May 22, 2012

We’ve Got Big Love for this Dress

20th Anniversary Environmental Media Awards Green Carpet We were pleased as punch to learn from the folks at Academy of Art this week that the simply eco-chic dress donned by Big Love star and eco-advocate Ginnifer Goodwin to last weekend’s 20th Anniversary Environmental Media Association Awards, held in Los Angeles, was a clever design by students Priscilla Guimarais, Kumiko Haruyama, Nui Tanapornwattana, Audrey Wang and Tramaine Tillman – collectively working to create a collection dubbed 1Oak (One Of A Kind).

This is more than a simple strapless frock. Instead of traditional fabric, the students reused hospital scrubs that would have otherwise been tossed, then dyed, pleated and treated away using sustainable construction methods to achieve the final look.

The dress was part of a larger collection created as part of a class project devoted to showcasing sustainable design from inception to garment completion.

Just so ya know, this pic really doesn’t do the dress justice. We recommend taking a peak over at the school’s Fashion School Daily blog for some worthy close-ups.

[Photo: Courtesy the Associated Press]

Green Gala Garden Party: Sustainable Fashion on the Runway

green-gala-uc-berkeley-invite_1

Some of the most exciting names in Bay Area sustainable fashion will show pieces from current collections during this weekend’s Green Gala Garden Party in the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

That new-on-the-scene and utterly intriguing Mr. Larkin, Permacouture founder and fiber artist Sasha Duerr, J.T. Leroy real-life alter ego Savannah Knoop of Tinc and eco-friendly denim pioneer Tierra Del Forte of Del Forte Denim are among the participating designers was enough to get our carbon offset, biofuel-powered engines running.

But add a redwood grove setting that’s positively gorge, organic eats, biodynamic wine and – oh yeah – a really great cause and we’re hooked like a teen on Twilight. The event is a benefit to raise funds for the care and maintenance of the garden’s 34 acres and 12,000 plant species.

When we spoke to Gala Program Coordinator Deepa Natarajan earlier this week, she told us that 70 percent of the garden’s funding comes from plant sales and fundraising efforts like this one. Along with its extensive collection of plants from around the world, the garden offers public programs that may appeal to fashion fans, including quarterly fiber dye workshops.

For more details, check out Lorraine’s post on the event on 7×7‘s Glamwatch blog, check out the official web site or call 510-643-7265 to purchase tickets ($95 in advance, $115 at the door).

Sneak Peek: Discarded to Divine Preview Friday

sweet-p_dress

Like many fans of local independent fashion, we’re looking forward to Friday’s Discarded to Divine evening preview at the de Young Museum with some serious gusto. It’ll give us a chance to get up close and personal with the annual project’s outpouring of apparel made from cast-off clothing and textiles. Sure to be one of the most popular pieces is the red dress shown above, a design from Project Runway contestant Sweet P.

Other standouts include the yellow and grey halter-topped dress by Art Institute of California student and designer Coral Castillo, who won the top spot in the women’s day wear category this year, and, below, a slinky black and white gown by Barbara Beccio.

coral-castillo

barbara-beccio

[Photo credits: (from top down) Ben Hoffman, Mara C. and Harry Haryanto]

But wait! There’s more. Looking for even more rockin’ indie fashion events going down this weekend? We thought so. Check out the SF Indie Fashion Calendar for the haps.