Green-focused fashion just got a lot more political with international trade lawyer and wife of the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg’s wife Miriam González Durántez, joining London Fashion Week at the launch of EcoLuxe.

While EcoLuxe is a new initiative that promotes high-end environmentally friendly fashion designers and brands, the group hopes that running alongside the brat pack of designers at the British Fashion Council’s Estethica, (the only sustainable venue at London Fashion Week) will only add to showcasing exclusive brands with a conscience. Still they want to keep things separate. This year, designers included award-winning British wool designer Izzy Lane, Elena Garcia and By Stamo, amongst others.

Showcasing is great, but getting noticed is even better – which is why they’ve brought in the big guns with González Durántez.

Imogen Fox of the Guardian writes: “Wearing a dress by the designer David Szeto, which was instantly recognizable from last year’s Liberal Democrat conference – and was therefore suitably on-message – and a white jacket by French high street label Zadig & Voltaire, González Durántez admitted that competition for coverage was fierce, ‘so we should all chip in a bit to help with initiatives like this.'”

However, her reasoning might be two-fold. The Guardian also writes that during this year’s general election, “González Durántez appeared irritated when the wives of politicians and their wardrobes became the focus of media attention,” but at the EcoLuxe launch she said that media interest in her own wardrobe didn’t annoy her.

“It’s just background noise,” she said.

One would think being handpicked by respected designers, she’d want to make more than that.

Image: Via Guardian UK: Miriam González Durántez poses with designers By Stamo (in black) and Elena (in blue) Garcia, and two others, at the EcoLuxe launch in London today. Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

The post Miriam González Durántez Does Pro Bono for London Fashion Week appeared first on EcoSalon.

Green, contemporary lifestyle clothing.

Sustainable everyday wear.

Eco-fabulous clothing that does double duty”¦

We’ve seen all these headlines but where, oh where, are the couture eco-designers creating clothes just for our swanky occasions? And I’m talking about fashion-forward designing and not just fabric sewn in piles around the waist of a model for the runway.

Of course, more high-profile designers like Calvin Klein, Rogan, Stella McCartney, Versace, Narciso Rodriguez, Behnaz Sarapfour and Bodkin are easy enough to scout, but how about the indie designers thinking on a whole other level because they’re smaller and younger?

It takes a little bit of research and a discerning eye, but if you wear it all the time and are in the eco-field, inquiring minds will want to see you going green even at the most formal events. Are you ready to tell them you’ve flipped just for the night? Best to walk the talk.

Here are four indie designers I’ve seen recently and really like. Please leave a comment if you think I missed a good one.

Noir

Pictured above, Noir is producing ethically and has a transparent production line in Europe that adheres to the UN Global Compact. As an example of Noir’s dedication to all eco and couture, the Spring/summer 09 collection includes two organic programs and one silk program that is certified with SA8000. NOIR is also a member of the UN Global Compact.

Elena Garcia

Based in London, Elena Garcia went from being a linguist (she still is) to training as a designer, finishing a degree in Surface Textiles for Fashion at the London College of Fashion and gracing London Fashion Week with her elegant designs. I love that she used so much green in her spring collection.

Rodarte

Founded in Pasadena by the now notable noses of the Mulleavy sisters, Rodarte is garnering well-known stockists globally like Bergdorf Goodman and 10 Corso Como as well as a celebrity following by the likes of Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman and Chloe Sevigny. Tough and flowing? When’s my next event?

Mark Liu

Challenging the fashion world really to take a look at ethics as much as waste stream, the UK’s Mark Liu‘s Spring 09 Collection debuts as a tailor’s dream and a fashion maven’s call to arms.

The post Calling All Couture appeared first on EcoSalon.