My FrockOn fashion sister Kendra and I regrouped just before sunset on day one of Vancouver Eco-Fashion Week shows and trekked in insensible shoes down the city’s hilly streets to VEFW’s venue in the Olympic Village, laid against the backdrop of sea and sky and the downtown buildings lit up in an enveloping shade of orange.
photo by Dan Poh photography
Eco-Fashion Week is just a wee baby in its first year of production, but the whole launch came together quite (pardon the pun) organically. Media and fashion lovers and earth lovers-oh my- came together in good global spirits last week to launch into the mainstream a movement that brings consciousness to the forefront of fashion.
–But not SO into the forefront that the fashion itself is lost. I guess on some levels it’s no surprise that many people have misconceptions about “eco-fashion” since so many designers seem hesitant to switch from dangerous chemicals, so people just envision bland fabrics in various shades of brown and with little to no shape, on bodies with unwashed armpits, maybe laced with the slight scent of sage and days-old campfire. (But then again, a surprising number of people can’t tell the difference between their and there, and I’ve seen Crocs and other atrocities more times than lets me be comfortable putting too much trust in the taste of “the general public,” to be honest—you guys not included!) Regardless (not irregardless!), the hippie has evolved along with the rest of us and today’s earth-friendly fabrics are brilliantly (and safely) dyed and whipped into great textures, and strung across the body with a skilled eye to match any chem-pushin’ garment producer’s.
kdon by Kim Kathers
Kim Cathers is the typical BC kid in loose layers and choppy hair, who spent her designer-formative years travelling around the province selling her handmade pieces at farmers’ markets and music festivals. Post-schooling she combined her vintage and earthy inspirations into collections that landed her on Canada’s Project Runway 2009 and took her into the competition’s final eliminations, and today runs her kdon line on the use of mainly natural and recycled fabrics. Kim is also involved with the organization Our Social Fabric, which collects unwanted textiles for recycling and remanufacturing, saving the city some hundreds of tons of waste per year.
kdon by Patrick Parenteau Photography
kdon by Patrick Parenteau Photography
kdon by Patrick Parenteau Photography
kdon by Patrick Parenteau Photography
Lav&Kush
After a short break mingling with local fashion paparazzi and some of the cute models from the earlier Eden’s Organic menswear show we had the chance to check out Lav&Kush, one of those top names around Vancouver—a brand that’s only been kickin’ since 2008 but has shown steady every season with feminine and eco-friendly garments that are in every way urban and modern. Designer Angela Saxena strives for “eco-luxury”, draping materials like blends of hemp, jersey, organic cottons, silks, linen blends, bamboo and merino wool into pieces that are effortless to wear and elegant to boot.
Lav&Kush by Patrick Parenteau Photography
Lav&Kush by Patrick Parenteau Photography
Lav&Kush by Patrick Parenteau Photography
Check out the kdon and Lav&Kush websites.
Visit OUR SOCIAL FABRIC online.
Article by | Jessica Linnay
OMG I am crazy obsessed with Vancouver!