Ethical Fashion Show: Parisian Style
by Bonnie Alter, London on 10.15.07
It's Paris so they really know how to do fashion and it's ethical so it's our kind of fashion. The Ethical Fashion show is the world's largest event devoted solely to eco and fair trade clothing. Over 4 days designers from forty different countries across the world displayed their wares, with catwalk shows and forums. It is very international: the list of designers is enough to keep a green fashionista glued to the net for hours, checking out all the links. From Ghana to Japan to Mali, the range of creativity is astonishing; proving once more that a social conscience is not a hindrance to high fashion.
Some of the names are familiar to treehugger readers: Moly Kulte from Canada, and Pacachuti panama hats Ecuador and Izzy Lane from the U.K. But the new discoveries come from far and near: Aoi from Japan (pictured) with beautifully cut coats and dresses made from ancient kimonos and Ba Faro, a menswear designer from Mali. Carmanita, from Indonesia, designs flowing dresses made of modern batik and from the Cameroons, horn jewellery. An award for retailing was given to Marks & Spencer for "most progressive" company, Wildlifeworks UK and Lush also took top prizes, as did Beyond Skin shoes. :: Ethical Fashion Show Via :: Guardian
I think you misread the Guardian article, Bonnie. M&S, Wildlifeworks, Lush et al were recognised at a good business awards event held in London by the RSPCA. The winner of the Ethical Fashion Show Award was Nanduti, a young Paris-based company founded by Liliana Riveros, which promotes the traditional skills of textile artisans in Argentina and Paraguay. Ethical accessory labels Ombre Claire and Moyi Ekolo were also given EFS awards, while organic and fair trade clothing line Ethos were the winners of a prize sponsored by La Redoute.
The panama hats are a tradition that has taken very high the name of Panama. These hats are created by craftsmen of the rear area, made by hands and use products of the best quality.