Portland Series :: Portland Fashion Week - Final Day and Full Wrap Up
The last day of Portland’s fashion week was last Wednesday, so why the delay in posting? A week on sustainable style is a lot to take in, so before giving an intelligent overview, I wanted to let it all sink in. Now that I’m done with that, let’s get to the reviews!
TRENDS AND TRAIL-OFFS
Four of the five brands featured on the last day (Wednesday, Nov. 24th) were from Portland, Habitude (NYC) being the exception. Wednesday was full of exactly what you would expect from Spring/Summer collections - pastel and vibrant pinks and blues mixed with naturals like creams and browns. Poppiswim a.k.a Poppina was the only complete swimsuit collection there, though I was disappointed to see they didn’t have anything for men.
While Garnish featured only special occasion dresses and outfits, Souchi (infamous in Portland for their cashmere … well … everything) was the only line from the whole week to have models gallivanting down the runway in no shoes. Though I know many women couldn’t imagine a world with no shoes, I enjoy being barefoot as much as possible, so this nod to footwear-free living was much appreciated. Other than the no-shoes part, Souchi’s line was actually quite enjoyable, featuring the largest collection of the night with pieces that could easily be dressed up or down, including a few swimsuits (not sure that I would want to swim in sheep fur, but oh well).
Lucia, who sadly has no website yet, is another Portland line that did a damn good job of delivering a great line. Lots of dresses and skirts in artistic patterns that could could be worn year-round tempted my fabric-loving tastebuds. New York’s Habitude was small but sumptuous at the same time, with an offering that even Fifth Avenue would buy. Flowing and not-too-form-fitting dresses, tops and pants bring to mind a happy afternoon of tea or a sunny Spring wedding, both of which would be very good times to be looking swank.
FULL PFW FAVORITES AND FAILURES
Top 3 Brands I Covet (and why):
1) Stewart+Brown (Having been exposed to sustainable fashion for years, S+B is still one of my all-time favorite brands. They continue to deliver on their green and fair trade commitments, all with high style and a price that truly reflects the impact clothing has on the planet.)
2) Del Forte (Good, all-American organic cotton denim; you just can’t beat that.)
3) Lizzie Parker (Fashion is supposed to be a fun addition to your life, not stressful; this line is a perfect blend of fun and functional.)
Top 3 Brands I Won’t Be Buying (and why):
1) Nike Considered (While I give the big sports brand props for working to reverse their 1980s slave labor image, I’m still very skeptical on their dedication to green production.)
2) Saffrona (While its sister brand, MEWV, is made from sustainable fabrics, Saffrona uses only silks whose origins I’m not aware of. Looking great is important, but being green is just as big a factor in my book.)
3) Amai Unmei (I’ve been trying to gain some affection for this line, but it still falls flat in the personality department for me.)
Biggest Collection: Stewart+Brown (38 looks)
Smallest Collection: 3-way tie! A Broken Spoke, Emily Ryan and Liza Reitz
Most Anorexic-Looking Model: [name unknown]
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
Outfit Most Resembling a 21st-Century Superhero: Emily Ryan
Most Applauded Outfit/Dress: Kate Towers
Best Use of Multi-Colored Satin: Holly Stalder
Best Line for Full Figures: MEWV (to my knowledge, the only line at PFW that carries sizes up to 4X)
Collection That I Couldn’t Wear Because I Have Boobs (i.e. need to wear a bra): Michelle Decourcy
Collection That I’d Have To Wear with Pants or Everyone Would Know Where I Buy My Underwear (or when I don’t wear any): Leanimal
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Is this one week going to change fashion forever? Um, duh, no! Just like the eco-warriors out there trying to transform our transportation and agriculture industries, fashion has some key functional changes that need to be made to help it continue into the next era as a healthy and stable part of society. Having worked in the industry for over 10 years, there is no doubt in my mind that there are people in this industry that are truly full of themselves and don’t realize the kind of impact their choices of fabric and production make on the rest of the world, including their consumers.
While it may not seem as vital as the food we eat or cars we drive, what we wear (everything from underwear and socks to pants and jackets) has a wide reaching impact on growers, fabric makers, sewing and knitting workers, shipping, sales and our own health and well-being. Have you though about just how many people have touched and worked with all the pieces you are wearing? How far did it travel from where it was grown to wear it was made and then to the store and then to you?
We do not live in a sustainable world, but those of us who buy eco-fashion instead of mass produced lines (most likely made under non-fair trade conditions) are making a statement about what we believe is important, just like the colors and styles we wear express a certain part about ourselves. Is buying organic and fair trade clothing enough? No, money can’t buy change alone, but consumer demand is an important factor in helping to change all levels of the fashion market.
Seeing the outpouring of attendees, whether there for the green aspects of the event or not, proves that fashion can be both sustainable and stylish at the same time; any doubts of that should be erased from your mind by now. Portland’s local lines deserve their own mentions since many of them are produced right in the city. While manufacturing in the United States can clearly be more expensive than foreign countries, it has a big impact on carbon reduction when shipping items from overseas.
On my own website and a few local Portland sites, I’ve heard some controversy buzzing about people being displeased with the event’s organization, particularly location, waiting times and display of designers. Did you attend the events? How did you feel about all the goings on?
If you did not attend Portland Fashion Week, I have no doubt that you have your own opinions about sustainable fashion. Open up - tell us what you think of eco-style. What are do you love? What do you hate? What do you want to see changed? What concerns you the most?
H-E-Y Y-O-U!
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October 30th, 2007 at 10:22 am
[…] Werner Patels wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWhile Garnish featured only special occasion dresses and outfits, Souchi (infamous in Portland for their cashmere … well … everything) was the only line from the whole week to have models gallivanting down the runway in no shoes. … […]
October 31st, 2007 at 1:34 am
[…] Victoria E placed an interesting blog post on Portland Series :: Portland Fashion Week - Final Day and Full Wrap Up.Here’s a brief overview:While Garnish featured only special occasion dresses and outfits, Souchi (infamous in Portland for their cashmere … well … everything) was the only line from the whole week to have models gallivanting down the runway in no shoes. … […]
October 31st, 2007 at 6:47 am
[…] NY Spender wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNew York’s Habitude was small but sumptuous at the same time, with an offering that even Fifth Avenue would buy. Flowing and not-too-form-fitting dresses, tops and pants bring to mind a happy afternoon of tea or a sunny Spring wedding, … […]
November 13th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Hello Miss E!!!!
Thank you for doing such a great job covering PFW and sustainability!
I have talked to Sarabeth Chambers of of Safrona/MEWV and found out the following, which I have just cut n pasted from an email of her’s
for your readers edification-
The fabric used in the silk sari dresses was completely reused from used saris. The silk had been stained and was deemed un-sellable and to be thrown away. I loved them because the silk was “emporer’s” silk, collected from silk cocoons without harming the silk worm/moth inside. The hand work on the saris was done by a group of ladies that work for a friend of mine’s mother to cover tears, stains, and other problems with the saris. I didn’t realize that I would called unsustainable because of the sari material. Each of those dresses were built on 100% bamboo foundations, only the outside shell had the reused material, including the reused zippers and hooks. I was also sad that no one noticed that I used 100% Organic Cotton in 4 of the dresses, a Silk/Hemp blend in the little suit, and Seaweed in the black dress everyone assumed was silk. I am facinated that everyone wants to assume the worst before they even consider that I am doing the best.
The money I spent on the saris went directly to support a small weaving village in Northeastern India and the rest of the fabric was 100% milled and manufactured in the United States. All proceeds from the sari dresses will be sent back to the village in India, as all proceeds from the Silk/Hemp suits support a village in Vietnam.
Thank you for your support Tod,
Sarabeth
Bless her lil heart for not only practicing sustainable fashion, but for fair trade practices and her altruism too. And it seems she still encounters the
‘itchy and scratchy’ myth of sustainable fashion by the ‘detractors’- a foolish belief that PFW is helping to put a nail in the coffin of.
and did she say seaweed?
Blessings Miss E!
Your fan Tod
November 15th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Ahoy Tod,
It’s great to hear from you! Many thanks for finding out that info from Sarabeth; it makes me a lot more confident about Saffrona’s green efforts. As a consumer that cares about ethical animal fashions, knowing that she uses recycled silks instead of newly created silk means a lot.
VE