Collection and American Apparel's Sustainable Edition.  However, were such beginning initiatives the first and last?

photo via: NY Times

 As sustainable development was on the rise, eco-friendly jeans was naturally one of the biggest denim trends of 2009. Brands all across the board, including Levi's, Banana Republic, 7 For All Mankind, and J Brand all offered at least one pair made with some amount of organic cotton. However, the NY Times pointed out earlier this month, that now, about a year later, none of these eco-friendly versions exist.

One has to wonder why and what does this mean for the future of eco-friendly fashion? One's immediate reaction is probably some level of disappointment. However, do not be quick to judge. Although these eco-friendly versions may no longer exist, it does not necessarily imply that environmental responsibility is just a momentary fad of the past.

photo via: Better Cotton Initiative

In actuality, many of these denim brands have realized being eco-conscious is not just about using organic products. As we've discussed many times in our earlier entries, there are dozens of other factors to consider: water use, dye impact, soil health, labor issues, fair trade, etc. Yes, Levi's no longer has their eco-friendly line, but instead, it has joined the nonprofit organization, Better Cotton Initiative. Focused on creating a greater impact, they are working with farms in India and Pakistan that focus on sustainable-agriculture techniques, water use and economic and labor issues. The Better Cotton Initiative produces cotton that uses one third less of the normal amount of chemicals and water regular cotton uses. Although Levi's will first blend this cotton with conventional cotton, the goal is to eventually use it in every one of their styles.

Levi's Matchstick Slasher Jeans from the WaterLevi's)

Considering all aspects of sustainability, last week, Levi's also launched a new line of denim called "the Water." As water conservancy is a huge concern in the global community, the new collection reduces water consumption by an average of 28% and up to 96% for some new products in the line. By simply reducing or eliminating water in their dyeing and washing process, Levi's realizes that being eco-friendly and fashion forward is not only easy, but also economically smart and morally right.

As 2009 and 2010 were the starting years for many to take a dip in the green pool, there is a slow but growing shift in the retail industry to integrate sustainable practices as a more cohesive effort. As major brands like Levi's develop their sustainability practices in a holistic approach, the retail industry has definitely matured in their methods of going green.

So before we wrap up this post, we wanted to share a few new interesting examples that caught our attention:

photo via: Reet Aus

Only using production leftovers and discarded garments, Estonian fashion designer Reet Aus truly works by the motto, "one man's trash is another man's treasure." Click here to see her latest collection!

photo via: Reco Jeans 

Perfectly mastering fashion-forward and sustainable innovation, Reco Jeans is the first and only green label certified recycled denim product. 

photo via: Ecouterre

Better known for it's 2-year wait listed Birkins, Hermes, is taking a stab at sustainability with their new limited edition  "Petit h" collection. A series of "unidentified poetic objects" crafted from defective inventory and leftover merchandise, the design team transforms scraps and defects into beautiful house adornments and fashion accessories. Leave it to Hermes to define "recycled luxury"!

That's it for today, but don't forget! MBF will cover the up-and-coming trade shows in Berlin, including the sustainable trade shows, so stay tuned and we will keep you updated with what else we come to discover!

Berlin trade shows go green: an MBF exclusive report

Photos, from left to right: Hedda William S/S09; a bag from Royal Blush; Blue Notch S/S09.

MBF brings you an overview of the Berlin womenswear trade shows for Spring/Summer 2010, where we talked with quite a few companies about sustainability and shifts in the marketplace. We were most impressed with the two eco tradeshows: Green Showroom, featuring 16 sustainable collections from the high fashion segment, and TheKey.To, with 40 collections from the streetwear and sportswear segment, including the Green platform at the Premium Exhibition.

For Magdalena Schaffrin and Jana Keller, co-founders of Green Showroom, it was their objective to give like-minded designers and buyers a press platform for high-end collections by creating a trade show that would be both eco and luxurious. At other eco fairs, they felt, there was no fit for high-end fashion lines, because they were mixed in among yoga collections and lower-priced collections.

At the showroom’s debut event, one could see amazing collections from designers such as Julia Starp, who uses peace silk and organic cotton for her line of dresses and coats; Liv Lundelius from Blushless, an avant-garde bridal collection with eco fabrics; and Reet aus, an Estonian designer who is represented by Mica Lamb, the founder of Agent for Change, a London sustainable fashion showroom. This particular collection is very feminine with an antique feel, incorporating delicate lace, organic dyes, and re-used fabrics from a textile recycling centre in Estonia. Other standout collections were Van Markoviec, a Dutch designer working with Japanese cotton certified by JOCA, the highest standard for certified fabrics and production; Jana Keller, designing Royal Blush, a handbag and jewellery collection made of vegetable-tanned leather sourced in Italy; Magdalena Schaffrin, whose men’s and women’s wear collection has a long-lasting, understated design; and Hessnatur, which has used eco fabrics since its founding in 1970, and added fair trade in 2005, growing their own cotton in Africa. After hiring the designer Miguel Adrover, they feel they have all the elements – eco fabrics, fair trade, and design – to make it a successful company.

TheKey.To, another first-time eco-trade show, co-founder Gereon Pilz van der Grinten explained that the show was created because eco collection exhibitors were asking more and more for their own independent platform. Down the line, he sees TheKey.To becoming the eco-Bread and Butter. Highlights from their first show included Redesign, which uses only recycled materials; 1000-2000 tonnes of textile waste per day comes back to the recycling compound where they are buying materials to design new garments. At Slowmo, we talked to founding partner Melchior Moss about his nearly 4-year-old label, which uses eco-fabrics and produces in Berlin with a fair price strategy and high quality. Their biggest challenge these days is how to become even more sustainable regarding packaging, transportation, and energy usage. For them, it is very important that everything they do is coming from their heart; Slowmo's version of sustainability must include great design.

At the Premium Exhibition’s Green Forum, two collections in particular stood out. Odd, an organic design house based in New York, fuses everyday objects and innovative Japanese textile engineering for their soy cashmere and milk fibre-wool blend fabrics. This collection will soon be sold in a major department store in New York, Paris and Tokyo; 1% of their revenues go to charity via 1% For The Planet. Raffauf, a rainwear collection, uses organic cotton and banana fibre fabrics that are treated with beeswax or natural rubber coating to make the coats and jackets water-resistant.

Surprisingly, Bread and Butter did not have a green platform; still, we did see some labels moving towards sustainability in their own ways. Just to mention a few, Braez, from Holland, sells a collection of tops and tunics that changes only in colours and fabrics from one season to the next. Sack’s, from Israel, also makes very plain, almost seasonless clothes; Skunkfunk, a Basque-based company, is introducing 50% of their collection with sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton. Mikel Elozo, the general director, tells us that a lot of their clients ask for organic pieces. Although they use eco fabrics, they are not marketing the eco aspect of their collection, as they fear being accused of greenwashing since they have not yet achieved complete transparency in their production process. Meanwhile, cosmetics line Uslu Airlines presented a charitable initiative: a collection of 11 up-to-the-minute colors of nail polish, from which 90 cents of each bottle’s sale would go to help underprivileged children in Berlin.

The Premium Exhibition had a very nice, relaxing atmosphere, with a more upscale overall feeling to the participating brands. Again, we saw a shift happening in the different ways to apply sustainability: Philo-Sofie, a cashmere collection of 50 sweaters, hats, scarves, and capes, is produced sustainably in close partnership with their Chinese factories. Blue Notch Jeans, a South Korean label that launched in the US two years ago, is making skinny jeans out of organic cotton denim from Japan. Hedda William from Hamburg designs simple styles meant to last: 20 tops and blouses each season, each offered in 12 colours. Instead of using a factory, her knit pieces are made by a family in Thailand.

The managing director for Germany at Filippa K, Norbert Reipert, proclaimed that they incorporate their values into the product, making it true, sustainable and reliable. They are using eco fabrics for some garments, and fair trade is a must, but their low-impact strategy still wasn’t comprehensive enough to qualify them for the green platform. Nonetheless, Reipert had strong feelings on the subject:

“We know there is a consumer out there called the LOHAS in Germany, who are really knowledgeable. But the masses just know enough to make a choice, and these masses will count in the end. [People will question,] why would you eat something based on chemicals? Why would you wear something that harms you?”

On the whole, we could see a definite shift in consciousness taking place, with many young and not-so-young labels expanding the boundaries of ethical production methods and sustainable materials, both traditional and high-tech. Needless to say, a lot of work is still to be done: What will it take to move sustainability from a trend to a lifestyle?

Want to read more? Click below to purchase the full PDF version of THE ECO TRADE SHOW REPORT JULY 2009, complete with lots of photos and in-depth designer interviews:

For a breakdown of the trends we observed at the trade shows, click below to purchase the full PDF version of THE BREAD AND BUTTER/PREMIUM REPORT SS 2010:

News flash: Green really might be the new black.

What if sustainable, ethical clothing becomes the norm instead of the exception? As apparel companies focus in on value rather than price in sourcing, that very scenario was floated at the WWD Sourcing & Supply Chain Leadership Forum earlier this month, by no less an industry player than Rick Darling, president of sourcing giant Li & Fung USA.

“I actually think [corporate social responsibility] is becoming very much an assumed trait,” said Darling. “The debates about whether it costs money or doesn’t cost money are no longer valid… I think sustainability will probably be, along with quality, the two main decision-making premises for most sourcing decisions that are going to be made over the next five to 10 years.”

Li & Fung itself is in the process of calculating the carbon footprint of its 10,000 suppliers in 80 countries, no easy task. Meanwhile, at Avon, social responsibility is no longer an optional part of doing business.

“Corporate responsibility should not be an island off the coast of your business,” said Susan Arnot Heaney, director of corporate responsibility, public relations and communications at Avon. “It is how you do your business, and people in the area of supply chain and sourcing are really on the front lines.”…

She warned that focusing on one or two issues, like human rights and working conditions, rather than the entire scope of issues under the social responsibility umbrella leaves companies vulnerable.

“Consumers, advocates, activists, NGOs [nongovernment organizations], the media, legislators — they are all really paying attention to this,” said Heaney. “It’s no longer just nice to do.”

Via WWD

Monsoon Fairtrade (London)

British fast-fashion chain Monsoon was founded with an international vision by Peter Simon, a regular traveler to India who started out in 1973 selling ethnic handicrafts on Portobello Road.  Building on their main line of bohemian, ethnic-inspired dresses, boleros and beachwear, their new collaboration with the organization Fairtrade is a small line of Fairtrade-certified cotton tees and jeans in muted tropical tones. Monsoon also sponsors Estethica, a loose group of green suppliers, and through its Accessorize brand, is supporting a workshop for Afghan female embroiderers, bringing their traditional embroidery to the British high street.