'green' brands to demonstrate ethical fashion in London

03 Sep '08

3 min read

The Exhibition at London Fashion Week will host its fifth season of estethica on 15th -18th September 2008, the first and most prolific British platform devoted to promoting the best in ecosustainable fashion and sponsored by Monsoon for a third consecutive season.

estethica has firmly established its reputation for raising awareness and promoting the concept of ethically-minded fashion within the industry and the public, showcasing both long-established 'green' brands alongside emerging designers who are concerned with sustainability. The initiative has served to demonstrate that ethical fashion in London today is as creative and cutting edge as the mainstream, re-affirming that eco is not a compromise.

As consumer demand grows more sensitive to ecological design, estethica celebrates designers who choose to work with either recycled materials, organic and sustainable fibres, or who adhere to being fair trade, by producing their work in a safe and social environment. estethica is unique in that it offers a network of like-minded labels to come together during London Fashion Week.

Its sponsor, the organically grown brand Monsoon, is a founder member of the Ethical Trading Initiative and the importance of fair-trade and ethical fashion has been integral to its business heritage. It is proud to share its ethical journey with the young designers of the eco fashion future.

This season sees fourteen new labels joining the estethica exhibition including:
• Elena Garcia, whose couture designs are made from a mixture of organic and recycled materials. One of the rising stars of the sustainable fashion movement, her pieces are timeless and edgy.

• Phophetik, which was set up two years ago by Geff Garner and Maia Andersen. They produce wearable garments with 100% certified organic fabrics and ethical trading.

• Revamp - A charity led project that creates original one off pieces by putting together a co-operative of young designers with stock from and in collaboration with Cancer Research UK.

• The South African label Lunar, which was started in 1995 by designer Karen Ter Morshuizen who uses local craftsmen from Swaziland to keep local traditions alive. Crochet and African beading are both used in order to create classic and elegant organic/ethical pieces.

• G=9.8 is the French underwear label from Sophie Young. Her garments use wood pulp from sustainable white pine to create original, very sustainable underwear with a cashmere touch.

• Deborah Lindquist is perhaps the most well known of the brands thanks to her combination of recycling and use of environmentally friendly fabrics, such as tencel and hemp. She has become a firm favourite of celebrities including Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Hilary Duff and Charlize Theron.

Co-curated by Orsola de Castro, founder of green label From Somewhere, Filippo Ricci and The British Fashion Council, Orsola said: “This year the estethica vetting has been the most exciting so far, new emerging labels are showing us that the message has finally hit the mainstream: edgy design and eco passion really can go hand in hand.”

More British Fashion Council News... More Fashion News - United Kingdom...