Eco-Pita: Eco-Fashion All Wrapped Up…November 12, 2010
The approaching holiday season has me in a rather reflexive mood. I woke up this morning not only excited for the weekend but also thankful for....eco-fashion. For fear of sounding corny let me be clear that eco-fashion encompasses two of my favorite things. Being fashion forward while remaining eco-conscious. The two are so harmonious--the union is a match made in heaven. The pair have produced wonderful offspring and this week has been no different, but the changes that have been taking place have me wondering: will I still have something to be thankful for a year from now? Is this all an eco-fad or is eco-fashion really here to stay?
Monique Pèan, Costello Tagilapietra, and Maria Cornejo are the Eco-Fashion Challenge Winners (Photo Courtesy of LivingEcho.com)
1. The CFDA and Lexus awarded three fashion forward, eco-conscious fashion designers $250,000 each for their earth-friendly designs. The designers entered the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Eco-Fashion Challenge, where they were judged mainly on aesthetics but the criteria was that their company has to be 25% sustainable or use 25% sustainable material. But is 25% really enough? Are leaders in the fashion world really moving towards full sustainability or are they capitalizing on the moment by taking a wade in the eco-dipping pool? My hope is that this is just a start and that the stakes will get even higher from here on in. My gut tells me that this is just the beginning. People are beginning to realize that we either change or risk ruining the earth permanently. Though change is slow to come, it is still coming.
Dame Vivienne Westwood (Photo Courtesy of DesignTaleStudio)
2. In addition to the financial assurance that the CFDA gave sustainable fashion reports have been swarming the blogosphere that world renowned fashion creative genius Vivienne Westwood gave this piece of advice at a London speaking engagement last month: "give up shopping for at least six months." In addition, she pushed fashion lovers to wear a towel instead of a coat. She proclaimed that at the moment, it is all about do-it-yourself."
So before you all head off to enjoy your weekends, sound off! The CFDA, the largest, and frankly, one of the most influential unions of fashion leaders, has taken note of the importance of sustainable fashion and one of the most influential creative minds in the industry has become a leading voice on the importance of eco-consciousness in lieu of fashion forwardness. Do the points I've made show that eco-fashion has a stronghold in the overall industry? What do you guys think? Do I really have something to be thankful for this holiday season? Are we experiencing a fleeting eco-trend or have we hit the jackpot and eco-fashion is something that is here to stay?