Marc Jacobs recently named Adwoa Aboah as the brand’s new beauty ambassador. Aboah’s appointment is important because she brings beauty, brains, and diversity to the role.

All about Adwoa Aboah

It’s no secret that Marc Jacobs has always had iconic celebrity ambassadors. However, choosing Aboah helps pave the way for other mixed race models and actress’ to be seen as beauty icons, says Emanuela DeFalco, founder of Dirty Little Secret.

“I think Marc Jacobs choosing her—especially knowing that she is a human rights activist—was a brilliant strategical move for the brand to embrace diversity while also supporting an important cause,” adds DeFalco.

Also, Aboah has had a long, positive working relationship with Marc Jacobs. “Marc gave me my first fashion show in New York City,” says Aboah. Naturally, the model-activist is happy to work again with Jacobs.

“… He has been one of my biggest supporters. I am so excited to be the new face of Marc Jacobs Beauty, and to have been able to work alongside Marc once again is truly inspirational.”

Aboah’s human rights work

Aboah’s Gurls Talk, a feminist, activist platform, is designed to help girls from all walks of life converse in a safe, judgement-free environment.

“It’s an amazing platform where women, whether bi-racial, bi-sexual—basically women of any make or model—can come and gain insight as well as listen to others struggles and share their own experiences,” says DeFalco.

“I believe she started this platform for a reason and wanted to give women an outlet to express themselves.”

Marc Jacobs: A brand to get behind

We’re thrilled to read that the Marc Jacobs brand also is cruelty-free, paraben-free, and hypoallergenic. Although some of Jacobs’ products aren’t vegan—some contain beeswax and carmine—the brand sells some products that are animal byproduct-free.

So, try to contain your excitement for December 12… That’s when Sephora launches its new liquid lip crayon.

“The 2018 beauty campaign… envelops the brand’s signature use of vivid and unique color combinations,” reports Byrdie.

The launch will feature the Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon. “It’s a combination of a liquid lipstick and lip crayon—it’s long lasting and ultra pigmented.”

You can search all of Marc Jacobs products at Sephora here.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Our guide to this year’s best fashion exhibits.

Did you miss the magical Savage Beauty exhibit at the MET last year?  Take comfort by buying the book – a showstopper in itself – and vow not to miss another this year. Curatorial staff are realizing the particular appeal of fashion exhibits and the increased ticket sales potential. If an article in WWD on how museums are “getting fashionable” is any indication, they’ve cottoned on. “There’s a loyal following — besides the fact that fashion is fashionable,” Pamela Golbin, chief curator at Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris was quoted, “There’s something very intimate about clothes.” More and more new fashion exhibits are popping up here in the United States all over the world. Several exciting ones are due to debut this year.

Here are our top 10 don’t-miss fashion exhibits of 2012.

1.  Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada: On Fashion, opens May 10 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Featuring over 80 designs by Schiaparelli and an installation that will give the effect of the two designers being in conversation with one another on subjects such as art, politics and the role of women now and then. With director Baz Luhrman serving as the exhibition’s creative consultant this show promises to follow up on the success of last year’s groundbreaking Alexander McQueen exhibit.

2. FIT NY and the CFDA collaborate to celebrate Impact: Fifty Years of the CFDA at the FIT museum from the 10th of February through until the 17th of April. The leading trade organization of fashion designers presents a tribute to the creativity of American talent and will showcase designs from Halston, Norman Norell, Pauline Trigère, Geoffrey Beene, Bill Blass, Rudi Gernreich, Bob Mackie, James Galanos, Diane von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Isabel Toledo, Rodarte, and Proenza Schouler.

3. Chanel: Designs for the Modern Woman at the Mint Museum Randolph in Charlotte, North Carolina continues thru February 26. Pioneering clothing that was comfortable, casual and enduring in its construction and style, Coco Chanel (1883-1971) remains a pivotal figure responsible for much of what is still considered modern in women’s fashion in the 21st century.

4. A retrospective of designer Christian Louboutin at London’s Design Museum opens March 28 – July 1 and promises to be as red-hot as his signature soles. The exhibition coincides with the publication of a coffee table book documenting Lobuoutin’s work. Mulholland Drive director David Lynch photographed some of the designer’s most fantastical creations and John Malkovich wrote the foreword.

5. If you are in London, you must check out Fifty Years of James Bond Style at the Barbican, opening in April. In addition to Mr. Bond’s Savile Row tailoring, expect to see  lavish Bond-girl finery by Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Roberto Cavalli, Thierry Mugler, Miuccia Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Emanuel Ungaro and Donatella Versace.

6. Also opening in the 2012 Olympic Games host city is the sure-to-impress Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum 
running May 19, thru January 26, 2013. Featuring evening wear from the V&A’s vast collection of British designers, the exhibit will show a selection of royal ballgowns including a Norman Hartnell gown designed for Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Diana’s “Elvis Dress” designed by Catherine Walker and gowns worn by today’s young royals.

7. Paying tribute to the legendary French designer Yves Saint Laurent — The Retrospective opens March 25 at the Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colarado. Organized thematically, the presentation showcases over 200 pieces that explore the full arc of Saint Laurent’s developing style and turbulent inner life.

8. If you didn’t catch The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk at the Dallas Museum of Art, Texas (runs thru February 12) head to San Francisco’s Deyoung Museum where it will run from March 24  – August 19. Dubbed fashion’s enfant terrible, his often provocative messages are enhanced by the sublime construction of his clothing.

9. Set to open on the last night of Paris Fashion Week, March 9, and run until September 16 at the famous Museé des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, the Louis Vuitton – Marc Jacobs exhibit weighs the careers of both designers. The show aims to compare their bodies of work and offers a potential explanation as to why Jacobs and his ready-to-wear approach could never replace Galliano at Dior.

10. Azzedine Alaïa in the 21st Century currently at the Groninger Museum in Holland and running thru May 6, celebrates the body-con creations of the great Tunisian-born couturier. Now in his 70’s, the designer recently became an outspoken proponent of slow fashion, saying “Four collections for women, four collections for men, another four collections to sell, and everything needs do be done within four, five months—it’s a one-way course towards emptiness. It’s inhuman.”

Top Image: Alexander McQueen’s Savage Beauty

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Six L.A. designers get ready to ship their fall ’11 to boutiques worldwide. We get a sneak peek.

Internationally recognized designers Karen Stewart and Howard Brown have been pioneering the sustainable fashion movement for nearly a decade now. Inspired by their love and respect for nature, their Fall 2011 collection draws on the nomadic lifestyle of keeping only what we need and value. This parallels their own belief that we should buy only quality items we absolutely love and that will last for many seasons.

In addition to extending their popular pima and luxe organic cotton collection, this season the duo are also offering four Mongolian Cashmere styles and have added a novelty group of 100% organic cotton French terry and 100% organic cotton polished twill, unlike anything currently in the marketplace.

I. Ronni Kappos

For the past nine years, jewelery designer Ronni Kappos has been creating memorable one-of-a-kind pieces from her collection of vintage glass, most of which was made in Germany during the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Her work has been featured on the cover of Rolling Stone  and in several television shows, but her proudest moment was giving a piece to Marc Jacobs at a red carpet event, which he wore for the remainder of the night.

Recently influenced by Native American Indian themes, Kappos has incorporated diamond weaves, totems, and feather-like hoops into her Fall 2011 collection. We will continue to see a ton of color with this collection, as well as flat geometric shapes, flower shapes and more pendants.

LAVUK

Emerging sustainable designer Natasha Gindin is proud of the fact that LAVUK clothing is sweatshop free and made locally in Los Angeles. In addition, for every garment purchased, a tree is planted on behalf of the California Wildfire ReLeaf program.

Her Fall 2011 collection, Infinity, is influenced by the linear symmetry and crisp angles of the Art Deco movement, and was designed with closet longevity in mind (to be worn an ‘infinite’ number of times). Gindin has chosen to stick with jewel tones, intended to evoke an inner connectivity to one’s youth, something she personally achieves through Tibetan meditation.

Popomomo

Over the past couple of years, designer Lizz Wasserman has created sustainable collections inspired by the environment and art: from melting polar ice caps and exile in the desert, to photography and Russian constructivism. This time, Wasserman has been inspired by literature, particularly L.A’s “bad-girl” author of the 70s, Eve Babitz, and the recent Patty Smith memoir.

Playing with shape and proportion, this season we can expect to see some oversized and fitted pieces, longer silhouettes and warm, saturated colors.

Mi Capri

Mi Capri, designed by illustrator Carrie Perlow, is a footwear collection which is as uniquely fashionable and artistic as the people who wear them. Her fall ’11 collection is called Old School Meets the New Wave, and each pair is hand crafted and manufactured in and by LA’s most talented cobblers and artisans whose skills have been honed over generations. The designer says “It’s for people who like catching the new wave first.”

FROCK Los Angeles

Designed for a woman who exudes confidence, glamor, sex appeal, and independence, FROCK Los Angeles ­­is an emerging sustainable ready-to-wear line from designer Victoria Tik. Her Fall 2011 collection combines vintage glamor with contemporary style, and features several fitted pieces with sexy scooped backs.

Top Image: Stewart + Brown

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Pencil skirts – How can a fashion essential, every wardrobe’s tall drink of water, be a new trend, you ask? Did you see Sarah Jessica Parker in this month’s “Age” issue of Vogue? Looking divine (and disturbingly airbrushed for an issue on “Age…”), she was photographed by Mario Testino in various domestic settings with Matthew Broderick and her kids wearing Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Proenza Schouler’s mid-calf length pencil skirts. While the mid-calf lengths were a trend for Spring 2011, seeing them in a more streamlined silhouette is new. Last time we saw a long, tight garment with a narrow enough hem to impede the wearer’s stride we called it a “hobble” skirt. So while it remains anathema to modern-day practicalities for most of us—anyone other than SJP evidently—damn straight if they’re not the sexiest cocktail party entrance you’ll make this year.

Peplums—Practically an addendum to the pencil skirt trend, peplums—the short ruffle attached at the waistline of a jacket, dress or skirt—are big news right now. Seemingly running counterintuitive to one of women’s greatest figure fears (i.e adding additional width at the hip), their ability to minimize a thick trunk is almost as magical as Harry Potter’s ultimately loyal Elder Wand. If your tastes run to the more casual, pick up a skirt with pronounced hip pockets for the same waist-whistling effect.

Cropped Pants—Pedal pushers, Clam Diggers, Culottes, call them what you like, but brightly colored, cropped, flared (or tapered), high waisted pants have re-emerged for the coming seasons. I know what you’re thinking: Anything that cuts the leg in half can’t look good and ordinarily I’d agree. Yet, the evolving feeling for ’70s romanticism, which is so compelling this coming winter, makes them worth a second look. Forget the exaggerated styles that everyone thinks of from that decade, instead reframe in jewel-colored silky, crepe de chine for a look that is a genuine tribute to the heady, avant-garde, Roxy Music-saturated sensuality of that time. I’ll be wearing mine – when I find the perfect vintage pair – with the highest heels and sheer black tights.

Facial Hair— Suddenly, it’s everywhere. On men, I mean. Looking around as I write this, there is not one clean-shaven man in the café where all the cool art directors grab their triple shot macchiatos in San Francisco’s multi-media gulch. Sprouting from the hipster/Amish unkempt beard look and the greased mustaches on bartenders that are now as de rigueur as the small batch American whiskies served by the coolest bars in town, its a trend that’s experiencing a sudden growth spurt. A recent issue of Marie Claire magazine reported, “Women rate men with full facial hair as more courageous, dominant, trustworthy and confident than clean-shaven men.” With male-dominated politics going the way it currently is, I say, bring on the hairy.

Feet Gloves— Have you seen people wearing them yet? Brace yourself, because chances are you will soon. Designed to provide minimal support for barefoot runners, these skeletor-looking shoes are going mainstream and being worn to the office, the supermarket and even the red carpet. Vibram’s FiveFingers brand of feet-glove shoes are churning out one creepy looking design after another, including a green renewable merino wool choice, and Fila’s versions are not even promoted as running shoes, supporting the notion that more consumers would like to go “barefoot” in their everyday lives.

So which trends do you think represent either the good, bad or downright ugly? It really is up to you. After witnessing a couple of stylish looking ladies this week pulling off some seemingly crazy looks—one wearing polka dot pedal pushers, the other a pleated skirt, straw hat and the dreaded feet glove shoe, I kid you not—and looking absolutely fabulous, I’ve had a fashion epiphany. One thing is for certain, anyone, with their head up high, shoulders back and a twinkle in their eye can look stylish flaunting as far-out a trend as they desire. But let’s leave the facial hair for the guys, okay?

The post Current Style Trends: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly appeared first on EcoSalon.

A fashion industry insider reports.

Charles Frederick Worth was one of the world’s first noted fashion designers (See his Court Dress, above). In 1845, a fashion designer was an artist, highly regarded and sought after by the society of the royal court to advise on their wardrobe choices. Worth’s main concern, as a designer, was to design and handmake one of a kind haute couture that would distinguish each of his customers. Associated with class, distinction, style, and influence, people like Worth have been labeled taste-makers for well over a century. Relics aside, today, the role of a fashion designer is far more complicated, competitive, and multifaceted than ever before.

Well known designers, such as Stella McCartney, have been known to express a desire to run away from the industry after a season. When she received harsh criticism after her debut collection from the press in 2001, McCartney told NY Magazine, “People think I’m strong, but actually I wanted to crawl away. I thought, I’m going to live in the country with my horse and I’ll get a nine-to-five; I don’t need this.”

However, with hundreds of new designers emerging to show at fashion weeks around the world each season, even negative press is better than the alternative of no press. Minor complaints aside, in the past few years, incidents suggest that there are more serious issues afoot plaguing designers than insults from the press. From John Galliano’s drunken Nazi rantings, to Marc Jacob’s repeated drug problems, and the most tragic being Alexander McQueen’s suicide last year, designers seem to be experiencing something beyond the usual industry stress. With all of these melt downs, one has to ask: Might these outbreaks just be symptoms of a larger system failure?

To understand the current circumstances, one must first understand the role of a designer. Today, the designer actually functions as a Creative Director, overseeing many different pieces of the company’s product design, execution, brand imaging and positioning, and much of the marketing and press. Another key part of the role is being accountable to the Financial Officer, also known as the “Money” of the business. Which means a designer really has to understand every step, cost and stage of their business to be able to make well informed decisions on how to steer the business. Below is a diagram to illustrate everything that must be managed and considered in order to produce and sell fashion on a mass market level. The arrows describe the tiers of power throughout the system.

In a cascade system, such as in a fashion house, each part of the system is dependent on the other. Therefore, if one part of the system fails, the entire system collapses. And yet, somehow, up until recently, this system has been quite efficient across the board for most well known fashion houses. This system has been able to maintain because the least powerful and the lowest paid group within the system, the laborers, farmers, and factory workers, make up the largest part of the system’s labor pool, keeping the costs and product prices low. Ironically, these links just happen to be what keeps the whole system going.

The other factor that the fashion system relies heavily upon, but also pays little for, are materials. However, if the costs of labor go up because, for instance, a country like China decides to enforce and increase their labor standards (which is currently happening), the standards raise across the board in other countries. Over time, the price of the product must go up as well. If cotton crops fail repeatedly due to climate changes, the cost of materials increase across the board due to shortages, and the price of the product goes up again. If the price offered to customers goes up dramatically, amidst all the cheep and cheerful overstock product flooding the market from last year, customers simply won’t buy it. After all, most people already have enough stuff. The brand will only sell items on sale, which results in job instability of everyone in the cascade system.

The Designer and the “Money” must take the issue seriously and find a solution before the system can continue on a healthy level. However, limited resources and rising labor costs are not an easy problems to solve, especially when you have an extremely competitive market and are running a complex system already set up to work only one way. Unfortunately, there are only a few options within the fashion industry to stay afloat:

The Iron Fist Solution, á la H&M: Make the customers temporarily happy by making and selling enormous amounts of low price-tag products of cheap quality. In this case, the cost of business operations is covered through the slivers of profit on each item sold, and multiplied by the tens and hundreds of thousands of items that are produced. With this solution, the brand needs to be able to sell directly through their own stores and the designer must have some kind of monopoly over materials and labor to keep the prices of the goods exceptionally low. This technique will destroy the competition, as long as the designer can continue running the business on minimum costs. However in the current environment, this is not a long term solution. The costs of materials and labor will go up as resources continue to run low, which is caused by the mass production of poor quality goods in the first place. At this point, the company is chasing its own tail, and even if  the company using the Iron Fist Strategy can hold out long enough to put the competition out of business, eventually they’ll put themselves out of business if they don’t innovate their process at some point so that they find a solution to materials shortages.

The Velvet Glove Solution a.k.a. the Luxury Market Method: Invest in maintaining the appearance and allure of a “luxury brand” while selling a lot (although maybe not as much as an H&M) of lower cost product at “luxury” prices. Examples of this would be the Diors and Chanels of the world. This is the Iron Fist Solution seasoned with a little better quality and taste, and disguised by marketing that allows the brand to make a much higher mark-up on the sale of each item. Therefore, even if the brand is selling less items across the board, they make more for the operations budget on each item. So while we, the customers, equate Chanel with haute couture dresses and iconic tweed jackets, they’re making their money on selling patent leather (a.k.a. vinyl) shoes, handbags and perfume at exorbitant prices. This also destroys the competition, who can’t compete with the marketed “luxury” brand allure and history. While this solution may last for some time, provided consumers don’t get wise to the marketing schemes or lose their taste for “luxury,”  it again does not address the materials and labor cost increase issue, which eventually will cut into the marketing budget and over time might cause detriment to the brand.

The Performance Solution: They keep the costs of products proportionate to the costs of materials and labor. This solution invests in manufacturing technology, textile engineering, and science to keep ahead of the curb. This would be the Patagonia’s of the world. In this solution, there is almost no competition, you create your own niche market, and through innovations, you gain customer loyalty. Be the only one to know where to get materials that are made of recycled or renewable resources, thus removing the dependency on natural materials costs and you have created a more sustainable future for your company.

The Innovator’s Solution: There are always new designers and businesses springing up with a new way to do things. Whether it’s tackling marketing, design, or materials in new ways, this group of oddball fashion designers and indie-houses are thinking outside the box to drive consumer culture and the market out of the old ways. With the current media and market focusing on all things “green” and “socially responsible,” this new crop of innovative businesses are popping up to fill the hole in the market through the use of unthinkable techniques, collaborations, and technologies. Examples of these designers might be BioCouture, who creates leather jackets from tea film, Christopher Raeburn, who’s been known to use left over parachute material from the military to make windbreakers, or perhaps, Bright Young Things, whose marketing tactics appear to aim to convince people to buy less. While this growing “innovator” circle has not fully matured into well known designers in the mainstream, perhaps the mass market is not an innovative place to be if a designer is trying to plan for a future with fewer resources and fairly paid labor. However, these designers might just be the ones who ultimately find long term solutions to the current fashion crisis.

With all that is going on in the world’s environment, markets, and economies, it is easy to despair. From the standpoint of a designer, who oversees enough of the business to understand how things work (or how things don’t work), it’s like watching the ship going down in slow motion.

From their mast heads, some of the biggest designers of our times seem to be doing just that. Perhaps they’re just on their way to becoming relics themselves, without enough knowledge to change the way that their industry works altogether. Well, not all of them.

Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld is living in his ivory tower which he’s built so high that he might be the only one left with his head just above the water in the end. Recently he was quoted by Vogue as saying, “I have a lot more sympathy for people who have to take the train to work every day. What a load of nonsense.”

Sympathy, eh? “Designers are artisans who are extremely privileged to have a poetic profession. They are not artists. We have to stop saying that they are,”  Lagerfeld adds.

He makes the job look easy. Meanwhile those designers who feel all of the responsibilities behind the job, have panic attacks or worse. But let us remember back in 1975, in the thick of building his career to the empire he now owns, he mentioned to The Observer Magazine his philosophy on his own work practices, “I am a sort of vampire, taking the blood of other people.” With this work ethic he has gone very far, leading some of the most powerful and influential fashion houses in the industry, producing billions of dollars worth of product, and making people on all corners of the planet thirst for a wide range of products on an unprecedented level. Perhaps he actually is the bug that bites.  But then again, according to him, he doesn’t even take himself seriously. It’s a wonder that the rest of the world considers him a fashion guru.

Editor’s Note: Due to sensitive circumstances, the author has asked us to use a pseudonym. We have honored the request in this case.

Image: Joe Paczkowski

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Five low-impact suggestions to create a smart Fall 2011 wardrobe.

Thinking about our relationship to fashion beyond conspicuous consumption is a core principle here at EcoSalon and as we all know is as challenging as it is enlightening. Identifying what fashion truly means to you is the first step to figuring out how to re-design a stylish future that better serves you and the planet. For me, the fun of fashion is in its unique ability to express the outlandish, a sense of wit and imagination, as exemplified by icons such as Alexander McQueen, Isabella Blow and Diana Vreeland.

Vreeland, Editor-In-Chief of Vogue from 1963-1971, created the fashion media as we know it today. She imparted her sparkling wit and ingenuity into the style scene, qualities that are mostly missing in these days of carbon-copy consumerism.

Vreeland began her career as a columnist for Harper’s Bazaar in 1936. Her tongue-in-cheek “Why don’t you” columns – “Why don’t you use a gigantic shell instead of a bucket to ice your champagne?” and “Or paint a map of the world on all four walls of your boys’ nursery so they won’t grow up with a provincial point of view?” for example – inspired her post-Depression readers to think outside of the box and break the rules of fashion.

It was Vreeland’s fearless, slightly madcap voice saying “Why Not” that came to mind as I watched last week’s New York runways with a view to how I could adapt my own wardrobe to reflect some of the trends. In the spirit of fashion risk taking, and with humble acknowledgment paid to a true genius (she actually invented the word “Pizazz” for goodness’ sake), here are my five low-impact suggestions to create a smart Fall 2011 wardrobe.

Why not…tie one on? Menswear is a huge trend. With Yigal Azrouel, Alexander Wang and Prabal Gurung (above) showing tuxedo inspired ensembles, the easiest way to get the look is to borrow a tie or cut a thin strip of black silk. Tie the knot a little looser and lower  than you would on your male counterpart or forget a collar completely and rock the androgynous look with a tee.

Why not…stop playing so safe? It’s not until you’re confronted with a chartreuse dress or bright orange pants that you realize you’ve essentially been weaned on a diet of safe neutrals and black. If you’re going to buy one thing for next season, choose a piece that gives your neutral ensemble an unexpected pop of color, as seen at Peter Som, Preen and Phillip Lim (above).

Why not…chop off the arms of your old trench or jacket? If this idea makes you squirm, get your tailor to do it. Make sure to save the arms to create a bias binding to neatly finish off the look. Vest coats looked fresh at Alexander Wang, Richard Chai Love and Rachel Roy.

Why not…nix the match? Clashing textures, plaids and prints is the way to go, as seen at Marc Jacobs, Rag and Bone (above) and Thakoon. Consider it  the perfect excuse to try on all your old clothes again to see what clashes with what!

Why not…make a sweeping entrance? Flowing, mid-calf and longer skirt lengths feel radical, even mildly uncomfortable, after years spent in form fitting tops and skinny pants. Dig around your local thrift store and I guarantee you’ll find some floor-skimmers left over from the early 1990’s. Pair with a utilitarian jacket to get the new silhouette, as seen at Tommy Hilfiger, Rachel Comey and Tory Burch.

All images from style.com

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With the winter winds now howling outside my home here in Eastern Europe, it seems natural to let one’s thoughts drift to warm weather destinations and beach side resorts. My stroll down Rue de Rivoli in Paris last week reminded me that for upscale designer labels, resort wear collections are de rigueur at this point in the annual fashion calendar. Whether or not one has a sunny holiday getaway on tap, one cannot help but to wonder if resort collections are indeed a thing of the past. With the bulk of designer pieces barely moving off-shelves in retails stores and jet-setting jaunts frowned upon by the eco-conscious set, why are designers and retailers continuing to generate these capsule collections in a market that is already saturated with goods? Tradition can be a lovely thing, but surely we can make do with some of our spring/summer favorites and timeless pieces from the reserves of our fair weather stash?

Marc Jacobs Resort 2011

There is no doubt that wardrobe shopping for a snowbird beach holiday warms one’s winter-weary bones in a way that outshines layering with heavy woolens. But shoppers who frequent big name department stores might not realize that designers who create resort collections (also known as cruise collections or pre-collections) are feverishly creating these ready-to-wear holiday offerings in addition to their bi-annual collections for spring/summer and autumn/winter. This has been a celebrated tradition for decades with high-end fashion houses such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Marc Jacobs, to name a few, creating for both retailers and magazine glossies expecting this high-octane output.

Chanel Resort 2011

It is hard to believe, though, that in this current era of environmental awareness and increased assessment of waste in the fashion industry, that we continue to support and glamorize this overt demonstration of fashion excess. Resort clothing and accessories can surely be handpicked from chic designs that are available all year long and from warm weather favorites of the past year. The pressure that designers continually face in generating additional offerings for each resort cycle is undeniably impacting their ability to institute better (sustainable) production models from start to finish. If shoppers refused to partake in this phenomenon, retailers might be forced to reconsider the viability of resort wear essentials overall.

“Interim” collections no doubt confuse us as much as the weather does these days, so it only makes sense that stores would want to aid us on this front rather than cloud the issue with ill-timed floor displays. Perhaps the emphasis should increasingly be on eco travel destinations that celebrate looking fabulous in whatever gear it takes to comprehend the beauty of a region while also walking lightly on the beaches we all share?

Main Image: Jonathan Saunders Resort 2010

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Metallic Glam has been identified and secured by Style.com and WWD as a significant category for this fall. Designers such as Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karen all offered up their renditions for this eye-catching trend! Fortunately, eco-designers were equally ambitious and attuned.

Linda Loudermilk included a sleek and sexy silver dress in her Fall collection. Sara Shepherd’s silver dress crosses over from office attire to a sophisticated evening look. And if you are preparing for a night at the Opera, attending an evening wedding this fall or a charity black-tie event Leanne Marshall has just the dress for you in a full length charcoal grey gown.

Style tip: If you are fair skinned, opt for the silver toned dresses, while darker skinned femmes should sport golden hues.

Regardless of the occasion, give your standby black beauty a rest and go for a metallic number that will catch everyone’s attention and hold it!

The post Metallic Glam: The Gold and Silver Standard Gowns appeared first on EcoSalon.

‘It’ bags are so passé, but stocking your closet with a few good shapes and sizes is not. One bag you may want to add to your collection is the bucket bag. Relaxed and luxe at the same time, this drawstring topper is the perfect accomplice to summertime dressing. Pair it with a tank dress and flats or leggings and a long layered vest.

You know it is a classic when you can buy a vintage version from Chanel. Or, if you want a more updated bag take a look at Matt & Nat or Imitation and Disguise – both advocate natural dying processes.

Have some fun updating your summer wardrobe with a bag that not everyone will have.

The post The Drawstring Bucket Bag Is a Must Have Staple appeared first on EcoSalon.

Let’s all give a nod to Marc Jacobs for fostering one of the least impressive trends to see this spring – shoulder pads.

Thanks to Jacobs, who easily impresses the fashion world with his seasonal lines and willingness to step two sides to the right, left, then do-si-do outside of the box, we are forced to consider two stern sidekicks on either side of our heads.

One might muse that this geometrical trend is a reaction to all the bare shoulders we’ve been seeing courtesy of Hollywood starlets gracing red carpets; an immediate reaction to pad up and channel a tougher image to the world outside.

Worn with harem pants or a pencil skirt you too can be the new symbol of everything 80s (see Princess Diana, Molly Ringwald or Madonna for reference).

Implemented gently, you might be able to pull it off but beware of the voices resting on either shoulder telling you to add more or less.

What do you think of spring’s hot trend?

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