L.A. Fashion Week Spring '08: The Green Initiative Fashion Show
The Gallery Los Angeles presented The Green Initiative Fashion Show on Oct. 17 during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif. Mikey Koffman, founder of The Gallery Los Angeles, a philanthropic public-relations and marketing company specializing in green branding, produced the eco-focused event. Koffman said she wanted to help bring awareness to eco-friendly and socially responsible designers and create a forum for them to show their collections on the runway. For the designers featured in the show, at least half of their collections were made from eco-friendly materials, including recycled fabrics, organic cotton and bamboo. Many also utilize sustainable fabrics and have fair-trade policies. The show included an array of clothing and accessories ranging from casual to dressy.
Rene Geneva Design opened the show with dramatic skirts, dresses and corsets. The collection, inspired by Japanese architecture, was made of hemp, organic cotton, Tencel and recycled textiles. M The Movement, a denim-based streetwear line for men and women, showed a mix of tees, jackets and denim. The collection included cashmere hoodies from Mongolia, organic Pima cotton and alpaca knits from Peru. Protect the Element by Roshi Salim focused on reducing the amount of chemicals that go into manufacturing clothing. Her organic cotton and naturally dyed clothing included childrenswear as well as women’s dresses, shirts and skirts with clean, sophisticated lines in khaki and white.
Wet Cement, created by Andrew Lee, former president of 575 Denim, and set designer Stef Z, included T-shirts, skirts and shorts for girls and for guys, with custom-screened images inspired by life. Trees, numbers and a “save water” eco-message decorated the collection in green, gray and white.
Men’s and women’s knits by Peligrosa were stylish and modern, utilizing organic wool, cashmere and recycled cotton. The collection, founded by Adam Sidell and Nico Morrison, added a sophisticated, fashionable edge to the show.
Vintage China closed the show with streetwear made in organic fabrics with bold Chinese script that included humanitarian messages. The show also featured accessories including ArteSania jewelry by Laura Cardenas, Demano handbags made from recycled materials and shoes by Calleen Cordero. —N.J.S.
