In my never ending quest to be the hottest darkest green bitch in London, I find myself seeking out the under exposed G/Fashion brands and stores. This is how I came to learn about Ekovaruhuset (House of Organic). After a night of clubbing and one too many organic vodka on ice with a twist of lime, I curled up on my sofa, cracked open my macbook and started to search. My closet was screaming for something new, something fresh. My exact search was, organic fashion for women with balls, but nothing came up. I decided to checkout one of my semi favorite stops online New York Magazine and with my slight buzz I had some difficulty focusing my eyes on the screen. But within a few clicks I had landed on a screen which said, Ekovaruhuset, House of Organic NYC. A gem of a shop, which was not only in New York City but also, had locations in Stockhom and Paris. No London, so popping in for a look is off the table, but from the description this is feeling like a true fashion house. My heart started pounding and my sweaty organic cotton tights were getting uncomfortable from all this excitement.
Un-able to contain my enthusiasm, I shot an email off to G Monkie, to get his darknesses take on this place. I stroked his ego a little, and promised him some banana cake, if he would allow me to cover this designer and her shops. Lucky for all of us, he was in a better mood than usual and sent a series of questions to me and Johanna Hofring, the owner / designer. His questions where the same dull Monkie dribble he is always asking, so I altered them a bit, to fit, what we women really want to know. You know how dull that freaking Monkie can be. “Yes we know you have an electric bike, you told us.”
Before we start with the questions, let me tell you a little about this little gem of a green fashion house/ shop. First, this isn’t your typical web online based green womens store. They actually have three physical locations, which I stated earlier. They almost cover all the fashion capitals, New York, Paris and Stockholm. I know, Stockholm doesn’t count as a fashion capital and no G Monkie, L.A. doesn’t need to be on the list. They do need a london store, which I am sure will be coming soon, (hint). At Ekovaruhuset all the clothes you will find are made the natural way, using all organic materials. This means the fibers that the fabrics are made of have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides and made into fabric, then dyed in facilities that are environmentally responsible. Johanna likes to say ” It’s all about having fun and looking fabulous while saving the world”. That is something I can totally get down with. Lets do another round of organic shots, and get into this interview.
Julia Ocean: You have chosen to open your stores in very international cities like New York Stockholm, and Paris, why is that?
Johanna: The first one I opened in Stockholm because that is where I was living at the time, the second one in New York because we believed it to be the best place to spread eco-fashion awareness internationally and the third one is opened by a wonderful french woman named Helene Sananikone on a franchise basis. So we chare our concept and collaborate in many ways but it is her store.
Another young fashion designer / ex-wall streeter, has tossed her self into the sustainable / organic fashion market. Christine Marchuska, A few weeks back we received an email tip about a new start-up designer looking to break into the Organic Green Fashion market, joining the established designs such as Stewart+Brown.
Fashion Designer Christine Marchuska seems to be having fun, as she shows off her new organic clothing line to her friends in New York.
Photography by Stefan Arni and his directing partner SIggi Kinski
This week we are lucky to have an exclusive interview with the founders of the fashion house SUST. With the seeds of their company planted in California, these two women, Marion McKee and Tristan Gribbin, have set out to make a mainstream fashion brand, with a green core. They are committed to designing desirable clothing, which looks and feels great, using only the finest 100% organicly grown cottons. They have even committed to having all their garments made in Northern California to ensure all workers are fairly treated, while receiving sustainable wages. Not your typical fashion company business model by a long shot. I guess they didn’t get the insiders handbook to creating a global brand on the cheap. You know the standard chemical / near slave labor production cycle. Isn’t that the right path to creating a main stream brand?
G Monkie: Tristan / Marion, your company is fairly new, only starting in 2008. When you jumped in to create this new fashion brand, what previous experience did you and how did you know what you wanted. to create?
Marion McKee, Co-Founder: I have fourteen years experience as an accessory designer with my own line Marion McKee Designs, which sells in specialty stores and boutiques across the nation. I also owned a skateboard/snowboard shop of street wear trends in the 1990’s in the heart of San Francisco’s Haight Street District. All my experience has stemmed from my love of fashion when I was in school and the merchandising and design classes I took in college.
Tristan Gribbin, Co-Founder: I have a background in theater and entertainment and have seen eye to eye with Marion on style since we’ve been friends in the seventh grade. When we were in junior high we were always sketching punk and new wave designs and passing them around in class! And then, when we were in high school we were Mods and that is still a heavy influence in our style and our designs for SUST today.
It’s always easy to identify fashion crimes. At least, in retrospect. Take for example the 1980s. Offenses were flowing thick and fast in the era of scrunchies, bubble skirts and ubiquitous shoulder pads. But one ‘80s item you definitely don’t need to be ashamed of is the Choose Life T-shirt. Made famous by the boys from Wham!, these tees are still so highly sought after that designer Katherine Hamnett decided to relaunch them, along with a host of other socially conscious slogans.
Only this time, they’re organic.
Choose Life was launched back in 1983, in the midst of a Thatcher-ite government and a Europe-wide proliferation of cruise and Pershing missiles. Choose Life encouraged us to choose life over war, extinction, and so on. Inspired by Buddhism, the slogan was not related to the anti-abortion lobby, who later appropriated the phrase.
Who is Blake Hamster? Is he a) a suave and sophisticated urban rodent; b) a B-movie star with an unusual skill set; or c) a creative collaboration by a group of designers, artists, musicians, authors and journalists from around the world.
If you guessed anything other than c) you’re probably on the wrong site.
Guided by firm set of aesthetics and ethics, this socially conscious collective produces, well, whatever they want. This time it’s shirts, but next time they say it could be “a collection of household wares with a twist to a magazine or an art-show”. Blake Hamster’s current release consists of the aforementioned shirts featuring eight designs/motives, four for each gender. The men’s shirts are made from 100% organic cotton whilst the women’s are further evolved by blending 78% organic cotton with 22% seacell, an innovative yarn with moisturizing and anti-inflammatory agents.
And yes, the dying process is all sustainable too.
What? Not enjoying my label-inspired writing style? Look, everything I want to say about Sam Elsom’s label is reflected in the gorgeous images on their website. I’m not exactly speechless. Just buzzing with buzzwords.
A Small Collection would fit right in at a MOMA as part of an avant garde art installation, but these eleven short videos actually showcase Austin-based designer Alyson Fox’s eco fashion line. Inspired by vintage clothing, Alyson decided to emulate that look using only sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, hemp and linen, and organic elastics and buttons made from fallen tree branches.
Designers Karen Stewart and Howard Brown liken their latest collection, One Day This Summer, to “youthful freedom and carefree fun; like the summers we remember growing up”. Ahh yes, I remember those summers…the annual family beach holiday as an awkward adolescent, dying a thousand deaths whilst dining with my parents and younger siblings at a family bistro….ahh, the memories. But, no. I think the duo is referring to far less cringe inducing summery thoughts like lemon sorbet, gingham picnic blankets and butterflies. Images that this latest Stewart + Brown collection evokes.
For newcomers to the green scene, Stewart + Brown have been described as “organic pioneers” or as one of the original “ethical fashion brands”. They could be the described as the “fashion police” — policing themselves that is, by adhering to strict ethical rules of fashion conduct. Through innovation and artistic endeavor, their aim is to reduce waste, improve efficiencies and “use as little of the earth’s precious capital as possible”.
What do you get when you combine a global financial meltdown with an extended Winter? Apparently, a shortage of fashionable outerwear. SANS remedies this with two new releases in their successful digital sewing pattern series. Easy to create and customize, the result is a unique piece that keeps you warm while supporting your local economy.
With basic sewing skills and a single needle sewing machine standing by, download the digital pattern, print, and then cut and sew your own piece using a worn garment or a remnant of fabric. For a finishing touch, a genuine SANS label will be supplied to complete the garment (mailed worldwide).
Perfectly Imperfect. When I first came across this sustainable clothing line, it sounded to me like something you’d find in an outlet mall. Imperfects. What a great idea, I thought, marveling at my own perspicacity.
G / Food Chocolate truffles for your sweetheart (or yourself) – rich, creamy and divine!
G / Food For this coming special weekend, I have put together 2 of my readers favorite desserts for your weekend treat. Enjoy
G / Food Pom Ice Cream Pops | I knew that blood-red elixir was bound for a special V-Day dessert the moment it landed on my door step.
G / Food Sexy Oreo Truffles | Only 3 ingredient! And no baking required.
G / Food Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes | I have to admit, I think I prefer these cakes to normal cupcakes. they were so light and moist. They near enough melted on the tongue.
G / Food More than merely cocoa-flavored, this dark temptress throws a one-two punch of no-holds barred chocolate intensity, powerful enough to send the most dedicated chocoholics spinning.
Julia Ocean: You have chosen to open your stores in very international cities like New York Stockholm, and Paris, why is that?
Johanna: The first one I opened in Stockholm because that is where I was living at the time, the second one in New York because we believed it to be the best place to spread eco-fashion awareness internationally and the third one is opened by a wonderful french woman named Helene Sananikone on a franchise basis. So we chare our concept and collaborate in many ways but it is her store.
