A Goddess’s Guide To Sustainable Style

July 2011 Issue 1

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Nobody was expecting the season-long villain Gretchen Jones to walk away with the coveted �rst-place spot on

Project Runway, but thanks to some heavy duty endorsing by Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, the Oregonian who, er,

spoke her mind all season long, did just that.  A�er a night of celebrating with friends, she called EW to talk about why she

should have won, her next move, and how Tim Gunn’s apology to

her never aired. Entertainment Weekly: You’re in debt. Your possessions are in storage. But you just won this big prize. What do you

do now?

Gretchen Jones: I would be silly not to go to New York. My goal is to be there by the beginning of the year. �is is my time. It’s the next step for

me as a designer. So were you surprised you won? I wasn’t. I really believed in myself from the moment I started. You have to, not only as a designer

but as a competitor. I felt what I represented was very new for Project Runway, very functional and feminine and real. It’s important that Project Runway

choose somebody who could represent how modern fashion is moving – not just someone who puts on a good show.

Was last night the �rst time you heard the judges’ critiques of your runway show? To tell you the truth, my group of friends were so loud I didn’t get to hear it. But

from what I understand, Michael and Nina fought for me and those were the people I was really trying to reach.  I think Michael really understood me and

understood my potential as a designer. Nina has always been my favorite judge. I think all designers have to reach an editorial person. If you don’t speak to them,

you’re dead in the water.

I was answering questions. �ere’s

a di�erence between how I feel about

people on a personal level and how I felt

about their work. �e reality is my friends

and family think I’m great. �at’s awesome. I

know I’m a better designer for having gone

through this show and I know I’m a good person. I

know I have good intentions. And I’m walking away

with a lot of friends and if I was truly the antagonist they

wanted me to be, I wouldn’t have walked away

with so many friends.

I thought you and Ivy were friends. What was up with her throwing

you under the bus? Yeah, that totally shocked me. I feel like I got

attacked in a way that was not really about me. It was just ridiculous. We all

had opinions about each other’s work. Like I said, the crazy thing is how much

airtime I got. We all said things that could have been used in a certain light. With

all that airtime, it just made people talk about me more, and it will make people

remember me more in a few years. Perhaps the most uncomfortable moment of the

season was when Tim Gunn yelled at all the designers for letting you manipulate them

during the group challenge. Did you make peace with him a�erwards? I felt like his

comments were really out of context. Tim isn’t there throughout the entirety of each challenge.

All he gets to experience is the runway. And who wouldn’t �ght for their life on the runway?

It’s been

hard, but this is kind of

my life now. It’s only been in the

blogosphere that there have been any negative

connotations. I don’t read any of them. �at’s the �rst way

of ruining your chances as an artist. It’s so easy to have a voice if you

can be anonymous. On a day-to-day basis, I have so many people come up to me

and tell them they relate to me. In the end, Mondo’s collection was fun and playful and

exciting to watch. He’s a master when it comes to textiles. But my goal was not just to put on a great show.

It’s to dress women. And my collection spoke to real women. Do you see yourself di�erently a�er watching this

whole season and especially the reunion, when your fellow designers still seemed angry at you?

I do and I don’t. What I’m really grateful for was the way the show was presented, which gave me even more exposure than I

was anticipating because of my antagonistic role. was answering questions. �ere’s a di�erence between how I feel about

people on a personal level and how I felt about their work. �e reality is my friends and family think I’m great. �at’s

awesome. I know I’m a better designer for having gone through this show and I know I’m a good person. I know I

have good intentions. And I’m walking away with a lot of friends and if I was truly the antagonist they wanted

me to be, I wouldn’t have walked away with so many friends. I thought you and Ivy were friends. What

was up with her throwing you under the bus? Yeah, that totally shocked me. I feel like I got

attacked in a way that was not really about me. It was just ridiculous. We all had

opinions about each other’s work. Like I said, the all that could have been

used in a certain light. With all that airtime, it just made

people talk about me more, and it will make

people remember me more

in a few years.

Gretchen Gretchen Taking the World of Fashion by

Storm as Project Runway’s FIRST SUSTAINABLE DESIGNERFIRST SUSTAINABLE DESIGNER

By Jessica ShawBy Jessica Shaw

Nobody was expecting the season-long villain Gretchen Jones to walk away with the coveted �rst-place spot on

Project Runway, but thanks to some heavy duty endorsing by Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, the Oregonian who, er,

spoke her mind all season long, did just that.  A�er a night of celebrating with friends, she called EW to talk about why she

should have won, her next move, and how Tim Gunn’s apology to

her never aired. Entertainment Weekly: You’re in debt. Your possessions are in storage. But you just won this big prize. What do you

do now?

Gretchen Jones: I would be silly not to go to New York. My goal is to be there by the beginning of the year. �is is my time. It’s the next step for

me as a designer. So were you surprised you won? I wasn’t. I really believed in myself from the moment I started. You have to, not only as a designer

but as a competitor. I felt what I represented was very new for Project Runway, very functional and feminine and real. It’s important that Project Runway

choose somebody who could represent how modern fashion is moving – not just someone who puts on a good show.

Was last night the �rst time you heard the judges’ critiques of your runway show? To tell you the truth, my group of friends were so loud I didn’t get to hear it. But

from what I understand, Michael and Nina fought for me and those were the people I was really trying to reach.  I think Michael really understood me and

understood my potential as a designer. Nina has always been my favorite judge. I think all designers have to reach an editorial person. If you don’t speak to them,

you’re dead in the water.

I was answering questions. �ere’s

a di�erence between how I feel about

people on a personal level and how I felt

about their work. �e reality is my friends

and family think I’m great. �at’s awesome. I

know I’m a better designer for having gone

through this show and I know I’m a good person. I

know I have good intentions. And I’m walking away

with a lot of friends and if I was truly the antagonist they

wanted me to be, I wouldn’t have walked away

with so many friends.

I thought you and Ivy were friends. What was up with her throwing

you under the bus? Yeah, that totally shocked me. I feel like I got

attacked in a way that was not really about me. It was just ridiculous. We all

had opinions about each other’s work. Like I said, the crazy thing is how much

airtime I got. We all said things that could have been used in a certain light. With

all that airtime, it just made people talk about me more, and it will make people

remember me more in a few years. Perhaps the most uncomfortable moment of the

season was when Tim Gunn yelled at all the designers for letting you manipulate them

during the group challenge. Did you make peace with him a�erwards? I felt like his

comments were really out of context. Tim isn’t there throughout the entirety of each challenge.

All he gets to experience is the runway. And who wouldn’t �ght for their life on the runway?

It’s been

hard, but this is kind of

my life now. It’s only been in the

blogosphere that there have been any negative

connotations. I don’t read any of them. �at’s the �rst way

of ruining your chances as an artist. It’s so easy to have a voice if you

can be anonymous. On a day-to-day basis, I have so many people come up to me

and tell them they relate to me. In the end, Mondo’s collection was fun and playful and

exciting to watch. He’s a master when it comes to textiles. But my goal was not just to put on a great show.

It’s to dress women. And my collection spoke to real women. Do you see yourself di�erently a�er watching this

whole season and especially the reunion, when your fellow designers still seemed angry at you?

I do and I don’t. What I’m really grateful for was the way the show was presented, which gave me even more exposure than I

was anticipating because of my antagonistic role. was answering questions. �ere’s a di�erence between how I feel about

people on a personal level and how I felt about their work. �e reality is my friends and family think I’m great. �at’s

awesome. I know I’m a better designer for having gone through this show and I know I’m a good person. I know I

have good intentions. And I’m walking away with a lot of friends and if I was truly the antagonist they wanted

me to be, I wouldn’t have walked away with so many friends. I thought you and Ivy were friends. What

was up with her throwing you under the bus? Yeah, that totally shocked me. I feel like I got

attacked in a way that was not really about me. It was just ridiculous. We all had

opinions about each other’s work. Like I said, the all that could have been

used in a certain light. With all that airtime, it just made

people talk about me more, and it will make

people remember me more

in a few years.

Gretchen Gretchen Taking the World of Fashion by

Storm as Project Runway’s FIRST SUSTAINABLE DESIGNERFIRST SUSTAINABLE DESIGNER

By Jessica ShawBy Jessica Shaw

By: Peter Vern

6

Our PurposeDrive sustainability in fashion  Have You HeardMore than 8,000 chemicals are used to make your clothingAlmost 70% of clothing workers worldwide are womenUS consumers spent $500 billion on sustainable products in 200825% of the world’s pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton Today America is the largest exporter of cotton in the world

Want To Know MoreThe Sustainable Fashion & Textile workshops are curated, easy to understand and interactive presentations on sustainability. Held nationwide in creative settings such as the Pratt Institute, the workshops engage audiences in the important facts about sustainable fashion and textiles to drive positive change in the industry.

Event Feedback“I thought that the event was great, very enlightening.”“The workshop was eye-opening.”“The talk we all had was informative and exciting.”

 During The Event Your RecieveAn in-depth review of current practices and innovationsClarity around the various sustainability claims being made by companiesUnderstanding of new business opportunitiesEducation for professional and personal development

Zero-waste design isn’t a new technology or material. Instead, it’s a new way of thinking—a philosophy that forces you to challenge existing techniques and become a smarter designer. Technique-wise, it involves fitting all the flat pieces of your clothing pattern like a jigsaw puzzle so no fabric is wasted. Considering that roughly 15 percent of the fabric is discarded when a typical garment is made, the cumulative effect of leaving behind no waste has far-reaching environmental consequences. More than that, however, zero waste about working within those constraints to invent beautiful new forms of fashion.

Fashion As Gastronomy

It might be easier to understand the significance of zero-waste fashion if we compared it to the revolution in haute cuisine. Just like fashion designers, most chefs don’t invent new techniques. Rather, they modify preexisting recipes by mixing different styles, genres, and trends. Pattern-making has changed very little in the past hundred years. So-called “innovation” is really a fusion of different references. Although there are hypothetically unlimited options for creativity, most people tend to follow predictable routines. Pattern-making, for instance, has changed very little in the past hundred years. But unlike in food, our lack of originality in fashion is actually poisoning the planet, and we urgently need to invent alternatives.

Fashion As Science

Two of the world’s top chefs, Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adrias, have turned to the science of molecular gastronomy to challenge the fundamentals of cooking. Both have held the title for world’s best restaurant. They’ve also invented impossible new foods, from egg-and-bacon ice cream to foie gras cotton candy. Their food may sound frivolous, but these chefs have learned to use techniques and a level of

knowledge previously reserved for scientists. Adrias has even closed his restaurant until 2014 to pursue his research. Zero waste is avant-garde cuisine’s fashion equivalent because it challenges the basics of making clothes. Zero waste is avant-garde cuisine’s equivalent in fashion because it challenges the fundamentals of making clothing. Behind the seemingly effortless designs is a growing body of research that draws on different branches or science and mathematics. It requires pattern-making know-how, a working understanding of sustainability principles, and an inquisitive mind that is constantly learning.

Fashion As Art

When it comes down to it, however, zero-waste fashion is still an art form. It’s like writing poetry. At first, it’s difficult to write in rhyme and meter. In a sonnet, you must work with a limit of 14 lines. Only when you devote yourself to this medium can you tell a story and evoke emotion. Anyone can drape a rectangle of fabric, make a kimono, or stick some leftovers on a dress. But to make a zero-waste tailored ensemble for high fashion requires an entirely different level of skill.Zero waste requires smarter, more fearless designers who can see beyond drape and cut.

I hope that my zero-waste fashion research becomes an incubator for the fashion techniques of the future. They started out as a “cute” idea, but my designs have become increasingly more complex and sophisticated with each passing season. Zero waste requires deliberate consideration, along with smarter, more fearless designers who can see beyond drape and cut. Zero-waste design is definitely not easy, but it’s one of the more creative tools the fashion industry has to build a brighter future.

7

TOPDESIGNERS

ten websites and

to look for this season

miranda CHANCE

Nobody was surprised when Miranda

Chance snagged the grand prize in our

Recycled Denim Challenge for her

de�ly woven saddlebag. By

transmuting casto� jeans and leather

jackets into objects of newfound

desire, the aptly christened Chance

gives land�ll-bound materials a

�ghting chance on terra �rma. Despite

their Down Under roots, the carryalls

are the epitome of all-American

utility—rugged yet elegant, classic yet

contemporary, with personality

to spare.

ETSY

Made from salvaged denim and

leather, Miranda Chance’s bags come

in a variety of streamlined silhouettes

and sizes, ranging from the compact

Abbey shoulder bag (with room for

your wallet, iPad, and lipstick) to the

capacious Zeppelin du�e for

weekends and business trips. For

in-between moments, you have the

Je�erson cross-body, which took home

the grand prize in the Ecouterre

Recycled Denim Challenge with 899

votes, the striped La Salis messenger,

and the boho Je�erson hobo.

Our mission is to enable people to make

a living making things, and to reconnect

makers with buyers. Our vision is to

build a new economy and present a

better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live

Handmade. �e Etsy community spans

the globe with buyers and sellers coming

from more than 150 countries. Etsy

sellers number in the hundreds

of thousands.

If each of these sellers stood outside at

night with a really bright �ashlight

pointed towards the sky, it might look

something like the image to the right.

Etsy was founded in June, 2005. We are a

community and a company. Click the

image to the right for a view of the

community, and see below for who

works at Etsy Inc.

sustainable DESIGNERS.com

�e purpose of the National Association of Sustainable Fashion

Designers is to assist entrepreneurs with growing fashion related

businesses that create social change and respect the environment. �e

organization provides specialized triple bottom line education,

training, and access to tools and industry resources that advance

creative, innovative and high impact businesses. Our founding local

chapter is in New York – Sustainable Designers of New York (SDNY).

�e organization was o�cially chartered in 2008.

Our mission is to create social change through design and fashion

related businesses by providing education, training and programs

that are transformative to entrepreneurs, the industry and the

community. �rough our work we cultivate collaboration,

sustainability and economic growth. Sustainable Designers is a safe

place to share thoughts, ideas and challenges. People grow together

and collectively accomplish great things in life, business and the

community. We are life-long knowledge seekers that provide leading

edge lifestyle, business and industry information to all that aim to

learn and grow.

We work to develop and train smart entrepreneurial leaders who

become �nancially independent and throughout their journey create

social and environmental change that increases opportunities for

those around them. Our work by nature is fun. We incorporate color,

creativity, inspiration and motivation in everything we do. We look

forward to everyday. �ere is no separation of happiness between

family, work and well-being.

�e purpose of the

National Association of

Sustainable Fashion

Designers is to assist

entrepreneurs with growing

fashion related businesses

that create social change

and respect the

environment. �e

organization provides

specialized triple bottom

line education, training,

and access to tools and

�rough our work we cultivate collaboration, sustainability and

economic growth. Sustainable Designers is a safe place to share

thoughts, ideas and challenges. People grow together and collectively

accomplish great things in life, business and the community. We are

life-long knowledge seekers that provide leading edge lifestyle,

business and industry information to all that aim to learn and grow.

We work to develop and train smart entrepreneurial leaders who

become �nancially independent and throughout their journey create

social and environmental change that increases opportunities for

those around them. Our work by nature is fun. We incorporate color,

creativity, inspiration and motivation in everything we do. We look

forward to everyday is evers eparation of happiness between family.

TOPDESIGNERS

ten websites and

to look for this season

miranda CHANCE

Nobody was surprised when Miranda

Chance snagged the grand prize in our

Recycled Denim Challenge for her

de�ly woven saddlebag. By

transmuting casto� jeans and leather

jackets into objects of newfound

desire, the aptly christened Chance

gives land�ll-bound materials a

�ghting chance on terra �rma. Despite

their Down Under roots, the carryalls

are the epitome of all-American

utility—rugged yet elegant, classic yet

contemporary, with personality

to spare.

ETSY

Made from salvaged denim and

leather, Miranda Chance’s bags come

in a variety of streamlined silhouettes

and sizes, ranging from the compact

Abbey shoulder bag (with room for

your wallet, iPad, and lipstick) to the

capacious Zeppelin du�e for

weekends and business trips. For

in-between moments, you have the

Je�erson cross-body, which took home

the grand prize in the Ecouterre

Recycled Denim Challenge with 899

votes, the striped La Salis messenger,

and the boho Je�erson hobo.

Our mission is to enable people to make

a living making things, and to reconnect

makers with buyers. Our vision is to

build a new economy and present a

better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live

Handmade. �e Etsy community spans

the globe with buyers and sellers coming

from more than 150 countries. Etsy

sellers number in the hundreds

of thousands.

If each of these sellers stood outside at

night with a really bright �ashlight

pointed towards the sky, it might look

something like the image to the right.

Etsy was founded in June, 2005. We are a

community and a company. Click the

image to the right for a view of the

community, and see below for who

works at Etsy Inc.

sustainable DESIGNERS.com

�e purpose of the National Association of Sustainable Fashion

Designers is to assist entrepreneurs with growing fashion related

businesses that create social change and respect the environment. �e

organization provides specialized triple bottom line education,

training, and access to tools and industry resources that advance

creative, innovative and high impact businesses. Our founding local

chapter is in New York – Sustainable Designers of New York (SDNY).

�e organization was o�cially chartered in 2008.

Our mission is to create social change through design and fashion

related businesses by providing education, training and programs

that are transformative to entrepreneurs, the industry and the

community. �rough our work we cultivate collaboration,

sustainability and economic growth. Sustainable Designers is a safe

place to share thoughts, ideas and challenges. People grow together

and collectively accomplish great things in life, business and the

community. We are life-long knowledge seekers that provide leading

edge lifestyle, business and industry information to all that aim to

learn and grow.

We work to develop and train smart entrepreneurial leaders who

become �nancially independent and throughout their journey create

social and environmental change that increases opportunities for

those around them. Our work by nature is fun. We incorporate color,

creativity, inspiration and motivation in everything we do. We look

forward to everyday. �ere is no separation of happiness between

family, work and well-being.

�e purpose of the

National Association of

Sustainable Fashion

Designers is to assist

entrepreneurs with growing

fashion related businesses

that create social change

and respect the

environment. �e

organization provides

specialized triple bottom

line education, training,

and access to tools and

�rough our work we cultivate collaboration, sustainability and

economic growth. Sustainable Designers is a safe place to share

thoughts, ideas and challenges. People grow together and collectively

accomplish great things in life, business and the community. We are

life-long knowledge seekers that provide leading edge lifestyle,

business and industry information to all that aim to learn and grow.

We work to develop and train smart entrepreneurial leaders who

become �nancially independent and throughout their journey create

social and environmental change that increases opportunities for

those around them. Our work by nature is fun. We incorporate color,

creativity, inspiration and motivation in everything we do. We look

forward to everyday is evers eparation of happiness between family.

�ere is a little white label on

clothing, usually tucked away

behind the brand tag or sewn

into a side seam. �ankfully,

that label is becoming

increasingly more important

as many of us want to know

how, where and from what

our clothes are made. Today,

ethical fashion is an option.

Sustainable fabrics, fair trade

and social enterprises are all

on the rise. LabelGazer.com's

goal is to shine a spotlight on

the many wonderful

designers exploring various

areas of socially responsible,

ethical and eco-friendly

fashion.

label GAZER

In a society obsessed with instant grati�cation, novelty, and

conspicuous consumption, it’s easy to dismiss fashion design as

frivolous. Skirt lengths and platform heights appear

inconsequential when juxtaposed with real-world concerns like

climate change, economic strife, water shortages, and hunger and

malnutrition. But if you consider the fact that clothing is

something we envelope our bodies in every single day, to ignore

the apparel industry’s environmental and social impact would be

negligent, not to mention foolhardy. $2 billion of hazardous

pesticides are used every year to grow cotton—more than any

other agricultural crop.

Clothing uses more water than any other industry besides

agriculture. Conventional cotton, which is grown in more than 70

countries and comprises almost 50 percent of textiles worldwide,

also happens to be the most toxic crop in the world. Roughly $2

billion of hazardous chemical pesticides are released into the air

every year, accounting for 16 percent of global insecticides—more

than any other agricultural crop. (To put this in context, it takes

about a third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to

grow enough cotton for a T-shirt.) �e World Health Organization

estimates that at least 3 million people are poisoned by pesticides

every year, resulting in 220,000 deaths worldwide annually. In rural

ENCOUNTERRE.com

communities, where poverty

prevents farm workers from

taking the necessary

precautions, miscarriages,

premature births, and sickly

children are rampant.

Like any good product design,

clothing production can be

accomplished in a better,

smarter, and more socially and

environmentally sustainable

way. Ecouterre is about

changing people’s minds about

what “fashion” design entails,

beyond �eeting fads and

mindless consumerism. Like

any good product design,

clothing production can be

accomplished in a better,

smarter, and more socially and

environmentally sustainable

way.

At uluru, there is great intent in

each silhouette, seam, and detail. I

believe that less is more. I believe

clothing speaks your identity and

that your identity should be yours;

�uid not �ckle, and de�nitely not

de�ned by a label. �ere is space

in my garments for women to

interpret, move, accessorize, layer,

and wear.

My inspirations come from

history, others and mine. A time

when fashion (or life for that

matter) was slower, producer and

consumer were closer

ULURUstella MCCARTNEY

Born and raised in London and the English

countryside, Stella McCartney graduated

from Central St Martins in 1995. A signature

style of sharp tailoring, natural con�dence

and sexy femininity was immediately

apparent in her �rst collection and a�er only

two collections, in 1997, she was appointed

the Creative Director of Chloe in Paris and

enjoyed great success during her tenure.

In 2001, Stella McCartney launched her own

fashion house under her name in a joint

venture with Gucci Group (now the PPR

Luxury Group) and showed her �rst

collection in Paris in October 2001. A lifelong

vegetarian, Stella McCartney does not use any

leather or fur in her designs. Her collections

include women’s ready-to-wear, accessories,

lingerie, eyewear, fragrance and organic

skincare. Her �rst perfume, “Stella”, launched

successfully in September 2003.

Stella McCartney now operates 17

freestanding stores in locations including

Manhattan’s Soho, London’s Mayfair, LA’s

West Hollywood, Paris’ Palais Royal and

Milan, and recently opened doors in Rome

and Miami. Her collections are now

distributed in over 50 countries through 600

wholesale accounts including specialty shops

and department stores.

In addition to the main line collection, a

long-term partnership with adidas was

introduced in September 2004. �e critically

acclaimed sports performance collection

“adidas by Stella McCartney,” has since

successfully grown to include several athletic

disciplines including running, gym, yoga,

tennis, swimming, golf, winter sports and

triathlon. In September 2010, Stella

McCartney was appointed Team GB’s

Creative Director for the 2012 Olympics by

adidas – the �rst time in the history of the

games that a leading fashion designer has

designed the apparel for a country’s team

across all competitions for both the Olympic

and the Paralympic Games.

With a team of writers that spread across

four continents, EFW (Eco Fashion World)

o�ers all the latest eco-fashion news and

reviews, designer Q&A’s, store pro�les,

launch updates, and interviews with their

“favorite ethical divas.”

I peruse their “comprehensive eco fashion

�nder” for brands or shops and resources

around the globe to save myself

time sometimes.ecoFASHION

world

modCLOTH.com

Founded by high school sweethearts, Eric

Koger and Susan Gregg Koger, and built on a

foundation of love for vintage and retro

clothing, ModCloth.com is an online clothing,

accessories, and decor retailer that aims to

provide a fun and engaging shopping

atmosphere for you, our customer. We do this

by interacting with you via social network sites

like Twitter and Facebook, requesting your

feedback through the ModCloth Blog and

product reviews, and asking you to vote on

potential inventory with the Be the Buyer

program, all with the intention of running a

fashion business in a democratic style.

�ere is a little white label on

clothing, usually tucked away

behind the brand tag or sewn

into a side seam. �ankfully,

that label is becoming

increasingly more important

as many of us want to know

how, where and from what

our clothes are made. Today,

ethical fashion is an option.

Sustainable fabrics, fair trade

and social enterprises are all

on the rise. LabelGazer.com's

goal is to shine a spotlight on

the many wonderful

designers exploring various

areas of socially responsible,

ethical and eco-friendly

fashion.

label GAZER

In a society obsessed with instant grati�cation, novelty, and

conspicuous consumption, it’s easy to dismiss fashion design as

frivolous. Skirt lengths and platform heights appear

inconsequential when juxtaposed with real-world concerns like

climate change, economic strife, water shortages, and hunger and

malnutrition. But if you consider the fact that clothing is

something we envelope our bodies in every single day, to ignore

the apparel industry’s environmental and social impact would be

negligent, not to mention foolhardy. $2 billion of hazardous

pesticides are used every year to grow cotton—more than any

other agricultural crop.

Clothing uses more water than any other industry besides

agriculture. Conventional cotton, which is grown in more than 70

countries and comprises almost 50 percent of textiles worldwide,

also happens to be the most toxic crop in the world. Roughly $2

billion of hazardous chemical pesticides are released into the air

every year, accounting for 16 percent of global insecticides—more

than any other agricultural crop. (To put this in context, it takes

about a third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to

grow enough cotton for a T-shirt.) �e World Health Organization

estimates that at least 3 million people are poisoned by pesticides

every year, resulting in 220,000 deaths worldwide annually. In rural

ENCOUNTERRE.com

communities, where poverty

prevents farm workers from

taking the necessary

precautions, miscarriages,

premature births, and sickly

children are rampant.

Like any good product design,

clothing production can be

accomplished in a better,

smarter, and more socially and

environmentally sustainable

way. Ecouterre is about

changing people’s minds about

what “fashion” design entails,

beyond �eeting fads and

mindless consumerism. Like

any good product design,

clothing production can be

accomplished in a better,

smarter, and more socially and

environmentally sustainable

way.

At uluru, there is great intent in

each silhouette, seam, and detail. I

believe that less is more. I believe

clothing speaks your identity and

that your identity should be yours;

�uid not �ckle, and de�nitely not

de�ned by a label. �ere is space

in my garments for women to

interpret, move, accessorize, layer,

and wear.

My inspirations come from

history, others and mine. A time

when fashion (or life for that

matter) was slower, producer and

consumer were closer

ULURUstella MCCARTNEY

Born and raised in London and the English

countryside, Stella McCartney graduated

from Central St Martins in 1995. A signature

style of sharp tailoring, natural con�dence

and sexy femininity was immediately

apparent in her �rst collection and a�er only

two collections, in 1997, she was appointed

the Creative Director of Chloe in Paris and

enjoyed great success during her tenure.

In 2001, Stella McCartney launched her own

fashion house under her name in a joint

venture with Gucci Group (now the PPR

Luxury Group) and showed her �rst

collection in Paris in October 2001. A lifelong

vegetarian, Stella McCartney does not use any

leather or fur in her designs. Her collections

include women’s ready-to-wear, accessories,

lingerie, eyewear, fragrance and organic

skincare. Her �rst perfume, “Stella”, launched

successfully in September 2003.

Stella McCartney now operates 17

freestanding stores in locations including

Manhattan’s Soho, London’s Mayfair, LA’s

West Hollywood, Paris’ Palais Royal and

Milan, and recently opened doors in Rome

and Miami. Her collections are now

distributed in over 50 countries through 600

wholesale accounts including specialty shops

and department stores.

In addition to the main line collection, a

long-term partnership with adidas was

introduced in September 2004. �e critically

acclaimed sports performance collection

“adidas by Stella McCartney,” has since

successfully grown to include several athletic

disciplines including running, gym, yoga,

tennis, swimming, golf, winter sports and

triathlon. In September 2010, Stella

McCartney was appointed Team GB’s

Creative Director for the 2012 Olympics by

adidas – the �rst time in the history of the

games that a leading fashion designer has

designed the apparel for a country’s team

across all competitions for both the Olympic

and the Paralympic Games.

With a team of writers that spread across

four continents, EFW (Eco Fashion World)

o�ers all the latest eco-fashion news and

reviews, designer Q&A’s, store pro�les,

launch updates, and interviews with their

“favorite ethical divas.”

I peruse their “comprehensive eco fashion

�nder” for brands or shops and resources

around the globe to save myself

time sometimes.ecoFASHION

world

modCLOTH.com

Founded by high school sweethearts, Eric

Koger and Susan Gregg Koger, and built on a

foundation of love for vintage and retro

clothing, ModCloth.com is an online clothing,

accessories, and decor retailer that aims to

provide a fun and engaging shopping

atmosphere for you, our customer. We do this

by interacting with you via social network sites

like Twitter and Facebook, requesting your

feedback through the ModCloth Blog and

product reviews, and asking you to vote on

potential inventory with the Be the Buyer

program, all with the intention of running a

fashion business in a democratic style.

“Well behaved women rarely MAKE HISTORY”

FUELING YOUR INNER REBEL SINCE 1881.FUELING YOUR INNER REBEL SINCE 1881.