The Vert Couture show proved that the answer to that question is YES. Last Thursday night’s headlining fashion show for Fashion Focus Chicago 2011 highlighted designers that are committed to creating fair-trade, eco-conscious, sustainable AND fashionable clothes.

Michael and Bianca Alexander, founders of Conscious Living TV, welcomed guests and explained the philosophy behind the event and the designers themselves.

It was also nice to hear from Chicago’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, Karen Weigert, who briefly greeted the audience, before a dance presentation by Kelly Kane & Co.

What really set this fashion show apart from the rest was the video clips played before each line. The videos introduced us to the designer and his/her philosophy and processes. It was an enlightening glimpse in to the world of the sustainable artist, and I felt like I understood the clothes, designs, and the person/people behind them much better than in other shows. Way to go, Conscious Living TV!

So, without further ado, here is another slideshow/video of the fashion displayed at the Vert Couture Eco-Fashion Show. The music is Muse’s “Shine Acoustic” off of the Hullabaloo Album.

What did you think? I was literally BOWLED over by some of these designers!

For instance, how AMAZING is this dress by design collective known as Heart? I’m pretty sure it’s hand painted on silk! The design is unique and beautiful, and the dress is versatile and elegant.

And then…there was the most amazing coat in the history of ALL the world!!!! I am still crying that I couldn’t get a picture of the front of this heart-stopping upcycled coat from Brenda Abdullah designs! I would pretty much sell my right toe to get my hands on that coat!!!

Oooooeeeee. After this amazing coat, we were treated to some gorgeous, sexy men in Richard Dayhoff‘s line of recycled underwear! How can a girl get so lucky??

Did it just get hot in here????? lol

Then, I kept getting wowed by Silk Utopia‘s vividly colored silk evening gowns. The colors were so rich and bright, they didn’t look real!

My camera doesn’t really do these dresses justice, but they were magnificent!

The show concluded with Lauren Lein, a delightfully eccentric designer using re-purposed materials and natural fibers. I kind of felt like her designs were out of a fairy tale…or even out of Midsummer Night’s Dream!

I must say, this show was a blast to attend. The mood in the tent was exuberant and expectant. The crowd knew they were in for a treat, and we were not disappointed!

What do you think of the Vert Couture show? Is eco-fashion important to you?

Last Thursday was another pretty yucky day in Chicago, but the crowd assembled for the Vert Couture Eco-Fashion Show was ready for fun! People took the opportunity to don some of their more daring outfits…and hats, feathers, hair pieces, and rather wild ensembles defined the evening. I felt a little giddy myself…and I couldn’t stop smiling. It seemed like everyone was having fun with their fashion choices…and letting their inner drama queen out for the evening.

As soon as I entered the tent, I ran into Jessy Doolin from Adela Red (Remember her from the Fashion Fetish Fete post last month?). She is utterly fabulous, and I love that she carries her signature fan around at all of her events!

In the spirit of the evening, I went a little daring with my fashion choices too. I went with a brightly-patterned maxi-skirt (It’s actually a DRESS that never fit correctly, so I converted it into a maxi skirt!), lots of chunky vintage jewelry (from my Grandma), and feathered earrings. Oh, and I wore my hair straight to go along with the hippie-luxe theme I was trying to create.

(Outfit details–Skirt: Nine West, Shirt and Tank: Ashley Stewart, Belt: Off of some dress bought at Ross, Bracelets: Vintage and Flea Market, Necklaces: Vintage and Craft Fair, Earrings: H&M)

What do you do with a maxi dress isn’t long enough? You cut the ties off, pull it down, and make it a maxi skirt! Don’t be afraid to make your wardrobe work for you! If something isn’t exactly right, wear it in a different way. Wear a skirt as a top, a dress as a skirt, a scarf as a shrug, a necklace as a bracelet…Just try and try until you make it work!

Because the skirt is so brightly-patterned, I wanted to tone it down on top. I pulled out an ancient tank top from Ashley Stewart that miraculously matched the dusky oranges in the skirt perfectly…and paired it with a dark brown top. With the mandarin collar and the elbow-length puffed sleeves, this shirt manages to balance out the lively lower half.

Wooden bangles carry the theme through…the two lower ones are vintage and were given to me by my awesome friend Michelle. The top bangle with the metal detailing was bought at a flea market ages ago.

And what’s a hippie-luxe theme without natural beaded vintage necklaces? These were my Grandma’s necklaces from the 60s…all except the leaf one that is made out of some type of nut shell from Africa which I bought at the DIY Craft Fair a couple of years ago. So…there it is. My attempt to be eco-fashionable. Do you think I took it too far, or did I achieve the hippie-luxe look I was aiming for?