Fashion, Evolved

Flora & Fauna is a ready to wear line by designer Pauline Siu based in Vancouver. Taking inspiration from the lush nature world around her, Siu designs clothing that is captures the beauty, charm and delicacy of plants and animals.  The line features clean lines, rich colors and a pan-seasonal style that makes them both conscious and easy to integrate into your existing wardrobe.

In addition to using eco-friendly materials and business practices, Flora & Fauna also supports animal welfare and nature conservation organizations.  For the FW09 season, they are giving $2 from sales each bear theme piece to our foster bear cub at Critter Care in Langley.  And $2 from the Bumble Bee hoodie to EYA (a youth group that researches and builds bee condos to help maintain honey bee population).

I spoke to Siu about her efforts to build a sustainable company.  She told me, “Flora & Fauna is inspired by all the creatures and plants we share the earth with.  Having witnessed the pollution and damage conventional materials and production methods pour into our environment, we knew we would not want to be a part of the fashion industry unless we could do it the right way by using sustainable fabrics and notions, ethical production, and local production facilities to reduce our carbon footprint.  Ethical, sustainable practices, supporting charities, along with the subtle environmentalist messages in our clothing, we are proud to be taking fashion one step forward.”

According to Siu, the fashion industry has evolved based in large part by consumer demand.  She told me, “Over the past 5 years, there’s been so much customer demand for transparency in the fashion industry – as the ugly side of the industry has been exposed.  Many corporations and larger scale businesses are stepping up to the eco-challenge, while many smaller independent designers already have a leg up on ethical production, and many are using sustainable materials as well.  More recently, current economic has challenged shoppers to make their purchase decisions more carefully.  Across Canada and US, there is a lot of emphasis on supporting smaller local businesses to help stimulate economy.  This has draw a lot of attention to eco-fashion labels that are produced in North America, and smaller independently owned clothing boutiques.”

Of course, its not enough to just be conscious.  A modern eco-designer also needs to create style that is comparable–or even surpasses–conventional fashion.  Check out the photos of the F/W09 line from Flora & Fauna–and consider supporting an independent business that has heart and soul by shopping at their online store:

As NYFW draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on just how huge the fashion industry is.  There are literally hundreds of designers creating thousands of new pieces each year.  A small percentage of those are ‘green’ designers, but they are absolutely making a dent in the industry by demanding the highest standards of fabrics, construction and manufacturing–growing their lines with grassroots marketing.

I’d like to show off the Fall/Winter 2009 lines of some of my favorite green designers.  These collections may seem to have very little in common when taken at first glance.  But they are all the same where it counts:  Their makers have constructed them with a higher purpose.

The following collections are either on sale now or will be within the next few weeks.

Brook There

You can read my feature post about Brook There, the homegrown line that is “inspired by the idea that ‘there’ often represents a place we’d rather be, and that fashion is the vehicle that can transport you from fantasy to reality, or from here to there.”

Spun

My interview with Sara Seumae of Spun is a glimpse into what it takes to startup a new label.  Her line is deceptively simple.  They look very “ordinary” on the hanger, but when you put them on they fit beautifully–and they are extremely versatile.

Doie

Named after the designer’s fashionable grandmother, Doie is eternally feminine, hip and colorful.  In an eco fashion world that seems to be obsessed with neutrals and minimalistic lines, Doie stands apart as sheer loveliness.

Elena Garcia

Elena Garcia blends daring design, traditional techniques, and luxurious, eco-friendly textiles to create beautiful, timeless pieces for women of all ages.   As Garcia finds her inspiration from the world around her, she believes it is her responsibility to protect and preserve this world in which she lives.

Ivana Helsinki

IVANAhelsinki is an independent art& fashion brand. It brings delicately together Slavic rough melancholity and pure Scandinavian moods. It´s balancing between white arctic summer nights and endless winter sadness. Eerie hovering isolation and intense starkness.  IVANAhelsinki has been the only Scandinavian women’s wear brand ever to be accepted to the official Paris Fashion Week “IN” Show calendar.

Kelly B

The intention behind Kelly B is to create unique and comfortable clothing for the conscious consumer.  Kelly’s first two lines have been produced with all organic cotton and other natural fibers including bamboo and organic cotton.

Lela

Lela is a collection of sportswear made manufactured in Canada, made with the top-of-the-line fabrics that are environmentally-sensitive and milled exclusively for the designers.

Nature Vs. Future

Nature Vs. Future designs are a self-generated product of imagination blended with the designer’s passions–architecture, furniture, music & art.  Working with the body as the palette, balance, line quality, rhythm & movement are incorporated into each piece.

Nixxi

Simplicity embodied  in clean silhouettes and organic fibers.

Prairie Underground

Prairie Underground was conceived as populist clothing for serious, daily wear.  Each piece is designed to be multipurpose and defines a new category of dress, one that crosses the boundaries of active wear and loungewear and redefines day to night dressing.

She Bible

She Bible started in the kitchen with a hand-made screen printing press and has grown into a cut and sew label offering reliably sexy and comfy pieces perfect for kicking up dirt and kicking up your heels. All goods are sewn and printed in San Francisco.

Two of Hearts

Inspired by color blocking and abstract paintings by Mondrian, Two of Hearts’ fall line embraces the modern art house look with pops of vibrant colour. Designed to be easy-to-wear and easy-to-layer, the collection lends itself nicely to the stylish and artsy woman’s wardrobe.

Mountains of the Moon

Check out my feature post about Mountains of  the Moon and it’s designer Melissa Baswell. MotM is a fresh, youthful line with an established online presence.  It manages to be both hip and feminine without compromising its ethics.

Last year I introduced you to a brand new label called M641. Woman-owned, ethical and conscious, M641 has garnered a loyal following among women who demand more from their wardrobe than just a stylish outfit or two. The co-owners and designers Ina and Subu have graciously given me a preview of their Fall/Winter 2009 line and spent some time answering a few questions about their budding young company:

1.  Describe your style aesthetic using three words.

City. Polished.  Free.

2.  Where do you draw your inspiration for your designs?

Love, motherhood, friendship, commitment, loyalty and heritage. We are inspired by the female silhouette and by women of all walks of life with various roles. Our own friendship and personal roles influence us in our designs and our decision making. In Bharatanatyam, (classic South Indian dance) we are taught to create a space where the mind is free to explore and generate thoughts and ideas based on everything it is inspired by, without thinking. So, ideas flow like water without a beginning or an end. For Subu, this helps in attaining proper state of mind for design.

3.  What is it like collaborating on design as a team?

It’s just lovely; everyone should be open to collaborations in our opinion.  We both have similar sensibilities but to a varying degree. So getting each others ideas and feedback is critical to give our designs the obvious personality and character you see in the end result.

4.  What is your favorite piece your have produced so far?

Can a mother choose between her many many children and her children’s children?

5.  Tell me about your creative process.

It always starts with research & learning and then understanding. We research what we want to do next, forecasted trends and such…and learn from our past collections and feedback given. Then we understand where to step. After which comes the inspiration which as mentioned is found on a daily basis, and then it comes down to getting that vision on paper. We do design via sketch though not formally trained and then go to computer aided technologies, then back and forth with the ideas, colors, fabrics, trims until the design on paper matches the vision in the head.

6.  Who are some designers that you admire and why?

We must defer on this in a way. First to answer by saying our admiration lies with emerging designers. We think it would be terribly difficult to highlight one or two of them though. We’ve met so many great artists that there are just too many unique, genuine designers who deserve to be mentioned.

7.  What advice would you give to budding young designers that want to start up their own line?

Pick and carve out your corner of the industry—have your niche…and go with it wholeheartedly. Try to set out to solve a problem you personally have with fashion…and be the solution in the industry.  And, don’t feel like you need to spend loads of money advertising or marketing your product.  Reach out and find your market and ultimately your customer. Get yourself out there and be seen by anyone and everyone…then, in time, you can become selective. Patience and perseverance and of course a great partner!

8.  How has the internet impacted the way you have built your business?

Being situated in the mid-west with a label isn’t a plus point! That said, the internet is our friend. Internet and WOM marketing have enabled us to get where physically, we cannot. In this industry, where you bloom your brand can be vital to your business. We began showing our Collections with the use of the internet…a very non-traditional way for designers to do business. Fortunately for us, we have been successful in this decision and

Then there is this whole wonderful fashion-focused internet realm with great talent and mentors out there. We were warmly embraced. And with social media built in, it has allowed for a lil cult-like following for us. So actually, we’re really kinda everywhere now   Besides that, we are social butterflies IRL, so this amazing social media aspect of the internet has meant closing deals in record time and truly getting to know our customers. Best is our customers really get to know us too. No middle-man or fluff. WYSIWYG.  People in the biz know that being in fashion isn’t as glamorous as it appears. It means countless hours secluded behind your laptops. It means you feel isolated at times, especially since we’re not in LA or NY. So you can say that the reach out with the internet is vital to the health of this brand and to us!

9.  How do you see M641 evolving in the next few years?

We hope you will enjoy what we have in store. You’ll be hearing about our experimentations in different fabrications veering off a bit from our usual 100% woven cottons.  We have already begun adding in a few new subcategories to our separates to include bottoms. Specifically shorts for SS10. Most exciting is the partnership with a Showroom in LA for further visibility and growth of our brand.  Keep in touch with us along the way though to learn the latest!

10.  What has been your proudest moment since you launched M641?

We’re pretty simplistic gals. And to be honest, every single day we’re still in business, we feel proud. Perhaps a customer emails us after a purchase, sending along pics from an event where she wore an M641 design, we feel humbled and overjoyed by those. And recently we were offered to send pieces to Mrs. Ohio for her tour. But from a business standpoint, we feel pleased that the CEO of a major online retailer has asked to see our samples in NY where we’ll be showing SS10. Her interest speaks volumes about our reach and how far we’ve come.

If you have been paying attention to Project Runway this season, you already know Leanne Marshall as the silent but deadly contestant who is very calmly, very politely kicking everyone’s ass.  Her quiet demeanor and un-realty-tv-like lack of drama made her a dark horse, particularly with her slow start in the first couple challenges.  But after week three, she has managed to hit her stride.

I had a chance to talk to Leanne last month as she was preparing for the excitement of New York Fashion Week.  She was as unassuming in real life as she is on television; but perhaps it is that lack of ego that allows her to learn from her mistakes and question her own choices, with truly perfect results.

With a design pedigree that includes formal education at FIDM, she starting planning her own label soon after graduation. It was when she moved to Portland, Oregon that she began to recognize the need for sustainability in the fashion industry, and now incorporates as much sustainable materials and production that she can in her line.  “Portland is a really green city,” she said.  “A lot of people in every industry care about the environment.  You definitely are influenced by the culture whether you want to be or not.”

“It’s hard to be 100% sustainable in high fashion,” she told me, “because there are some fabrics that just don’t have sustainable options.  But I try to use as much as I can, and I don’t think there should be a separate category of ‘sustainable’ designers.  All designers should be using these principles in their work and should be so common that it isn’t even worth mentioning.”

Leanne’s designs are modern, sophisticated, and still influenced by the organic.  She takes risks by creating texture with fabric, rather than simply relying on the fabric to speak for itself.  Her inspiration comes from architecture and art, with sleek and fashionable lines that are softened by her fabric choices.

I asked her what she would tell young designers who are trying to create their own vision and just getting into design.  “Sew everything,” she said.  “Sew your heart out.  Knowing how to put together a garment perfectly, and understanding the technical aspects of creating clothing is the most important foundation for any designer.”

Unfortunately, due to her commitment to Bravo, I wasn’t able to pry too deeply in to the Project Runway experience during our conversation.  However, I did get to ask her a couple burning questions.  I simply had to know–is the competition on Project Runway as stressful as it seems?

“Oh, it is as stressful–in fact more stressful–than it looks on tv,” she confirmed.  “You’re working so hard in this competition and the tension is high.  It is so intense–like a roller coaster ride.”

So, then, who did she really get along with?

“Blayne is great.  He’s hilarious.  We have the northwest connection and get along really well.  Jerrell has a great sense of humor, and Suede is just a crackup.  Stella was really sweet, too.”

But my most important question of all—is Tim Gunn really as fabulous in person as I think he is?

“Oh yes.  Tim is such a sweetheart.  I can’t say enough good things about him.  When he’s there you get the feeling that he really wants you to succeed.  He’s so genuine and helpful.”

*sigh*  I knew it.

So what’s next for Leanne Marshall?  She just showed her collection at NYFW and we have a few more episodes of season five to go before we know if she’s the winner.  She’s definitely a favorite among both fashion bloggers and Project Runway fans–and she’s definitely my pick to win the season.

“The attention I’ve had since Project Runway has been amazing,” she told me.  “I’ve had tons of support, and tons of orders–so much interest in my clothing.  I’ve also had some huge write ups from the press and interest from around the country.  I definitely plan to move to New York in the near future so I can take things to the next level.”

Leanne Marshall knows design.  Whether you enjoy her particular aesthetic or not, you must at least bow to her skill and the devotion to detail that makes her work stand apart from other talented professionals.  She has what it takes to make it all the way to the top:  talent, humility, and most importantly–a passion for her art that shows in everything she touches.

For more information about Leanne and her designs, visit her website, or check out her MySpace page.