The last day of Portland's fashion week was last Wednesday, so why the delay in posting? A week on sustainable style is a lot to take in, so before giving an intelligent overview, I wanted to let it all sink in. Now that I'm done with that, let's get to the reviews!TRENDS AND TRAIL-OFFS
Four of the five brands featured on the last day (Wednesday, Nov. 24th) were from Portland, Habitude (NYC) being the exception. Wednesday was full of exactly what you would expect from Spring/Summer collections - pastel and vibrant pinks and blues mixed with naturals like creams and browns. Poppiswim a.k.a Poppina was the only complete swimsuit collection there, though I was disappointed to see they didn't have anything for men.
While Garnish featured only special occasion dresses and outfits, Souchi (infamous in Portland for their cashmere ... well ... everything) was the only line from the whole week to have models gallivanting down the runway in no shoes. Though I know many women couldn't imagine a world with no shoes, I enjoy being barefoot as much as possible, so this nod to footwear-free living was much appreciated. Other than the no-shoes part, Souchi's line was actually quite enjoyable, featuring the largest collection of the night with pieces that could easily be dressed up or down, including a few swimsuits (not sure that I would want to swim in sheep fur, but oh well).
Lucia, who sadly has no website yet, is another Portland line that did a damn good job of delivering a great line. Lots of dresses and skirts in artistic patterns that could could be worn year-round tempted my fabric-loving tastebuds. New York's Habitude was small but sumptuous at the same time, with an offering that even Fifth Avenue would buy. Flowing and not-too-form-fitting dresses, tops and pants bring to mind a happy afternoon of tea or a sunny Spring wedding, both of which would be very good times to be looking swank.
FULL PFW FAVORITES AND FAILURES
Top 3 Brands I Covet (and why):
1) Stewart+Brown (Having been exposed to sustainable fashion for years, S+B is still one of my all-time favorite brands. They continue to deliver on their green and fair trade commitments, all with high style and a price that truly reflects the impact clothing has on the planet.)
2) Del Forte (Good, all-American organic cotton denim; you just can't beat that.)
3) Lizzie Parker (Fashion is supposed to be a fun addition to your life, not stressful; this line is a perfect blend of fun and functional.)
Top 3 Brands I Won't Be Buying (and why):
1) Nike Considered (While I give the big sports brand props for working to reverse their 1980s slave labor image, I'm still very skeptical on their dedication to green production.)
2) Saffrona (While its sister brand, MEWV, is made from sustainable fabrics, Saffrona uses only silks whose origins I'm not aware of. Looking great is important, but being green is just as big a factor in my book.)
3) Amai Unmei (I've been trying to gain some affection for this line, but it still falls flat in the personality department for me.)
Biggest Collection: Stewart+Brown (38 looks)
Smallest Collection: 3-way tie! A Broken Spoke, Emily Ryan and Liza Reitz
Most Anorexic-Looking Model: [name unknown]
Best Example of A Bad Prom Dress: Emily Ryan (runner-up: Elizabeth Dye)
Dress that Most Resembles the Capes You Wear When You Get Your Hair Cut: Daniel McCall
Outfit Most Resembling a 21st-Century Superhero: Emily Ryan
Most Applauded Outfit/Dress: Kate Towers
Best Use of Multi-Colored Satin: Holly Stalder
Best Line for Full Figures: MEWV (to my knowledge, the only line at PFW that carries sizes up to 4X)
Collection That I Couldn't Wear Because I Have Boobs (i.e. need to wear a bra): Michelle Decourcy
Collection That I'd Have To Wear with Pants or Everyone Would Know Where I Buy My Underwear (or when I don't wear any): Leanimal
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Is this one week going to change fashion forever? Um, duh, no! Just like the eco-warriors out there trying to transform our transportation and agriculture industries, fashion has some key functional changes that need to be made to help it continue into the next era as a healthy and stable part of society. Having worked in the industry for over 10 years, there is no doubt in my mind that there are people in this industry that are truly full of themselves and don't realize the kind of impact their choices of fabric and production make on the rest of the world, including their consumers.
While it may not seem as vital as the food we eat or cars we drive, what we wear (everything from underwear and socks to pants and jackets) has a wide reaching impact on growers, fabric makers, sewing and knitting workers, shipping, sales and our own health and well-being. Have you though about just how many people have touched and worked with all the pieces you are wearing? How far did it travel from where it was grown to wear it was made and then to the store and then to you?
We do not live in a sustainable world, but those of us who buy eco-fashion instead of mass produced lines (most likely made under non-fair trade conditions) are making a statement about what we believe is important, just like the colors and styles we wear express a certain part about ourselves. Is buying organic and fair trade clothing enough? No, money can't buy change alone, but consumer demand is an important factor in helping to change all levels of the fashion market.
Seeing the outpouring of attendees, whether there for the green aspects of the event or not, proves that fashion can be both sustainable and stylish at the same time; any doubts of that should be erased from your mind by now. Portland's local lines deserve their own mentions since many of them are produced right in the city. While manufacturing in the United States can clearly be more expensive than foreign countries, it has a big impact on carbon reduction when shipping items from overseas.
On my own website and a few local Portland sites, I've heard some controversy buzzing about people being displeased with the event's organization, particularly location, waiting times and display of designers. Did you attend the events? How did you feel about all the goings on?
If you did not attend Portland Fashion Week, I have no doubt that you have your own opinions about sustainable fashion. Open up - tell us what you think of eco-style. What are do you love? What do you hate? What do you want to see changed? What concerns you the most?
2 comments:
I think the show itself left a lot to be desired. The thought that the show was about being green and sustainable I felt was a joke when I was not able to even take public transportation to the event at an industrial warehouse! Talk about leaving a carbon footprint just to get there. I think I seen some eco-friendly materials being used, but overall from what I seen myself and heard from others who went on different nights, someone tossed out the eco-friendly label too generously to get people to buy tickets. Tell a Portlander something is Green and they will fall for it every time even if it's made in China in a factory billowing toxic fumes out of a smokestack!
One other thing I have to mention is that there were too many designers and some of the marginal ones should not of been there, in my opinion. I guess they made some good "filler" so the event organizers could get some extra days of paying customers in, but they did detract from the really good offerings.
I tend to agree that the location was an odd one, and not high on the "central and convenient" list, but understandable given the very limited budget of the production team. They actually did do a decent job greening the event, so to speak, with the bamboo runway, recycled materials used in staging, recycled paper for all event materials, and organic spirits, non-toxic styling products among other efforts. Not perfect, granted, but at least they are making a good effort to head in the right direction. They also will be making a donation to a local environmental group, which is nice. The transportation piece is a big bummer, no argument there, but I think they plan to offset their carbon emissions from the event, so that helps. I also agree that maybe they were a bit too inclusive with the designers and could have tightened up the selection process. My guess is that some of the more marginal designers were the first to sign on and that the PFW folks could not simply discard them after procuring the stronger labels. Perhaps one benefit here might be to get those designers who are not yet employing sustainable design principles to take note and realize the benefits of changing their own practices. It is a young event, with the right goals in mind, and I am hopeful that we will see improvements each season, both in production and in the lines showcased.
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