Lu Flux: Over the Hills and Far Away

Lu Flux launches spring/summer 2011 at London Fashion Week.

In her second season at London Fashion week Lu Flux, who specialises in creating unique ethical clothing, presents her new Spring Summer 2011 collection.

The collection is inspired by the landscape paintings of Gustav Klimt and features blues, yellows and greens, which emulate the colours of an English garden in Spring.

Hoards of ribbon and personalised toile de Jouy feature alongside Lu Flux’s signature sculptural patchworks composed from salvaged, sustainable and organic fabrics.

Complex techniques adorn simple shapes to create wearable clothing with an effortless elegance.

Materials from the past are treasured, absorbed and adapted to create playful one off pieces.

Each element of the patchwork is placed exactly within a garment’s composition to create visually exciting and practical pieces.

With abundant textures and patterns, Lu Flux’s garments greet onlookers with a sense of creativity and pleasure. Humour is combined with beauty to conjure whimsical warmth that fills the wearer with a wonderful silliness.

Paying meticulous attention to the methods and materials that create each garment Lu Flux strives to demonstrate the possibility of creating ethical clothing without compromising beauty.

Have a look here at the collection.

Photos & text Copyright Lu Flux.

Footprint of Rubia®Red 100% Natural Colors

Several days ago, I received this newsletter from the managing director of Rubia®Red.

“In my last newsletter I announced a report about the CO2 footprint assessment of Rubia®Red.

The evaluation took place by the highly respected University of Utrecht; the final report came in now and looks very positive for our natural dyeing extract!

Our dyestuffs are more than carbon neutral; that is to say, they consume more CO2 in the vegetable stage as plants than what they produce in the stage of the colour production in our factory.

Therefore, customers using Rubia®Red will have so-called carbon credits!

When buying our dyestuffs, you can compensate part of the CO2 production of your own products.

So, our dye extracts have an exceptionally positive carbon footprint, enabling you to differentiate your products even more from competition!

Best regards from Steenbergen, The Netherlands and have a nice weekend,

PS: On 10 December, we will have an interesting Rubia event in the new headquarters of ZLTO in Den Bosch, The Netherlands. This will include an excursion through the building to see more than 1600 m2 carpets and interior claddings dyed with Rubia®Red!”

Way to go Rubia!

Photos & letter Copyright Rubia Pigmenta Naturalia.

Izzy Lane…Rescued Sheep…at EcoLuxe

I interviewed Izzy Lane in an interview last year, at which time we learned about the company’s efforts to save a rare breed of sheep as lambs from slaughter by using their wool in each collection.

This month, Izzy Lane will be exhibiting the 2010 autumn/winter collection at Ecoluxe. So, this press release is for all you Green Fashionistas:

EcoLuxe, the ethical luxury fashion weekend is being launched on the 18th/19th September this year. It will be a bi-annual event to coincide with London Fashion Week. Created by a group of ethical designers, EcoLuxe promotes high end, environmentally friendly fashion designers and brands.

The official opening of this year’s EcoLuxe will be by leading international trade lawyer, supporter of environmental issues and the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife Miriam Gonzalez. Held at London’s No1 Aldwych Hotel, a stone’s throw way from Somerset House, EcoLuxe will be open to press and fashion buyers who are looking for high quality, luxury and exclusive brands with a conscience.

A maximum of thirteen luxury ethical designers and brands will be showcased at this year’s EcoLuxe including; award winning British wool designer Izzy Lane, vintage inspired clothing Beaumont Organic, London based Spanish designer Elena Garcia, Parisian natural skincare Sentuers De Fee, bridal and eveningwear Tammam, hats and scarves Sophia Couture, shoe maker Gwendolyn Carrié, Brazilian swimwear Olga Olsson, day-to-evening wear Outsider, timeless leatherwear pieces Anupa, Central St. Martins graduate Nyonyo&Yayra, leading couturier By Stamo and Indian embroidered accessories Panchachuli UK .

All the designers involved in EcoLuxe share the same philosophy of actively creating beautiful and environmentally friendly products in an ethical manner. The brands are all 100% ethical, not only in the production process of their designs but also with an overall responsibility to green issues.

EcoLuxe will be an biannual green event promoting leading ethical luxury brands and designers. From this year’s showcase held at No.1 Aldwych, voted ‘Green Hotel of the Year’ 2009, to the bust forms used to display the merchandise being 95% eco-friendly and even the signage made from 100% recycled paper. The event will also be a platform to support local charities who share the same ethical values and beliefs.

Have a peek at the collection here.

Photos Copyright Izzy Lane.

Important Update from Article 23

Paris, September 1st 2010 - For about 4 years now, Article 23 has shaped esthetics, ethical and organic creations.

Far from being an opportunist fad, these values added have always driven the product development, from sketch to materialization in shops, result of a meticulous collaboration with our workshops through stitchers training, careful selection of best fabrics, reshape of models and process of exclusive weavings.

“Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring to himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity.” Characteristics of our economic and social involvement—this ideal is the heart that makes our brand beat. Ideal of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—embodied by our brand name itself.

Proud of projects that have come through and talents who grew within the brand, Article 23 transforms now. Moved by the same values linking original creations and human commitments, Article 23 will become in 2011 a fashion accessories brand (jewels, bags, scarves, etc.). We will be delighted to come back to you very soon to introduce the evolution of our initial project.

The new range will benefit from increased visibility and dynamism thanks to the online store and the blog planned for October 2010. The blog will detail our actions and give a deep insight on Article 23 new universe to discover who we are, what inspires and grips us…

Have a peek at the lookbook here.

Photos & text Copyright Article 23.

Veja Autumn/Winter Collection “Look Around!”

Look Around!*

*The word “veja” means ‘look!’ in Brazil; so for this autumn/winter season, Veja is looking around as it deepens cooperation with co-operatives of small producers throughout Brazil.

Created 2004 in Paris, France, by Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion, Veja also continues to change the rules with respect to the environment, human rights, and fair trade.

Veja purchases organic cotton at twice the market price from a co-op of 200 families in Northeast Brazil who base their livelihood on cotton farming with no chemicals or fertilizers.

The rubber is purchased from another co-operative of Seringueiros (‘rubber trapper’) in Acre, in the heart of the Amazon, where rubber trees grow in the wild!

The Seringueiros tap the tree bark so that the latex, a white liquid, is collected in a container.

I have posted the entire Veja press release, which reads like a treatise in ethical principles.

Can’t find a sustainable menswear label? Just look around—Veja!

See more images here.

Photo & slideshow 2010 a/w collection “Look Around!” Copyright Veja.

Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs, the World Cup & Africa Fashion Week

Inspired by the sacred lake of the VhaVenda tribe who dwell in Limpopo, the belief that what you wrap around your body is a reflection of your self is at the heart of Fundudzi—a forward-focused African label with a conscience.

Founded by renowned fashion entrepreneur Craig Jacobs, the internationally celebrated eco-conscious label has become the premier choice for globally minded environmentally conscious men and women and spans a comprehensive wardrobe including resort, day and cocktail wear.



Meet the other designers:
Top Fashion Design Stars In South Africa during World Cup
The World Cup, Africa Fashion Week & Dax Martin
The World Cup, Africa Fashion Week & Fabiani
Heni, the World Cup & Africa Fashion Week
Suzan Heyns, the World Cup & Africa Fashion Week

Image Description : Fundudzi by Craig Jacobs
Location : SCC, Sandton, Gauteng, South Africa
Credit : Simon Deiner / SDR Photo

Text Courtesy & Copyright Africa Fashion International.

ECCO—an Echo of Danish Excellence!

Headquartered in Tønder, Denmark, ECCO Sko A/S was founded in 1963 by Birte and Karl Toosbuy, who sold all their worldly possessions to start a shoe factory in Bredebro.

Through a combination of European design and traditional craftsmanship, the husband and wife team forged a name that has become known for innovative technology and the inner workings of the human foot.

Today with 3,000 shops around the world, the company is run by their daughter, Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak, and her husband Dieter who continue the fine tradition, producing 12 million shoes a year.

With tanneries in China, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Thailand ECCO seeks to reduce the impact of the tanning process on the surrounding environment. ECCO enforces a strict code of ethics from cow to shoe as it is committed to employee fairness, worker safety, and human rights, especially those of children.

ECCO has begun producing accessories, outdoor footwear, high fashion golf shoes, and running shoes. The newest model of fine footwear is ECCO Windsor, which gives the season’s glamour-and-luxury trend a distinctly masculine edge, ensuring maximum shock absorption and support.

Photos Copyright ECCO.

Stonehenge, Griffin & Greenwear for Men

Most of people have heard of Stonehenge—the iconic circular stone monument that dates back to about 2500 BC.

What often goes unspoken, however, is where the prehistoric monument is located; namely, in the county of Wiltshire, England.

Lying mostly on bed of chalk, Wiltshire abounds in rolling hills and wide valleys, in addition to a wealth of pre-Roman archeology.

Of recent, Wiltshire has now become home to Griffin Studio—a cutting edge and environmentally conscious men’s brand that was spearheaded in 1994 by Jeff Griffin.

Jeff kicked off his fashion career in Milan, Italy, after having graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martin’s College of Art. When he returned to England in 1994, Jeff founded his own label “Griffin Laundry.”

Currently at the age of 40, although Jeff continues to produce some outerwear pieces in Italy, he has been concentrating efforts on local production, such as in a wool mill just minutes away and with other British manufacturers like Barcuta and rain wear specialist Mackintosh.

Two season ago, Griffin Studio joined hands with outdoor wear experts, Berghaus, in developing a jacket that is made with recycled Gore-Tex.



Photo & slideshow 2009 a/w collection Copyright Griffin Studio.

It's All /pure/ Sexy with Baskitwear

The other day I received in the mail a package containing two pairs of undergarments from Baskitwear, the fashion-forward company that designs underwear, activewear, and swimwear, which highlight the male body with contour pouches and high impact coloring.

The Colorado-based company was founded in 2001 by Eric Schwers and releases 8-10 different collections per year at a price point of $12 to $24 for most styles.

What I like about baskitwear is the emphasis on green technology, resulting in an eco-certified collection that is made from 100% organic cotton.

Baskitwear ensures that the cotton has been grown under European Union standards, earning the EU's eco-label: the Flower Mark.

Heavy-metal free and earth-friendly dyed, /pure/ products are shipped in recycled packaging—exacly what arrived at my doorstep.

The material is soft, durable, and elastic. No wonder 120+ retailers across the US and around the world are stocking up on baskitwear.

Photos Copyright Baskitwear.

Jeff Garner is Prophetik on CNN & the Today Show

Earlier this year, I interviewed sustainable designer Jeff Garner of Prophetik in an article entitled Prophetik Jeff Garner's Organic Revival.

Now, CNN has broadcasted an interview with Jeff on the Today Show, in which he discusses his socially and environmentally responsible practices in producing fashionable green menswear.

Way to go Jeff!

(Please turn off the playlist below before starting the video.)

Lenzing Color Trends: Sustainable Future

The Lenzing Group is an international fiber producing company with its headquarters in Lenzing, Austria. The following report is the Lenzing color trend analysis for autumn/winter 2010/11:

Sustainable Future
The crucial need of co-existing between nature and urban landscapes is reflected in the color pallets and the stories from where they come: urban concrete and formal darks meet nature’s mid-tones and bright shades.

Eco-fashion, lo-fi, laboratory-grown fabrics, food fashion, fusing product and garment, beetroot-dying, victimless leather, bone ivory, up-cycling and all the other experiments concentrating on environment issues, are so important; some ideas will eventually end up as valid solutions to problems we fight with, some are indispensable because of the discussion they raise.

Solutions are imperative to solve the paradox of the fashion industry obsessed by the nonstop change and the vital demand of sustainability.

The focus has moved from pure aspect to content, with everything this brings along in terms of questions.

Finishing and added functions are areas still to be explored and bringing in new, complex and fascinating elements. Craft techniques are reinterpreted and completed by using the newest technology.

Warmth, comfort, caring, reassuring, thoughtfulness are terminologies to have in mind when developing fabrics for the autumn and winter of 2010/11.



Photo, text, and slideshow published with permission.

Copyrights: Publisher Lenzing AG, Illustrations MMgroup.

Damat, Tween, ADV—3 lines in 1 by the Orka Group

When the two Turkish brothers, Süleyman and Halidun Orakçığlu, founded Orka Textile in 1986, they launched a formal menswear label called Damat, a “total look” of classic ready-to-wear fashion.

Currently with 76 concept stores in 36 countries, the company, which has been renamed to the Orka Group, has added more lines to their repertoire, including the trendy label Tween and the casual wear line ADV.

The company has grown so popular that, in 2005, Michael Jackson purchased a tuxedo from the Damat-Tween store at the Sabco Center in Oman. Several football legends of the Chelsea team have followed suit in subsequent years.

The 2009 s/s Damat collection was inspired by the 60’s and 70’s of the coastal towns in Southern Europe with all their silks, linens, and energetic colors. Damat has even incorporated bio-tech fabrics into this collection.



The ADV 2009 s/s collection draws its inspiration from the spirited garments of regatta competitions, offering lots of tees with embroideries, as well as fused emblems and prints on natural organic and bamboo fabrics—a definite choice for the environmentally minded man.



If you plan on visiting the Magic Show in Las Vegas this August, then you are in luck, because Tween will be in attendance. If you cannot make it to the trade show, well, here is a sneak peak at the 2009 a/w collection, which has received its inpiration from the provocative masculinity of James Dean.



The Orka Group has recently added one more label to their portfolio of men’s collections, but I’m not going to tell you just yet. You’ll have to wait until the end of the month: I have a huge surprise in store for you—promise!

Photo Copyright Orka Group
Slideshows Copryright Orka Group.

From Chaps to Charros with British Designer Erin Lewis

Since graduating from the University of the Arts London in 2008 with a BA in Menswear Fashion Design and Technology, Erin Lewis has joined Mexico’s leading eco-fashion brand, Taller Flora, as head designer of the Charro (Cowboy) Collection, founded by indigenous clothing expert, Carla Fernandez.

Such a dramatic shift from the dandy chaps of her graduate collection with Dashing Tweeds in the UK to the indigenous Charrería of Mexico speaks of outstanding open-mindedness, flexibility, and a spirit of adventure on Erin's part.

Recently I had the privilege to interview Erin, so I would like to introduce you to her.

Erin, where are you from originally?
I was born by the sea, Hastings, England.

And what can you tell me about the kind of family you grew up in?
I grew up open-minded and appreciating all cultures. My family has the most amazing life experience, an irreplaceable intelligence. My mother has lived in various places, including Copenhagen, the Sahara Desert, a small farm in Southern Ireland, and a gypsy camp in Sicily. My grandmother traveled the world with her husband, who was in the Merchant Navy—her house is like a ‘world museum’, totally awesome.

When did you first sense a desire to design?
To be honest I have no idea. I have been drawing and painting since I can remember. With design I project creativity into another place, especially now as a girl designing menswear. In my work I can combine history and the future, tradition and design, being a boy and being a girl. I also did training in sculpture; I would love to design furniture someday. I even wonder sometimes about architecture.

What led you into designing menswear?
Jacob Epstien, Cathy de Monchaux, Jon Isherwood, Hamish Black, Rebecca Horn, Louise Bourgeouis—the brute strength and human fragility of the work, of these artists influenced me deeply, simply forms and textures. I’m not interested in trend-led fast fashion, which is where menswear suits me: structured clothes that will last you a life-time. This can be true of womenswear too. For me working at Boudicca was such a privilege: pieces finished to the highest quality and possessing both a masculine and feminine strength. Menswear is my focus and my handwriting, the best place for me to start. This past year, I have also been making womenswear, although no skirts or dresses just yet.

How did you wind up in Mexico?
Just before I graduated, I was chosen by the British Council for this project to come to Mexico and work with Carla Fernandez at Taller Flora. It’s an exchange of cultures. Carla is an expert in traditional Mexican textiles and indigenous pattern cutting—all based on squares—and I mix this with my British-trained design and tailoring. It’s always been a dream to travel and work; I never imagined I’d ever end up working with Mexican Charro cowboys!

What about the men’s fashion scene in Mexico…
The fashion scene in Mexico is only just developing really, so it’s an exciting time to be here. It’s hard to compare. London is one of the ‘fashion cities’ and Mexico City is the largest city in the world. I call Isabella La Católica the Savile Row of Mexico City, but it obviously doesn’t have and will never have the same legacy. The young Mexican designers emerging now have to make their own history.

In what ways is Mexico and Mexican fashion impacting you and your designs?
The strength of Mexican people in their history inspired the last collection, from the Aztec eagle warriors to the Adelita girls of the Mexican revolution. Also, we work with traditional textiles, which is an overload in inspiration! The challenge is to take the right ones forward and to use them in such a way that is new and to avoid looking ‘ethnic’. We try to change people’s perceptions of textiles they are familiar with by making them something new, making people appreciate them without preconceptions.

Describe your previous “look” and how has that changed?
For starters, with my last collection I wasn’t working with Mexican Cowboy artisans! I guess this collection was slightly less conceptual as I am considering Taller Flora as a brand that has a focus on the textiles that we use. The shapes and angles that I cut are still there as that’s how I enjoy making the most of a highly visual fabric. The men’s silhouette is still strong and has that warrior-element that I love. Just now that warrior has become ‘Euro-Latino’. That’s pretty hot, no?

Definitely! Thanks so much Erin, and all the best of luck to you!



Photo top left graduate collection Copyright Erin Lewis.
Photo middle right Charro Collection Copyright Erin Lewis.
Slideshow Charro Collection Copyright Erin Lewis.