What exactly is eco-friendly design and clothing?

We hear about it – and most of us think of rough hemp and bamboo in shades of beige and green.

When I read about the sustainability practices of Nicole Bridger, winner of Canada’s first eco-friendly design award, Design Forward, I was reminded of what is means and takes to create true eco-friendly clothing. Comfortable, ethical and beautifully constructed and trendy. Soft and wearable.

As winner of Design Forward she receives:

• A three-month national PR campaign, provided by Third Eye Media
• Feature in EcoSalon – the number one green fashion blog!
• Participation at Nolcha Fashion Week’s Ethical Fashion Preview in NYC in September 2010
• $1000 in eco-friendly fabric, supplied by Telio (to make a sample collection to show in NYC)
• $1,000 towards Fair trade and Organic certification, provided by Ecocert.
• and more!

Nicole Bridger, Vancouver-based designer

Fabrics/Blends:

Nicole Bridger uses mostly organic cotton, and natural fibres such as hemp, linen, bamboo and soy jersey. Wool is certified organic as well.

She has made a conscious effort to tack the orgins  of all fabrics used in her collections, including hemp jesery and modal jersey orginating from LA, organic cotton woven in Portugal, and linen grown in Belgium.

Production

All garments are made/sewn in Vancouver, Canada – supporting good working conditions and fair wages.

Design

Garments are named through design affirmations, like “heart”, “truth”, “protection”, “listening”, “courage” etc. Neutral colour palate, allows for multi-seasonal wear. Designs are cutting-edge, feminine and practical.

In the context of her maternity collection, the design integrity is not sacrificed, and it has the added bonus of being worn before, during and after pregnancy.

Special Features

Tagua nut buttons (like coconut, made in China).
Labels are cotton instead of polyester (made in India).
Hangtags, business cards etc. are made from 100% post-consumer paper in Vancouver.

Nicole was up against finalists: Laura Chenoweth and we3(twigg & hottie).

Some of the other competing designers nominated for this award include Thieves, Deux FM, and Paper People Clothing.

Designer Evan Biddell (shown) & photographer Joe Fuda’s Oz Studios – ever-changing fashion gallery, photo studio, contemporary boutique meets impromptu live art installation – tucked among well-curated vintage shops and pricey concept stores in Toronto’s hipster quaint/newly gentrified Ossington Village.

“Please don’t call me Canada’s Alexander McQueen. He’s so romantic, so much more luxurious and I’m a peasant (in comparison).” says fashion designer Evan Biddell,  2007 Project Runway Canada winner and Toronto Fashion Week’s new fave.

He’s been called Canada’s enfant terrible (ugh) or bad boy of fashion, and recently been compared to the late fashion icon Alexander McQueen. This is mainly because of his extraordinary shaped clothing, uncustomary fashion presentation and non-conformist mannerisms, but mostly it’s because his present Fall 2010 collection – with pieces tributed to the late McQueen – is  voluminously bulbous, somewhat experimental and seemingly evoked from “dreams and nightmares”, although Biddell says this “Prehistoric” collection is simply inspired by pop art, things in nature (like dinosaurs and reptiles) and the outdoors in general.

Most impressive is the cork-print fabric that actually is cork (sourced from Portugal – tree grows more) that is constructed into shorts and jackets with intricate fringe details, bent copper piping and chunky hardware. There are new wavish, hooded bodysuits, igor-like cocooned capelets  and Biddell’s (signature) sleek, billowy harem pants – one offs that are part sci-fi, part reptilian and part “living”.

Also remarkable is the fact that Biddell still makes every item that bears his name; everything is draped and therefore is technically one-of-a-kind – so any tiny sewing imperfection that you’re sure to find is compliments of the designer.

True, Biddell has a long way to go (and so does any designer for that matter) to be aptly compared to a legendary great; but we can all agree, Biddell included, that with each collection he is maturing as a designer, the clothes are becoming more ‘luxurious’ (or better constructed?) and his passion for “fashion” can even be considered ‘romantic’, in a way.

Evan Biddell is showing a new collection “Refined” at Alternative Arts & Fashion Week [FAT]. It’s sure to be all new and equally alternative. Stay tuned for the coverage!

Oz Boutique and Studios
134 Ossington Ave.
Toronto

http://ozstudios.ca/

On April 24, 2010, three or four of Canada’s hard-working fashion labels will compete for the title of the best new designer at the Elle Canada/TFI New Labels Gala, an annual event.

For 2010, the top five contenders are:

Paris Li

TFI resident designer. Collection of tunics, dresses and separates inspired by the Asian philosophy of elegance and beauty.
www.parisli.net

Jennifer Waters of House of Groves

House of Groves creates garments with grace and integrity, meant to become instant classics in a modern woman’s wardrobe – using eco-friendly fabrics, menswear tailoring and detailed construction.
www.houseofgrovesdesign.com
Follow Jennifer’s competition journey: http://jennifersletters.blogspot.com/

Justine Diener & Justine Poon of Diepo

Vintage lingerie inspired looks – Ryerson School of Fashion grads recently showed at Alternative Fashion Week.

Hayley Gibson of Birds of North America

Ryerson grad, established designer of a few years sold in several stores across Canada.
www.birdsofnorthamerica.ca

Anastasia Lomonova

Montreal based, Ryerson grad who’s been designing and selling her brand for a few years already.

On April 24, 2010, the TFI New Labels® competition finale takes place where one lucky designer will win $10,000 cash from Mattel Canada and a $25,000 editorial package from ELLE Canada. Tickets for the benefit are on sale now at www.elleevent.com.

Congratulations to Irene Stickney, founder of her sewing studio, The Make Den and all the press she’s been getting lately – mostly because of the PACT Prom Fashion program, a sewing course for ‘at-risk’ youth.

On the second page of last Saturday’s Globe & Mail, the Make Den and the PACT Fashion sewing program was featured:

Dress for Success

PACT, a group focusing on aiding youth, helps girls learn fashion skills-and make prom dresses for their peers. Sarah Boesveld reports

(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/dress-for-success/article1514233/)

Irene’s been teaching the girls in the PACT group to design, draw, draft and sew prom dresses – an initiative that’s been really successful not only in media coverage, but especially with the girls who’ve really gained a sense of accomplishment (see CityTV News video coverage on the Make Den website).

Top: Irene watching over the girls | Below Danielle Meder teaching a fashion illustration class to PACT

The Make Den not only offers specialized sewing classes, but also teaches fashion design and drafting. Irene also is a pro at alterations and custom pattern-drafting!

Here (top), writer Vivian Song in her ‘Gaga-inspired’ jacket made at Irene’s Ga Ga construction workshop (http://www.thestar.com/living/fashion/article/783020–lady-vava-channels-her-inner-gaga) and me in a ‘gaga’ jacket (below)

Event and social media video producers, The Advocates, have released a short online video in celebration of LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oréal Paris FW’10, entitled “Top Stylists on Canadian Fashion.”

Stylists featured in the video include Annie Horth (Jacob, Celine Dion, Lush) Kurt Salt (So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Style, Fashion Television) and Alexis Honce (Flare, Zink, Fashion). All interviews were shot while on set for WOMEN x WOMEN 2010, which is set to debut at LG Fashion Week next week.

About WOMEN x WOMEN
WOMEN x WOMEN is an annual fashion photography exhibition that features new work by top Canadian female fashion photographers. The 2010 exhibit photographs will be shown in a multi-media presentation alongside short, behind-the-scenes films of the work in the making.

The public is invited to a gallery open-house (no guest list or entry fee) on Friday April 2nd, 11AM – 5PM, at Thrush Holmes Empire, 1093 Queen St. W., Toronto.