By Judith Nemes
Models will strut down a green runway tonight at Millennium Park to show off the spring and summer 2012 collections from the growing field of local eco-fashion designers participating in the weeklong Fashion Focus Chicago.
Tonight’s Vert Couture Eco-Fashion Show marks the third year industry organizers are highlighting a runway event featuring local designers that create wearable art from reusable and sustainable materials.
This year’s lineup includes eight Chicago-based designers and will represent a range of styles for both men and women, according to Bianca and Michael Alexander, co-executive producers of the event and co-founders of Conscious Planet Media, a Chicago-based green television, film and event production company.
Some of the local designers and innovative materials used in the creations that will be seen on the catwalk tonight include: Brenda Abdullah’s handmade knits made from remnants and salvaged fabrics; Richard Dayhoff’s luxury men’s underwear made from recycled plastic bottle fibers; Michelle Dimitris’ clothing created from reclaimed vintage items, and Lauren Lein, a longtime couture designer who will show her debut eco-collection of dresses made from repurposed high-end textiles. A smattering of students from local art schools will show off hat designs. And accessory designers will be spotlighted as well, featuring vegan shoes made from Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood and other items crafted out of repurposed ties and feathers.
The packed agenda of fashion shows, educational events and shopping-related festivities this week is coordinated by the Chicago Office of Tourism to showcase Midwest designers of all kinds. The concept of a weeklong series of events began about seven years ago to draw attention to the local clothing and jewelry industry — a sector that’s often overlooked by buyers, who tend to focus on the fashion meccas of New York, Paris and Milan.
Michael and Bianca Alexander (photo credit Scott Council)
Crain’s: How do you define eco-fashion?
Bianca: The most eco-friendly fashion is made from repurposed or vintage materials, which eliminates use of energy and resources in manufacturing new garments. That being said, sustainable textiles like organic cotton, harvested without harmful pesticides, are made from readily renewable materials like bamboo, tencel, modal and sashawashi, which is made from seaweed.
Also under the definition of green or “eco” is fair trade fashion, an antidote to cheap, dehumanizing sweatshop labor where garment workers are paid a fair living wage for their work.
Crain’s: How would you describe the eco-fashion design scene in Chicago and what efforts are under way to build greater momentum?
Michael: Despite being in the Midwest, nestled away from the biggest fashion markets in the world, the eco-fashion design scene in Chicago is growing quickly and expanding exponentially. While eco-fashion is still in its infancy here in Chicago and beyond, there are many established eco-designers who are here and many established traditional designers who are creating sustainable lines.
With this show, we hope to encourage other designers who have not traditionally considered designing eco-fashion to be inspired to try creating more eco-conscious collections. With each year producing the show, we get more and more applications from talented designers who seem to be coming out of the woodwork. One of the things we are working on to keep the energy moving after the show is creating a local sustainable designers’ coalition, where we can share and exchange resources on sustainability, manufacturing and small business.
Crain’s: Is there much of a local consumer market for these goods?
Bianca: We think interest and demand is on the rise and is mirroring much of the demand for green products in other industries. What’s interesting about Chicago’s scene is that we also have some great eco-boutiques like Green Goddess Boutique in Hinsdale and now Lincoln Park, which does a great job in providing fabulous options for shoppers.
Crain’s: Are any of these designers visible on the national scene?
Bianca: Chicago boasts Lara Miller, who definitely has a name on the national scene as an eco-designer. Also, Richard Dayhoff has had tremendous success nationally with department stores around the country with a women’s couture line, but that wasn’t eco-friendly.
Crain’s: What are the biggest challenges facing new eco-fashion designers trying to break into the Chicago fashion scene?
Michael: I think the Chicago fashion scene in general lacks access to national buyers. Traditionally, buyers for large department stores visit New York, Paris and Milan fashion weeks, and Chicago is not necessarily on the map as a destination for the fashion industry.
Fashion Focus Chicago was started to create opportunities for Chicago designers to sell their looks and build the local fashion industry. For example, one of our designers from last year’s Vert Couture, a fair trade line called Modahnik by Kahindo Mateene, was accepted into this year’s Macy’s Fashion Incubator program, which provides teaching, infrastructure support in expanding their line as well as some access to financing and an opportunity to sell their wares at Macy’s.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN OTHER LOCAL GREEN NEWS:
The non-profit Delta Institute is hosting the Green Economy Action Roadshow at Roosevelt University in Schaumburg on November 4-5. The business-to-business and business-to-consumer conference and expo addresses energy efficiency, alternative energy and transportation, residential and commercial green building technologies and other green topics. To register online: GreenEconomyActionRoadshow.org/attend.html.
