Eco Fashion World

Canada

Vancouver Ethical Fashion Week celebrates Eco Fashion Forward with a fabulous gala event on February 19 at 8pm in the Vancouver Public Library.

US

The Green Shows @ NY Fashion Week from February 11-18.

UK

London Fashion Week from February 19-23. Makepiece @ London Fashion Week: ‘Circles of life’ knitted into an eco chic knitwear collection at Stand 73 | Somerset House | 19 - 23 February

Europe

Copenhagen Fashion Week from February 10-14

Australia

TCF Australia showcases six eco designers during Fashion Exposed from February 14-16 in Sydney.

The Ethical Fashion Forum has started their Ethical Fashion Socials last September with local meetings around the world. This month’s London event will take place at the Junky Styling shop on Dray Walk and the topic is retail. Questions addressed will be: What's selling and why? What are consumers looking for? How interested are they in the ethics behind what they buy?

Last week several student led initiatives highlighted ethical fashion in the UK and USA. UCL's fashion society, MODO, held a spectacular show with garments made from a variety of materials including Ikea bags, paperclips, photographs, newspaper and human hair, some wearable and some not so much! The designers were all students at UCL who make clothes in their spare time as part of the society. Sponsors included 10:10, TRAID, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.

Showing this weekend in the Swedish Cultural Center in Paris: Camilla Norrback’s latest collection! The pieces in the autumn/winter 2010 collection are characterized by intricate knits, classic shapes and soft materials, perfect for a Scandinavian winter!

As the holidays approach, buying handmade is still more than ever on our mind. In the last issue we focused on the DIY aspect of handmade goods, this time, we explore how craftsmanship, valuing and preserving traditional skills, has the power to lift some of the world's most impoverished communities up the first steps of the development ladder or give a new boost to a country's artisans after a particularly trying time. Time honored traditions mix with modern design for the most stunning results, creating unique items that make amazing gifts for others or yourself at every price!

One of the best examples of traditional and modern fusion we've encountered is Taller Flora. Designer Carla Fernandez is as passionate about embroidery in rural Mexico and teaching street children basic skills as she is about creating edgy design that will change our perspective of what craftsmanship can produce, her words of advice to eco-fashionistas and designers to do us all a favor: “don't go hippie”.

Our store of the month also focuses on the artisans of a particular country, in this case Argentina. In the aftermath of the country's economic crisis, resourcefulness became the design community's motto, and the amazing recycled goods that have come out of their ateliers have since seduced the world.

To understand how powerful the trash to treasure process can be, don't miss our Fashion for Development story, an inspiring world tour of some of the best initiatives out there.

And to illustrate the two main advantages that finely crafted accessories and garments can have for the consumer (originality and durability) we've compiled some of our favorite things for women and men, keeping in mind the cozy spirit of the season.

So keep an eye out for the many craft markets to hit your area or take your inspiration from the online stores in our guide and become known as this season's best gift giver. Happy Holidays to all!

Raised by a mother who passed on a habit of clothes shopping involving both new and previously worn clothing and a father who worked as a director of museums at the National Institute of Anthropology and History, Mexican born designer Carla Fernandez, founder of Taller Flora, quite naturally developed a passion for fashion which merges old with new, simple with complex, and tradition with forward-thinking. Her father’s work required travel embarking the family on voyages all over Mexico, exploring different indigenous communities, their traditions, their homes, and most apparent in Carla Fernandez’ work today, their apparel. Her designs are comprised of geometric shapes, bold and beautiful colors, techniques born of heritage and culture, and clothing that truly tells a story with no end because for this designer, time is not a barrier and the sky is the limit.