That’s right folks, an Eco-Fashion runway fashion show strictly highlighting the latest trends in reused textiles and sustainable clothing. I know it’s not New York City, but come on, Vancouver is pretty cool. It was a three day event, that took place this past weekend, April 10th-12th, 2012 and consisted of seminars, cocktail soirées, a fashion panel, and of course runway shows (can I hear a YAY).
Having worked at a retail department store for several years, I can not deny that I have a love for fashion, especially high-end couture. However, working there also gave me first hand experience in an industry focused on driving consumeristic mentalities. The industry functions off of selling people on the idea that they need to buy the latest style of shirt or newest brand of denim. Now, after stepping out of the industry, I see how much I myself focused on just that: buying, buying, buying.
Once again, I don’t want to give you the impression that I think buying is bad, because it’s not (stimulating the economy is a good thing- especially the local economy). We just need to be more conscious of what we are buying and how much of it we are buying. So what about ethical fashion in the United States?
Don’t worry, those New York fashionistas are just as much on the ball with this idea as the Canadians. The Green Shows, a New York based company, provides marketing and consulting services dedicated to the fashion movement towards ethical and sustainable production. They are now in their fourth year of production, and just produced their first series of runway shows this past February during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Lincoln Center. You can watch the CBS coverage of the event, or go online and check out some of the designers that were represented. Either way, the movement towards sustainable clothing is a trend that is gaining attention and for the sake of the environment and the economy, I hope this is one trend that doesn’t change with the seasons.
consumer SHOCK 