"Nothing less than admirable"

The manner in which designers of eco-fashion brands apply themselves to the work set in front of them, daily and seasonally, is nothing less than admirable. As eco-designers, they are allotted the double task of creating fashion that is forward, stylish, and original, as well as promoting awareness of the harmful impacts on the environment and offering solutions to the crisis. It's not easy making fashion statements and environmental statements, but these designers have proved repeatedly that they are more than willing and capable to manage the task. The NOW Showcase is proud to have such a collective of green designers ready to save the world in a stitch, a ruche, and a cinch! These brands, including Rain Tees, SDN, Rebe, and AngelRox, will all be featured at this year's Spring 11 Showcase. Behind every garment rack is a story-- come and see these sustainable collections and learn more about green efforts!

Rain Tees:
Saving Trees with Tees-- more than just an organic t-shirt line, Rain Tees is a brand that is wholly dedicated to the improvement of the environment and quality of life in rainforest communities. Launched in 2007 by Beth Doane as a response to the issues surrounding logging, oil drilling and agricultural expansion in the Amazon, as well as the toxic effects that the fashion industry has on the environment, Rain Tees serves as a venue for the education of consumers on these eco-harming factors and also provides a direct way for Rain Tees customers to help sponsor a child's education and the planting of new trees. Each tee is branded with original artwork made by children in endangered rainforest dwellings. School supplies are donated to the children, and then they are asked to draw what they see happening around them. Next, these illustrations are printed on 100% organic cotton tees using eco-friendly inks and dyes. Buy a tee, save a tree-- just one simple way to help out in the environment! Learn more about Rain Tees and the story behind the shirts here: http://www.raintees.com/

SDN:
One of the NOW Showcase's regulars, menswear/womenswear brand SDN continues to stun with wonderfully stylized original creations, cut from quality upcycled vintage fabrics. Adding to his already inventive stockpile of designs (including the pant-shoes, satin vests boasting arabesque motifs, and 1920s noir inspired capes and collar dresses), SDN mastermind Marcus Hicks introduces a new spring collection set against the backdrop of a deadly festive Día de los Muertos scene. With wrap-backs, smartly cut blazers, pinafore-front dresses, elegant blouses, and a handsome distribution of blacks, whites, greys and blue recycled denim in the new collection, SDN once again pushes past previous boundaries set in regards to design and style. What will we see next from this amazing designer? We're holding our breath in anticipation! See more of SDN here: http://www.sarahdixonsnova.com/

REBE:
Mother-daughter design duo Debra Weiss and Hillery Sproatt are the clever conceivers of this spritely buoyant womenswear and accessories line. A marriage of Debra's textile design expertise and Hillery's artistic and design sense, Rebe sports a collection full of polka dots, stripes, plaid, quilted patterns and fun textiles-- clothing reminiscent of childhood imagination, dreams captured in fabric, and overall fashion sensibility. In addition to gorgeous coats, dresses, tops, and trousers, the eco-brand also carries a wild assortment of handmade bags and purses (for dogs and babies too!) as well as knit and beaded jewelry. View the full collection on their website here: http://www.myrebe.com/

AngelRox:
"We're all angels," says Roxi Sugar, designer of green fashion brand AngelRox. This may be true, but after seeing her collection, it's clear that the 'angels' are really the designs that make up her collection. Branded by a cross and halo (a logo that represents balance), AngelRox's little angels are beautiful ethereal wrap dresses, cap sleeved winged tunic tops, outfits geared for travel and celestial flight, eternal vintage jeans, graceful maternity dresses, and more. With a conscious mind for the environment, Roxi uses an eco-friendly blend of sustainable fabrics including bamboo jersey and organic cotton for her luxurious creations in soothing colors of vanilla, espresso, sterling, and black. Focusing on versatility, AngelRox's headlining piece, the wrap, is a multi-wearable design, switching from use as a skirt, to become a dress, a cape, a flowing top, and more. See more of AngelRox's heavenly pieces here, including the line's ventures into bridalwear and eco-lingerie: http://www.angelrox.com/

See these designers and more at the NOW Spring 2011 Showcase, September 20-22.

ANGeLRoX: We are all Angels.

Owning an ANGeLRoX garment is about far more than adding a new piece to your closet-- it is about participating in a new way to look at clothing and life. The designer Roxi Sugar can sum up her philosophy of living in two words-- radiate joy-- and that's what these clothes create. The kicky print wings on the back of the polished jersey top are "a reminder" that "we are all angels." But it's not all Sugar in Roxi's world-- there is the most subtle and flirtatious hint of a goth vibe in her angel wing motif and the thick cross logo. It's a play of good and evil, to be sure, all enacted in the most understated and elegant of iconographies. Think high-class Tantric transcendence. These sleek and glossy garments are made from sumptuous and sustainable fabrics like bamboo jersey and the finest organic cotton, all biodegradable. The signature elegant wrap dress remains a classic, and for underneath, the angel undies promise a seamless transition into night.

Roxi has a reputation for being one of the most generous designers in New York, supporting a myriad of social causes with her clothes and staying true to her vision of fashion's future. For Roxi, a professor at NY's Parsons School of Design, fashion has moved beyond trends and she designs with longevity in mind. Every detail is done with care and with an eye towards a holistic product that clothes the body and uplifts the spirit. Her clothes have a celebrity following, with Sharon Stone and Bette Midler on board, and her line is carried in boutiques all over the US. Check out yet another Brooklyn visionary at the Now Fall 2010 Showcase, Feb 20-22, at the ICO Gallery.