New York, London, Paris, Milan - when most people think of high fashion and runway shows, these are the cities that come to mind. For the average person, couture fashion doesn't mean much, except possibly fodder for a one-night fantasy. Destinations like Chicago, Toronto, Seattle, and Los Angeles are emerging with their own take on "fashion week," often featuring independent, local, and more wearable designers.

Often referred to as the City of Roses (and the less appealing title of "Stumptown"), Portland, Oregon is developing into an incomparable outlet for cutting-edge fashion, especially brands based around sustainability. This year, Portland Fashion Week is being billed as the greenest fashion week ever - quite a title to apply to a 6-day series of events, especially with so many other cities vying for that title.

What did celebrities at New York Fashion Week have to say about Portland? Allison Janney from "West Wing"said, "Raincoats and a good pair of walking shoes; bluejeans and rain boots. Portland is having a fashion week? I love it!" Singer Maya made a great point that I can relate to: "Portland is so far removed from the entertainment world I would think the designers there would relate well to everyday people. Sometimes when I buy clothes in L.A. or New York, I can only wear them in L.A. or New York."

What makes an event green? How is Portland stepping up its efforts to hold on to the title of Greenest City in the United States (according to SustainLane.com)? My curiosity was piqued, so what a joy it was to chat recently with Tito Chowdhry, Executive Producer of Portland Fashion Week. He was very excited to tell me all about what PFW Productions was doing to create the greenest fashion week they could, including the largest collection of sustainable designers on any runway.

Read on to find out more about the importance of green fashion, support from local businesses and media, the cost of dressing sustainable, and more.

STAY TUNED for a special PFW announcement from Victoria Everman and Greenloop later this week!

READ THE GREAT INTERVIEW AND SEE PREVIEWS OF LOCAL GREEN DESIGNERS!