I’ve loved what NatureVsfuture® designer Nina Valenti has been doing for awhile now, but how to accurately explain her collection isn’t easy to do since it’s so different than a lot of other lines.

That’s why when I went to the NatureVsfuture® site and saw her describing it as an “Artistic expression of organic futurism via clothing,” I was happy she could do it for me.

The label’s name was inspired by the designer’s belief that there is a “constant struggle between nature and future, a pressure between organic forces and technological ones. The more we advance the more we need to consider nature before we deplete it. In this tension to find balance is the living energy of the collection and hence the name.” says Valenti.

Her visions of balance lie somewhere in blending sculptural design with natural and sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, organic wool, hemp, soy, bamboo, seacell® (seaweed), lyocell (wood pulp), Ingeoâ„¢ (created from corn), along with recycled and technological fabrics such as Polartec® (made from soda pop bottles or industry waste).

And by her incredible talent in persuading us that futuristic is also very wearable, our futuristic visions of earth fashion are saved (we won’t be wearing recycled tin foil suits and cotton booties while walking through our galactic space vessels).

Thanks for clarifying Nina, and for the record, I’ll wear your angled dresses and asymetrical shirts anytime.

Want to try your hand at participating in a futuristic, eco-fashion utopia sometime soon?

Then meet Nina and a full line-up of sustainable designers at EcoSalon Shops! in NYC on June 4th!

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You’ve got to wonder how designers get their ideas, what makes them complete whole collections based on architecture, a movie, a skyline or a color from deep within a forest.

What makes one stick out more than another? How can one be so inspired to create?

I caught up with four designers.

Where Do You Draw Inspiration From?

Nature Vs. Future/Designer Nina Valenti:

I just love to draw. I love playing with line, balance & texture. I get inspired by fabric, shapes and form. I love architecture, interior and furniture design. Living in New York City, there are so many buildings around me and I always love to look up and notice the way the shapes cut into the sky and  look so different from every angle. I get inspired on my Brooklyn bike rides under the Verrazano bridge. I just absorb my surroundings, then sit down and draw most of my collections on the subway.

Allison Parris:

Because my mom is an interior designer, I have so much exposure to old architecture and interior details that I do tend to take from that (even when it’s subconsciously!). Having an eco-friendly brand, however, a lot of what I like to do is play up the great textures that you can find in some of these raw materials. I think it gives another dimension to the clothing and really gives the garment a life of its own.

Moda Spia/Designer Ursula Dean:

My inspiration comes from film, travel, the playground. I love the billowy clothes of children in old fairy tale illustrations as much as Brigit Bardot’s care-free glamour.

Jackson, Johnston & Roe:

We draw inspiration from where we’ve grown up, the cities and surroundings we live in currently and from the endless archive of fashion of the past… both in history and within our families. Lately we have been inspired by traveling – not just the destination, but what you take for your trip. We think of our collections as everything you’ll need to have with you on your travels, and we consider packaging and versatility as well as the longevity and wear of the clothes. We are inspired by the quality of construction in garments from the past and we strive to bring that quality to our line.\

Image: Digital Sophia Photography

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