EMBRACING THE ECO WITH PRINTS and SOLIDS
MAC&MILK-at Milk Studios, West 15th Street NYC
Words, Images/ Judith Ecochard
It’s about friggin’ time that a major wanna see label…(Jeffrey)Costello (Robert)Tagliapietra- in this case…takes a/makes a === stand/statement about the environmental implications of all those dye chemicals go into giving textiles their hues.
A new to us “revolutionary AirDye® technology”…was used to make the exclusive fabrics (lovely prints, solids in glowing autumnal colors)…without USING WATER at the recent RTW show.
That’s right no funky stuff going into the water supply for all those luscious colors.
To quote the hangtag---
“Each Costello Tagliapietra dress dyed and printed with AirDye technology will save 234 gallons, 476 megajoules of energy (we don’t exactly get that but it sound like enough to light up Las Vegas for a spell), 9,344 kilograms of greenhouse gas.”
YES!
And fitting…as these two designers…famed for their finesse with jersey draped (and personally sportin’ the Woolrich Buffalo Check plaid waaayyy before it went cool again)…are once again…onto the NEXT.
The show featured several of those wonderfully Madame Grès worthy pleated, folded and draped dresses and separates.
Side draped details lay so fluidly perfectly--- as to look effortless…
But of course that takes amazing skill and knowledge of fabric to get THAT right.
“Simple,” classic and elegant is very VERY hard to do.
We think…attire for the sophisticated women.
Our lottery winnings wish list includes a custom made COSTELLO TAGLIAPIETRA.
SOAPBOX COMMENTARY:
Unlike outdoor performance wear brands that embrace sustainability to the gazillion -nth degree (duh)…we are perturbed the fashion industry- with a capital “F”- just doesn’t--- in a meaningful, well--- fashion. Cost and style are no longer valid excuses. The former has dropped while the latter gets bumped way up. Even very affordable H&M carries organic pieces and Wal-Mart gave all of its suppliers marching orders---last summer---- to document every step of the manufacturing/production/shipping process for environmental impact.
FACT: “Fashion’s role in the crisis is clear. The textile industry is the third largest consumer and polluter of water.”
INFO: COSTELLO TAGLIAPIETRA
