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

One for One – Finally, after months of salivating by fashion-loving Toms fans, the collaboration between The Row (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s American-made clothing line) and Santa-Monica based TOMS shoes is available for purchase. Illustrating the clean aesthetic the Olsens’ high-end line is known for, the casual chic shoes are made of Italian-sourced wool and cashmere blends. Suitable for fall wardrobe pairings, they are the perfect teaming of high design and feel-good: As always, for every pair of TOMS + The Row shoe sold, a child in need will receive a new pair of shoes. Prices range from $98 to $150.

Back to School – Wondering how to snag a free item from organic and socially conscious Prairie Underground’s new fall line? Just post a funny picture of yourself when you were in grade school on Berkeley’s Convert store’s Facebook page. If your picture scores the most likes, you’ll win a free item. It’s all part of their “Back to Cool” event running from September 4th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Convert. Head over for the trunk show on Sunday and check out the latest fall looks for students and non-students alike, no hall pass required.

Pale & Interesting – I don’t like the sun, but I live in California. Therefore, I’m all about the sunscreen. One line I’m obsessed with is Arcona from Santa Monica. Their natural products leave out all the nasty stuff like petrochemicals, chemical stabilizers, parabens, sodium lauryl sulphates, perfumes, dyes, and any other toxic ingredients but are choc-full of anti-aging antioxidants, plant lipids and extracts, sea vegetables, essential oils and vitamins and minerals. It’s super potent stuff – and everything expires in six months. While most of us are aware of protecting our faces, the earliest signs of aging are seen on the décolletage, hands and forearms. Don’t miss their great offer on the wonderful Reozone 30 Body SPF – it contains 7% each of sun blocking titanium and zinc oxide blended with high concentrations of hyaluronic acid, green tea and Vitamin’s A & C. It’s on sale at 30% off the regular price until tomorrow.

If you have a West Coast event, launch or product you’d like covered, submit your sustainable style story to rowena@ecosalon.com.

The post Eco Style West Vol. 24 appeared first on EcoSalon.

                                                                                     

The latest Jeffrey Campbell For Convert collection is going fast.

Hands up. Who has a closet full of eco-friendly-made shoes? I thought not. While the days of design-lacking green clothing are most definitely over, it remains hard to find stylish, sustainable shoes. “Shoes are the worst eco offenders; it’s the way they are made,” says Randy Brewer, owner of Berkeley’s Convert store. It’s no surprise that his first vegan- and earth-friendly collection with LA-based cult shoe designer, Jeffrey Campbell, a long-standing pal, proved such a hit this past spring.

“Out of all the lines I carry, these are the store’s best sellers,” he reports, “I’ve had calls from all over the world for them. Everyone is really looking for hot vegan and sustainable shoes right now.” Brewer is used to being at the forefront of a new trend. His innovative store dedicated to both style and sustainability on Berkeley’s Fourth Street was the first Bay area store to carry hard-to-find men’s apparel, plus a good mix of women’s sustainable and local labels. As the second collection of Jeffrey Campbell’s shoes begin to hit the store in time for fall, the charismatic Mr. Brewer is busy preparing for the rush.

The “Mention” slipper in Python, also available in quilted pewter.

Once again, the new collection is made leather-free using dead stock materials and non-animal based glues. Alongside the “runway” platforms and flatforms are options for those who are seeking an “eco” aesthetic in their everyday shoes. Mr. Brewer is a fan of the “Mention” slipper, “it’s timeless, it’s ageless really, “ he reports. “Anyone can wear this. It’s been a big hit with older and younger customers. The shoe comes in new color ways and fabrications. “The quilted is a little more traditional, the python is so right now, it looks good with black and a lot of our customers wear all black ensembles, we’ve noticed.”

Borrowed from the boys, the best selling “Prospect”brogue.

The two tone “Prospect,” an eye catching and seasonless borrowed-from-the-boys style (similar styles were seen on models at Balenciaga and Jil Sander’s spring runways), was re-issued for the latest collection, as it proved to be a big hit the first time around.

If you’re not yet scrolling through these photos deciding which style will be yours, here’s something else you should know about the new line, “They’re comfortable too,” shares Brewer, echoing a well-known secret among Jeffrey Campbell shoe lovers. “They took out the leather interiors and replaced it with canvas,” says Brewer, improving both its green credentials and its summer comfort, “It’s not so sweaty.”

Platform Power, the “99 Tie” in sustainable raffia.

The Jeffrey Campbell for Convert collection retails from $104-$159 and is only available at Convert in Berkeley.

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