Donna Karan
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”
Mahatma Gandhi
This week is Earth Week and everyone is trying to be a bit more mindful on how they use energy, throw their trash and consume daily consumer goods. Media is bombarding us with tips and tricks which I think are good to put on a pin board somewhere in the apartment or in the office as a reminder for the rest of the year as well.
A couple of things I do to care about environment more and my body as well is to walk wherever I can without using a car or any other mean of transportation, I bring water in my purse everywhere in my equa thin glass water bottle, recycle my trash and plant my own spices, I also bring my fashionable canvas Karl Lagerfeld bag with me in my purse for whenever I plan to do a grocery shopping after work.
I selected a couple of ways fashion industry gives back.
GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY
Fashion industry is known to be not just very creative but also actionable and generous when giving back, and doing so in organized and transparent matter.
I know that every time you walk down the street someone is asking you to donate, sign or commit to a charity cause. My way of thinking about it and choosing if I will engage is that it is equally important to investigate and truly personally believe in the cause, to make sure that if you are donating your time or money it is for the cause you are passionate about and believe it.
“I am excited to see so many of my friends and CFDA designers use these hearts as a blank canvas for their unique creative expression to raise money. Together, we believe in the brilliant artistry of a country filled with some of the most creative people I have ever met.”
Donna Karan
One of my favorite recent projects are Donna Karen and CFDA project initiated on Valentines day and still ongoing called Fashion for Heiti: One Million Hearts. Over 160 fashion designers participated in this project by decorating custom papier-mache hearts which are now auctioned off on Ebay.com until May 2nd to raise money for Donna Karen's Urban Zero foundation dedicated to creating jobs and enhancing education of Haiti’s artisans.
CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Consumerism and constant need for shopping is creating a demand for mass production, which includes mass resource extraction, fabrication, distribution, and eventually, disposal. This system is not at all sustainable and it creates a bit amounts of waste in energy and products.
Have you ever wondered what upcycled clothing is? After listening to CFDA Earth Day Google + chat I started to investigate more about it. Upcycled clothing is the green, environmentally and socially conscious side to the fashion industry which is sweeping the youth generation of today, you could notice on Ebay that some clothes are marked as upcycled clothes. To upcycle clothes simply means to redesign, rework, and recreate clothing pieces that would have otherwise been thrown away.
Photo: H&M Conscious collection
Photo: H&M Conscious collection
Some of the negative consequences of factory-made, mass-produced, or even worse sweatshop made clothing include the need for it to be made long distances away (where workforce is cheap) the lack of sustainability and temptation to always buy more (aka our consumerism), and the ignorance that occurs when we buy a product and have no idea where, or how, it is made.
Great examples of this practice after a number of complaints for unsustainable practices is H&M with their Garden collection launched in 2010. and then Conscious collection a year later. Also, TopShop has launches their Reclaim to wear collection made out of upcycled materials.
“This is the first step towards the creation of zero-waste design collections ”
Orsola de Castro, TopShop
After I have seen every
single piece of every single pre-fall collection (and that’s a whole lot of
clothes ) I finally selected my absolute favorite designer pieces from pre-fall
2012 season, just in time for the new season coming up in just a couple of
days.
So here we go…
ZAC POSEN
Absolutely mesmerizing collection for me, a hopeless romantic and most definitely a princess in my
past life...featuring smart waist diminishing anatomical seaming on a wool crepe
sheath with designers current obsession being chinoiserie and the idea of
creating European couture shapes out of Eastern fabrics. My very favorite was a
form fitting olive color bustier dress with floral embroidery, a floor length
velvet backless dress with drama-mama matching gloves as well as dramatic red
and gentle lavender color red carpet gowns all modeled by gorgeously feminine
Hilary Rhoda. All eye-candies indeed!
MCQUEEN
The love of my life brand - McQueen's pre-fall
collection, now under the amazingly creative hand of Sarah Burton, featured a
number of gorgeous high-necked Victorian gowns; some with embroidered torsos in
floral prints, all in black mousseline, pleated smocked velvet dresses with
tulips and cropped pants with men’s wear-like tailored jackets topped with
white shirts - all absolutely sustained the legend of late Alexander McQueen’s
heritage.
BALMAIN
Balmain’s well known fitted
pants and jeans had the rips and wholes replaced with embroidery, pearls and
crystals, or loose pajama pants paired with oversized men's proportion jackets
– all in all, the collection feel was comfy but also sexy which is definitely
what market calls for these days: omfort, practicality and multifunction.
PREEN
Amazing prints and comfy, sportswear and effortless chic feel, all in lovely bright colors: orange and aqua blue is what
drew me to this collection. These memorable pieces can be worn together and separately, day to evening, which makes the collection quite sellable. Interesting prints
stays on couture side while simple cuts and comfortable feel brings the collection to
ready-to-wear customer.
ELIE SAAB
With a previous reputation of a
red-carpet designer, this Elie Saab collection carried a bit different theam, more down to earth one, featuring some simple suits and dresses in monoton shades with graphic feel and
with minimalist approach. Most of the suits and dresses had a modern, simple
and elegant cut. I love the nude, body fitted dress for work!
SUITS - YSL, GUCCI AND CHLOE
With many designers I have noticed
that collections were created with a modern business women in mind. Who I am
guessing has money and interest in today’s economy to buy latest but also
practical, comfortable and multiwear, classical pieces like these great suits by
YSL, Chloe and Gucci. YSL collection had some interesting bow-neck blouses and
matching blazers, bringing back the heel with a loafed from its 2005. Spring
collection.
On the other hand, Chloe
showed interesting pleated trousers with matching shrunken jackets and cropped
sweaters, coats with wide rolled-up sleeves on top of skinny pants. Finally,
Gucci decorated simple cuts with pansy print, which has replaced black and gold
bugle beads.
DONNA KAREN
Cropped styles
came paired with silk tunics and wool jackets with emphasized shoulders.
Mrs.Karen also showed coat-dresses, satin jersey with white jacket worn over a
bustier-top jumpsuit, and a big black bow. My favorite was a black and white
strapless piece, simple, but red carpet worthy on the right lady!
VALENTINO
„In this moment, when
everything is so hard—especially in Italy—it's important to give a good dream“–
designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said, referring to struggling economy in Italy.
Red is always a good choice! The collection focus was immaculate tailoring. It
featured small bows embroidered on the net bodice part of the minidress and
gentle lace added to chevrons on the top of a long black velvet gown.
All photos source: www.style.com
Chanel
As Karl Lagerfeld said during one of his interviews, and I also trully believe so: " the future of fashion nis six months", which is more than obvious with ever growing market for resort and other mid season collections.
I have selected couple of signature pieces from my most liked Pre-Fall 2011. collections for you bellow.
Chanel show inspired by the lost culture of Byzantium is definitely targeting emerging markets of middle east, India and China as well as the royalties of mother Russia and United Kingdom.
I love,love,love the filigree headbands, gorgeous embroidery and Chanel's staple - quilted handbags.
Fendi
Emerald and sapphire jewel tones, exquisit detailing and hand picked luxurious fabircation were staples of this La Dolce Vita inspired Fendi collection. I loved the knee lenght skirts, beautiful warm color tones and the transitional character of every single piece. Day to night wear indeed.
Diane von Furstenberg
Diane was inspired by glamurous american 70's sportswear creating another working women collection, simplified with geometric print and pieces that match with each other easily creating fast, clasic and chic daily outfits. My favorite are knee high thick heel boots worn with matching or bright turqoise socks, warm transitional colors reaching from brown to emerald green, mustard and tuquoise. I also enjoyed the almost horse riding look alike hats, very cool.
Donna Karan
I must admit, when I saw the first photos of Donna Karan's Pre-Fall 2011. collection first thing I said was - hello Ralph! But than I continued to click and noticed more and more layering and said - Ok, Donna is back ;) The warm urban color pallet of military green and grays) country side chic (made of luxury fabrics - satin, shearling and cashmere) indeed reminded me on classic Ralph Lauren look.
My favorites were oversized shirt, hanging belt jumpsuit and satin gown at the end of the show.
Elie Tahari
Elie Tahari has showed a red carpet worthy collection with touches of fur to spice us the tailored look. I was most impressed with his dressy jumpsuits, simple but dressy skirtsuits and party ready accessories.
BCBG Max Azria
Max and Lubov Azria put together a collection inspired by "the blazing colors of Guy Bourdin's photographyof" (style.com's - Matthew Schneier) mostly long, loose dresses, all in very bright gem tones. I love the long semi sheer dresses as well as the asymetrical knee high ones all touches with spring's bright color lines.
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera is always one of my favorites as it most coresponds with my personal style, so I daubt I can ever be objective in comments. She kept it simple indeed, working with comfy jersey, silk organza and satin all in frency gray with random pop's of color - my favorites were long red dress, box jacket with fur color worn with almost a sweat pants comfy wool pants, gorgeous flop detailing pencil skirt and trench gown. Love it!
Source: style.com
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