Perhaps Ecoluxe, another sustainable fashion event that occurs during London Fashion Week, is more of an independent venture and is broader in scope with eco brands from around the world… This year the event was held in the lobby of Kingsway Hall not far from Somerset House. Co-organized and curated by Stamo of By Stamo and Elena Garcia of Sew Last Season, the Ecoluxe exhibition comprises the full range of fashion categories from ready-to-wear to shoes and accessories including hats, bags, and jewelry. All vendors are either based in the United Kingdom (UK) or sell into the UK and many have a fascinating and heartwarming story to tell regarding the design and production of their product and/or a cause that they are supporting.
MuMu Organic
A good example is MuMu Organic, a small brand that is focused primarily on dresses. The entire line, designed and constructed in Greece, is comprised of organic cotton and sustainable fibers sourced from fair trade companies. Self–taught designer Athena Bentila is committed to fair wages for all and to only using materials that do not impact the Earth negatively. What makes this brand a standout are the unique tucks and folds that form elegant points of interest on simple designs, in mostly solid colored fabrics. The blue and beige single shoulder dress was especially attractive with a couple buttoned-down folds in contrasting colors that created a bit of tension.
Po Zu
UK-based Po Zu beautifully occupied the footwear segment of the show with an eco-friendly collection that represents a collaboration with the wearable art of Shoe Fluer as designed by Michel Tcherevkoff. The bright colorful designs are the perfect spring/summer additions to the wardrobe of any woman who wishes to add a bit of unique whimsy. The glueless stitch-and-turn construction of vegetable-tanned leather uppers on a latex sole with a coconut foot mattress allow for sustainable comfort as well.
Casa Kiro Joyas
In terms of jewelry, Casa Kiro Joyas showed a lovely collection of earthly designs made primarily from silver and resin. Designer and architect, Vania Ruiz, draws inspiration from the coastal Valparaiso region of Chile where she lives and works. The Curahuilla and Cochayuyo collections were the most captivating being comprised primarily of a sea blue and brown palette in innovative organic shapes.
By Stamo
By Stamo’s own presentation was a gorgeous collection in cream-colored silk separates. Many of the pieces from her Pleats in the Sea collection involved a creative and deft use of tucks that created attractive shapes and/or beautiful draping. Her sustainable goal is to produce items in the same region in which they are sold thus reducing the carbon footprint, which is currently the UK.
While Ecoluxe may not be viewed, on the whole, as refined an exhibition as Estethica, it undoubtedly displayed many treasures from an international group of emerging and mostly fair trade designers that were appealing and with a significant “do-good” factor.
Oceana Lott is a California-based eco-fashion blogger traveling the US (mostly CA) in search of eco treasures and inspiring stories. You can learn more about her eco style adventures at Oceana’s Canvas. You can also follow her on and Facebook.
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