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DC Fashion Week 2010 – Eco Fashion Show February 15 2010 @ Textile Museum
Rupalee
Rupalee presents figure flattering, contemporary women's apparel conceived to make its wearer look fabulous, feminine and graceful at all times. Rupalee's sustainable and fair-trade clothing is eco-friendly, made from hand-woven and hand-block printed fabrics, earth friendly dyes and hand embroidered. Rupalee is a member of Fair Trade Federation.
Peruvian Trend Peruvian Trend represents the fine art and crafts of Peruvian indigenous women artisans. Using ancestral techniques, PT Co. showcases clothing, accessories and home accents using 100% natural fibers. PT Co supports the artwork of women artisans from the Andean and Northern region in a NGO called Myta Kipu, where 90% of the proceeds of sales go onto support.
Blumpari
Pronounced "bloom-pari," stems from the designer's Thai given name Parichad, meaning the "eternal heavenly blossoming flower." The budding social enterprise seeks to link hot designers, micro-financed and SME producers, corporate partners, and savvy consumers to support cultural and economic sustainability globally. Blumpari has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Maryland Public Television, and Entrepreneur.com. Blumpari won the NYC Independent Handbag Designer Award for "The Most Socially Responsible Handbag" and BB&T "People's Choice Award." Cherry Kwunyeun, Blumpari's Founder, travelled throughout Thailand and consulted on microfinanced handicraft groups on a Fulbright and continued to incubate her enterprise at the Smith School of Business while completing an MBA.
Ceci G.
Traditional Art Reinterpreted was founded in 2009 by Catalina Lemaitre in Washington DC. Calamarie works with artists across Colombia to preserve traditional art forms by purchasing and developing products that use traditional materials and techniques but are reinterpreted for the contemporary woman. At DC Fashion Week 2010, Calamarie will showcase the recently arrived winter collection, including virgin wool and hand woven hammock cloth bags, iraca palm clutches, ground coffee, seed and orange peel necklaces and many more hand-made and earth-friendly accessories. Smithsonian ZooLights Festival December 2008 Fashion Philantrophy's mission is to provide its patrons with an eceletic mix of women's fashions from a carefully selected group of designers who are charitable, socially resonsible and/or eco friendly and sustainable in their pratices. Fashion Philantrophy is women's based cooperative based in Richmond, Virginia http://www.philanthrofashion.com/ Ryann is the fusing of environmental preservation and razor sharp fashion. The pieces are built on a base of original silhouettes that play with drape and proportion. Special attention is given to tailoring and precise design detailing. Ryann pieces are elegant and timeless, while simultaneously being modern and current. The collections are meant to be worn from season to season, never looking dated. Fabrics vary from season to season, but are all carefully selected for their richness, sustainability and comfort.
The International Ethical Fashion Show - September 2007
L-SHANDI L-Shandi was created from a Nigerian street slang "Lepa Shandi". Lepa Shandi is the term for women
Lara was born and grew up in Nigeria which is where she gained the inspiration for her designs "Having always wanted to be individual in everything I did, I have tried to change things up and stand out. I am fascinated by vintage designs and some of creations have vintage influences. L-Shandi designs are a mix of western designs with traditional African fabrics in a way that gives you the freedom to create your own look by integrating them with your existing wardrobe".
NAWA - The Revival Project (TRP) Established in 2007, TRP supports the survival of traditional Indian arts and crafts. For centuries, local Indian artisans have earned their livelihood by making textiles with intricate designs and vibrant colors. The development of branded goods fueled by globalization has rendered this craft obsolete. As a result, artisans are forced to abandon their skills and enter the mainstream low-income job market. TRP was set up to revive this precious art and introduce it to audiences far and wide. Our goal is to sustain the means of livelihood for the artists, ensuring the survival of these arts and crafts. For this event, TRP is showcasing traditional work done by Todas (the traditional red and black embroidery done by the Toda tribes of Ooty), Kalamkari artists (fabrics and designs made using vegetable dyes by the artist community originally from Andhra Pradesh), Silk weavers (fabric made using 100% pure silk by the artists in Tamil Nadu), and Kantha artists (embroidery using the simple running stitch to make decorative motifs by the Begali community). Proceeds from sales are for respective communities to help establish facilities and promote self subsistence. Influenced by family of altruists and artists, Deepa and Divya Devaraj set up TRP to promote the work of the artisans they grew up admiring. SUUTRA Founded by two Indian women, Avni Jamdar and Mona Shah, Suutra creates contemporary women’s apparel and accessories while creating sustainable employment opportunities for women artisans in India. Suutra’s clothing integrates a sophisticated fashion aesthetic with exquisite, age-old artisan techniques. In support of the sustainable and green movement, we work with organic and eco-friendly fabrics that do not harm the environment.
SAMIRA ATASH East and West are united with SAMIRA ATASH, a stylish and contemporary fashion label for women and men that is inspired by the Silk Road and the tribal embroideries of Afghanistan. Collections are made from natural materials such as cotton and silk under fair working conditions. New York based Afghan-American designer Samira Atash has received media coverage from The Washington Post, Oxygen Network, National Geographic, and two nominations from Fashion Group International’s RISING STAR AWARD. In 2002, a dress she designed was featured in the blockbuster hit “Men in Black II” starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Samira graduated with a B.S. in Marketing from George Mason University and completed an intensive fashion program at Parsons School of Design. The designer is also the creator of It's A Miracle Maternity, a popular maternity brand.
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