Eco Fashion: From Birkenstock to Couture (9/15/2008)
Tierra Forte, Founder and Designer, Del Forte Denim
Caren Holzman, Director of Category Management, TransFair USA
Zem Joaquin, Director, Global Green Board; Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Ecofabulous; Contributing Editor, 7X7
Maggie Kim, Co-founder and Designer, oda
Joslin Van Arsdale, Owner, Eco Citizen
Lynda Grose, Assistant Professor of Fashion Design, California College of the Arts - Moderator
From Birkenstock to Bloomingdale’s, environmentally conscious companies have been raising their profile in the fashion industry. This past decade has witnessed the birth of eco-fashion – stylized clothing that uses environmentally sustainable materials and responsible production techniques. But is eco-fashion really as sensitive as it claims to be, or is this just another superficial fashion hype? What are the forces driving eco-fashion forward? Will consumers always have to balance fashion against sustainability and cost? And if so, what factors affect these decisions? A panel of industry experts – including fashion designers and boutique owners – discusses the eco-fashion movement, its attributes and its future.
This program was recorded in front of a live audience on September 15, 2008.