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Sustainable “Slow Fashion”

by Karim Orange

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Slow Fashion vs. Fast Fashion at the New York Fashion Week

I love clothes, fashion and shopping, but in all honesty, I can’t fit one more article of clothing into my closet. I would love to say that I’m always eco-friendly when I shop, but that would be a lie. I’m not a compulsive shopper, but I am impulsive, and I don’t always think about the process, so it’s odd I’m writing about “slow fashion.”

Korto Momolu Spring/Summer Show Presented By SheaMoistureAs an Emmy-nominated makeup artist with over 20 years’ experience in the business, participating in and attending shows at New York Fashion Week has become a norm. NYFW is a magical week that occurs twice a year in New York City, as well as in other cities around the world including Milan, London and Paris. The September shows preview the upcoming spring and summer trends for 2015, while the February shows will preview trends for fall and winter (2015-2016). Top designers get the ball rolling for what you will see at your local stores in the near future.

Since the average woman can’t afford everything that sashays down the runway, retailers and designers implement a business model known as “fast fashion,” which imitates trends and styles seen on the runway with lower prices and quality than the designer pieces. The problem with “fast fashion” is that, most of the time, the fabrics and processes used to make the clothing are hazardous to the earth and the humans who wear them. 

According to the Organic Trade Association:

Cotton is considered the world’s ‘dirtiest’ crop due to its heavy use of insecticides, the most hazardous pesticide to human and animal health. Even the production process of conventional cotton is dangerous. The environmental assaults don’t end when the cotton leaves the field. The production process necessary to turn cotton into clothing also unleashes more environmental pollution, as well as a laundry list of chemicals that remain in the clothing you may be wearing right now.

gridThis Fashion Week, as I enjoyed all of the beautiful clothing on the runways, I wore sustainable clothing, and went through my closet recycling items that I no longer used. I also rode my bike to all the shows and spoke with women about the importance of sustainability in the fashion world. I familiarized myself with sustainable designers and now support “slow fashion.” Slow fashion is a movement of creating garments for quality and longevity, while encouraging fair wages, lowering carbon footprints and creating less waste.

So now let’s look at fall fashion. Here are some of the sustainable pieces I wore to fashion week. I kept my look super casual and relaxed. My first outfit was by designer Eileen Fisher, who encompasses a holistic vision and is one of the leading trendsetters in eco-fashion. The brand uses 70 percent organic cotton with the understanding that organic matters. Since 2009, they have sourced recycled poly made from factory leftovers and water bottles. They also have a program called Green Eileen, where you bring back your gently worn Eileen Fisher clothing and they will clean and sell it to support women and girls. 

descripsAnother urban look that I wore to the shows was a cool organic Principle Tunic by Lole Women, along with a pair of double-strapped boots from The Earthkeeper Collection by Timberland, which I wore while riding my bike. The boots are waterproof and the leather is from a tannery rated Silver by the Leather Working Group for its water, energy and waste management practices. The Wingate bag is also sourced from the same tannery.

The shows were great, but there were not enough sustainable brands recognized during NYFW. I was, however, glad to see that sustainable hair and makeup were. Antoinette Beenders of Aveda sculpted hair art for the Osklen show. The makeup team from Shea Moisture at the Korto Momolu Show showed us what’s trending for spring and summer (strong brows and glowing skin). Lead makeup artist Tina Turnbow for Beauty.com used products from Jane Iredale at the Costello Tagliapietra Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show. She described the look as “fresh, pretty, angelic, ethereal—with a slight edge.” 

I’m also excited to announce that Brooklyn Fashion Week (a very hip event) will have an entire evening dedicated to a collection of Eco-Friendly/Innovative designers featuring one of my favorites, Bridgette Artise of Born Again Vintage. The event will take place on October 2. For more information on The Brooklyn Fashion Show, please visit fashionweekbrooklyn.com/schedule.

Connect with Karim @karimorange

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