NY Fashion Week: Unique Designs Make a Splash at Eko-Laborative

eco fashion gray crocheted dress photo
Image Credit: Jordan Benaderet

Mass-produced, chemically dyed clothes do plenty of environmental damage, both here and abroad, but they also don’t do much for your personal style—there’s a good chance you’ll end up looking just like everyone else. But the handcrafted, sustainable pieces at this week’s Eko-Laborative exhibition, presented by Eko-Lab and Ekovaruhuset were anything but cookie cutter. Each was made of organic fibers—cotton, linen, hemp, wool—and colored with Earthues natural dyes. Crocheted jewelry, hand-mined gems, vintage charms, and striking headpieces finished the looks; read on for some of our favorites.

red and gray organic hemp gown photo
Image Credit: Alice Ng
Melissa Kirgan: Deep Waters
This organic hemp halter gown is detailed with crochet and vintage buttons, while the necklace is made from a sliced glass bottle. And yes, that is a live fish in that bowl.

organic linen dress with pearls photo
Image Credit: Jordan Benaderet
Johanna Hofring: African Seed Pearl Magic
Logwood Grey dye gives this organic linen dress its classic coloring, while seeds from Kenya decorate the intricate neckline.

yellow organic cotton dress photo
Image Credit: Duncan Brown
Meiling Chen: Homage to Rapunzel
Here’s tower living at its most glam: a ruffled skirt, gorgeous color, and one-of-a-kind hemp accessories.

organic cotton dress photo
Image Credit: Jordan Benaderet
Righteous: Stella Dress
This graffiti skirt and petticoat—intern Emma’s favorite—is structured, sculptural, and still eco-friendly: it’s made of organic cotton handpicked in Turkey, and the airbrushed dye is all-natural.