Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Images, J. Ecochard
Time and place: New York Fashion Week, Thursday, Jan 31st, @ 6:00pm
Location: Gotham Hall, 985 Sixth Ave (36th Street)
THE EARTH PLEDGE SHOW EARNED A FIVE STAR RATING IN OUR BOOK, meaning all of the elements came together to produce a top-notch show.
The event worked because some very major industry players got behind it. It took Julie Gilhart, Barney’s Fashion Director, getting on the phone to the designers to get this plane to take off. As Ms. Gilhart remarked to Eric Wilson, in the Feb. 1st edition of The New York Times, “Sustainable fashion has all the makings of a trend, but we know now it’s a movement.”
Once that was done, Earth Pledge [a nonprofit group that promotes sustainable technologies] was able to go forward and begin organizing the show, reasonably confident that this one would receive more attention than the one they did a few years ago. Their Future Fashion Initiative addresses sustainability by helping the fashion and home furnishing industries make the transition to green materials and processes.
This was a five star production, all the way, from the clothes, to the creative talent [Vogue stylist Brana Wolf, Shiseido Creative Director, Dick Page, and the best models in the business: Super Shalom Harlow and Guinevere Van Seenus who are eco and organic lifestyle enthusiasts, as well as many of the current “it” models who regularly appear on the pages of Vogue and in the major RTW campaigns such as Caroline Trentini and Julia Stegner.
While the day clothes were more than okay, it was the eveningwear that really hit the mark. There were breathtaking evening gowns at the end from Ralph Lauren [hemp/silk], Donna Karan [sasawashi and peace silk], Versace [hemp/silk] and most notably Martin Margiela’s navy ball gown.
AWARD FOR MOST BREATHTAKING OUTFIT goes to Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal O Collection on Shalom Harlow; a ball gown of three vintage wedding dresses draped and stitched onto a vintage bustier.
THE AWARD FOR MOST CLEVER OUTFIT goes to Michael Kors for his the recycled cashmere striped sweater dress and scarf, probably sewn-up from samples laying about the design studio over the course of an afternoon. Seriously though, more designers should follow Mr. Kors’ lead and simply reuse the fine quality materials and garments that are at their immediate disposal. It may have been “recycled” but the dress looked every bit as good as a “new” Michael Kors Collection piece.
The looks from the show will be in the Barneys Madison Avenue windows from Feb. 1 through Feb. 21.
www.barneys.com
www.earthpledge.org