London Fashion Week: Estethica

For the first time, this year London Fashion Week is holding an exhibition of eco-fashion: Estethica. Thirteen designers who uphold the principles of fair trade, organic fabrics and recycling have been invited to show their works. The group includes some who are well known to treehuggers such as Enamore, Ciel and Terra Planna. But there are some amazing, lesser-known names from Europe that are very cutting edge, very sophisticated and very sexy. Treehugger was there and one of our favourites was Davina Hawthorne. She makes her gorgeous, form-fitting clothes out of recycled wool (see photo). Some have big "flowers" made of fabric and the palette of colours is very pale with greys and celadons. From Somewhere makes all of their clothes from left-over, discarded and ends-of-roll luxury fabrics. Their dresses are an eclectic mix of prints, stripes and patterns, sewn together in a way that works.

Katherine Hamnett has been around the English fashion scene forever and has been an environmentalist and fashion activist before it was fashionable. We were delighted to meet her because she has been an inspiration to so many. Her cotton clothing, for men and women, was very simple and casual in beige, white and coral colours. She is introducing a new E line (for ethically made and environmental) which is organic and reasonably priced and--a first--will be sold at a supermarket (Tesco). Then there is Project Alabama, a U.S label that produces only hand-stitched clothes; Trash Couture that recycles vintage frocks and on it goes. Definitely a treat for tired, but elated, treehugger fashionistas. :: London Fashion Week

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