Who's Who: Responsible Fashion Designers Edition

The intersection between what is viewed as Sustainable Fashion and Responsible Fashion has continuously been blurred with new efforts from global luxury brands to expand their green footprint on the world.  In today’s age, we often shame designers for not doing enough to approach their creative process sustainably.  Doing this, however, undercuts the efforts they are making to transition their already successful businesses into eco-friendly, successful businesses. 

I began this article with Sustainable Designers in mind and had to realize that a lot still needs to be done. However, responsibly approaching your creative process should be highlighted as well.  Therefore, this profile will feature the Who’s Who of Sustainable Designers, but we will also be including luxury designers and calling out their efforts at “Going Green”. 

The word sustainable often has a negative light shed on it due to the thought that this clothing isn’t made of expensive materials, nor innovatively designed.  Ironically, the exact opposite is true of sustainability as the definition is: A process or state that can be maintained at a certain level for as long as wanted. (dictionary.com) This clearly speaks to quality over quantity as it is in a good enough state, when made, to last for a long time. 

Our current situation in the Fashion industry has us moving in a direction where resources are becoming scarce at an alarming rate.  In order to survive, we will have to continuously find innovative ways to create by recycling.  This is where the responsibility comes into play as we are holding ourselves accountable by acknowledging that there is a problem in our industry. We are making conscious efforts to solve this problem. We have a long way to go but I believe in the power of reciprocity and evolution. 

THE DESIGNERS:

1. Ancuta Sarca

Ancuta Sarca is a Romanian designer whose brand was birthed under UK designer incubator, Fashion East. She has quickly gained international recognition through her eclectic and sustainable approach to design. Her collection was inspired by the want to recycle and make a new life for her existing garments and apparel.  Sarca’s up-cycled old trainers with vintage heels have been described by  i-D as ‘the shoe of the summer.’ Sarca is a passionate advocate for circular design, resisting fast fashion and proposing her reworked kitten heels as an eco-friendly alternative. 

Sustainable Practices:

• Use only recycled and up-cycled materials 

• Deconstructing existing garments 

• Partner with manufacturers who also recycle their materials 

  • She has a new partnership w/ Nike where she will repurpose the textile waste from their shoes’ production process  

2. Stella McCartney 

Stella McCartney is a UK based, Luxury RTW/Lingerie/Swimwear/Accessories Designer who is best known for  her innovative designs and sustainable practices.  Her brand utilizes textile alternatives and a range of innovative technologies in their production process. 

Sustainable Practices:

• Partnered w/ Adidas on a sustainably focused, high-performance womenswear collection 

• Cruelty-free (including no real fur, leather, or PVC, re-engineered cashmere, ethically-sourced fibers like wool, organic cotton, and the use of recycled textiles)

3. Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher has been known as a leader of sustainability within the fashion industry.  She has continuously worked to improve her ethically sustainable brand practices. 

Sustainable Practices:

• Organic, recycled, and sustainable garments, natural dyes

• The brand is cognizant of the ecological footprint their different practices have on the environment and they are constantly monitoring and improving this aspect of the business

• Do business with manufacturers who use certified dye methods, most often the bluesign standard, to ensure sustainable production 

• In the process of developing a water strategy for the brand in an effort to combat the global water crisis

4. Bianca Saunders

Biaunca Saunders is a UK designer who pulls inspiration from her heritage for her collections.  She tends to explore how garments connect oneself to movement, culture, and each other with a focus on menswear and challenging the ideas of masculinity.

Sustainable Practices:

• ISKO’s sustainable-certified denim used in collections, responsibly sourced denim, 

5. Dôen

Dôen is an apparel brand rooted in sustainability and environmental consciousness. Since its launch, the brand has produced pieces that are built to last. The brand offers a wide range of high quality apparel products in both the womenswear and childrenswear.

Sustainable Practices:

• Natural and organic fabrics, 100% recyclable packaging, garments that are quality crafted

• Utilizing slow fashion by encouraging second-hand and consignment practices

• Currently working on better solutions for poly bags; production methods that work to eliminate waste

• Partnered with TheRealReal in 2019 to promote 

  • extending the lifespan of their garments

  • keeping apparel waste out of landfills

  • making gently-used clothing 

• Partners with Gots Certified Fabrics and The Better Cotton Initiative

• All denim styles are made locally in Los Angeles

6. J.Cavallo

Jeannine Cavallo is an American fashion designer who uses sustainable materials to create timelessly designed apparel. The brand utilizes traditional couture processes, keeping the focus on quality and craftsmanship. They source organic materials using fibers grown without the use of harmful growing agents. All of the brand’s materials are also made without animal testing, which makes them Cruelty Free.

Sustainable Practices:

• Organic cotton, naturally/ethically sourced wool, peace silk, cruelty-free production (no animal testing), supports and utilizes small/local designers/makers, production methods based on craftsmanship and hand-making to slow down production and combat mass production and fast fashion

• Awarded the Butterfly Mark from Positive Luxury in recognition of the brand’s sustainability efforts which indicates that the Jeannine Cavallo brand is one that can be trusted.

7. Rachel Burke

Rachel Burke is an Australian based designer and artist with an interest in creating wearable works of art made from recycled, upcycled, and salvaged materials and garments. Her work often includes the use of recycled or reused materials such as jacket shells, shoes, tinsel, etc. She focuses much of her work on craftsmanship and hand-making which further displays her focus on sustainability. 

Sustainable Practices:

• Burke also holds public events and workshops where she leads upcycling projects, spreading her passion and knowledge to her community

• Creates one of a kind pieces in small quantities, further focusing on “slow fashion” efforts

• Focus on craftsmanship and technique as opposed to cheap mass producing

8. JAHNKOY

Maria Jahnkoy is a multifaceted artist and fashion designer from Siberia, Russia. JAHNKOY is a resident of the Restoration-Art Center. She focuses her attention on restoring artisanal clothing, uniting cultures and heritages and preserving global traditions.  At her SS19 NYFW show, JAHNKOY collaborated with Puma.  This collaboration was an introduction into the sustainable space for brand conglomerate, Puma. Puma has also collaborated w/ Swarovski who is known to pair themselves w/ other sustainably responsible designers.  JAHNKOY’s artistic design work creates conversation across material, origin and creation within our current cultural, social and economic situation.”

Sustainable Practices:

• Use (and reuse) and ready-made garments

• Use of cheap materials and garments, found objects and recycled materials

• Combating fast fashion’s environmental damage

9. Eckhaus Latta

Photo: AnOther Magazine

Eckhaus Latta is an American fashion brand that was founded by Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta in 2011. From the brand’s inception, Eckhaus and Latta has strove to practice sustainability in every aspect of their design and production process by using unconventional materials and collaborating with fellow artists/designers. 

Sustainable Practices:

• Use of repurposed, and deadstock fabrics, 

10. Patrick McDowell

Patrick McDowell is a UK fashion designer with a mission to reinvent luxury through a sustainable and conscious lens. He is known for his focus on integrating sustainability into his brand designs that evoke memories of childhood nostalgia.  He only creates 1 collection per year. He has been recognized extensively for his efforts in sustainability from many important Fashion figures including the influential Anna Wintour and Rita Ora.

“To me, sustainable fashion is about creatively redesigning systems to create positive or neutral impact on people and the planet,” he explains. “For example, the biggest problem with fashion is the wholesale business model. After graduating, I made the decision not to do any wholesale at all and now I make most of my money through speaking with other people and hosting workshops. My collections act as think tanks on sustainable ideas which are open source, so anyone can find all that and share it and do what they want with it.” - Patrick McDowell

Sustainable Practices:

• Slow fashion initiatives

• Sustainable collaborations w/ Swarovski that include interactive pop ups to spread awareness to consumers 

• Use of recycled and responsibly sourced materials

• Push for lower impact practices in the manufacturing and fashion industry