Ecouterre » Women’s Eco-Fashion

Ben Affleck Designs TOMS Shoes to Benefit Eastern Congo Initiative

Jasmin Malik Chua — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:00:39 +0000

From Oscar-winning director to…shoe designer? Ben Affleck has teamed up with the do-gooders at TOMS to create series of African-textile-inspired kicks that benefit the Eastern Congo Initiative. Founded by the actor-filmmaker in 2010, the organization is the first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making initiative “wholly focused” on working with and for the people of that region. The designs are available in three styles: two for men and one for women. And besides TOMS’ usual “one for one” policy, $5 from the purchase of each limited-edition pair will help fund ECI’s programs for youth and families in eastern Congo. “Getting involved in something, helping others, improving the fabric of the universe,” Affleck says in a statement. “I believe if you do that, even just a little bit, I think you’ll find your life gets better, too.”

+ TOMS x Eastern Congo Initiative $59-$79

Colorant’s Naturally Plant-Dyed Cashmere Knits are Beautiful to Behold

Cecilia Culverhouse — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:00:16 +0000

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Eileen Fisher Would Like Its Clothes Back Now, Thanks Very Much

Helen Morgan — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:00:29 +0000

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Trash to Trend Debuts First Mass-Produced Upcycled-Clothing Collection

Morgana Matus — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:40 +0000

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Buy One of Activyst’s L.A.-Made Gym Bags, Help a Girl Play Sports

Kirin Rinehart — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:40 +0000

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Create Your Own “Peace Silk” Dresses with Supezas

Alyssa Alimurung — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:00:01 +0000

Looking for an eco-friendly dress that is cute, you can feel good about, and won’t break the bank? Look no further! We’ve recently discovered an inspiring company called Supezas, which works with rural tribal women to make customized silk dress designs in cute cuts and eye-popping spring colors, out of “peace-silk“. If you’re scratching your head and wondering what that is, “peace-silk” (also sometimes called “Ahimsa silk” or “Tasar Silk”) is a cruelty-free silk textile that is made without killing silkworms, unlike regular silk (read more about here.) Not only are Supezas’ garments kind to silkworms, but they’re kind to humans too — they bring fair wages and sustainable development to impoverished communities and are helping to revive the dying art of hand-weaving. Best yet, with Supezas, you’re able to get a custom-tailored, bespoke dress at a fraction of what a one-off garment would cost. Now Supezas has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to introduce their latest collection of personalized silk dresses. We encourage you to support them and get a custom dress, tie or chic scarf in the process!

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H&M Launches “Conscious Exclusive” Line of Sustainable Partywear

Jasmin Malik Chua — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:16 +0000

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Flint and Tinder’s American-Made Hoodie Comes With 10-Year Guarantee

Amy DuFault — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:00:18 +0000

There’s a reason why we have antique stores: stuff used to be made to last. Things have long shifted, however, in favor of a manufacturing business model known as “planned obsolescence.” From toasters to T-shirts, today’s products are designed to fall apart—all the better to get you to reach into your wallet once more, of course. Flint and Tinder is one of growing number of companies seeking to disrupt that trend. After successfully Kickstarting its line of American-made men’s underwear, the Brooklyn-based label is back with a new crowdfunding campaign. Its goal? To create a unisex zip-up hoodie made entirely in the United States (yarn and hardware included) and built for a lifetime.

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Diesel, EDUN Collaborate on African-Made Sustainable Denim Line

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:00:15 +0000

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Dita Von Teese Models World’s First Fully Articulated 3D-Printed Gown

Jasmin Malik Chua — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 21:00:28 +0000

Photos by Albert Sanchez

Dita Von Teese did more than show off her curves at Manhattan’s Ace Hotel Monday night. The burlesque star and fashion icon also modeled what designers Michael Schmidt and Francis Bitonti claim is the world’s first fully articulated three-dimensionally printed gown. (Iris van Herpen might beg to differ, but we digress.) Created in conjunction with rapid-prototyping marketplace Shapeways, the Fibonacci-inspired mesh number consists of thousands of nylon chain links, dyed black, lacquered, and embellished with more than 13,000 Swarovski crystals to achieve its “sensual flowing form.”

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Iris van Herpen Debuts World’s First 3D-Printed Flexible Dresses

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Louise Gray Goes “Derelict Chic” at Autumn 2013 London Fashion Week

Jasmin Malik Chua — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:00:21 +0000

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Holmes & Yang Plunders From the 1940s at Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week

Jasmin Malik Chua — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:00:26 +0000

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Titania Inglis Brings Dark Fairy Tales to Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week

Amanda Coen — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:00:31 +0000

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Titania Inglis returned to New York Fashion Week on Wednesday with her Fall/Winter 2013 collection. Inspired by fairytales and parallel universes, the collection highlighted the designer’s knack for geometric shapes and sharply angled silhouettes. Featuring dark, wintery hues, the collection had a mysterious aura and featured a new addition to Inglis’ line: furs. Need not worry. The designer was quick to explain the responsible sourcing practices behind her decision to incorporate them into her collection.

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Voz Brings Artisan-Crafted Chilean Knits to Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week

Amanda Coen — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:00:12 +0000

Voz celebrated its first New York Fashion Week by showing off its latest collection of hand-woven wool, baby alpaca and llama shawls, ponchos, tunics, dresses and coats. The Chile-based fair trade company works with Mapuche women artisans who practice traditional weaving methods to create designs that are attractive to a contemporary audience. For its NYFW debut, the company expanded its list of materials to include raw silk and silk chiffon and featured jewelry by Mikuti.

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Costello Tagliapietra “Knit”-Picks at Fall 2013 New York Fashion Week

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:00:16 +0000

Only fools mistake femininity for weakness, and if there’s one thing Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra are not, it’s foolish. The married duo’s signature elements were on full display at New York Fashion Week on Thursday: the draped silk and jersey dresses, the saturated jewel tones, the watercolor-esque AirDye prints. But they also ventured outside their typical milieu by plying their Fall/Winter 2013 collection with brown alpaca “teddy bear” wrap coats, vine-knit capelet cardigans, and even a two-toned tailored trouser, cordovan in front, steel gray in the back—the sartorial equivalent of an iron fist in a velvet glove.

+ Costello Tagliapietra

Samantha Pleet Gets Post-Impressionistic at Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week

Amanda Coen — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:00:06 +0000

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Samantha Pleet may have taken a break from formally presenting her FW2013 collection, but the young designer has by no means been standing idle. Celebrating the opening of her new Manhattan showroom, the designer took the opportunity to invite friends and loyal clients to preview her latest collection as well as new shoe and boot designs from her ongoing collaboration with Wolverine for the 1000 Mile Collection by Samantha Pleet. With a focus on form and signature silhouettes, the collection features a painterly color palette and several playful prints with ethically-sourced fabrics ranging from silk to wool to velvet. Ecouterre was in attendance to learn more about the Expressionist and Post-Impressionist artwork that inspired the former painting student’s latest designs.

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EDUN Rocks, Rolls at Fall/Winter 2013 New York Fashion Week

Jasmin Malik Chua — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 23:00:14 +0000

Photos by Jill Fehrenbacher for Ecouterre

It’s virtually impossible to tease EDUN apart from its rock-star provenance. Such is the star power of U2 frontman Bono, who founded the socially conscious label with his wife, Ali Hewson, in 2005. And indeed, the mood at its Fall/Winter 2013 presentation—an “exploration of youth culture,” according to show notes—at New York Fashion Week on Thursday was equally charged. Models, both male and female, paced frenetically on the circular runway wearing black leather, black skinny jeans, black lamé, and a studied insouciance. (Full review to follow.)

+ EDUN

M. Patmos Brings the Aristocratic Nomad to Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week

Jasmin Malik Chua — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 17:00:01 +0000

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Organic by John Patrick Goes Downtown at Fall 2013 NY Fashion Week

Alyssa Alimurung — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:00:43 +0000

Photos by Amanda Coen and Jill Fehrenbacher for Ecouterre

For Organic‘s Fall/Winter 2013 collection, designer John Patrick revisited his personal connection to the East Village, NYC’s downtown neighborhood known of its hip, grungy-chic style. Patrick was inspired by three indie “glamazons” and friends, Sable Starr, Cyrinda Foxe and Anya Phillips. Wednesday morning during New York Fashion Week, Patrick displayed a collection that spoke to those downtown tastemakers. “The catwalk is meant to tell a story and create an emotion,” he told Ecouterre after his show.

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Iris van Herpen Debuts World’s First 3D-Printed Flexible Dresses

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:27:59 +0000

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Everlane’s Quality-Over-Quantity E-Commerce Model Espouses Less is More

Amy DuFault — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:00:12 +0000

Michael Preysman founded Everlane in November 2011 with the goal of overhauling the typical retail experience. Having quit his job at a venture-capital firm in San Francisco, Preysman wanted to create an “exciting, collaborative and experimental effort” that cut through the clutter to provide luxury apparel without the exorbitant markup. The online-only collection, like its website, is minimalist, orderly, and thoughtfully curated. Instead of bombarding its customers with options, Everlane offers only the most basic of basics—one style of cashmere sweater, a single silk blouse, a men’s button-down shirt, a merino-wool scarf—preferring to focus on quality over quantity. Ecouterre recently spoke with Preysman, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, to discover how Everlane’s unconventional business model is subverting an entire industry.

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The Harbinger Co. Crafts Intricate Bamboo Jewelry in San Francisco

Morgana Matus — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 13:00:13 +0000

We are already familiar with bamboo as a building material, clothing textile, and food. Versatile and attractive, the grain and texture of the plant makes for beautiful jewelry with a natural feel. The Harbinger Co. uses bamboo for their special and sustainable line of accessories. Crafted by laser cutter, the earrings, necklaces, and pendants are all inspired by the shapes of flower petals, honeycombs, and crystals.

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14 Eco-Friendly—And Vegan!—Women’s Sweaters to Chase the Chill

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:00:28 +0000

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Suno Makes World’s Cutest Ethical Pajamas in New York City

Jasmin Malik Chua — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:00:59 +0000

Remember when Tinseltown’s finest tried to make wearing your jammies in public a thing? If there’s one brand that could convince us to go full-on Hugh Hefner, it’s Suno. Ethically made in New York City, the Africa-influenced label’s limited-edition pajamas come in no less than six of its best-selling prints. Both cotton and silk versions feature long-sleeve, notched-collar button-downs and coordinating wide-leg pants with contrast piping. We suddenly feel very sleepy…

+ Pajamas $165-$175

+ Suno

“Re-Commerce Boutiques” Put a Fresh Spin on Consignment Shopping

Cecilia Culverhouse — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:00:21 +0000

Move over eBay: The next wave of resale shopping is here. Akin to brick-and-mortar boutiques, Twice and Threadflip auctions for more personalized shopping that reaches a broad audience in the re-commerce space. With a whopping 2.5 billion pounds of post-consumer textiles wasted in the U.S. annually and apparel prices rising, these two re-commerce upstarts couldn’t be more timely. Ecouterre gets the scope here for our eco- and cost-conscious readers.

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