A Watercolor Figurino

From time to time I’m inspired by fashion photography to paint quick little watercolor figurinos, which is how we referred to “fashion figures” at school in Florence. Here’s one I did from last week which shows the figurino wearing a yellow T-shirt and white jeans.

Figurino (Fashion Figure) in Yellow and White

A Trip to LA’s Fashion District

While in Los Angeles this weekend, I went to the city’s fashion district. Painted signs  like the one below greet one and all, along with all the hustle and bustle that this colorful neighborhood, located in downtown Los Angeles, has to offer.

Fashion District Sign

The highlight of my visit was a trip to Michael Levine’s, an incredible fabric store with the largest selection of ecological materials I’ve ever seen.  From lyocell and knit bamboo to organic cotton and terry cloth, the fabrics on display provide endless possibilities for the creation of sustainable fashion.

Inside Michael Levine 1

Inside Michael Levine 2

Inside Michael Levine 3

A Polyvore Set of Sustainable Fashion

I tried my hand at eco-styling tonight. You can see the result on my Polyvore set below. Using the site’s import feature, I added environmentally friendly items handpicked from the web. I had a lot of fun putting together the look. Kudos to the folks at Polyvore for making such a powerful creative tool!

Simply Eco Chic by bouclesf on Polyvore.com

A Dress Design for Organic Cotton Eyelet Fabric

I’ve been thinking about the organic cotton eyelet fabric (below) that was used in a shirt from Aventura Clothing in a previous post.

Eyelet Fabric in Remi Organic Cotton Shirt from Aventura Clothing

It inspired me to draw this sketch of a dress that would play up the rows of eyelets that make up this pretty material. Would you buy this from Aventura Clothing if they made it?

Bouclé San Francisco Eyelet Dress Design

A Start on the Definition of Sustainable Fashion

What does sustainable fashion mean?  It’s a question that is increasingly being asked by people in the fashion industry, such as Vanessa Friedman, the FT’s fashion editor. In her February 10, 2010 article on the topic, she points out that the definition varies according to who you ask. She concluded that there is no collective answer yet because ” . . . we are in the middle of  a paradigm shift.”

In my mind, sustainable fashion has to have a lasting positive impact on a personal, environmental, and social level. Examples of this include apparel and accessories that are:

• Made from recycled materials. Ties into belts, jeans into skirts, tops into hats, these are just some examples of the recycled trend.
• Made from materials grown without the use of pesticides, which cause rashes, harm industry workers, and pollute our planet. Organic cotton comes to mind.
• Made from rapidly renewable materials. One example is fabric made of bamboo, which grows quickly and thrives without the use of fertilizers or pesticides.
• Made in an ethical way. Think handbags made in a cooperative that employs people who would otherwise not have a job.
• Recyclable. Once the useful life of the piece is over, it will biodegrade, instead of adding to a landfill. Think tencel fabric, which is made of woodpulp.
• Vintage. The life of the item is extended so that it stays out of a landfill and new resources are not used to create it.
• Artisanal quality. The maker of the item has comfortable working conditions and enjoys a good quality of life thanks to a higher wage. The product is likely to last season after season, thus reducing your need to buy a new item.
• Locally made. When something is made near you, then less resources were used in the transport of the item. Also, by purchasing the product, it’s like investing in your community.
• Comfortable. The more comfortable an item is, the longer you’ll wear it. Using an item to the end of it’s usable life maximizes the use of the resources that went into making the product.
• Beautiful. Some pieces you cherish all your life and pass down to loved ones, which means less consumption.