Mayor Villaraigosa has one major thing on his mind for this LA Fashion Week this year, and that’s green.  A far cry from last year’s eco-fashion preview on the lawn of the mayoral mansion, the “green” Villaraigosa pontificates about these days is more the cold, hard kind.

“Fashion is a $28 million industry, and it’s the fourth largest basic industry in the region. More than 200,000 people are employed in work which involves designing, producing and selling,” stated Mayor Villaraigosa at yesterday’s press conference at the California Market Center.

The Mayor’s singular focus was also illustrated in his only tweet regarding the press conference,”Kicking off LA Fashion Week – great to have creative talent, 53k buyers and sellers, and $50 million coming to LA!“

Though the press conference this year focused on the positive economic impact of supporting the LA fashion industry, there is actually a positive ecological impact as well. As one of the few thriving centers of manufacturing left in the USA, Los Angeles not only designs, but produces many of the country’s garments right in the middle of Downtown. Stimulating the LA economy through encouraging the local fashion scene results in significant reductions in carbon-heavy shipping on foreign imports. It turns out both shades of green will be in fashion for LAFW 09 after all.

If you’ll be in town October 12-20 or the 28-31, be sure to reserve your spot at one of the many events of LA Fashion Week.

***The most exciting runway show for us at LAFW 09 is of course, the eco rockstars of the LA fashion world, The Battalion. Sisters Linda and Chrys Wong will be showing their Spring 10 line on Thursday, October 15 at 5pm at MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art).

The designs of Paloma Soledad perfectly embody the steampunk aesthetic of the Portland underground. The materials for Soledad’s custom corsets and animé-inspired costumery seem to harken from a hundred years ago: lambskin, velvet, silk taffeta, steel spiral boning. Her expert construction of whimsically macabre costumes have earned her design positions with avante garde dance companies and the set of the meticulously-styled film Coraline.

Kristi Turnquist of The Oregonian recently gave the rundown on Paloma’s ideas on bloodthirsty pin-up girls and her early suspicions of nice people in the land of milk and honey…

Paloma Soledad
Age: 31
Hometown: Los Angeles; the family moved to Oahu, Hawaii, when she was 4

Experience: Graduated from the California Institute of the Arts; designed costumes for the movies “Cabin Fever” and “Hostel”; did costumes for the Portland dance troupe tEEth; worked in the costume department on the stop-motion animated feature “Coraline.”

Design visions: Soledad’s mother was a seamstress. “She would have me thread the elastic through her waistbands when I was little.” Youthful discovery of “Conan the Barbarian” and Alberto Vargas glamour-girl illustrations also formed her aesthetic. “It’s like a 1940s pin-up dancer — she’s going to dance on the table, and then jump down and slit your throat. We all have the power to be as sexy as we want to be.”

Signature pieces: Custom-made corsets, mixing sumptuous silks and velvets with leather and metal details, for a mix of masculine and feminine influences. “The boning is flexible, so you can eat in it, you can dance in it. It’s like a piece of art.”

Why Portland? “I was living in L.A., and the energy there’s so manic, it just makes you really crazy. My mom lives in Northern California, and she said, ‘You should check out Oregon.’ I moved here in 2006. When I first got here and people were nice to me, I thought, ‘What do you want from me?’ This is the land of milk and honey.”

Read more of Local Designers Take Over The Catwalk at OregonLive.com…

We found this collection of the most followed eco fashion hounds on Twitter to be quite fascinating. We are super excited to see many of our favorite bloggers listed! We’re not quite sure how they missed Greenloop on Twitter, since we have so many followers along with excellent eco fashion content. Hmmmm….Well, make sure to follow us on Twitter so that this sort of blunder doesn’t happen again.

1.  TreeHugger leads the pack of Green Fashion Tweeters with 29,172 followers.  Although they are a comprehensive source for all things green, there is plenty to learn about eco-fashion when you head over to their website www.treehugger.com and click on Fashion & Beauty.  Here is where you will find 7 Reasons Why You Should Care About Sustainable Fashion and 5 Back to School DIY Projects to Get You to the Head of Class in Eco-Style.  My favorite idea is to host a clothing swap with your friends.  Get new clothes and accessories without spending money.  That is my idea of modern economics!   www.treehugger.com is doing their part to help guys who want to look good by providing an excellent Men’s Green Fashion Guide.

2. Threadbanger is our second place pick with 6,380 followers.  Visit their website www.threadbanger.com where you will get a healthy dose of edgy, alternative attitude.  This multi-media network is ready to help you in discover and create your own alternative fashion style.  The Threadbanger network includes videos, a forum, blog, newsletter, contests and viewer-take-overs.  This is the DIY clothing center of the cyber-universe.  They will show you how to recycle, up-cycle and re-fashion anything with simple sewing techniques.  Anything can be made cool, even your old fanny pack from the eighties.

3. Ecofashionista has 5,223 followers and is the Twitter-based conscience of the fashion world.  Kelly Drennan’s website www.fashiontakesaction.com educates fashion based businesses, the media and consumers about sustainable fashion.  Fashion Takes Action is a Canadian based group that has sponsored high-profile events such as the Green Gala, Canada’s greenest fashion event.  Sit back and enjoy their video, Sustainable Fashion 101.  Are you pro-bamboo or no-bamboo?  This is an excellent resource if you are interested in learning more about issues like whether or not bamboo is an environmentally friendly material.

4. Ecofabulous with 4,206 followers is sure to be your new guilty pleasure.  Once you visit www.ecofabulous.com it will not take you long to conclude that they are indeed the authority on sexy, sustainable style.  Here is your trusted friend, personal shopper, and inside source on green fashion for men, women and children.  All of the products are selected, tested and recommended by their editors.  I must confess a little envy for the editor who got to try out Oakley’s Bob Burnquist Signature Series Recycled Sunglasses.  You will sleep better at night knowing that their recommendations are guaranteed to be pure and free of toxins and good for your personal health and the environment.

5. EthicalStyle has earned over 3,900 followers.  If you are an internet shopper like me, you will surely appreciate their website www.ethicalstyle.com.  Their goal is to help you create a closet where your personalized fashion sense matches your social conscience.  They know that your inner fashionista is truly unique.  You will feel like you have your own personal eco-minded stylist bringing you high-quality clothes that might be organic, recycled or fair-trade but are above all beautiful.

Find more of the Top Ten Tweeters On Eco-Friendly Fashion…

Via Improve Your Home & Garden

Envirogeek/Male Models, of course! No, this is not a joke. Thank you Treehugger and the lovely Emma Grady for crafting such a relevant and impactful message here. *I had to add a plus one with my own favorite green hottie, Mr. Ice Cold himself, Andre 3000. Dre was voted Sexiest Vegetarian of the Year by PETA in 2008 as well as starring as a turtle-loving environmental activist in the WTO protest film Battle In Seattle. This renaissance man is not only a talented musician and actor, he also makes the ideal model for his own collegiate-inspired brand, Benjamin Bixby.

7 Hot Green Male Models Who Are Also Environmentalists

Red hot model and carpenter Carter Oosterhouse. Credit Carter Oosterhouse

1. Carter Oosterhouse: Red Hot & Green

Green living enthusiast, carpenter, and model with dashing good looks Carter Oosterhouse rose to fame using his handyman skills on the hit TLC show Trading Spaces. He now lends his talent in sustainable design as the co-host of HGTV’s Red Hot & Green, where viewers learn simple ways to go green and how to cut energy costs, and see the latest in green gear — all without sacrificing style. Oosterhouse also founded Carter’s Kids — a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting fitness and self-esteem for America’s youth.

2. Hayden Christensen: Organic Vegetable Gardener

Credit Gordon and the Whale

Hayden Christensen, otherwise known as Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People, isn’t just an actor: His modeling days date back to Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2005 ad campaign. When Hayden’s not posing or acting, he’s working away on his 200-acre farm–outside Toronto in his native Canada–growing organic produce. Christensen also ran a public service announcement for Do Something, a non profit youth organization that inspires young people to change the world. The organization has initiatives for the environment, disaster relief, poverty, and more. Via Wikipedia; Gaiam.

3. John Abraham: Speaks up for Animals

Credit John Abraham

Indian male model turned Bollywood actor John Abraham is a vegetarian and has worked with Habitat for Humanity and PETA. Simran Kodesia of PETA speaks to his influence: “When John Abraham speaks up for animals, young people across India listen. His close association with PETA means that the message of compassion for birds and all other animals will reach more people than ever before.” Via OneIndia.

“Read” more about hot male models who are also environmentalists at Treehugger.com…

Simple Shoes has been quietly making the most sustainable footwear in the US for the past few years, while also making some serious loot. Apparently hippies have more money than one would think, or, eco shoes aren’t just for hippies anymore. Either way, Damian Joseph of BusinessWeek.com dove deep into the company’s BIO-D collection only to discover the formula for crafting a greener shoe line is actually super Simple…

Simple Shoes (DECK) has always been against something. When the company made its debut in 1991, it was against gaudy, futuristic sneakers and coveted logos. In 2005, it came out against using materials that trash the Earth. Both moves paid off handsomely, lifting sales. Now the subsidiary of Deckers Outdoors is turning against stuff that lasts longer than people do, with a line of biodegradable shoes set for next spring.

Rubber can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Simple is cutting its lifespan to 20 years with its new EcoPure technology. Licensed from Bio-Tec Environmental, an Albuquerque, N.M., company, EcoPure is an organic compound with tiny microbes that eat away at the bonds that hold rubber, plastic, and EVA (a vinyl/rubber-like material) together. It works only under the hot and humid conditions of typical landfills and leaves behind nothing but dirt.

Simple is adding EcoPure to the soles of most of its shoes and flip flops, starting with a new line that highlights the technology: BIO-D. The company has plenty of reasons to think this will boost revenue. Its last green line—Earth-friendly shoes called Planet Walkers, which came out in 2008—helped push Simple’s sales up by 27.4% last year, to $17.2 million, from $13.5 million in 2007.

shipping boots to big retailers

National Sales Manager Brad Little hardly thinks Simple’s eco-concern is the company’s only reason for success. He says only 10% to 15% of its customers are green buyers. More important, he says, is designing shoes that are sufficiently good-looking that customers will pull them off a store shelf to begin with. “You have to compete on the same playing field as other companies—with materials and functions,” he says. “If you’re not on that level, sustainability isn’t going to get you there.”

Continue reading Simple Shoes Leaps Forward by Damian Joseph at BusinessWeek.com…

For years, the crème de la crème of American foodies have feasted on locally-raised dishes presented by “farm-to-table” restaurants around the country. These leaders in gastro-sustainability have cut out the middlemen and gone straight to the farmer for the best selection and pricing on organic local produce and meat. The Farm-To-Table movement has bolstered the number of American family farms while ensuring the highest quality product for culinary connoisseurs. In 2009, this trend is actually spreading from a culinary circles to catwalks.

At the upcoming Portland Fashion Week, eco fashion eminence Anna Cohen will be presenting an entirely new concept for both the worlds of fashion and sustainability: Ranch-To-Runway. Through her visionary partnership with the Imperial Stock Ranch in Shaniko, Oregon, Anna Cohen is bringing the highest quality sustainable wool to her fashion-forward clientele while enriching the lives of ecologically sound local ranchers.

Though fashionistas and farmers make a unique juxtaposition, both stand to benefit grandly if Anna’s concept catches fire. Perhaps we’re right around the corner from Cavalli cattle ranches and Comme des Garçons cotton farms. If not, we’re at least that much closer to being right around the corner from where our clothes come from, thanks to Anna Cohen.

The Imperial Collection by Anna Cohen will premiere Sunday, October 11th at 8pm at the Vigor Industrial Shipyard; arrive at 6 for the pre-party.

If you’re interested in experiencing your own version of Ranch-To-Runway, take a gorgeous 2-hour drive through the Oregon countryside for a stunning tour of the Imperial Stock Ranch before hitting Anna’s show on Sunday night.