Bahar Shahpar is not just a designer. She’s a pioneer.
With more than ten years in the fashion industry, this former art gallery owner designs clothing that is fresh and on the cutting edge of modern couture. Yet, Shahpar’s clothes are known just as much for their sustainability as they are for their style. In its fourth year Bahar Shahpar is now an established presence in New York’s fashion scene, leading the way for other young artists who are inspired to create conscious fashion. During a phone interview last week, she discussed her line with me.
“Response has been amazing,” she said. “When I started out a few years ago, sustainability was not a word in the common vernacular. It was a challenge to get people to embrace the concept. Now, it’s now a much more hospitable environment. Of course, it’s always about fashion first. But there is never any compromise to the line. I don’t bash people over the head with a statement of how to do things, but my line is there to show a commitment to sustainable practices.”
The line is young and vibrant with classic elements that belong on a woman who is both stylish and intelligent. “I design for the sophisticated woman,” Shahpar said. “Sophisticated, but not serious. There’s always an element of whimsy to my work.” Drawing inspiration from the turn of the century, she combines ultimate femininity and intelligence for a powerful, yet graceful image.
In addition to her own line, Shahpar represents several other sustainable designers like Beyond Skin and Lara Miller at her showroom, The Four Hundred. By supporting brand development and public relations for these innovative designers, Shahpar and her company are working to increase awareness and build relationships with retailers across the country. “It’s possible to find sustainable fashion in almost every metro area these days,” she says. “We currently work with over 700 independent boutiques which sell our products.”
I questioned her about ways that the end consumer can ensure we are buying sustainable products. “It’s not easy to know,” she agreed, “since there’s no universally accepted standard or certification for manufacturing and textile production at this time. We need to be realistic about the fact that this change is going to have to be implemented in a step-by-step fashion. But consumers can ask questions, and write to the companies. It’s also important to seek out and support local commerce, form relationships with the store owners and buyers and talk to them about what they are selling.”
She continued, “For consumers, it’s important to look for companies that are attacking the problems from multiple angles. Look for a holistic philosophy. A lot of companies are touting what they do as eco-friendly and environmental–and you go to their company and see practices that negate that.”
That means making our decisions not just based on the final product, but on the transparency of the company and their willingness to operate a sustainable business across the board.
As the consumers, we hold the key to an economic revolution that must take place. How we choose to spend our money is the greatest form of activism we have in this society. Corporations will not make changes until we refuse to support them with our dollars. It is nice, however, when we can support our ethics and buy things that have superior design. Companies like Bahar Shahpar that are making the effort to do just that deserve our support.
