Blazetrak is partnering with Nolcha, a leading platform for independent fashion designers and founder of the Ethical Fashion preview and runway shows, for a contest that will ultimately give one aspiring designer the opportunity to participate in Nolcha Fashion Week in New York, February 2011.

Designers from all over the world are currently invited to submit photos to Blazetrak of their best work at two different submission price points: For a lower price point, designers can submit six images of their best work or, for a higher fee designers can submit the same six images and receive a guaranteed, personalized video response with feedback from Nolcha’s CEO, Kerry Bannigan.

Work can be expressed through photographic images,  drawings, models wearing garments or just garments.

Designers need to be at the ready what with the winning fashion designer being announced live on Ustream on January 7th, 2011,  giving the winner just under a month to prepare their collection for February Fashion Week in New York City.

To enter or for specifics on this competition, visit Blazetrak.

The post Nolcha and Blazetrak Partner for Indie Competition appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fashionistas sure got their fill over the past month, what with Fashion Weeks in New York, Paris, London, Montreal and Vancouver. t was all about spotting trends, attending runway shows, and getting to know the faces behind the brands. What else was on the agenda? Seeking out the designers – like Ada Zanditon, Stella McCartney and more – who are committed to sustainable, ethical and eco practices in the production of their lines. In case you missed any of EcoSalon’s fashion videographer Greta Eagan’s interviews and clips which highlighted the main attractions, you can find them below!

NYFW Spring 2011, Highlights from Day 1, The Green Shows

NYFW Spring 2011, Highlights Day 2, The Green Shows

NYFW Spring 2011 Highlights, Nolcha

Ethical Fashion Show 2010, Highlights from Paris

London Fashion Week S/S 2011, Estethica

London Fashion Week S/S 2011 Fashion Highlights

The post Video Coverage from Fashion Weeks Around the Globe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fashion comes in many forms, and one of the best places to spot up and coming independent designers is at Nolcha Fashion Week. This year, Nolcha dedicated a day to having an Ethical Presentation where a dozen ethical designers showcased their brilliant collections and shared some of their passionate back stories on how their product came to be.

Check out EcoSalon’s exclusive video to meet some of these designers and learn about their Earth changing lines.

(Adha Zelma ethical jewelry pictured above. Photo credit: Greta Eagan)

(Evolve 45 ethical handbags are vegetable dyed. Image via: Evolve 45)

The post EcoSalon Exclusives: NYFW Spring 2011 Highlights, Nolcha appeared first on EcoSalon.

Kelly Drennan and her crew over at Fashion Takes Action are movers and shakers (we’ve known this for a while), but we are delighted to hear of their FTA Design Forward contest for Canadian designers. (That’s Kelly, above.)

Drennan says FTA’s first annual award is being created in recognition of the many talented eco fashion designers in Canada.

Designers include: Thieves, Elladora, Elroy, Paper People Clothing, Laura Chenoweth, Revolve Clothing, Nicole Bridger, Salts Organic, Preloved, Lav & Kush, deux fm, Nixxi, Flora & Fauna, We3 (twigg & hottie). You can learn more about each of these designers by visiting the FTA site.

Thieves

“There are a number of fabulous designers working toward a sustainable fashion future,” says Drennan, “And we believe that our fourteen nominees represent the driving force of the movement in Canada.”

Each designer has been hand-selected by FTA based on a set of criteria including materials used, carbon footprint, ethical production practices, design aesthetics and any extra “eco-initiatives” they’ve implemented, like energy efficiency and organic hang tags.

We3 (twigg&hottie)

The lucky winner will receive a $50,000 package including: a three-month national PR campaign provided by Third Eye Media, participation at Nolcha Fashion Week’s Ethical Fashion Preview in NYC in September 2010, look book photo shoot with full creative team including photographer, models, hair & makeup and stylist along with $1,000 towards Fair trade and Organic certification to be provided by Ecocert.

FTA wants you to vote by April 16th. Go and review each nomination (see the site’s side bar for list of designers), and vote based on your favorite Canadian sustainable fashion designer.

Nixxi

Each of the profiles created includes images of the designs, how they are meeting each of the four eco criteria, and FTA’s comments on how the designers can improve. This is good for you to see as it can help with your decision making.

Of course, all of these designers are talented and hard-working in their own right. They’re sustainably-minded entrepreneurs who are making a tangible, positive impact in the fashion industry by virtue of their efforts.

From your votes (one vote per person), FTA will gather the top three finalists, who will then face a jury of recognized leaders with fashion and corporate sustainability backgrounds including yours truly, author and eco personality Summer Rayne Oakes and sustainability consultant Lorraine Smith.

Good luck to the designers!

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