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.
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| (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) |
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| 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! |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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?
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I didn’t really know what to expect from the InspireDesign runway show at Fashion Focus Chicago. It was a cold and wretched night, but inside the tent, the dazzle and buzz of the crowd warmed things up. There were 5 designers presenting their lines, and the results of the Mario Make Me a Model Contest were announced.
Here’s another slideshow/video that I made of the runway show. This time, I chose Edith Piaf’s “Cetait une histoire d’amour” for a soundtrack (I hope it doesn’t annoy you!).
Overall, this show was a little edgier than the Incubator show…and a little less “wearable.”
Imaginary People was defined by muted, darker tones of black, white, sage, and “fog.” Cropped tops, asymmetrical details, and leggings make up much of the collection. My favorite ensemble was by far the all white Riding Hood paired with a tank and high-waisted leggings.
To me, this is a showstopper. All-white is generally so elegant and refined, but it’s usually shown in crisper, sharper lines. The draping and the the layers of white soften the look and add an amazing amount of visual interest. And the hood is attention-grabbing itself, is it not?
Michelle Tan’s color palette was also muted neutral tones, with a few washes of color thrown in. The first few designs featured shorts and cropped pants (which aren’t really my thing), but the skirts and dresses that came next were much more detailed and intriguing. And when the model demonstrated that a coat was detachable and converted into a cute motorcycle jacket, the crowd actually ooooed and awwwed. lol. Here are my favorite ensembles from Michell Tan’s line:
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| (Wide Collar Embellished Vest, Pin Tuck Top, and Laser Cut Skirt) I think the thing that really does it for me in this outfit is the wide collar vest. It’s a unique look and is visually dramatic. |
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| (Crinkle Silk Strapless Dress) The deconstructed nature of this dress and the detailed bodice almost seem as if they are the remnants of an 16th century court dress. It feels wanton and a little unhinged…and I love it! |
Next up, we have J.Cheikh. I don’t know much about menswear, but there were some fun and funky pieces in here that I could see some of my more daring man-friends incorporate into their wardrobe. One thing I did notice about this line was the shiny nature of the fabrics. I didn’t think I liked it at first, but it grew on me, and now I think regular men’s suiting looks so flat and one-dimensional. lol.
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| This black/silver notched shawl collar suit was one of my favorites! So sexy and unexpected! |
Narcisse was one of my favorite lines of the evening…mostly because it brought to life some of my dreams of being a hot french adventure game character on the runway. lol. From the feathers to the knife holsters, to the velvet gowns and satin corsets…this line speaks of the darker side of sexy. These are the clothes of a courtesan assassin. lol. Like I said, these are exotic and gorgeous designs defined by a slinky seductiveness. And they are not for the faint of heart.
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| I definitely love this Coque Feather Bustier and Black High Slit Skirt (did you see the knife??)…My only wish is that the model actually had some boobs to fill it out. It definitely needs curves to up its sex appeal. |
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| Another corset/feather/knife combo. lol. (Black Satin Corset, Coque Feather Skirt) |
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| Textured Sheer Strapless Dress, Ostrich Feather Vest |
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| Liquid Metal Dress with Triple Chain Straps |
The last designer of the evening was Reddoll – and it was my other favorite (mostly because it appeals to my own personal style). It was feminine and flirty…defined by classic shapes that evoke womenswear of the 40s. Pencil skirts and cocktail dresses abounded, and I was in heaven!
My favorite piece of the whole night was this Camel Peplum Jacket and Camel Pencil Skirt.
*SWOON!!! I love this suit!!! Here are a few others that impressed me…
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| Black Bell Sleeve Top, Lace Pencil Skirt |
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| Ivory Ruffle Dress |
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| “Cloud” Tulle Dress….amazing, right?? |
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| Even better from the back!! |
It was a great night and I loved being introduced to these new designers! I’ll definitely be dreaming of knife holsters, corsets, peplum jackets, and tulle dresses tonight!
Check back tomorrow for the Vert Couture Show…tons of eco-fashions that knocked my socks off!!!
On Wednesday, October 19th, I attended another headlining show for Chicago’s Fashion Focus week. The InspireDesign fashion show presented by Mario Tricoci and Vitamin Water featured five up-and-coming designers and announced the winners of the “Mario Make Me A Model” contest. There were some truly stunning designs featured–look for a video to be posted soon. 🙂
Almost as soon as I arrived, I snagged a picture with Mario…he’s so very dapper and dashing and sweet!
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| We found these awesome glasses in our giftbags and my friend Alyssa and I couldn’t wait to put them on! lol (Actually, I kind of forced her into putting them on and taking a picture. lol) |
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| Sexy. Totally… lol |
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| This is Lauren and Theresa, our row mates. Lauren is one of the founders of “The Girls of Lincoln Park” – a group girls reporting on fashion from their ‘hood. Theresa is an aspiring blogger. 🙂 Aren’t they gorgeous??? |
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| Our other row mates, Vanessa, editor of Technorati women and author of a french food-focused blog ChefDruck Musings, and Rowena who is the force behind SheShe Shoppers. I enjoyed chatting with them before the start of the show. You should def check out both of their blogs/sites! |
Here are some more pics of what I wore, because I know you are just dying to see more pics of me!
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| I actually hate this picture…I need to seriously learn how to pose!! |
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| I took these when I got home so that I could try to get a better pic. lol |
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| I call this look “librarian goth.” |
This outfit was perfect for the weather (which was gross and rainy and cold)! It was also easy to transition from day (as in office) to night. During the day, I wore a modest tank top under the sweater and plain black heels. To vavoom-it-up, I changed into a body suit and fishnets, and added my cage shoes from Nine West. The chunky black and white statement necklace and the zebra skinny belt added some pop to the outfit. Everyone kept saying that they loved my “dress,” so I guess it blended so well together that they couldn’t tell it was three separate pieces. 🙂
Outfit Rundown:
Sheer patterned Tshirt Sweater: Sejour via Nordstrom’s
Zebra skinny belt: Dressbarn
Pencil Skirt: Lane Bryant
Jewelry: Dressbarn and Forever 21
Shoes: Nine West via TJ Maxx
Check back soon for a video of the full show. I’m struggling to find good music for it! 🙁
I spent days trying to create individual little slide shows for each designer from the Macy’s Chicago Fashion Incubator show…until I realized that I could just create one monster video and analyze each designer later…
Genius, right? lol. Well, here it is. I just put some random music to it, so I’m sorry if you hate it! It’s Paolo Nutini’s Alloway Grove from the album, These Streets.
What do you think?? Any of the designs catch your eye?
This video includes pictures from these designers:
Modahnik
Crystal B. Designs
Shavonne Dorsey
Cettina
Gidi
C/FAN
Anna Hovet
Evil Kitty
Dottie’s Delights
Agga B.
Cynthia Ryba
Miriam Cecilia
It’s a major blogging day…so tons more videos to come!
xoxo
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