Eco Style West Vol. 3

Sustainable style news from EcoSalon’s West Coast Fashion Correspondent.

Bienvenido Balenciaga – The opening of the 120-piece fashion retrospective Balenciaga and Spain at San Franciso’s De Young Museum last week was celebrated with a $2,500 a ticket fundraiser attended by fashion’s elite. Guests included the exhibit’s guest curator and Vogue European editor-at-large, Hamish Bowles, Anna Wintour, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miranda Kerr and Pasadena-based Rodarte designers, Laura and Kate Mulleavy. Underscoring the De Young’s standing as a world class West Coast venue for fashion and textile arts, this don’t-miss megawatt show runs through July 4th. The influence of Spanish culture on the designs of Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972) reminds us of the enormous potential for the enlightening expression our clothing can have. Catch last weekend’s sold-out symposium on a pay-per-view online broadcast on FORA.tv.


Wearable Wisdom – At this weekend’s Craft Forward symposium in San Francisco, it’s not a garment’s designer that will be celebrated but its wearer. Kate Fletcher, author of Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys invites attendees to take part in her ongoing eco fashion project that celebrates the “craft “ involved with garment use. If you have a piece of clothing that has been creatively repurposed or has special meaning to you, stand up and be counted for Fletcher’s ground-breaking Local Wisdom project. By sharing the story of your garment, and be photographed wearing it,  you’ll be participating in what is sure to become seminal research for reevaluating the future of sustainable fashion.

Fashion Passion – Ever wondered why the green fashion coverage you love is best found online? Head down to The Hub in  San Francisco’s SOMA district tonight for Global Action Thru Fashion‘s latest event. Ecofabulous.com Creative Director, Caitlin Bristol, and yours truly will discuss the role online media has played in the rise of the ethical fashion movement. From 7-8 p.m.

Rowena Ritchie

Rowena is EcoSalon’s West Coast Fashion Editor and currently resides in San Francisco, CA.