Who doesn’t love getting new clothing? And when new clothing is free, ethical and sustainable that’s even better. That’s why we want to give you the chance to win a $500 shopping spree at Indigenous, the brand that’s known for organic, fair trade fashion. There’s really nothing to lose. Plus, we know your summer wardrobe could use an infusion of new fabric…

So, what kind of duds can you find at Indigenous? The brand sells eco-items that are classically simple and timeless. And all you have to do to enter this giveaway is sign up for our newsletter.

To give you a taste of what you can win, we’ve included some of the brand’s eclectic styles below.

Jersey Tee (pictured in this post’s featured photo)

The Jersey Tee isn’t just like every other tee — it features high-quality construction. This mid-length Tee has cap sleeves, a delicate, curving v-neckline, and pretty seaming details on its back. Price: $57.

Kilt Skirt (also featured in this post’s featured photo)

The Kilt Skirt adds polish to tanks and tees (just like the one mentioned above). It hits at mid-length, and features a quality cut and construction. Price: $78.

Other women’s items include the pieces below…

Maxi Tank Dress

This is the ultimate easy summer living staple. It’s perfect for picnics, brunches, or night time shenanigans. The Indigenous Maxi Tank Dress has an irregular hemline and a body flattering empire waist. It comes in airy silver stripe (pictured) and ever-versatile black. Price: $136.

Reversible Cardigan

This cardigan is made from soft, organic cotton jersey, and  is fully reversible (making it the perfect staple piece). Not only does it look effortlessly elegant with any outfit, it coordinates with twice as many. Turn it from striped to solid and never feel bored.  Price: $139.

Mosaic EZ Cardigan

The Mosaic EZ Cardigan was designed with an elegant shape and unique details. The complimentary fabrics are pieced together with exposed seams and a flattering cut. This lightweight cardigan makes transitions between seasons look fluid and effortless. Price: $114.

And this giveaway isn’t just for the ladies. Indigenous has a wonderful men’s line, too. We’ve listed a few of the brand’s men’s clothing styles below.

Oxford Shirt

The Men’s Oxford Shirt from Indigenous is impeccably cut to suit a modern sense of style. It’s made from 100-percent organic cotton, and colored with low impact dyes. Price: $94.

Perfect T

This organic cotton T-shirt gives men an ethical alternative to their favorite wardrobe staple. With a handsome fit, this Tee is made with the kind of quality that’s only possible when an item is produced by people earning a fair wage and are working in safe conditions. Price: $28.

And remember, you don’t have to order any of the items listed above — these are just examples of products from Indigenous’ line the winner can choose from.

Ready to Enter?

Awesome. All you have to do is sign up for the EcoSalon newsletter. Already a subscriber? That means you’re already entered!

We know you could use a few new fun pieces, so enter now. Good luck!

For more information about the Indigenous brand, check out its social media sites:

Facebook: IndigenousDesigns


Twitter: #indigenous


Pinterest: indigenous


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The post Who Wants to Win An Awesome Shopping Spree at Indigenous (a $500 Value!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

The Southern Hemisphere is certainly stepping up in the sustainable style stakes! First, New Zealand announced their very first ethical fashion week, and now the countdown is on for Australia’s inaugural Indigenous Fashion Week (AIFW), being held in April 2014. AIFW is all about showcasing the best of aboriginal Australian design from across the continent, celebrating the world’s oldest surviving continuous culture—on the catwalk. Fronted by well-known Australian model Samantha Harris, the week is going to be one of Sydney’s most stylish.

The goals of AIFW are not just about what’s on the runway. It’s equally about ideals beyond fashion like a focus on fair trade, supporting the economic development of Indigenous artists and highlighting ethical practice.

Here, we take a look at three of the emerging designers who will get the chance to showcase down under in 2014.

Lilla Gagliano

Lilla Gagliano is the creative force behind Kaninda, a stylish label from Australia’s western state. Lilla has both Indigenous and Italian heritage and her designs reflect her passion for both her cultural heritage and the world of fashion. She also draws inspiration from living in the beautiful Pilbara country. A textile and batik designer, she produces her own fabrics (including hand painted silks!). Even though Kaninda was born in 2004, Lilla’s debut collection didn’t show until Perth Fashion Week 2012, but received positive reviews.

Natalie Cunningham

Hailing from Australia’s aptly named Sunshine Coast, Natalie’s Indigenous and Greek heritage influence her unique design. Initially, she started out as a model, but it wasn’t long before she turned her hand to design, launching her eponymous label in 2006 at just 24. Famous for her love of eccentric fabrics and her homage to the 80s through the use of pops of exciting color, Natalie certainly does things differently. She is also committed to supporting positive images of women in fashion, particularly given her experience as a model. Rumor has it this talented designer is set to release an Indigenous swimwear and resort wear line in early 2014.

Caressa Sengstock

Caressa is the edgy, unique fashion label from Caressa Sengstock. Caressa began working in the fashion industry in 2009, around the same time as she started to take art classes, which tapped into her creative flair. All of her fashion pieces have been inspired by her own paintings, depicting ancient Dreamtime stories. Her skills really got noticed when a Rainbow Serpent dress that she designed turned heads at the Indigenous Awards night in Sydney. Following this, she was then asked to design a dress for an Australian music awards night and from there, she really took off. One of her recent collections, Spirit Tree, depicts a Dreamtime story about the journey from death to heaven, in which the use of sequins represent the dots in the roots of the tree, as souls traveling into the trunk. The way she pays tribute to ancient stories through contemporary design is just one way this designer stands out.

Images: Caressa, Natalie Cunningham, Kaninda, AIFW

Related on Ecosalon: 

 Synthetic Fabrics Worse Than You Think: Fiber Watch

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The post 3 Aboriginal Australian Designers (plus Indigenous Fashion Week Coming in 2014) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Local craft and cacti meet in Laura Siegel’s NYFW Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

After months voyaging through Peru, Bolivia and India, Canadian designer Laura Siegel uncovered the indigenous crafts of remote villages and local artisans. She also discovered cacti—the succulents that caught her eye and inspired an entire Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

“It was amazing to me how something so bright and colorful as the cacti flowers could grow in such dry, muted deserts,” Siegel tells EcoSalon. From South America to Asia she explored life in the desert and the beauty that exists within it—like the re-purposed black tea waste in Kerala, India used to dye pieces within her collection, or the hand block printing renowned in this region. Farther north, in Delhi, she partnered with a leather smith to stitch her bags into finished pieces. In Peru, she partnered with a group of natural dyers called Eco Tintes, who softly colored the organic cotton and tencel fibers used to crochet pants (below) and knit shirts and sweaters.

From cacti to indigenous crafts, in her third season, Siegel shows range as a designer—fashioning jewelry, designing handbags and creating a complete collection omitting only shoes from her repertoire—a “future dream,” she tells us. With the free flowing nature of Siegel’s compilation, we’d be happy to tromp barefoot through the desert and all. And that’s how she wants you to feel when you wear her designs. “Happy,” she says. “Just happy.”

Designer Laura Siegel modeling her epynomous collection.

More looks we love:

Shoes by Love is Mighty

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post NYFW: Running Through The Desert With Laura Siegel appeared first on EcoSalon.

It should be no surprise to us in this burgeoning age of conscious consumerism that we would want more than just the same old sustainable tale. In fact, as consumers seek to have more storied clothing in 2011, forward-thinking designers are realizing that the more story a garment can weave within, the more appealing it is to buy. This requires not only a tremendous amount of serious thought towards the actual clothing design,  but a knowledge of story and where to draw from.

Take for instance the Awamaki Lab fashion design residency. The lab is giving young designers the opportunity to develop capsule collections in partnership with the Awamaki and its association of indigenous Quechua women weavers.  Study designer Tara St James has been a mentor for the lab and for its inaugural season, Awamaki Lab and St James worked with designer Nieli Vallin, who studied design in Paris at the Chambre Syndical de la Couture. Brought together by the program’s director, Annie Millican, BlackBook reports “The three American fashion devotees will work with the vivid textiles and simple draping of the lliqllas (yik-ee-yaahs) – traditional woolen shawls worn by the Andean women and children – that characterize Quechuan clothing.”

Poncho by the Nielli Vallin/Awamaki/St James Collaboration

Tara says of the collaboration on her The Square Project blog:

“This is an unparalleled opportunity for selected designer participants to develop a capsule collection in the serene environment of Ollantaytambo, Peru. Through the process, designers hone their artistic skills and lend a modern perspective to Awamaki’s range of products. This will improve the organization’s marketability and help to stimulate economic growth in the isolated, rural communities where Awamaki works.”

Domestic economic growth – which we we hope to see flourish more – especially with Native Americans, is with the iconic label Pendleton and three young designers: Nathaniel Crissman, Rachel Turk and John Blasioli. Crissman and Turk, the designers behind the label Church and State worked with menswear designer Blasioli and Pendleton to domestically manufacture the entire line with all domestic wool.

Having been a family owned business for more than 140 years based in the Pacific Northwest (Pendleton, Oregon), the company has always incorporated Native American patterns into their 100 percent virgin wool, reflecting ancient designs and legends. Stay tuned for fall ’11 to see breathtaking ponchos, open back dresses and Native American inspired cardigan sweaters for men and women from the collaboration.

My prediction? Storied clothing in addition to sustainable fabrics is the next wave of conscious fashion where we consumers can be more invested in what we buy from a historical standpoint, designers can learn more ancient trades utilizing their design muse, and with that demand, poor economic sectors will see growth teaching trades they’ve always known. We’re in for an exciting time.

Top Image by Owyn Ruck of Textile Arts Center

The post Storytelling: Awamaki Lab and Pendleton’s Portland Collection appeared first on EcoSalon.