Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Images, courtesy of Geo Art and Eco Skin
WHEN: Wednesday, January 12, 2008
CATEGORY: JEWLERY
THE LINE: GEO ART’s “Go Green Collection:
Kudos to environmentally conscious designer, Cynthia Gale, for creating this lovely eco capsule collection and to Fatima Fidan, Sales and Marketing whiz for her extensive research before she recommended that GEO ART team up with CENYC [the council for the Environment of NY City].
WHY IT’S ECO
1. THE PIECES ARE MADE OF 70-80% RECYCLED SILVER. It’s not the 100% you might expect because it’s very hard to guarantee 100% of this, or anything, for that matter.
2. THE CENYC LINK
The hook-up with CENYC came at a good time. While CENYC is still located in Mayor Bloomberg’s office, and is politically funded, it’s a sad fact that the enthusiasm and funding for all things NYC that surged after 9-11 has noticeably diminished.
THE NEXT STEP: Geo Art will be at the spa show, where they’ll show the increasingly popular SPINNING RING.
*TREND ALERT: According to Ms.Fidan, the men’s accessories market has grown a whopping 15% in 2007. Word is, this # will increase in 2008.
www.geoart-accessories.com
www.cenyc.org
ECOSKIN by Sandy Skinner
Ms.Skinner is uniquely poised to create a sexy line, she was after all the President of the hot LA label, Tart, a collection that ranges from cute and girly to hot and vampy. Under her watch, the line was all of that AND, comfortable.
She’s recently taken on a new challenge, to bring that winning combination to her new Eco fashion Company, ECO SKIN. Although it’s early days, after a visiting with her at ENK in New York, and in her LA showroom, we’re happy to report that it’s showing every sign of taking off.
POINT OF DIFFERENTIATION
Sandy’s is quite simple – sexy first, eco second.
Says Sandy, “I want to be fashion-forward that is also green. I just want to be as hot and sexy as everybody else, not just ‘green.”
CELEBRITY MUSE: CAMERON DIAZ. It’s harder to think of anyone who looks consistently sexy in photographs AND has a green conscience to boot.
Sandy also gamely answered THE $40,000 question on everyone’s lips about ECO:
‘IS ECO MERELY A FAD, OR HERE TO STAY?’
SANDY ‘S PREDICTION:
“IT [ECO] will merge into the mainstream more over time, and become part of what the consumer expects.”
IT’S IN THE DETAILS: All the buttons are made from coconuts that fell off the tree.
A SHORTIE EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY BAMBOO IS BETTER.
BAMBOO is a grass that is 100% naturally grown. It requires no pesticides, insecticides or fertilizers. It’s also one of the world’s best sustainable resources, as well as the world’s FASTEST growing plant. This is a grass that benefits from mowing, just like the one that grows in your front yard; it grows back stronger after the 3rd cutting. Bamboo takes in 400% more greenhouse gases and produces 35% more oxygen than standing trees. The by-product is good old oxygen. Add to that, the fact that bamboo is 100% biodegradable and whisks away moisture and keeps you dry, just like the sports-intended Under Armour second skins that get us through those long hard New England winters.
From there, they harvest the pulp and voila, it’s woven into a fabric.
WHAT THE PIECES ARE MADE OF
As you’ve guessed, silky smooth bamboo is the undisputed star here.
The knits: bamboo, tencel, spandex
The wovens: $100% bamboo
Wholesale prices:[approximate]
Tops $62-78
Long dresses $84-134
For SUMMER: [deliveries are May and June]
Like the accessories as seen at Neiman’s Accessories preview, brights! Sandy went into color gradually, beginning with some sherbet colors.
Our favorite: the pink and multi-colored.
BONUS BROWNIE POINTS for the buttons, which come from coconuts that fell of the tree. It’s hard to get more eco than that!
STORES: Planet Blue, LA
DELIVERIES begin in March and go through June
www.ecoskincollections.com