New York Fashion Week Spring '09: Be EcoChic
Hosted by supermodel Angela Lindvall and Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope, the Be EcoChic fashion show put a fashionable spin on sustainable style at its Sept. 4 event at the American Museum of Natural History.
Co-sponsored by the Sierra Club, Lycra, Aveeno, Continental Airlines, Neutrogena, and Mercedes-Benz, the main sponsor of the evening was Invista, makers of the Lycra fiber.
Invista used the event as a launch pad to promote Planet Agenda as the framework for environmental stewardship. This new initiative aims to minimize the ecological impact of synthetic fibers, extend natural-fiber performance and decrease consumer garment waste.
The goal of the evening was to educate showgoers on environmentalism and ways to be kinder to the planet via fashion. Margaret Jacob, sustainability director of Invista apparel, said the addition of Lycra to garments increases the “wearlife” of fabrics by helping them retain their shape and increase durability.“Lycra fiber is used in many of the garments that include organic cotton, PET recycled fabrics or other new naturals such as hemp, soy and bamboo,” Jacob said. Additionally, Invista’s Coolmax Ecotech fiber, made from post-consumer recycled polyester was recently introduced as a way to reduce the eco footprint of consumers through recycled and natural fibers.
The event attracted green-loving celebrities, including Lauren Hutton, Adrien Grenier, Carter Oosterhouse, Alek Wek, Rafael Nadal and Chevy Chase. Designers participating included Carmen Marco Valvo, FORM, Red Carter, Christian Cota, Edun, Vena Cava, DKNY, Linda Loudermilk, Converse by John Varvatos and Thread Social.
The fashions on the runway proved that sustainability can be sexy. FORM sent a Lycra/organic cotton trench coat over a black bubble dress down the runway. Red Carter showed a geometric patchwork dress made from supplex/Lycra fabric from United Knitting, polyester/Lycra fabric from Sunikorn and “T-Recycled” fabric with Lycra from Brimadona.
Carmen Marco Valvo used low-impact dyes on a 100 percent silk chiffon gown that wowed the audience. Christian Cota worked with a recycled PET/Lycra fabric from Eclat into a beautiful white evening dress.
Going forward, Jacob commented that better-educated consumers are beginning to drive the marketplace. “We anticipate that this interest will gradually be moving more mainstream as consumer interest and respect for environmental issues grows. But the industry will need to deliver the products that meet their expectations in style, aesthetics and performance before this truly becomes mainstream,” Jacob said.—Jamie Sharpe
