Interview with Anna Griffin, publisher of Coco Eco magazine.
(Launching October 18th.)

You’re a popular commentator on the LA greenscene. You’ve filmed videos for Ecorazzi. We met on MySpace where you host some really terrific interviews with Hollywood celebrities and green business leaders. In a few days you’re launching your own new green fashion magazine online… Coco Eco…  It’s a labor of love, isn’t? How did the name come about? Coco Chanel? Who is involved?

Coco Eco Magazine is much more than a love.  It’s a privilege.  I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to do this, and be surrounded by very talented and visionary individuals who’ve made this a reality. 

The name came accidentally.  We were building under another name until we ran into trademarking issues, and to be honest, I don’t remember when I thought of Coco Eco.  It just came to me, and when I thought about it, it stuck.  Everyone loved it, and that was that.  And of course it doesn’t hurt paying accidental hommage to the world’s greatest fashion icon! 

As to my team, I have the best and brightest people in the eco-scene working with me.  They really are mavericks!  My Beauty Director is Emma Pezzack, CEO of Futurenatural.com, our Photo Director is Courtney Dailey who is one of the hottest new photographers in LA, and our Senior Stylist is Robin Garvick who is THE eco-celeb fashion stylist in town.  We also have Contributors like the legendary Barbara Kramer of Designers & Agents, Stefanie La Rue, breast cancer survivor and Founder of SLAM.

Coco Eco is going to bring something new and different into the mix. While the web is rich with green fashion blogs, there’s still little focus on editorial fashion photography, bringing whole teams of designers, models, make up artists and stylists together. There’s a reservoir of new talent out there, ready to become the next generation of trend setters. They only want to do green work, and yet they want to make a living doing what they love. Explain how you’re going to tap into that desire and make it all possible.

Coco Eco brings together all those key elements of a traditional fashion glossy, but paperless and 100% eco friendly in its content.  I don’t understand really why no-one has done it before.  It’s a no-brainer.  Through publishing Coco Eco, we hope to create a shift in how women view media, and therefore inspire a generation of like-minded paperless publicatons.  It’s the wave of the future and where we are all headed!  This is when these new green talents will be able to make more of a living doing what they love.  It’s only a matter of time.

What constitutes a green photographer, make-up artist, model? The role the web is playing in scouting green talent? There’s a green rat pack forming in LA, and you’re right in the thick of it. Can you mention a few of your sources of inspiration? Where do you guys all hang out? Where do you shop?

A “green” anyone is a person who is conscientious in their lifestyle, aware of their surroundings, mindful of the choices they make and the subsequent cost on the environment.  It doesn’t matter if they’re a photographer, make-up artist or model.  And I don’t know what role the web is playing in recruiting green players?  Of course though it makes sense.  The web is a powerful tool in a collective movement, and it is much easier to connect as a result.

Yes living in LA, I am defintely in the thick of the eco rat pack, and to be honest, it’s fun!  It’s a colorful, interesting crowd, and there’s a lot of energy around it.  I think what makes it cool is that it is a really diverse group of people, all with the same commitment to our planet, and we all support one another.  As for where we hang out, we usually see each other at green events.  It’s always the same crowd.

Where do we shop?  Eco boutiques in LA like Visionary, and of course a lot of vintage from stores and flea markets!

We’re part of a new breed of internet eco-warriors who have staked claim to the web as the best means to quickly spread green information far and wide, in a race to save the planet. It’s interesting that while major publishers like Hearst, CondeNast and HachetteFilipacchi are still horribly timid about sustainability in their own industry, only publishing special green editions rather than chance a complete overhaul of major titles, there seems to be many independent green fashion magazine upstarts popping up everywhere, covering all the bases, trying to do everything right. Soon we’re going to completely take over! We must, that’s the mission. Feels like boot camp, doesn’t? What’s the tipping point going to be for the major magazine publishers to finally come around and recruit us?

Publications like Coco Eco Magazine.  Until independent publishers like all of us create a movement, there will be no tipping point. It’s up to people like us to fuel that movement, and inspire consumers to make new choices. Until that shift happens, nothing will change.  We need to create an appetite and a demand, and then more traditional entities will follow.

There’s a sense of community and friendly competition which has grown between many all over the world. It’s a global movement telling us to buy local. Fewer educated consumers today jump on the bandwagon of massive promo campaigns, all buying the same item. I look at Coca-Cola, not a green company by any means, but they only ship their syrup abroad… everything else, water, bottle, sugar… is locally sourced. Because of it, Coca-Cola tastes different in every country on Earth, with a low carbon footprint. Strange how that might be a good model for future global branding. Sustainability is synonymous with diversity. How could that relate to fashion, design, photography, cosmetics?

Firstly, it’s funny you mention Coca Cola as they are also planning to do a test run this November using their distribution network to deliver rehydration salts and help reduce child mortality in East Africa.  It is a campaign called colalife.org spearheaded by Simon Berry.  So they are doing more than most of us are aware of. And that’s the point about sustainability.  It is diverse and has many different facets.  There are so many ways to live an aware and good lifestyle that is kind not only to our planet, but to our communities, and each other.  As for fashion, design, photography, and cosmetics, that’s the fun stuff.  It plays its part because let’s face it, who doesn’t want to see beautiful things especially when life is so stressful right now?  Art is always inspiring no matter its context.  And fashion of course is always diverse and is what sets trends that people follow.  In this capacity, utilising this diversity can be a powerful tool for inspiring sustainability.

Designers & Agents is hosting the launch party for Coco Eco on October 18th in Los Angeles. This aligns some of the top sustainable fashion designers with a chance to develop showcases on Coco Eco. This must be exciting, a wonderful opportunity for a lot of new talent and fresh ideas. I’m keeping this short because I know you’re very busy getting everything ready. Any last words?

I’m thrilled at the honor of Coco Eco Magazine being invited to be introduced by Designers & Agents, and excited to work with some new and innovative sustainable designers.  There is so much fresh and exciting things happening within the green arena, and we can’t wait to feature them on our pages.  What can I say?  Stay tuned!!!

(Photos: Courtney Dailey & Anna Griffin, Chelsea Sexton & Anna Griffin)

 

This isn’t going to be easy for me, because I know little or nothing about fashion, let alone sustainable fashion down under, so bare with me… You’ll have to do most of the typing. I know Australia for a few things, it used to be a prison planet… it gave birth to Mad Max and a whole new fetish fashion set… there’s weird tales of magic in the vastness… all of this must inspire a new green fashion magazine to reconnect with the elements… am I far from the mark?

Ha! Well funnily enough the screenwriter of Mad Max has said that the script was based on “the thesis that people would do almost anything to keep vehicles moving and the assumption that nations would not consider the huge costs of providing infrastructure for alternative energy until it was too late”. Sounds eerily spot on! I wish I could say it wasn’t the case here in Australia, but I think living in the city is the same anywhere – we have all lost touch with our surroundings and the magic of the land. I grew up in New Zealand so probably had more of a connection with nature while growing up, but it tends to get lost in the everyday living of city life. Then I had a baby… having a young child tends to make you look at things differently, you want everything to be clean, green and chemical-free. So I started looking into organics and other aspects of fashion and the environmental and social cost. The more I researched, the more I realised I couldn’t turn a blind eye anymore, so I dove in head first, and Peppermint was born! 

Does Australia have its own garment industry, or does it like the West, job out most of it to Asia? And how can we control quality, organique-ness, fair trade practices? What are the mechanisms in place that enable a certain level of trust in the fabrics you are really getting are as advertized… free of pesticides and other toxics?

Unfortunately a lot of garments are still being made off-shore, the majority of which will not be fair trade, but there are a few watchdogs that local companies can get certification from, like the No Sweat Label which ensures the clothing is made locally by workers getting a fair wage. I do feel there is a movement happening though, as slowly more and more designers are making their ranges locally, to keep tighter controls on the conditions of the people making them, and also to reduce the garments footprint by cutting out shipping. With organics it can be just as tricky, the best way is to check to see if the manufacturer has received proper certification to make sure they aren’t just greenwashing and jumping on the eco bandwagon! 
 
What constitutes a green fashion magazine? Who are the top green designers and models… cosmetics companies and photographers in Australia… and can we steal them from you? ;o)

By all means – we are happy to share! It’s an exciting time as eco fashion is still in it’s infancy in this part of the world, so there are some fabulous new designers emerging now as the ‘green’ consciousness spreads – leading the way would definitely be Gorman, Akira, Bird Textile, Skin & Threads, Bassike, Darling Clementine, Elsom; all of which are world-class designers. However there are lots of small labels that are appearing too – like Heidi and Seek, Fourth Daughter (photo: upcycled vintage kimono), Mother Maria, Kara Smith, Moneypenny, Thea & Sami, Rebecca Ward Jewellery… I could go on and on! There are some great green designers in New Zealand too – Untouched World, Starfish, and Kowtow all deserve a mention. Natural skincare and cosmetics is definitely an area that is well-represented in this part of the world, with beautiful chemical-free products coming from companies like Miessence (the world’s first skin care range certified organic to food standards), Sanctum, Jurlique, Living Nature, and Perfect Potion. Model, photographer and activist Hannah Fraser is someone we hope to work with (known for her trip to Japan with Hayden Panettiere) and of course Isabel Lucas, who you may have seen in Alter Eco on Planet Green.
 
Here in America, and also in France and the UK, many regularly scheduled sustainable fashion shows have surfaced… Did the same thing happen in Australia? What are your most green conscious cities and neighborhoods? Any great eco-boutique and sustainable fashion blogs you want to tell us about?

They are slowly starting to pop up, last year there was a fashion show staged by the Green Pages directory, which show-cased some of Australia’s top eco designers. And earlier this year Leeyong Soo organised Fashion Fights Fair – a parade to help bring Fair Trade and sustainable practices onto the catwalk. We were lucky to have our launch at the opening event of The Green Precinct here in Brisbane – where a group of like-minded businesses have joined together to become Australia first green living precinct – one of which is Bliss Ecowear – Brisbane’s first eco-boutique. In Melbourne are several gorgeous eco clothing stores – Hunter Gatherer, I Like You and Bird Girl being a few standouts. We also have lots of cute handmade/crafty blogs here in Oz, like Indie and Meet Meat Mikes. There are a few great online fashion boutiques emerging too Lovethreads, Eco Girl, Chicativist and lots of fabulous online independent handmade design stores Made It, Leeloo, Felt and Georgie Love… I better stop before I give away all of my secrets!!

How is print still relevant in an electronic marketplace? It’s courageous launching a new print magazine that uses up pulp resources… but then again, nothing is more beautiful than a wonderful fashion magazine on paper… that’s what’s missing these days from the mainstream fashion titles, they are victim to a gradual systemic loss of the sensual touch… because in my opinion, to have these sensations, you must also have that connection to the Earth. Tell us about Peppermint!

Printing Peppermint on 100% recycled paper using soy inks was something that we insisted on from the beginning – we all love a good magazine to have and to hold, and we wanted to do that with minimal impact. We also need to stand next to other fashion magazines to try and educate people and show there is another way – and I believe we can only do that by giving them an alternative to reach for on the magazine stands!   
 
Fine lines between fashion, goth, metal, tribal cultures have crossed long ago, there just isn’t any publications out there yet that reflect these changes in cultural sensibility… Everything is still compartementalized when in fact young people today are mixing it all up again into a global universal look… Mass media keeps trying to put old wine into new bottles, when what’s truly beautiful to me, is new wine in old bottles, the whole steampunk movement. Is this present yet down under? A return to the aesthetics of the past with new textiles and technologies… in harmony with what’s left of nature. Can we expect revolutions erupting all over which once again New York will have to chronicle to keep up? Or will the capital of fashion be left behind as the world becomes  a lifestyle hologram?

There is definitely change in the air, there are a lot of grassroots ethics re-emerging where people are realising that our grandmothers who handmade everything themselves were not so silly after all! And I also think that situations under pressure tend to produce the most innovative thinking – often out of necessity. So we are seeing new technological advances in fabrics (bamboo, textiles from recycled plastic bottles,  and other sustainable plants) mixing with the ethics and practises of the past (handmade techniques, using vintage and upcycled fabrics), with the intention of creating pieces that will be treasured and worn from season to season, and not just discarded when the mass media tells you it’s out of fashion! Peppermint’s focus will be on the good, not the good-for-now. 
 
Australia recently joined the ranks of New Zealand and South Africa in declaring itself a nuclear free zone, free of nuclear imperialism… To me there is no greater statement possible in fashion today that anti-nuclear activism… the cancer consequences of radiation aare a worse health problem than carbon emissions. There’s a gorgeous fashion magazine in France called NUKE… They’re so fed up and trapped over there… using saintly Carla Bruni to distract from her husband’s sad nuclear salesman schtick… politics and fashion have always mixed, and fashion trumps politics at every turn, so what can we to do as fashionistas to bring sanity to the world before we self-distruct? Don’t we all love a man in a uniform? Feel free to jump in anytime…

Politics and fashion have always been linked, as it involves many aspects from agriculture and exports to social conditions. Everything is linked and the sooner we all become aware of that the better! So what can we actually do? A lot – every t-shirt counts. Reducing our consumption is the best way to go, but that isn’t always easy for dedicated fashionistas! However your wallet speaks very loudly, so voice your concerns with every dollar. Shop locally to reduce air-miles, learn to sew and make your own clothes, revisit vintage, buy fair trade, and hunt out organic and sustainable labels. Buy well. The planet will thank you for it later. Going green is gorgeous!

Deep on the Canadian peninsula of Nova Scotia, Anna Gilkerson designs, cuts and sews deux fm (pronounced deux femmes).  Her mission is clear: Inspire ethical and environmental awareness by implementing sustainable action through innovative design. Well, luckily for all of us eco style fanatics, Anna’s “innovative design” does not sacrifice an ounce of sophistication in her pursuit of ecological responsibility. deux fm exudes a 1940′s-era romantic elegance, while serving you modern women’s business attire in recycled and sustainably harvested fibers. Ces deux femmes sont très chic et très vert!

I source from local used clothing outlets and store/factory close-outs. I also know a few vintage clothing dealers and I can get (in bulk sometimes) great vintage fabrics or home textiles.
I use my production scraps as well…Our recycled fabrics are often broken down from other garments that are not relevant to modernity. I love the fabrics I can get from some of the most hideous garments. I shop in the plus size section a lot so we can get more of the good stuff!

We source all of our products, fabrics, accessories, etc. in Canada- maybe about 2% in the US. We produce all of clothing in Canada. I support Canadian fabric suppliers because I want to cut down on fuel for travel and I like to support as local as possible. It is not possible that Canada manufactures fabric unfortunately. Our bamboo fabrics come either from South Korea or China but they are sourced from Canadian suppliers.

Deux fm is about sustainable trends. I know that sounds like an oxymoron but it really isn’t. I am very much inspired from vintage fashions (I grew up working in a vintage clothing store) and the days of the past. All of our collections are based on classic styles that never go out of fashion…Fall 2008 was really about the working woman. Almost every woman needs a great suit. I wanted the collection to be sexy and celebrate the woman’s body while still having a sort-of polite and ladylike feel. I called the collection “Pretty Rebel” as I was seeing structured black coming back in a big way, balanced with pale and muted feminine tones and textures.

Describe the piece of clothing in your own collection that you wear more than anything else?

Personally I am all about comfort. I live in my soft wool tees for fall, I will get a lot of wear out of the pants too. I live in the countryside so dressing up generally means a t-shirt and jeans.

I think it is happening!…Companies I would never have dreamed of joining the green movement are joining in droves. I think even the topmost executives at large clothing companies are realizing that this is really happening and if they want to stay current and on the cutting edge they must adapt.

What’s next for deux fm?

We are introducing an eco swimwear line for Spring 09 and we will be coming out with our new Resort 08/09 collection of recycled bikinis…We will also be attending either Pool or Project for the first time this winter so watch out for us there!

We keep looking for ways to make the anti-nuclear movement as cool as green is now. Maybe a line of anti-nuke yoga clothes? (says I half jokingly…) You pioneered organic cotton in yoga wear… Probably planted seeds for the Green Yoga Association. How is it that sustainable fashion has become a political statement, in the way we spend our dollar? Are we witnessing a re-organization of human culture around green ideals, one that may possibly alter the global world economy? Is the result of our green buying decisions being felt by cotton producing nations? Is the eco-fashion movement making a difference?
 
The eco-fashion movement is making a significant difference because it is creating a dialogue.  This dialogue begins to get people thinking and then acting.  People want to make a positive impact in their lifetime, but feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to begin.  With green clothing, for example, people know they need to buy clothing and get dressed in the morning, suddenly they hear about all this buzz about organic cotton t-shirts and say hmmmm…why do I care or need this?  Then perhaps do a bit of internet research and see that conventional cotton farming is using 25% of the world’s insecticides and that 14 million people a year in the USA alone are drinking pesticide contaminated water – that is the epiphany moment, when they realize why it is important to support organic cotton farming and then they tell their friends about it.  This is how green fashion is going to make a difference – each person taking a small step that creates a chain reaction.  This is my motivation behind loyale…It is not just about clothing, but the message and setting off a positive chain reaction.

Last year I attended a fund raiser you hosted for the Green Corps, a wonderful organization which places young volunteers into the heart of some pretty radical environmental direct action groups. I keep telling the advisors at Planet Green that it would make for a terrific reality show. There’s again talk of a Civil Service Corps, which once was a Clinton campaign promise but dwindled into AmeriCorps, for a handful of college grads. How do we put millions of young people to work restoring this planet?
 
From my experience, it is actually the younger generations that are taking the green movement to the next level.  They are accepting the reality that the planet is changing due to previous generation’s negligence.  For example, many universities, large and small, from Oberlin to Yale are making huge strides in greening campuses from reducing energy use to instituting organic gardening.  The whole hype about living a green lifestyle is just that, it is living your life while considering your personal footprint and how you can reduce it…it is a daily habit like brushing your teeth. I see the youth taking this lifestyle very seriously and that is why we support Green Corps because the younger generations are making a huge impact and they need all the support they can get.
 
ELLE has been a big supporter of your line, and for good reason. We’d all love for Hachette Filipacchi Media to make the leap of faith, and launch a green fashion magazine. I keep looking for the trip switch that will make that happen… Can they chance it, given the political implications, when HFM is owned by Lagardere, the largest defense contractor in Europe, with EDF as business partner? I feel a massive reshuffling of the deck coming on, as allegiances are changing, as the green world grows. I’ve always said fashion will save the world. What will it take for Hachette to take the green plunge?
 
Unfortunately, large companies do not want to be early adopters and then suffer the consequences…look what happened to Rodale’s Organic Style.  If that magazine had launched 4 years later than it did, it would most likely have been a runaway success.  As the movement gains strength and green designers continue to raise the bar and exceed expectations in terms of taste and style then the launch of an eco-magazine backed by a large publisher is inevitable.  In the meantime, there is a fab new eco-magazine called Boho and they walk the talk with all recycled paper and eco-inks, as well as gorgeous content. 
 
Manhattan is changing… I took a stroll around the Lower East Side the other day, the local neighborhood association held a green fashion show. It seems as if every other boutique is a green boutique. It’s a good feeling, hope it doesn’t end. But fashion is infamous for being fickle, so how do we keep things fresh, how do we bring green to the suburbs, to the mall, to the rebirth of old downtowns?
 
Like any movement, especially grassroots ones, it takes time to spread the message and many people may be wary up front, especially with all the green washing going on these days.  In general, I believe that people want to make a difference; this innate desire will fuel the green movement, but it is not going to happen overnight and the movement itself has to remain authentic.

An interesting development this year, is the importance of being green in all aspects of one’s profession. In fashion this means how we produce fashion photography, the make-up lines used on these shoots, and on the runway. The devil is in the details. It’s all coming together. Are there groups in New York starting to act as green fashion associations? Is this a role Designers&Agents is taking on? 
 
If you are truly sustainable, you must consider all details and aspects of running a fashion company.  You can’t compartmentalize and just decide to use a bit of eco-fabric in your collection and then call yourself a sustainable company.  It’s about fabric waste, plastic hangers, polybags, hang tags, look books, and so much more.  To my knowledge there are no green fashion assc., however yes, D&A is taking a very positive and proactive step with their concept of greening tradeshows and educating buyers.
 
How can young designers at school or just starting out find sustainable textiles so they can develop sample lines? That seems to be a major concern, the availability of sustainable fabric in walk-in stores. I don’t know of any in the garment district yet. There’s Q Collection for interior designers, but no place to go for fashion designers. Am I out of the loop?
 
Currently there is no one stop walk in shop for eco-textiles, however there is an incredible website called www.nearseasnaturals.com where you can buy a variety of fabrics by the yard.

Chad Alasantro (formerly a designer with Reef and Aaron Chang) and Joe Kudla (formerly a model for D&G, Versace, BCBG) have successfully created some of the most exciting eco graphic tees we’ve seen in quite some time, here in eco fashion land. The 100% organic cotton designs are colorful, classic and extremely intriguing. It’s not the typical, obtuse green messaging that we’ve seen in 2008, that seemed sooo au current in ’07. Vuori instead captures images of flora and fauna integrating with the human and the spiritual realm in a way that is artful and edgy. Vuori miraculously grows most of their cotton in the US, and their cut and sew production in Southern California. Each of their designs pays tribute to an environmental hero, like Simran Sethi, Nathalie Fobes, and Graham Hill.

What was your inspiration behind Vuori?
Both Chad and I drew inspiration for Vuori from our experiences traveling extensively to various remote parts of the world and seeing first hand deteriorating eco-systems and the effects of global warming…Along with being avid surfers and adventurous people where the natural environment has played a big part in our lives, these travel experiences have opened our eyes to just a few of the environmental issues facing our generation and has resulted in a strong appreciation for the natural world.

Where is your organic cotton grown?
We try to source our cotton domestically as much as possible in which case the cotton is actually picked in Texas, but at times we are forced to use textile company’s that source their yarn from overseas. We are approximately 75% domestic, 25% overseas.

What are some of the influences that come together in your graphics?
Chad: I think I derive influences from all types of artists. Influences may be from a film like “Into the Wild” or the sounds that Eddie Vedder makes. It may come from the whimsical techniques/paintings of Thomas Campell and Herbert Baglione from Brazil. The surrealistic works of Robert Williams. Dan Eldon is so inspiring, the journals he kept before his death as a young photojournalist motivate my love for photography. Just to name few inspiring individuals.

When it comes to men’s eco fashion, what labels if any do you feel are really bringing it?
From a contemporary design standpoint, I have to give props to Loomstate and Edun, both of which are designed by Rogan Gregory. However, in terms of having amazing vision and really showing the rest of us what is possible, the company that continues to inspire us is Patagonia. They were the first to play in this space, and they continue to set the standard in term of what it means to be an eco-friendly company.

How did you choose the “environmentalists, activists, and humanitarians whose visions inspire us to live with more awareness,” that are featured on the inside of your shirts?
…We consider anyone and everyone from famous musicians to grassroots activists….we look for people whose efforts speak to us. They range from musicians that fuel their tour buses using bio-diesel to journalists that are raising the issues by writing amazing pieces on the environment, to grassroots activists lobbying to protect our rainforests in Washington.

What’s next?
…In terms of the collection we would love to see Vuori grow into a full collection including wovens, fleece, and denim, but we are enjoying the ride so not in a huge rush. We’re letting things happen organically.

What other way would they?

In recent years, the work of architect Bill McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart at MBDC, implementing their cradle-to-cradle product development philosophy, led to the creation of green chemistry departments at Universities all over the world, most notably at Yale, now working on safer formulas for the beauty industry. Interesting how again, architecture and fashion cross path to share missions.

Emma Pezzack’s Futurenatural came online last year and quickly established itself as one of the most successful all natural and organic supply house for enlightened consumers as well as professional make-up artists wishing to green their kits. Emma joined forces with Anna Griffin, Courtney Dailey and Stacy Malkan at GreenMUA to lead the way in Hollywood.

Futurenatural came just at the right time, addressing the needs of so many people, including professionals, who were starting to question the sanity of all these strange chemicals in their beauty products. There had been organic beauty products sold in health food stores for decades, but they never really crossed over into beauty salons until companies like Aveda came along… and yet, when Aveda sponsors a fashion show, since Aveda doesn’t have a pro-make up line yet, little if any of the products in make up artists kits going on model’s faces are in fact natural or organic.

I spent an afternoon at Harmon not too long ago, when Physicians Formula first introduced Organic Wear. I read the ingredients on hundreds of products. The women working there shared with me what a breath of fresh air Organic Wear was for them. The 50′s were “better life through chemistry” and if a molecule didn’t cause instant death, it was perfectly OK to introduce in everything from food to products we put on our skin. We can trace cancer back to such heavy use of certain ingredients, there’s been a wake-up call, just like when it became evident silicon implants were causing problems.

Emma, what changed? How did the American woman suddenly become conscious of the chem-lab major US cosmetic firms were sneaking past them? Was it because the ingredients were so cheap? Are we to blame the chemists, the executives, the profit motive?

It hasn’t been a ‘sudden’ awareness. It’s been a gradual enlightenment with a ton of ground work laid by various groups, activists and everyday people spreading the word – and media catching on to that movement. I don’t believe there’s value in apportioning blame – it’s too complex an issue. It’s more effective to acknowledge that the status quo is no longer acceptable, to empower consumers with as much information as possible, and to keep pushing for legislative change that forces toxic chemicals out of our products.

You’re based in Austin, Texas. So many of today’s pioneers in the fashion industry are getting off the ground outside of the major fashion centers like New York and Los Angeles. I suspect the web is enabling this change in the business environment?

With any business it’s critical to manage overhead and being in Austin allows us growth we couldn’t attain if we were based in NY or LA (plus it’s a cool, green, hip city so it fits with how we like to live). We don’t operate any brick & mortar stores at this point (although this is part of our business plan), so the internet facilitates all of our transactions, most of our marketing initiatives are web focused, and so on. Our reach is nationwide compared to what we would gain from purely operating a retail store on the ground in one location.

But at the same time, the old guard still rules from penthouses on Madison Avenue and Century City. What’s been their reaction to Futurenatural, and to this new family of products you’ve come to represent?

I’m not sure if we’re talking about magazines here or competitive businesses such as Sephora? If the magazines: some supportive, some not. At the end of the day they’re a very savvy group of business people whose job it is to represent what’s current, happening and forecasted in the world of beauty, so it’s impossible for them to avoid or ignore the monumental shifts happening in the organic & natural market. In terms of our direct competitors in the conventional world of beauty, again they’ve added natural and organic to their mix of brand offerings. Everyone’s trying to capitalize on what’s taking place.

While newsstand magazine sales are down 10%, many green fashion magazine upstarts launched this summer. Young women are expressing concerns so much paper is unecessary, but magazines are still the most beautiful medium for photography. How is Futurenatural involving itself with the business of fashion photography, and has the attitude of photographers and make-up artists changed?

I’ve just been appointed Beauty Director for a gorgeous new fashion & beauty eco-glossy launching in September and we’re working with all organic & natural brands, beauty products, the kits we’ve put together for the MUA’s are all green – basically everything you’ll see from the makeup on the models to the products featured in editorial are all organic, natural, green. We’re very proactively involved with all our brands at Futurenatural to get them contributing to high profile events, sponsorships, makeup kits for fashion shows, swag bags and so on. It’s very important that we try and raise awareness of organic and natural beauty brands as having the same sexy, modern, cool and effective persona as their conventional counterparts. Besides Futurenatural, we’ve also just launched a blog called Organic Beauty View which is all about the latest trends, stylish brands, cool product reviews and savvy surveillance from the modern side of organic & natural beauty. We’re trying to showcase that organic and natural in the 21st Century is a far cry from the 70′s & 80′s and even 90′s.

Germany, Europe leads the way in removing dangerous ingredients from formulations. Governor Schwarzenegger passed a law making California the first state in the Union obliging cosmetic companies to reveal their contents. Hollywood leads the way in green awareness. Is this celebrity militancy having a positive effect on the rest of the country, are people catching on?

People are definitely catching on but I think what’s interesting is the momentum to date has been largely spurred by a huge number of small players over a long period of time: i.e. everyday people, groups such as EWG and The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, green blogs, etc… as opposed to a celebrity movement. Al Gore, the internet, the sharing of information has made it possible to reach others with knowledge and opinions that would otherwise never have been shared, and celebrity militancy can bring issues to our attention, but the thoughts, opinions and experiences of your friends and family are also very, very powerful motivators for change.

We all hear quite a bit about Josie Maran who has positioned herself quite nicely in the green cosmetic revolution. I wonder how Maybelline feels about her role, having been their spokesmodel for so many years. They planted the seed of their own demise by carving her supermodel status. What would it take for Maybeline to go green, or for any of the other large established power houses like MAC, Estee Lauder or Revlon? Will they change, or will they, like General Motors, suffer the consequences of a changing sensibility?

All the major cosmetic players are aware of the changes taking place in the personal care industry and I don’t see the demise of any of them. The growth of the organic & natural category grew by $1 Billion last year and most of that was in North America. I don’t see conventional brands suddenly becoming green, but I do believe most major cosmetic brands will make it part of their growth strategies either by directly investing in (e.g. Estee Lauder – Origins & Aveda or L’Oreal – The Body Shop) or creating (in the case of Physicians Formula), their own lines. Along with that I wouldn’t be surprised if their ad campaigns used well known models and spokespeople with a ‘green’ agenda – it would be a natural fit (excuse the pun). Angela Lindvall, Shalom Harlow, Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts would be some likely candidates that spring to mind.

There are many make-up trade publications. Have these editors been open, supportive, or still relegate “green” to the sidelines, nurturing their advertising base? Are some of the products Futurenatural carries soon to be in a position to compete with the mainstream brands for the hearts and minds of the American woman?

Beauty editors are definitely supportive of natural & organic personal care brands. It’s their job to profile what’s happening and the new products coming into the beauty market. Still, it’s a category not often profiled and it’d be great to see some permanent column space dedicated to organic & natural beauty brands in the big glossies. I don’t believe there’s any one brand in particular that’s set to impact the market dramatically – what we’re seeing is gradual and distinct growth that shows no signs of slowing down. That said, what is happening across the board is a shift in the way we’re thinking about cosmetics, period. At Futurenatural we’re proactively trying to spearhead and firmly instill in the psyche of women is that the equivalent of anything they’re currently using in conventional beauty products, can now be found in the natural and organic beauty world. Amazing design, effective formulations, brilliantly conceived, scientific innovations and so on, all exist now and retailers like Futurenatural are bringing them all together under one roof to make it easy for consumers to change.

What’s happening in other countries, like Japan, Arabia, South America? Is the rising green consciousness of women making it more difficult for American drugstore brands to continue dominating a large share of the International market? Is the movement becoming planetary, or is it still very much limited to the Socially Conscious Upwardly-mobile Person?

It’s a gradual transition with the major players still dominating but there are more and more entries into the lower-end supermarkets & drugstores, that are giving customers who can only afford to buy at that level some great new options for change. Physicians Formula, Burts Bees, Alba Botanicals, Aveeno, the list goes on. There’s also a shift with companies like L’Oreal just launching Bare Naturale Mascara that while not absolutely perfect, is a step forward nonetheless. Some big changes are afoot across all socio-economic groups with a focus on all demographics.

How about men’s products? Has it been moving in their direction as well? How can you market safe cosmetics to a male demographic without it seeming less than manly? There’s a lot of machismo in the chemical soup imposed by corporate America… Pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, GMOs, synthetic hormones… it’s all about bigger, not better. How do we refine the taste of Americans so the impact of their dollar choices can affect our health, and the health of agriculture?

Men are a really difficult sell and women are traditionally much more early adopters when it comes to personal care products. How it often happens is via the boyfriend, husband, partner using the products their wives, girlfriends etc… use, and either noticing a difference or being pressured to start taking care of their skin. There are some great natural brands out there that are not in the slightest way unmanly: Aveda, Herban Cowboy, John Masters, Urth, Pangea, and more but it’s a long slow process to get men to change.

The way to refine tastes is to offer more carefully conceived selection that makes consumers feel as though they’re buying something better for their money. The products have value rather than being seen as cheap. Case in point as an example is Target. They’ve managed to bring design to the masses without sacrificing price points – as have companies like Ikea. They’re not green but the business model can be applied to any retail chain. (Method is perhaps a good green example).

What percentage do you think the natural and organic market represents right now? It’s getting a lot of good press, it’s a big trend. But has all this coverage translated in a major shift in markets? Many new eco-fashion boutiques are opening, there’s a shift away from malls with Gen-Y back to new urbanist areas, reviving old down town neighborhoods. How do young people react to what you are doing? Are they becoming your best emissaries?

To give you some idea: The natural/organic personal care category showed the largest growth of the personal industry sector over 2006, at 29% and there were 842 new product introductions in 2007. Across the board the organics and natural industry has grown to $102 billion representing the largest growth of all consumer spending. This is no passing phase, organic and natural is the new zeitgeist.

We’re finding a huge amount of awareness amongst young people and their consciousness is more prevalent than in older generations who were less exposed to the issues of today. In saying that, everyone from housewives to mothers have made it their business to become more aware and they are some of the most loyal and staunch supporters. It’s really a movement transcending gender, background, race and age because it’s something that affects all of us.

You launched your own blog a few weeks ago… I’ve read many of the posts, it gets very involved and technical… I love it, though I wish I had twenty brains to process all I discover on the Internet. How can we bring more green chemists to the picture, to involve them in the green cosmetics revolution? Are you invited to speak at Universities? Are women going for a chemist degree expressing interest in the green cosmetic industry as a challenge?

It’s happening. With the industry already topping $100 billion and growth set to rise by 25% in the next five years, there are massive changes taking place from sourcing of ingredients, chemistry, new technology developments, manufacturing processes, research and development, and new ingredients. There are also a multitude of collaborations and acquisitions going on between companies wanting to enter this space, and those currently occupying it. Money is a great motivator for big business to change which is unfortunate on one level but really, to a certain extent it doesn’t matter how we get to a more green world, only that we do.

I can’t speak to the women becoming green chemists question – speaking to some universities or major cosmetic players might shed more light on this?

I guess, off to Yale I go… Thanks Emma.

Victoria Everman

You lived in Darien, Connecticut. Is that where you grew up? How did you come about your green mission?
 
Actually, I never lived in Darien, but I did live on Avon, Middletown, Enfield and Stamford. I didn’t grow up in Connecticut – I was born in Indiana and have moved around a lot. Living green was something that I always grew up with, but not in the traditional sense. My family was green because it was more affordable to reuse or make our own things (including food and clothing) than buying new. Some school years began with shopping at the Salvation Army. While those days are behind me, that do-it-yourself mentality has still stuck with me.
 
You’re part of this new breed of model who blends her career with environmental activism. It’s no longer an after thought, you integrate the two. How does that work?
 
Being a green or eco-model was just a natural part of my career progress. I’ve been modeling since I was 6 and being able to work with sustainable companies and organizations is a fantastic opportunity. Being a green model isn’t just about wearing organic cotton clothing and being mindful of how much you travel – there are many more elements, such as make-up, hair products, locations … etc. There is no rule anywhere that says you can’t be beautiful and sustainable – if national parks can do it, why can’t models?

You probably have the best green fashion links page on the web. It’s a crawler’s dream. How do you keep track of it all, there’s such an eruption of green online? What are your favorite green fashion blogs?
 
Keeping track of all my eco-links is not easy. I will be honest and say that some of those links are probably out-of-date or the companies are no longer active. I’ve been hoping to find a way to organize them all and maybe even make a separate website for them, but that is a conversation for another day. Every time I read an article or a blog post about a cool company, I double check to see if they are on my eco-links list. If not, I add them. It started out as just my interest in keeping track of green companies I would like to buy from or work with, but it has grown into so much more.

Green fashion – wow, there are a number of great online destinations. In The Loop is, of course, fantastic (wink wink). I’m also a big fan of Eco Fling, Eco-Chick, Chartreuse Chic, and Feelgood Style – along with my own blog of course, but I write about much more than just green fashion.

It’s interesting that those of us with green concerns chose the web as a refuge, found ourselves a large audience, coining the word e-famous. How important is Model Mayhem and MySpace in today’s quickly changing modeling landscape in the context of what you do?
 
Model Mayhem is the best website for modeling, in my opinion. One Model Place used to be “the place to be”, but it is just not the same as it once was – far too commercial now instead of just being user-friendly. Having an online presence if vital – if you don’t, you won’t succeed. I have gotten countless jobs from simply having my portfolio online and people coming across it in searches. Social profiles like MySpace and Facebook are good as well, but as a model, having a portfolio and staying social on a modeling site is key.

The window of opportunity for a conventional fashion model is between the age of 15 and 23… Only a handful of famous models over 23 keep working. In contrast independent models who carve their own way, often span careers well into their mid-30′s with a much wider diversity of assignments. What’s keeping modeling agencies pigeonholed?
 
Very true! My runway career was over when I hit puberty and got 37″ hips, but being a model isn’t about being rail thin. It is all about creativity and your own personal type of beauty. There are so many different genres of modeling that agencies just don’t cover – alternative, artistic nudes, fetish, and more. Agencies focus on magazines and runway, which is where the most money is – it is just good business sense on their part. The problem lies with the media and the runway folks that force the uber-thin look on the public, making it necessary for agencies to seek out sickly-looking models just to stay in business.

As you say, today, models coming from the alternative or goth scene, art nude, pin-up or bikini work who have developed large web-based cult followings, are suddenly being chosen for top fashion assignments because of the fan base attention they bring to the product. It’s kind of like revenge of the nerds, isn’t?

Hell yes! It is a delight to see models like Sabina (MM) from Las Vegas work with David La Chapelle. Of course, I would be overjoyed to do the same thing, but the point is that models don’t have to be tall, thin, and not smile. Beauty has such a wide definiation that no one company or organization can typecast it. No matter how much magazines promote their own version of beauty, the online world will flourish with those that look like real women. 

You’ve shown interest in the fetish scene. I entered the world of textiles researching latex fabrics for the NASA space suit. This idea of a second skin, showcased in Skin Two, Marquis and Secret magazines came into prominence with Bob Carlos Clarke’s photographic style. Latex can either be made from the rubber plant tree or from oil. Do you know who the natural latex fabrics companies are?

Ah, Bob Carlos Clarke – he was such a spectacular visionary. The world of latex is an interesting one, and not one that has gotten a lot of eco-attention (though I think it is long overdue). As far as latex fashion brands, it all depends on where they get their latex sheeting from – that is the key part. Wholesalers are often the source for this, and they would be the ones to question on how “natural” their product is. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any company that sources 100% of their latex from natural rubber – my research is ongoing in their department, along with the types of colors and dyes they use.

You’ve written for a Hartford based green magazine called All Green. I indirectly helped you land the gig, I’m terribly sorry about that. Do you want to send out a word of caution to other writers or let sleeping dogs lie?

Ah, All Green – while it is a travesty that the project turned out the way it did, I am delighted to have met a number of good people via working for the organization (most of which got screwed over as well). I am still working on getting my $1,000 owed to me by All Green. I’ve initiated the assistance of WritersWeekly.com, but we have still gotten no response from them. I do caution and encourage writers to avoid All Green, but don’t avoid all start-ups; some have wonderful intentions and solid funding – sometimes you just have to take the risk.

What’s in the cards for Victoria E? When I first learned of your work I thought you’d be a shoe-in for E magazine, but the planets weren’t properly aligned. I think each of us in the green scene bring something to the table, which in the grand scheme of things is changing the playing field, changing industries, businesses, and communities, hopefully for the better. When are you going to visit Connecticut again? We’d love to have you visit the Aquarium.

The green world is growing (no pun intended) and I plan to be there for the whole ride! I’m currently doing a lot of writing for Yoga Journal and CRAFT magazines, along with Greenopia and Life.Gaiam. I am working on breaking in to more mainstream publications, including Natural Health, Glamour, Body + Soul and more. Living in San Francisco has literally changed my life, but I will be moving back to the East Coast in a few years. My boyfriend and I want to be close to our families and finally be able to afford our first house. We are currently looking at Philadelphia and will be moving in roughly 3 years time. A visit to Connecticut is certainly in the cards as my mother still lives in Avon and I miss her dearly. Hopefully in 2009!

photo: alberich

Hi Starre, you’re Eco-Chick

I am a total science nerd and I love being outdoors, learning about rocks, plants, insects and ecology. I taught environmental science to kids and worked as an environmental scientist when I first got my undergraduate degree. But I feed on change, and I’ve always loved writing, and creative endeavors seem to be endlessly challenging and they keep my restless mind entertained. I come from a family of artists and scientists, and I’ve always wanted to combine the two (and am fascinated by those few souls who also look at the world this way). So how could I bring together science, design, visual art and show my love for this amazing planet?

Fashion seems ideal to me since it has the science (fabric and fibers, production and dyeing of textiles, growing plants sustainably–or not) combined with design and artistry. I have a very strong aesthetic sense even though I was never a visual artist (my father and stepmother are illustrators and painters though). I was raised by my grandmother who taught me to sew and fostered an appreciation for clothes and design and as a child. I wouldn’t really go shopping for clothes- we would go to the fabric store and I would pick out – even when i was just 5 and 6- fabrics and dress patterns and she would make them with me. When I wasn’t making clothes and quilts with her, I was off in the woods, covered in mud, exploring the wetlands that my house was built on.

My grandmother also designed our home herself, and it was built in 1967 so it was super-modern, but at the same time totally integrated into the environment it was sited on; she was inspired by Russell Wright (no relation to Frank Lloyd Wright) who produced the iconic American Modern dishware line and also built an incredible house in the town I grew up in called Manitoga. Every room in the house has an indoor and outdoor component (even the bathrooms!) and a tree trunk is a main support in the center of the house. Rock floors, and seasonally-changing cabinets were design elements. The house I grew up in had similar features and was built on a rock ledge, so we were totally integrated into our surrounding landscape. We kept huge organic gardens and ate local meat and eggs from our neighbors. All of these influences and dichotomies- a modern house on a dirt road, art and design coupled with fresh food and the real physical labor of gardening, freedom to create and respect for the local ecosystem….It was an incredible place to form an aesthetic!

You’ve been writing for both web and print, with bylines in some of mainstream’s top fashion magazines. The landscape at newsstands is being greatly affected by the Internet. There just isn’t as many print titles as there used to be on newsstand shelves. But there still is no better medium to showcase editorial fashion photography than the printed page. So how do we bring both mediums into a sustainable mode? How do you see fashion, both online and in print, intertwine into a sustainable future?

I’ve always loved magazines, and I hope they evolve into a more rarefied medium that is more art and design-based (and all printed on recycled paper!!). I say “hurrah!” to the decline of print magazine circulations for publications like Newsweek or the NYTimes- why kill a tree to record news that’s just going to change tomorrow? But just like great books, I think fashion, art and design deserve a static medium and right now, online just doesn’t cut it- I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like they can’t properly ‘see’ fabric, light, drape, and detail on a computer screen.

How can we encourage newsstands like Barnes & Noble and Borders to recycle unsold titles? Shouldn’t all this be a well oiled eco-machine by now? Why is it still an issue in 2008?

You’ve got me. I’m guessing people in charge are being lazy, narrow-minded and putting profits before people or the planet- which the capitalist system in it’s short-sighted way tends to encourage. I always imagine in the future, people will sift through our huge piles of garbage and find perfectly preserved magazines in landfills (if air can’t get in there, NOTHING ever biodegrades!) which will become collector’s items.

What roles do models, modeling agencies, photographers, and make up artists now need to play to expand environmental responsibility in the fashion industry beyond fair trade and sustainable fabrics?

I think all the people that make the creative visions happen, and in their inimitable way, add to one person’s idea and make it an organic, growing, beautiful thing need to realize how important they are. And vice-versa I think the top designers, stylists and tastemakers should acknowledge that they are not working in a vacuum with makeup machines and androids, but real human beings with talents and valuable perspectives. Many people in creative fields are much more sensitive in general, and specifically sensitive to the changes happening in the environment, yet to keep their jobs, they often feel like they have to keep their mouths shut.

One way a model, makeup artist, photographer or modeling agency can influence larger changes is by changing what they can in their lives and businesses, and then TALKING about it to everyone who will listen. In a nice friendly, nonjudgemental way, passing information onto younger models, photogs or MUAs on what they do, how they do it, and why. These people work so hard that I think they sometimes forget that they are on the top of the ‘influence pyramid’ and that everything they say and do has an impact on all the people down the line from them, ending with the girl who holds a fashion mag in her hand.

ELLE, Marie-Claire, Vanity Fair, many others, have published so-called “green issues”, yet none of these large publishing houses; Hachette, Hearst, Conde Nast, have switched over to recycled paper stock, or instigated some form of internal green editorial policy with their advertisers. What’s the hold up? Why can’t they walk the talk?

Lazy, money-hungry, lack of forward-thinking behavior, the people that make these decisions are sacrificing the future for a few more pennies now. It’s disgraceful and embarassing. Body and Soul, Plenty, Audubon Magazine, E Magazine all have a serious commitment to the kind of paper and ink they use- this shouldn’t even be a debatable point in 2008. All I have to say is, all you publishers who work soooo hard to give your kids a bunch of gadgets and a private school education- they’re going to be pretty mad at you when they grow up and realize you could have made decisions to reduce your industry’s impact on the Earth- and you didn’t. Because your kids are going to spend lots of their time in the future cleaning up your mess.

Bookers at modeling agencies have models separated into two categories… will do fur – will not do fur… How far are we from a green modeling agency to surface, or for modeling agencies to create green divisions? Are the large sustainable business associations like LOHAS or Gaiam paying attention to the sustainable practices of the models, modeling agencies, photographers and make-up artists they hire for their branding and publicity purposes?

Green is not a passing trend; sustainability has to be part of doing business, and as more companies of all stripes catch on to the fact that the landscape has changed in this way, business practices deep within corporate bowels change (I’ve seen this happening everywhere already).

I don’t know if the solution is a green magazine, a green modeling agency, or green MUA collective, which makes ecofriendly stuff a separate category. I’d rather see these industries model what has been happening with forward-thinking mags, which is that now you see green integrated everywhere. Recent issues of New York Magazine, Wired and Vogue are some good examples; all have featured ‘environmental’ topics or products without making a big deal about that aspect. They just assume people are interested (I think correctly) in how clean their water is or that this device will save energy- it’s rapidly becoming old-fashioned to ghettoize green.

The majority of the clothes on our backs are now produced in Asia. We’ve out sourced the work force while trying to hang on to the design and marketing aspect of the garment industry. Isn’t it fair to say that with the rising cost of transportation, control over all aspects of clothing production will slip into foreign hands? Do you sense New York’s fashion community doing anything to hold on to its reputation as the fashion capital of the world? Or will it all gravitate to Shanghai if we’re not careful?

My family immigrated to Manhattan in the late 1800′s and despite our obsessional wanderings, there have always been some of us here, so I’m biased. I think NYC will always be the fashion capital of the world; you can’t outsource incredible talent, energy and culture. All creativity is about collaboration and influence- there’s still so much going on in NYC that sometimes after a day out-and-about my brain is exhausted! And I know I’m still missing plenty.

You grew up near Indian Point, the nuclear power plant 25 miles North of Manhattan on the Hudson river. You’ve been a big supporter of Rock The Reactors, our campaign to bring attention to the existence and dangers of the plant, opposing its new license. We made green into a cool fashion statement. How do we follow that up to by making nukes uncool?

What could be less cool than a method of producing electricity (which we wouldn’t even NEED if we took conservation seriously) that costs millions and millions to build, gets its fuel from mining the crap out the Earth, needs insane amounts of water which is superheated and spewed out into the ecosystem, killing fish and destroying plants and the Hudson River’s health, and then generates a waste product that is so toxic that we still don’t know what to do with it AND remains toxic to all life for thousands and thousands of years? Sounds like a really dumb way of producing electricity to me. And for all that, it’s not even cheap!!

The problem I see with nuclear, coal, natural gas, or any other plant is similar. Besides pollution (whether toxic waste or global warming gas), energy shouldn’t be concentrated. Centralizing energy just means that profit-making companies control the means by which we run our lives and ‘electricity’ is just something we switch on and use without thought. If we all produced our own energy by whatever means is locally feasible (solar in Cali and Arizona, wave power off the coast of CT, Maine, and Mass., geothermal, well, everywhere) we would be conscious of how much energy we can make and use, AND individuals and local communities would have control over their own supplies; we wouldn’t have to rely on another state, or another country, and it would be sustainable. Also, energy would be lower cost or free. I’ve studied the power grid extensively and it is a seriously flawed and wasteful system. Let’s bring power (literally) back into the hands of local communities and individuals, which would lessen dependence and engender smarter decision-making. Few would build a nuke plant, even a small one, behind their house, for example. And if you were burning coal for electricity, and choking your neighbors, that would come to stop pretty quickly.

You have a book coming out on St. Martin’s Press, tell us about it.

It’s called “The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green” from St. Martin’s on August 20th. It’s a fun guidebook for young women who are interested in greening their lives without making themselves (or the people around them) nuts. There are chapters on eco fashion, beauty products, entertaining, decorating, and travel.

I’m currently at work on my next book, which is a look at mechanization and modernization’s effects on the five senses. I think the distancing of our perceptions from the natural world is one of the reasons we’re in this environmental mess to begin with. Not that I’m a Luddite by any means; I’ve been blogging since 2003 and see amazing and infinite possibilities with better forms of communication, and the Internet is a huge part of my world. However, I think we need to take a critical look at how we choose to alter our senses and why, and I think that right now, not much of that is happening.

Lips Nvey Lip Lustre Armor Rose, Eyes Alima Cosmetics-Azure Model Amie

Hi Courtney, where are you from originally, what brought you to LA? Couldn’t have been clean air!

Ha, Yes, it was most definitely not the air quality! I was born and raised in Detroit. I made the “big move” in November ’07. In recent years, Detroit’s economy had been in a serious and vicious decline. Despite my love for the Motor City, I needed to find an outlet for my creativity, where I could still survive as an artist. I thought about New York, but my prerogative is, if one is going to pick up their lives; pack their cats and rabbit for a road trip, the destination should be somewhere warm.

Is it true what the mayor says, Los Angeles is fast becoming the capital of green fashion? There’s such a buzz with Hollywood celebrities going green, how does it affect professionals in your industry? What changes does it bring?

There is a lot of Buzz about the green movement, and it’s refreshing. I think LA has long been ahead of the game. Coming from the Midwest where post consumer recycling isn’t a cost efficient option, Los Angeleno’s recycle everyday. However, my concern is that Recycling and Green is just the “hot thing” right now. The minute a celebrity adds his or her name to a Green project the PR is fabulous. Are celebs going green to help our survival or just because it’s the in thing to do?

Within my industry, the green movement is slowly trickling. Most Makeup Artists have kits in which they have spent years building. Asking a MUA to go green is like telling your child to stop eating candy. It’s a matter of many products that look amazing in person don’t always photograph the same way. If more Green cosmetic companies sampled products to MUA’s or offered artist discounts to simply get the product into their hands, I think a lot of MUA’s would begin to start thinking differently!

Are the cosmetic companies addressing the concerns of actors and models by developing organic make-up lines suitable for professionals? Can you recommend any?

I recently tried Josie Maran Cosmetics and it was fabulous, and many of the products look great on film. Suki Cheek Creams are to die for and Alima eyeshadows are pigmented well and blend nicely. I recommend checking out Future Natural, as they are a great one stop shop for green products. All the products are green, from the product itself to the packaging it is placed in.

You recently joined forces with Anna Griffin at Ecorazzi and covered the launch party for the Planet Green channel. How did it feel hanging around green royalty?

It was a fantastic experience! Anna was dressed in a stunning gown made from all recycled materials and wearing all green makeup, that wore beautifully all night long. My highlight of the evening was meeting Dee Snider of Twisted Sister. Not only was he a pleasure to meet but he wore an amazing coat, which was also all recycled materials.

In the 60′s and 70′s editorial fashion photography mirrored the politics of the day. We’re seeing the same thing happening with sustainable fashion designers using the symbols of green consumer culture to sell their message. What are the people behind the lens, the photographers, the make-up artists, doing to green the industry? Are fashion professionals in LA, other than just the designers, taking green seriously?

Right now, going green isn’t something our industry puts much thought to. I stopped shooting film simply because the chemicals used to develop and process the images, were so poisonous to our environment. Not to mention the waste of emulsion covered papers when in the darkroom! Most photographers have gone digital simply because the ease of a digital workflow and the money that is saved. Either way, this equals less waste and usage. I have seen some MUA’s who are using cotton rags for their kits and washable sponges to help stop the waste.

Your dad is an engineer recently retired from the Ford Motor Company. He’s building you a set of studio lights. What’s going to be so special about them?

My dad is a very handy guy. We are in development in several sets of professional Light Emitting Diodes (LED) photo/film lights. What makes these lights different than most in the industry is we are developing the lights to be completely housed in post-consumer recycled plastics. This will keep the lights lightweight and also less cumbersome! In addition, we are developing a portable battery pack that will run these lights with ease. Most importantly, I feel that most Green products from clothes to cars are priced so far out of the average Americans reach! We’re keeping everything we develop with an affordable price point, so both high ends photographers to college students can afford to use them.

Do you want your studio to be labeled a “green” studio, or would you rather that be left to the imagination, with clients understanding that because it’s your business, it’s going to be as green as it can be?

I would love sometime down the road, to have a completely green studio, with solar power and other goodies, but right now I can only make small baby steps. I think this is where most go wrong. Many people want to go green, but the number of changes involved can be so overwhelming that most get discouraged and stop. I’m trying to work on one project at a time. I do everything I can do right now to do my part. I even cut my huge background paper into little bits so I can easily recycle it! A girl can dream, right?

You test for NEXT, one of the top modeling agencies in the world. Do you think there’s enough green models in LA for someone to open up a green modeling division? A division that would work exclusively with green companies?

Right now, there are only a few “green” models. Most modeling agencies have models categorized by many variables, like “won’t work with fur” for example. Perhaps they will make “green” a category also!

There seems to be a total news black out when it comes to Model Mayhem in the fashion press, as if editors ignore MM to be such a source of new talent. What impact do you feel peer to peer networks like MySpace and especially Model Mayhem has had on our business?

To be honest, every aspect of my industry has been changed since the rise of the internet. Sites like MM and MySpace allow to put ourselves out there, while it also allows the creepies in also. It’s difficult to determine who’s real and who’s not. Not many agency models are on MySpace and Model Mayhem, while every so often you find a gem in the rough.

Where do you see all this going? Will you be attending Portland Fashion Week in October?

Eventually, every aspect of our lives will be green. We have been so wasteful and careless for so many years and now we are seeing the error of our ways. The fashion and beauty industries exist because of trend. It’s up to all of us, what remains “trendy” and “desirable”. Supply and demand is still the way of the world. Currently, I think we need to start showing the masses that green fashion doesn’t only mean hemp ponchos! Now you can find super chic designs and hemp ponchos!

As far as Fashion Week in Portland, I keep thinking about attending! How amazing an all green fashion week! If only more designer actually took one green step forward!

Any last word for the Greenloop?

How sad is it that I can fly anywhere in the US (Detroit, Philadelphia, NY) and breathe easily, but here in LA the air often has a brown haze. I look forward to that day! Someday the air in LA, will not be visible. Continue to support your green artists, green programming and green products!

Courtney Dailey

www.courtneydailey.com
Beauty/Fashion Photographer & Makeup Artist
Los Angeles California
248-701-4176

Josie Maran Cosmetics Lip color Devious, Eyes Mist Model Christine

Josie Maran Cosmetics Lips-Rumi Joon, Eyes-Sweet Talk Model Jacqueline