*** Snoflake ***

Toronto-based designer Debbie Sutton has played the fashion field. After graduating from Toronto's International Academy of Fashion Merchandising and Design, she worked her way through the ranks from cutter to assistant fashion designer, fashion merchandiser, stylist and key-team member with a successful Canadian bridal designer.
It was her work in bridal fashions that gave her the final kick to follow her urge to get more creative and branch out.

In 2000, she launched her own contemporary women's boutique line. All of her garments provide the perfect blend of quality, great tailoring, feminine detailing and inspired flourishes. Her line is designed and manufactured exclusively in Canada and she has already developed a strong clientele of young, urban, professional women.

The Snowflake line is sold in stores across Canada and the United States and you can also find some great deals and get more info on Snowflake's website.

kelly lane

kelly lane's designs are inspired by stories her grandfather in north carolina would tell her of her childhood. as a young girl, she used whatever canvas she could find to express herself - walls, concrete basement floors at her parents' house...her passion for art and design led to two degrees in graphic design.

but it was not until 2005, when her husband gave her a sewing machine, that she discovered her love and talent for clothing design. in the fall of 2006 she launched her first line - enhancing her own true colors.

artful sophistication with an eye towards sustainability is at the heart of kelly lane. she carefully blends the versatility of jersey with the sturdiness of woven fabric to create beautiful feminine silhouettes.
kelly takes great pride in hand-making each piece, resulting in limited-run high-quality pieces with a conscience.

kelly lane is sold both online - on sites like eco-tique and in independent boutiques across north america.

***rebe***

rebe

the creative designer team behind rebe, debra weiss and hillery sproat, make cute bags, belts, wallets, notecards and apparel for women and kids. they even make a cute pet carrier to boot. saw a cute purse or diaper carrier on their website, but you want to add your own design? not a problem! rebe [pronounced like debbie] will take requests and integrate your wishes.

with such a big age gap - hillery was 15 when rebe was conceived in 2000, while mom debra has raised 3 children - you would think these two would have totally different tastes, however, both are extremely artistic and know how to make their whimsical tastes work.

rebe uses a mix of recycled fibers and vintage kimonos to produce fabulous garments and accessories.

hillery also sells art pieces on a separate website.

you can find rebe's pieces in stores throughout north america, the uk, asia and australia and you can also order directly off the website.

RESTORE Clothing featured on Crain's Business

"As more mainstream consumers demand green products, companies are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. Along with learning how to make everything more sustainable, from raw materials to production to distribution, these companies are eager to do more business with local suppliers - especially if those suppliers are also going green."

Made in NYC - a website initially created as a b2b directory during the post-Sept. 11 economic downturn, is now being used by green-focused consumers to buy local.

To find out how RESTORE Clothing uses this directory and what other businesses you could find, follow this link.

****Linda Loudermilk with NOW Showcase****

Linda Loudermilk

She has been named one of "W" Magazine's Top 20 innovators to watch - she has been coined as the "Vivienne Westwood of eco" by ELLE - she has spearheaded the creation of a new luxury ecoTM lifestyle.
With her revolutionary designs and her radical spirit, Linda Loudermilk has literally redefined sustainability as alluringly sexy, fun and edgy!

Linda's purpose - in life and in her designs - is to ignite expressiveness and make us aware of our surroundings - the earth on which we live.

Six years ago, Loudermilk had made it to the Paris runways and should have been on top of the world, but instead she felt empty. "I was creating beauty, but beauty without soul." It was right there and then that she realized she wanted to change the way people think about the earth. She began researching sustainable products, by meeting with and learning from scientists and seeking out companies that create fibers without pesticides or other toxic processes. She also developed relationships with manufacturers who do not poison the water supply.

Loudermilk has trademarked the term luxury ecoTM, thereby becoming the first designer to create a luxury+eco lifestyle brand under one umbrella.

According to Loudermilk, nature is the original punk. Her garments are packed with drama - drawn from her studies of Shakespeare and costume design at Oxford University in England.

Beyond her revolutionary designs, Loudermilk is bringing together the global pioneers who are producing “green” and “gold” at the same time. By establishing the luxury eco™ Stamp of Approval, she seeks to identify those who are also breaking new ground in their respective fields. The emblem is a message to the consumer that the products or services are not only eco-friendly – but also superior in luxury quality, design and craftsmanship. It is the only Luxury Certification.

Loudermilk’s mission is to define every aspect of life as radically and decidedly eco-responsible. She is recognized as the first to identify and successfully market to the luxury eco™ consumer.

We are incredibly lucky to have such an amazing designer in our showcase!!!

Tracey Tanner *** Feral Childe *** modaspia

Tracey Tanner

LA native Tracey Tanner makes the most fun, stylish handmade accessories for women. She makes everything from bags, wristbands, wallets to little extras such as MP3 sleeves to keychains.

On the fashion scene since 2001, Tanner has had such success that she has been heavily featured in the press - Black Book, Jane, Nylon, Heeb, and even The New York Times have featured her eco-conscious accessories.

Tanner's line is available at upscale boutiques like the MOMA Store in NYC, Fred Segal in LA and Stitch in Chicago. You can also buy her latest designs in wallets, bags, wristbands and "extras" directly off the company's website.

Corporate jobs by day and designers by night - this best describes Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson, the geniuses behind this clothing line, in the early days of this line.

The two designers met over a sink of broken eggshells and became fast friends. They were soon faxing each other designs and drawings throughout the day, dreaming about their new "New York wardrobe". At night, they stripped off their corporate attire and searched the city for unusual fabrics, tried their creations on each other, took apart and resewed, redesigned and slashed at the clothes until they were satisfied. They made up stories to go along with this wild and untamed process and thus FeRaL ChiLde was born.

Passerby, neighbors and strangers stopped Alice and Moriah in the streets and the subway asking where they could buy such clothes. Young, old, traditionalists and renegades were all attracted to this unusual fashion line.

Brooklyn-based and locally produced, FeRaL CHiLde is sold by independent-minded stores - in the US, abroad and online - that see the garments as their rarest finds.

modaspia

Ursula Dean's inspiration comes from film, travel and the playground - old fairy tale illustrations of billowy childrens' clothing speak to her just as much as Brigit Bardot's carefree glamour. Dean's garments are meant to become an owner's timeless keepsake, which is why she puts a lot of effort into the design and fit of each garment. She uses natural textiles, like printed cotton from Italy or wool from England - to Dean, these are like special treasures to share. Her best friend and former co-designer occasionally designs prints exclusively for modaspia.

Dean recently added a children's line to her label, which is exclusively sold at etsy. Her women's line is sold in stores across the United States.

To keep up with what inspires and moves this designer, check out her blog.

O Ryann's Belt

Check out Ideal Bite's feature on our very own Ryann!!