It's London Fashion Week--Again
by Bonnie Alter, London on 02.12.08
It's back again: London Fashion Week and Estethica, the green fashion display, now in its fourth season. And along with the old favourites such as Katharine Hamnett, Ciel, Noir, there are some fascinating newcomers. Trends to watch: lots of greys, whites and blues ( despite the fashion mag's insistence on colours this spring), clothes are either casual or over the top and most interestingly--many designers are working with socially deprived groups to develop new skills or maintain old ones.
Fisher Garcia, a brand new company of two friends, reflects their love of luxury and Japanese textiles. In beautiful cream and indigo combinations, there are skirts and jackets made of pesticide-free silk and linens. The clothes are made by hand by a social enterprise collective in east London. The tops (pictured) and jackets have felted details which make scrunchy, irregular patterns, along with embroidery. A chiffon shirt has cut satin stitched on the front and an indigo skirt, made from metal-free vegetable dyes, has a batik effect. Elegant, unique and made from soft luxurious fabrics, these are for special eco-events.
Viridis Luxe is one of those L.A brands that Angelica Houston and Catherine Zeta-Jones are supposedly wearing--it is soft, casual, luxurious and looks great on tall thin women. Designed by two Los Angeles based friends, it is cool and stylish. Made out of hemp, organic cotton and cashmere, it is fair trade made and includes tops of bamboo knit and hemp as well.
Amana is another new company launched by two friends. These simple, casual and work-oriented clothes are designed in London and made by women artisans in a village perched high in the Middle Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The name "Amana" is Moroccan and means "delivered in trust". The skirts, tops and coats are made of all organic fabrics and are a well-priced good-looking line for work or "smart casual".
Monsoon, a clothing chain and sponsor of Estethica, is working with a group of women embroiderers in Kabul, Afghanistan. They are learning to combine traditional Afghani embroidery with a contemporary look and design so that they will be more attractive for the western market. In this way their skills can be used in today's fashion industry and the women can make a living. :: London Fashion Week
