DRESSED IN ECO-CHIC
The recently wrapped Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week had a definite lean toward green -- both in the number of eco-friendly, recycled-material and sustainably produced clothing lines on the runway and in the efforts of organizers to lessen their effect on the environment.
Sure, the unveiling of a new, low-emission diesel Mercedes and an Earth-friendly Smashbox cosmetics line during the official run of shows in Culver City smacked of penguin-saving public relations gimmickry, but even designers who weren’t dabbling in hemp or organic cotton seemed to have the ecosystem in mind, including Randolph Duke, with his “glamorganic” nature-inspired gowns and Eric Kim and his environmental sloganeering Monarchy Collection.
The green drumbeat started Oct. 13 with BOXeight’s presentation of EcoNouveau, a multimedia showcase that included three environmentally friendly fashion designers. Most notable was the U.S. debut of designer Gary Harvey’s “eco-couture” line of classic-looking gowns made from blue jeans, baseball jackets and plastic shopping bags. Standouts included a voluminous white corset dress made from copies of the Financial Times and a beige gown with a plaid-print bodice made from trench coats.
Designer Linda Loudermilk, an early pioneer in the eco-fashion milieu, may have staged her show independently of BOXeight and its cross-town competitor, but she clearly got the enviro-memo, staging her Windpower collection at a green BP gas station. (Designed by Office dA in collaboration with Johnston Marklee, the gas station uses 16% less power than a traditional gas station and has sustainable light, water and landscaping systems.)
Her collection looked windblown and twister tossed, with billowy black and white dresses, jackets and shirts in bamboo, hemp and sustainable silks. Standouts included a flesh-colored cage dress in organza with metal fittings made from reclaimed door hardware and a black dress that resembled a tornado funnel.
As the largest draw of the season, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios generated the biggest carbon footprint of all. Perhaps that’s why the venue was packed with eco-themed events and products, including the introduction of the Mercedes’ E320 Bluetec (apparently the “World Green Car of the Year 2007”) and Smashbox’s new Green Room line of biodegradable cosmetics.
Of the handful of enviro-centric lines to show under the tents, most impressive was L.A.-based Evidence of Evolution, a line designed by Ali Alborzi and Andrew McCarthy, who like Harvey, proved that being environmentally conscious means more than wood-bark T-shirts and butterfly crowns.
Using eco-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton and hemp, Alborzi and McCarthy turned out a collection of standard-issue mini-dresses, tunics and leggings for the ladies, but they really hit their stride on the men’s side with looks such as a chartreuse, hand-dyed seersucker vest and shorts combination and an electric-blue, hand-dyed short-collar suit and chartreuse T-shirt worn by actor Vincent Gallo as he strode the runway.
Davis Factor, co-founder of Smashbox Studios, said the event was designed to be as green as possible, citing things such as the biodegradable plastic signage, recycled plastic carpeting and official programs printed on 100% recycled stock. “We’ve also hired a company to measure the carbon dioxide emissions,” he said.
The London-based CarbonNeutral Co. is studying the event to determine how much carbon dioxide was spewed into the air, taking into account emissions generated by the shipment of supplies, the running of generators and machinery and cars driving to and from the shows. That amount will be offset by investing in carbon dioxide-saving projects including a wind farm in India and a forestry project in Mexico, resulting in a net-zero carbon footprint.
A feel-good public relations stunt? Sure, but it’s not just blowing hot air, either.
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ON THE WEB
GALLERIES: See photos from Paul Smith’s movie screening, Rachel Zoe’s book launch and Marni designer Consuelo Castiglioni’s Beverly Hills soiree at latimes.com/image.
