Eco Fashion World

With Wall Street hemorrhaging jobs and assets, many people discover they can also buy $ 15 bottles of wine instead of bottles priced $ 1,290.00. Hedge-fund wives are hocking their jewelry and swapping their haute couture items. Is this bad or good for our eco fashion world? One could ask. Having less spending power, people might stay away from the more expensive ethical fashion buys. But it could also mean that more people develop an interest in eco awareness since it doesn't have to cost more. In fact, with less money, you often become more creative. So through the tears of the economic crisis that promises to hit us even harder in the coming months, we cheer over the designers that prove you can look übercool in waste-art.

One of them is Chilean industrial design student Camila Labra who makes the sweetest boots we've ever seen. Named after Dhaka, one of the most cities in the world most polluted by plastic bags, the boots are built by fusing several layers of plastic polyethylene bags together to create a thicker and more resistant material to work with. Their interior is covered with quilted piqué cotton fabric to make them more comfortable and prevent too much heat. According to the designer, the boots are impermeable, flexible, light and non-toxic.

If this is the case also for umbrella shirts, remains a question. But designer Melanie McClintock explains: 'Because umbrellas are waterproof, they make ideal outerwear, so I have been focusing on jackets, hats, and vests. I fully line everything I make so they are like a double wind-breaker...nice and warm!" McClintock strolls yards and sidewalks for inspiration for her designs and has just launched her new collection entirely made of discarded umbrellas.

With consumer spending down, so are prices for waste , which suits artist Ingrid Goldbloom Bloch just fine. She uses aluminum soda cans to fashion bras. Maybe it's only a matter of time before these will adorn the high society galas in downtown Manhattan.

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