Who's Who and whats NOW?

From what used to be considered just a simple subset of wearable fashion, comes some of today's most illustrious and inventive designs. 'Eco-fashion' has always been literally defined as clothing that utilizes ethical methods in the production of sustainable designs; clothing that pays attention to nature and its preservation and builds an awareness of environmental responsibility for it's consumers and global audience. And while these terms still and will always apply, redefinitions are in order. After surveying the surge of cutting edge, stunning, and fashion-futuristic styles that have been emerging from the workrooms of these green-thumbed eco-oriented designers, perhaps 'edgy, innovative, versatile, accessible, and clever' should be added to that list.

Don't miss out on your chance to see, shop and experience some of the amazing new green designs for the upcoming spring season at the NOW Showcase. On display will be an assemblage of designers that, through visually appealing collections and sustainable motives, fully demonstrate why eco is the future of fashion. Among these brands are accessories line Feisty Elle, women's wear brand Chulette, and timeless designs by Modaspia.

Feisty Elle:
These feisty jewelry designs by California native Leslie Yang are more than just fun-filled and exuberant! They're clean, original, and smartly made. With a background in graphic design and fiber arts, Leslie has been able to continually evolve in the design and production of her accessories since the launch of her brand in 2005. Using sustainable materials such as bamboo ply, textiles, and merino wool felt (she is one of the first to produce jewelry out of this beautiful, light material), Leslie creates bold and fun pieces in an assortment of dahlia, leaf, feather and petal drop shapes. See more here: http://feistyelle.com/

Modaspia:
Rescuing and recycling old fabrics from Italy, designer Ursula Dean of clothing brand Modaspia creates pieces that last a lifetime, both in style and in quality. A line for both women and children, each piece is designed with great fit, lightness and simplicity in mind, and are cut from only high quality remnants of older fabrics. The collection, full of neat little pintucks, keyholes, flowing tunic garbs and other fabulous cotton, linen, silk and wool creations, exudes a sense of timelessness, brightness, and spirit. Think of sun-filled moments in Capri, quiet afternoons on the hillside, a morning at the market, a fine garden dinner lit by paper lanterns... that's Modaspia. Check out limited pieces online here: http://www.modaspia.com/about

Chulette:
Lee Phutrakul weaves a collection rich with stunning lines, subtle colors, and very forward style. Incorporating a sense of sophisticated detail with a blend of simplicity and effortless construction, eco-brand Chulette stands out for its luxurious flair and urban attitude. This coming from someone who had never aspired to fashion design, but through her work as an assistant fashion editor at Esquire magazine, Lee was led to pursue a career as a designer. Her brand has been a great addition to the green fashion movement-- each dress, vest, jacket, pant and blouse that she creates raises the bar on the high-edge styles that can be made sustainably. Find out more about Chulette here: http://www.chulette.com/

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

Who's Who? Eco is NOW!

Eco is NOW. All over the globe, people are becoming more aware and more in-tune with the Earth, its resources, and our responsibility to nurture, not destroy, our planet. This is what the NOW Showcase is all about-- a marriage of fashion, social and environmental consciousness, continually making efforts to provide better and more eco-friendly alternatives to chic-living. This season, we are glad to introduce to our roster of innovative eco-designers, showcasing their exciting and fresh designs, three amazing brands that are in-sync with our green mantra: fair. sustainable. forward. Lalesso, hailing from Kenya, Juleselin, based in San Francisco, and Eco-Couture by Los Angeles designer Deborah Lindquist.

Lalesso:
This summer fashion line will make you wish it was warm all year round! Launched by design duo Olivia Kennaway and Alice Heusser in 2005, this brand was inspired by a trip to the remote island of Lamu off the coast of Kenya, nearby to Olivia's hometown. The strong patterning and vibrant colors of the traditional womens attire (called 'khanga' or 'lesso') sparked the idea of creating a product for the everyday woman with a bold sense of style and summer spirit. In addition to creating clothing inspired by these Kenyan women, Alice and Olivia have also worked to help improve the quality of living in the environment. Growing from a project of two seamstresses, and then sixteen, the designers began a group called SOKO in 2009, which is the first globally recognized eco and ethical clothing production unit in East Africa. The manufacturers are well-paid, the community is completely involved, and life is getting better for the town. This is a perfect example of green fashion making a difference and working towards a greener world. Check out Lalesso's designs here: http://www.lalesso.com/.

Juleselin:
Julia Burnbaum's knitwear line features a versatile collection of jackets, sweaters, and dresses created from organic cotton, bamboo, and recycled fabrications. As a line that emerged from the designer's need to have a jacket that would be comfortable for wearing both inside and outside, and would be well suited to the western coastal environment in her base of San Francisco, the line has grown to include a delightful range of coats and sweaters, each inspired and named after someone very close to Julia. With styles from individuals such as Elin from 1926 Iceland, pullovers inspired by John Arthur from Larkspur, CA, and a sharp double-breasted coat inspired by Jessica from London, Julia has sewn something personal into each garment, making this collection very special. You'll never want to take these jackets off, and thankfully, you won't have to! In addition to being comfortable for any kind of wear, anywhere, the line is full of wonderful feminine touches such as ruffled collars, face-framing hoods, and belted waistlines, proving once again that style isn't lost when green comes into play. Save the world, one cute jacket at a time! Find out more about Juleselin and the new collection here: http://www.juleselin.com.

Deborah Lindquist:
Well known as a pioneer and trendsetter in the eco fashion world, LA designer Deborah Lindquist uses her line as a venue for introducing and re-branding unusual fabrics to the world of fashion while keeping true to her love for the environment. Given this creative freedom to explore new materials for use in her designs, Deborah Lindquist produces remarkable cutting-edge pieces like no other. Vintage cashmere, wool, leather, beaded wool, peace silk, micromodal blends, hemp blends, alpaca, and organic cottons are just a few of the ingredients used to create this stirring collection that has shown us that green is just as good as gold-- there are no sacrifices made in the areas of style or quality when it comes to eco-fashion. Currently featuring a collection titled "Rocker Girl meets The Gyspy," Deborah Lindquist continues to wow us with her eco-conscious approach to innovative design. See the collection here: http://www.deborahlindquist.com/.

Don't miss out on these great designers at our upcoming Spring Showcase, September 20-22 at 651 West 27th street, New York, NY.

Spring 11 with The NOW

The Now Showcase Spring 11
With a new season around the corner The NOW showcase makes its return, featuring a selection of impressive and intriguing designers who will present their eco and aesthetically friendly work.

During the past few months and since the last showcase, there have been a fantastic number of sustainable eco-friendly projects, from recyclable bookstores to collective solar power presented to the world. Innovative thinkers, across a multitude of industries, seem to be growing smarter and with out a doubt greener. One of the most exciting is the Heliotrope a rotating solar house created by German Architect Rolf Disch, the house is able to generate up to five times the energy that it actually uses by rotating during the day to follow the sun…. Amazing, right?!
Lets us not forget the Bio-Diversity Project, a sustainable skyscraper farm. This innovative idea combines reusable consumer packaging with seeds, which are then sown and harvested to produce edible crops and trees. Ingenious no? So its true, we are getting better and better at eco-friendly living and people are really starting to pay attention.

There are now universities that specialize in sustainable design, entrepreneurships and innovation! Look at us go! We should be very proud and encouraged by the progress made but not forget that we can always do more to protect the environment that must guard and provide for generations to come. But you all knew that already, right!

From September 20th to September 22nd, The NOW Showcase will be serving up an enticing display of independent designers delivering new collections that feature the best in sustainable creation. Be part of the discovery, be included in The NOW and see what’s new, what’s next, what’s happening, in the world of sustainable fashion.
So mark the date in your diary, take a step forward and enjoy. ;)

Spring 11
Save The Dates
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, 9-20
• Tuesday, 9-21
• Wednesday, 9-22

Terminal Building
651 W. 27th St.
NYC 10001

With the new spring 11 season just steps away stay in the know with
THE NOW SHOWCASE.

Origin 23 -- Welcome to the [R]evolution

Welcome to the [R]evolution for effective social and environmental change through fashion, spearheaded by boutique fashion agency Origin 23. Guided by an appreciation for the point from which something starts or sets out, or the person or thing from which it is ultimately derived (its origin), this fashion organization has selected a mélange of sustainable and stylish collections that address the growing demand for social and environmental sensibility through their forward style, fair trade standards, and eco-conscious tastes. In representing these emerging labels, Origin 23 works towards incorporating more ethical standards in design and merchandise production by consulting with designers and established organizations that are interested in becoming more environmentally responsible.

Origin 23 played a large role in the inception and development of the NOW Showcase, and also represents a few of the independent collections involved in the NOW forum, including JAI, Alchem1st, Timbuktu, g=9.8, Ecowrist, and more.

Check out Origin 23 at the NOW Fall 2010 Showcase, Feb 20-22, at the ICO Gallery.

Go Green Expo

Inspired by the film "An Inconvenient Truth," Bradford Rand and his team of managers and event producers set out to to make a difference in the world-- this was the birth of Go Green Expo, a showcase of environmentalism at its finest. Featuring large and small companies that have taken steps to reducing their carbon footprint, the Go Green Expo is a green event from the bottom up. Everything involved in the production of these conferences is thought out ecologically, from the biodegradable trashbags, eco-friendly printing, table coverings, recycled signs, compostable banners and more. With an aim to change the public's perception of environmentalism, the Go Green Expo travels across the nation showcasing their eco-friendly alternatives to current everyday products and services.

On March 19-21, The Go Green Expo will be in New York! Visit their site at www.gogreenexpo.com to find out more information about the event and to purchase tickets. The Go Green Expo is also involved in this year's NOW Fall 2010 Showcase. We are glad to have this group as a sponsor for our event, helping to promote fair, forward, and sustainable style.

Follow the Expo on Twitter -- http://twitter.com/gogreenexpo
Follow the Expo on Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8254588769
Follow the Expo on LinkedIn -- http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=113721
Go Green Expo Youtube Channel -- http://www.youtube.com/GoGreenExpo

Sustainable Style Foundation and NOW

Founded in 2003 by Rebecca Luke and Sean Schmidt, the Sustainable Style Foundation is an international, member-supported nonprofit organization that provides information, resources, and innovative programs that promote sustainable living and design. Who says that being environmentally responsible is limiting? SSF, through a myriad of methods, demonstrates how much fun and creative living eco-consciously can be, and proves that sustainable style isn't about trading in 'fabulous' trends for more eco-conscious threads. From fashion, food and film to interior design, travel, music and more, SSF provides a positive message in attracting more consumers to go green.

SSF is a sponsor of the NOW Fall 2010 Showcase, and will be presenting some of their ideas to the Showcase audience. On Sunday, Feb 21 at 10am, Rebecca Luke (co-founder of the SSF, stylist, costume designer) will be hosting an SSF salon "How To Sell Sustainability." She will also be joined by a guest interior designer from the NBBJ. Breakfast will be served. Please Join us!