Appropriately dubbed “Hollywood’s Winter Spring Break,” thousands of Angelenos et. al., head to Park City, Utah year after year to don their designer snow gear, watch a few films, and party righteously. This chilly celebresnownfilmfest is known as Sundance. It’s not exactly the place most people traditionally think of as a haven of environmental awareness…until now.

Yes, the Sundance Film Festival was willingly infiltrated by treehuggers this year, as Re:volve and Betterworld Books presented The Giving Suite. Not the title of a fledgling film, The Giving Suite was an exclusive 10-day boutique where eco-friendly companies that would potentially be giving away mountains (no pun intended) of schwag to Sundance-going celebrities, chose instead to sell it, with 100% of the profits going to one of seven charities. 100%? Yes, the borrowed slogan for the event was “Giving. It’s the new getting…” and give they did. (more…)

The epitome of cool in snow season is of course, snowboarding. And the biggest requirement for this most righteous winter pastime is of course, snow. Well, “uh, yeh brah, no duh” you may think to yourself, but in this day and age even snow in winter isn’t a sure thing anymore. Winter resorts, from the Rockies to the Alps, have been grappling with ever shorter snow seasons for years now-some of the resorts have even re-branded themselves as “sun and fun” destinations to try and recoup some of their climate change-related financial loss. Bummer, dude. Well, it comes as no surprise (actually, strike that, I am pleasantly surprised) that one of the biggest names in snowboarding gear, Quiksilver, is unveiling their eco-friendly outerwear line next week at SIA ‘08 as well as the inaugural Quiksilver Natural Selection in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Champion rider Travis Rice collabed with Quiksilver to design a signature jacket and pant which are 55% hemp and 45% recycled PET…PET being a type of plastic in this instance, not ice cream. Sweet.

Check out Quiksilver’s take on the line’s big launch…
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Not long ago, I had the good fortune of making the acquaintance a closet therapist. No, she is not someone who does not know she is a therapist and has yet to tell the world, but rather, a therapist of another sort, one who specializes in helping you make the most of yourself IN your closet….literally.

Barbra knows a thing or two about how fashion fuses with emotions. As a child, Barbra used clothing as her armor. If she was having a bad day, her mantra was, “look better!”, and looking good was what the Horowitz family knew how to do best. Little did she know that the mantra would develop in her a liberating sense of detachment from clothes which was further stoked by her mother’s inspiring zeal for experimentation. Having a bad day? Cut the sleeves off your t-shirt. Don’t like that wool coat anymore? Throw it in the dryer and see what happens.

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We love the eco-fabulous web tv network G Living. In this episode, hostess with the mostess Sarah Backhouse meets up with the husband and wife founders of Re:volve Apparel at their Fred Segal launch party in Hollywood. They discuss ethical fashion, children, and their new relationship with Coke. Cameos by actors Roger Cross (Mad Money) and Amy Smart (The Butterfly Effect). Enjoy Coke.

I love to see eco-conscious fashion grace the pages of mainstream rags like am New York. This article by Kristen V. Brown quotes some of Greenloop’s favorite designers like Jenny Hwa of Loyale and Nina Valenti of NaturevsFuture, as well as Lauren Caroll of low-impact designer shoe company, Charmone. One step at a time, these underground eco designers are crossing over, and they’re showing big time fashion industry players how sustainable production is done…

Eco-Friendly Fashion
By Kristen V. Brown


A dress from AuH20 made entirely of MetroCards. (Handout)

Thanks to global warming, wacky weather has brought on a whole new set of style dilemmas — like what to wear when it’s 60 degrees in the middle of winter. Luckily, a host of new, fashion-forward designers are offering up stylish solutions to ensure your closet can help combat environmental issues without looking like you took a trip back to the ’60s.

Go Green
Converting your wardrobe to green means more than just organic cotton. Today mills produce fabrics ranging from bamboo and soy silks to fleece made from plastic soda pop bottles. Many designers create their lines locally and sweatshop free. Some, like Kate Goldwater of AuH2O designs are even finding new life in materials like old T-shirts or Metrocards.

Nina Valenti, designer for NaturevsFuture, uses fabrics like organic wool and recycled Polartec fleece to make her her chic offerings. “Five years ago it was hard to find any green fabrics, but now more and more mills are including green fabrics in their productions,” she said. This spring, Valenti is taking things one step further with a line fashioned out of 100 percent sustainable fabrics.

Eco Chic
A few years ago, eco-style was pretty much restricted to yoga gear. Today even high-end designers and stores like Barney’s are putting an emphasis on saving Mother Earth.

“A lot of young designers are realizing they can design whatever they want and also take care of the environment,” says Jenny Hwa, the mind behind the enviro-friendly Loyale Clothing.

Loyale’s collection features fashion-forward designs like an empire-waisted tunic made from organic cotton twill and a cap sleeve shift crafted out of bamboo jersey.

Accessorize
Even accessories designers are hopping on the eco-bandwagon. From JaK Random Art cuffs crafted from recycled records to Charmone vegan shoes, designers are finding style potential in anything and everything.

Charmone, a sustainable shoe company, uses non-leather materials because of the toxins leather production puts into the environment. The designs, thankfully, are more Jimmy Choo than Food Not Bombs, with sleek choices like giraffe print or metallic open-toed pumps.

“Consumers are frustrated because they are concerned about the environment, but they don’t really know what to do about it,” says Lauren Caroll, of Charmone. “We’re just giving them better options.”

Read the rest of Eco-Friendly Fashion by Kristen V. Brown at am New York…

Feeling a little post-holiday pinch on your fashion budget? No worries, we’re going to show you some of our current clearance favorites in simple, elegant white. These easy basics can be coordinated with nearly everything in your wardrobe…that should bring you some cheer during this next few months of winter!

For Her

Stewart+Brown Longmire Jacket $90 (Original Price: $172)
This gorgeous lightweight hemp long-sleeve is the perfect layering piece for winter. Back slit & vents at wrists show pinstripe lining, and front tuxedo styling with raw edge hems adds great detail. Wear with a simple tank and our Of the Earth organic cotton jeans for a look that is effortlessly cool!

Grace & Cello Autumn Grace Top $50 (Original Price $88)
This super cute long sleeve T has little gathers on the shoulders. Made from 100% organic cotton and super soft, so you can feel as good as you look. You can wear this stylish basic with just about anything! Machine Washable.

Edun ‘Spring Phoenix’ Graphic Tee $30 (Original Price $55)
New graphic T from Edun, this fitted, amazingly soft, organic cotton t-shirt with romantically wrought “Spring Phoenix” art goes anywhere, with anything, and makes whatever else you’re wearing look better.

Anna Cohen Bamboo Tank Top $70 (Original Price $130)
Sexy, sexy! This not-so-basic tank is sure to be your next favorite thing. Made from sultry bamboo, this hot tank has a low scoop neckline and straps that cross in the back. Layer it under a deep v-neck sweater for day and dare to bare it all for a night out dancing ! Hand wash and lay flat or “Green” Dry Clean.

For Him

Edun Mens ‘Works’ Polo $60 (Original Price $105)
Ideal for golfers, tennis players and any man who loves a fresh, clean look. Ladies, get your man ready for Spring with this perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

Loomstate Point of View $30 (Original Price $55)
It’s like that old T you’ve washed a thousand times to the perfect softness, but it’s new, organic and designed by fashion superstar Rogan Gregory of Loomstate! Lightweight, super pre-washed, with a retro feel & fit. It’s a fact-men need T-shirts and this is the best sale going for a cool designer organic T.
Note: All Loomstate shirts are sewn with side seams intentionally off bias, i.e. crooked. It’s just their thing.

It takes three quarters of a pound of toxic chemicals to grow enough conventional cotton to produce a single pair of jeans and a third of a pound to make a T-shirt to go with them. Luckily for all of us, organic cotton production is on the rise. According to Organic Exchange’s Organic Cotton Market Report for 2007, production and sales of organic cotton has snowballed in the last couple of years. Between 2006 and 2007, organic fiber production increased by 53%. Sales of organic cotton worldwide reached the $2 billion mark. The top five organic cotton retailers for 2007 were Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club, Nike, Woolworth’s South Africa, Coop Switzerland and C&A. Large and small retailers alike increased their cotton programs over the last two years, from retail giants like Levi Strauss & Co and Nordstrom to smaller eco-fashion luminaries like Edun and Loomstate. Considering the cotton industry consumes 25% of all pesticides on the planet, the expansion of the organic cotton market means a major victory for soil and water quality, the health of people working and living near the cotton industry, and all of us who buy and wear King Cotton everyday. For a complete rundown of organic cotton factoids, check out Green Basics: Organic Cotton by Colin Dunn on Treehugger.com.

The past two days in Portland have been a flurry of fabric and fun. From local style icons to the only European collection at Portland Fashion Week, this has been a very enjoyable 48 hours. Tuesday was host to “The Collections” - a grouping of Portland designers, most of which have collaborated together or been shown side-by-side before. Wednesday was a mix of local and “foreign” fashions, including brands from the UK and our friend to the south (and location of my apartment), San Francisco.

TRENDS AND TRAIL-OFFS

The most anticipated night of the week, Monday’s presentation of “The Collections” displayed Portland’s own brand of innovation, community, and innate attention to comfort. Tuesday was full of demure designs that Marilyn Monroe would have shined in, giving a solid voice to the vivid influence of the 1920s-50s that has been sprinkled throughout the week.

A small glimpse of more fashions for the fellas came on Monday with A Broke Spoke’s punk-meets-preppy set of outfits and Dayna Pinkham’s tailored, personality-heavy head wear collection. One of the A Broken Spoke ensembles reminded me too much of a mix of Mister Rogers and my grandfather on my mom’s side. Baring that, the rest of the line has some serious charm, using subtle details like tailored cuffs, seams, buckles and buttons to give each piece its own identity. Dayna’s millinery skills would be a pleasant addition to any guy’s outfit, especially the duo-toned fedora. Since I’m always telling my boyfriend to add more color to his wardrobe, I was a bit disappointed to see nearly all of Pinkham’s pieces in black, especially for a Spring collection.

The heavy use of muted gray and shimmering silver immediately reminds me of the dingy skies of Portland, under which so much talent has been displayed during the past 5 days. We’re not talking the ever-popular heather gray shades either - these are flat tones, yet fluid in their hint of blue, like the stray bit of clear sky trying to poke out between the layers of clouds. The big gassy ball that is our sun is always on the other side though, leading designers to feature a hint of fresh yellow; two designers, Elizabeth Dye and Genevieve Dellinger, were shining examples (no pun intended). A hint of color can brighten anyone’s day or mood, even in a city that is content with cloudiness.

Experimental cuts with angles even the MOMA would love had my eye trained on two other designers: Linea by Jess Beebe and Liza Rietz. From big magazines to people on the street, I’ve heard both men and women pondering when the “shapeless/tent” trend will be over. From the looks of these two collections alone, it is clear that comfort and style can not only move in together, but they can marry and have some sexy looking kids. From these two designers, there is only one outfit that made me cringe a bit. Why? Maybe it is the way the model is standing or that dress just doesn’t fit her right, but it makes her look quite “thick” around the middle, which I’m sure most women would like to avoid.

Subdued glamour - those two words describe every single piece from all the shows on Tuesday night. The “good ‘ole days” when women wore their curves with pride and Hollywood thanked them for it, the 1940s and 50s were represented in full force. As with all the lines from “The Collections” on Monday, the Tuesday night designers focused on tweaking classic shapes with details that magnified the psyche behind each outfit.

All the way from the UK, Izzy Lane found undoubtedly chic ways to integrate Scottish wool into their line. Puckered plaids and scalloped skirts were pleasing to my eye, and would be a treat to see on any street or office. Portland’s Blairwear collection was also very office-friendly, but with a clearly less playful tone than Lane’s offerings. A slightly geometric wrap dress was the first piece of the line to be added to my wish list, which was soon followed by an artfully gathered dress that showed off more curves than skin.

All the way from the San Francisco Bay, Tierra Del Forte’s denim collection is always on my fashion radar. A curious blend of soft pinks, sailor stripes, and cinching denim, Del Forte screams “fancy or casual, denim dominates!” I was most pleased to see that despite the popularity of dark wash denim, first-rate stone washes are still celebrated. Stepping way … way back into time, Lara Miller brings us to the art deco days of the 1920s and 30s. Draped layers take on a whole new meaning when they’re made from smooth bamboo, tinted a universally flattering mossy green, and paired perfectly for that special Easter dinner you have in the works.

Oh Anna, how we love thee. Now hunkered down here in Portland, Anna Cohen worked for fashion houses in Italy before starting her own now-infamous sustainable collection. A dedicated member of the Portland Fashion Week Advisory Board, Anna’s Spring/Summer 2008 line is one of the most seamless blends of every fashion trend from the 1920s through the 1970s I’ve ever seen. Before I go any furthur, I must say that I hate orange. Well … I used to hate orange; it’s one of those colors that hardly looks good on anyone. I don’t know how, but Cohen found just the right shades between vibrant orange and pinky coral to compliment the human skins’ subtle shades. It’s pretty obvious that orange isn’t a very Spring-like color, but seeing such a mainstream eco-fashion designer using it for her Spring/Summer collection gives me hope that the seasonal color boundaries are coming down. I bet all those falling leaves from the many trees in Portland helped to inspire her vision, both in color and shape.

FAVORITES AND FAILURES

Top 3 Brands I Covet (and why):
1) Anna Cohen (This one doesn’t really need an explanation … just look at the collection; hello, drool!)
2) Genevieve Dellinger (Repeat after me, “Color is my friend. I am not afraid of color.”
3) Elizabeth Dye (I just can’t resist a woman who uses yellow, especially on textured tights.)

Biggest Collection: Anna Cohen

Smallest Collection: 3-way tie! A Broken Spoke, Emily Ryan and Liza Reitz

Only Swimsuit Seen So Far: Lara Miller

Outfit that Most Resembled the 1980s: Blairwear

Best Example of A Bad Prom Dress: Emily Ryan (runner-up: Elizabeth Dye)

Dress that Most Resembles the Capes You Wear When You Get Your Hair Cut: Daniel McCall

Best Dress for Layering During those Brisk Spring Mornings: Lara Miller

Outfit Most Resembling a 21st-Century Superhero: Emily Ryan

Most Applauded Outfit/Dress: Kate Towers

Best Use of Multi-Colored Satin: Holly Stalder

Dress Marilyn Monroe Would Have Worn to Her Civil Ceremony Wedding: Blairwear

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST END

One solitary day left here at Portland Fashion Week, but don’t tune your Internet connection to another frequency (is that even possible?). We’ve still got the final day review and the week-long wrap up coming your way!

Wednesday:
1) Habitude
2) Poppiswim
3) Garnish
4) Lucia
5) Souchi