As an Aveda salon, we are always heartened when high fashion meets eco-friendly practices, materials, and manufacturing techniques. Gone are the days when “eco-friendly fashion” meant hippie gear, lackluster fabrics and iffy quality. As more and more designers take a stand against the waste and pollution that the fashion industry produces, their offerings are stepping up to the plate — quite rightly sharing the runways and red carpets with the sovereigns of the fashion world. Here are seven of our favorite eco-friendly labels — roll out the green carpet.
1. Stella McCartney
With a label that’s nearly synonymous with “sustainable,” Stella McCartney’s collections are always effortlessly chic, but also eco-, animal-, and women-friendly. Created with wind-energy-powered manufacturing, ethically sourced materials and alternatives to leather and fur, McCartney’s “designed for life” garments are crafted not so much to jump off the runway with avant-garde sensibilities, as they are to jump into the closets of smart, busy women worldwide.
MARCUS TONDO/INDIGITALIMAGES.COM | SOURCE: VOGUE.COM
2. Reformation
Blink and you’ll miss the designs-of-the-moment at Reformation, the brainchild of designer Yael Aflalo. Browse their SoHo store locally (there’s another in L.A.) for ne-plus-ultra limited-edition looks created with surplus materials, repurposed vintage garments and sustainable fabrics. Their clean lines and chic aesthetic have appealed to the likes of Rihanna and Taylor Swift.
REFORMATION | SOURCE: JOINTHEREFORMATION.COM
3. Edun
The majority of Edun’s Spring 2015 collection was produced in Africa — which is expected, given that its owners (U2’s Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson) founded the brand partly as a vehicle to promote African fair trade. Head designer Danielle Sherman says the minimalist lines, strong graphics, clever color- and texture-blocking, and easy silhouettes in this season’s collection hearken back to African influences. Sometimes that’s apparent, sometimes not. What’s obvious is that this label, which got a slow start out of the gate, is up there with fashion’s major contenders for a reason: It’s fabulous.
MONICA FEUDI/FEUDIGUAINERI.COM | SOURCE: VOGUE.COM
4. H&M Conscious
Mega-brand H&M has always been kind to our wallets and to our desire to stay on trend, and guess what? — it’s latest venture is kind to the earth as well. H&M Conscious is its eco line, creating looks with those special touches that turn everyday dressing into legit street style, and can walk the red carpet with the best of them (just ask Penelope Cruz). The clothes are at once ethical, sustainable, and luxe.
5. Alabama Chanin
We’re huge fans of Alabama Chanin, whose DIY-meets-high-fashion aesthetic makes looking extremely stylish so down-to-earth. Using recycled, organic and repurposed materials and natural dyes, Alabama Chanin’s thoughtful handmade designs keep silhouette, proportion and attention to detail at the forefront of each garment.
6. Rahul Mishra
Rahul Mishra’s gorgeous Spring/Summer 2015 RTW collection, made primarily from sustainable merino wool fiber, charmed the crowds at Paris Fashion Week and beyond. Sleek, intricately crafted and with a captivating color story, the sophisticated show blended earth-friendly fashion with traditional Indian garment-crafting techniques. You can find his International Woolmark Prize-winning collection here in NYC at Saks Fifth Avenue.
REGIS COLIN BERTHELIER | SOURCE: NOWFASHION.COM
7. Issey Miyake
When the innovative (and sustainable) fashion house Issey Miyake puts on a fashion show, it puts on a show. Known for its use of cutting-edge technology to create amazing textiles, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae did not disappoint during Paris Fashion Week. The aerodynamic, impeccably tailored, futuristic and ethereal garments for their Spring/Summer 2015 line were created from eco-friendly fabrics with an incredible texturizing technique known as “3D steam stretch.”
MARCUS TONDO/INDIGITALIMAGES.COM | SOURCE: VOGUE.COM
Looking at these killer designs in mainstream fashion, it’s incredible to think that when Aveda launched in 1978, its ideas of sustainability, ethical sourcing, non-toxicity and eco-friendly manufacturing practices were revolutionary! We love being able to feel good about the way we look, and we are thrilled to have more and more fashion options that are kind to the planet.