September 2008
Eco fashion doesn't have to mean toning it down – just look at some of the A-listers, says Tamasin Doe
There's something surprising about show-offy bling that isn't bad for the environment and the people who live and work in it. The whole look is about greed not good, surely? It's like comparing a Hummer fully laden with diamond-encrusted footballers, WAGs and rap stars with a vegan student's bicycle.
Of course the pedalling vegan can choose to look every bit as bling-tastic, just as the shiny ones can opt for 'conflict-free' diamonds and outfits by any number of eco glam designers.
A-list involvement goes beyond wearing it alone. Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, could write the handbook on how to turn up at a Hollywood shindig looking ethically glamorous, which is why Edun, their collection that encourages sustainable employment in the developing world, is an A-list favourite.
Actress Natalie Portman is another regular on the red carpet who champions ethical fashion. Her shoes of the moment are by vegan-glam brand Charmone. Lush, ruby velvet heels and chunky platforms in joyful prints are a couple of highlights.
For corseted silk sheath dresses which Rita Hayworth herself could've wriggled into, there are handmade corseted dresses by Julia Smith, available from www.fashion-conscience.com, who cut her fashion teeth at Alberta Ferretti, Italy's queen of romantic evening dresses.
For old school bling, only chunky gold chains will do. Rachel Essex specialises in reworking vintage chains and jewellery to create new pieces with lots of impact, also at www.fashion-conscience.com.
What about the blingin' bags? Modern bags by Dialog are given a boho edge with a traditional Malaysian recycling technique of folding materials, origami-style, to decorate them. At the luxury end, Pibiones by Antonello mixes bold textiles handcrafted in Sardinia with recycled materials, to create chic handbags.
New York fashion label Doucette Duvall uses existing materials and trims, rather than ordering the manufacture of new ones. It doesn't harm the company's results, at least not in the eyes of Scarlett Johansson, Britney Spears and the stylist Patricia Field, who used three of its dresses in the film version of Sex and the City.
For the new season, People Tree is continuing its designer tie-up with the London-based Turkish designer Bora Aksu. The result is a range of elegant and interesting dresses and blouses. Also, look out for a new collection of necklaces and earrings for People Tree by designer Sam Ubhi, and a selection of zingy silk evening dresses in emerald and chartreuse as well as classic black.
That's the shopping done. But how about saving your money altogether with a bit of recycling with attitude. Last month a friend started a hen night with a styling party – not your usual plastic-boobs-and-an-L-plate.
Instead, everyone brought a favourite outfit and dressed a friend in it. In turn, they got to wear a whole new look for free. The highlight of the night? A pair of Pat Butcher earrings that ended up clinging to the marital earlobes: big blinging saucers of glamour from Oxfam. Perfect all round.
Tamasin Doe is an author and fashion journalist
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