“In the same way people want to know where their chicken is from, they want to know where their clothes come from.”

- Averyl Oates, Harvey Nichols

PETA would be pleased. Finally, fashion has ventured out into nature. The catwalks all lead to the hiking trails now that organic cotton has taken the fashion scene by storm. Caring, conscious consumers are now not only buying organic food, but also organic clothing. Greenpeace-inspired garb is slowly but inexorably infiltrating the consumer’s social and moral conscience.

Organic food and beverages clocked in at a whopping $14.6 billion in 2005 alone. Fashion followed food’s lead, naturally, with organic cotton clothing: it carries no pesticide residues, and uses no heavy metals or chlorine in its dyes. And according to the Oakland-based nonprofit Organic Exchange, demand for organic cotton is running wild:

“Global sales of organic cotton increased 35% annually to $583 million from $245 million and are projected to reach 2.6 billion by the end of 2008. More than 1,200 retailers and manufacturers offer organic products to consumers, up from only a few hundred in 2001.”

Organic cotton isn’t the only material fashion designers are borrowing from nature. Other popular materials include hemp, bamboo, and a wide variety of exotic plants. Fashion designers are also incorporating recycled material into their collections by reusing old clothes, or even bottles from the local recycling bin.

According to the nonprofit group Sustainable Technology Education Project these trends fall under the category of Eco-Fashion, which is clothing that “takes into account the environment, the health of consumers and the working conditions of the people in the fashion industry.”

Of course, organic clothing is not a completely new idea… the very first clothes were organic. In recent times, though, LL Bean and Patagonia were among the first to use organic cotton in the early 1990’s. But Mark Zaroff, founder of organic fashion line Under the Canopy, argues that the organic clothing of the past was often made out of fabrics that were “crunchy-scratchy, and the styling was all wrong for the mass market.”

This time around, fashion designs and fashionistas have paired up to create and consume highly stylized organic clothing and accessories. Today, organic clothing is not only more comfortable, but also lasts longer. This increases its appeal to the major department and fashion retail stores. Events at London’s Fashion Week and Paris’ Pret-a-Porter also helped generate interest in organic clothing and social responsibility in fashion.

Less expensive stores including Walmart, American Apparel and H & M are on the same page as high-end retail stores such as Barneys New York, Holt Renfrew or Nordstroms on the matter. Shops are taking a cue from Whole Foods and tapping into consumers who are both environment-friendly and sophisticated. As Harvey Nichols’ buying director Averyl Oats said, “We’re of the opinion that you can be fashionable and care about the world.”

The organic clothing industry also has a presence in the celebrity world, which is fueling consumers’ product knowledge and demand. We all know Stella McCartney, who is infamous for never using fur in any of her collections. Two years ago, U2’s Bono and his wife Ali Hewson followed in her footsteps and started Edun. This all-organic clothing line supports moral and social values for the local workforce and their communities.

Bono also expanded the horizons of ethical clothing this year with his launch of Project Red, through which fashion retailers donate profits to a fund combating AIDS, malaria, and TB in Africa. And Project Red is just one of the new collaborations between designers and charities. Even Gap, one Project’s Red’s partners, just released a 60’s-inspired dress collection by famous Parisian designer Roland Mouret. After all, what is more appealing to a customer than to look chic and philanthropic at the same time?

Glamour has gone green, and not with envy this time. Finally, as much green as a fashionista puts into her clothes, she puts into her environment… one (green) hand washes the other.

- Sarah Perpich

Credits:

Top Photograph – NatureVsFuture ?
Plumb Obi Belt Dress – NatureVsFuture @ mightyflirt.com ?
Vegan Ballet Flats – Moo Shoes ?
Long Alpaca Scarf – The Green Loop ?
Under the Canopy ?

To invest in handbags with the underlying thought of having to carry the same bag for years was uninspiring. Wouldn’t it be great to fill my closet with a huge variety of handbags that I could carry at any time? Change color or style on a whim?

- Kara Richter, Founder of “From Bags to Riches”

Fashion is change. What’s “in” on Monday is “out” by Monday afternoon. Fashionistas are running a fashion trend marathon that has no finish line in sight. But this never-ending cycle of designers, collections, and trends results in quite the hefty price tag.

No longer. Now the trend addict can get her fashion fix by “borrowing” the hot new item. Why not carry the “it” bag while it’s “in” and return it when it becomes passé? Why not “borrow” a designer purse (or two) that would ordinarily break your budget’s back? And why shouldn’t we all be able to live like a celebrity and tote their bag for a few weeks?

Renting fashion is the monomania in contemporary consumer culture. Businesses that provide such a service are multiplying like rabbits. Two of the most popular sites are “Bag, Borrow, or Steal” and “From Bags to Riches.”

On “Bag, Borrow, or Steal,” renting a designer handbag or jewelry piece is as easy as renting a movie. The fashionable clients are charged a monthly fee, which depends on their membership level.

For $20 a month, a fashionista can join the “Trendsetting” club, featuring midrange designer labels such as Dooney and Burke or Piagonada. But the site also caters to the veteran fashion junkie: the “Couture” club grants access to the “runway worthy” (code for most expensive) handbags for $275 a month. This level of membership includes top designer bags like Gucci and Fendi.

“But,” you ask, “what if I can’t decide on just one bag?” Not to worry: a member can borrow up to three bags at a time, wearing each bag to complement her perfectly pre-meditated and thoroughly stylish ensemble. When she grows tired of the bag and what’s “it” becomes “out,” all she has to do is slap the prepaid UPS label on a box and return it. She even has the option to buy the bag if she falls in love with it!

“From Bags to Riches” works on the same principles as “Bag Borrow and Steal” but on a per-item basis. Instead of a tiered membership fee, they simply rent the handbag itself. You still receive a monthly bill, but the fee is based on the bag’s collection. Fees range from $19.90 for the “Madison Avenue” collection up to $72.50 for a “Monaco Runway” bag.

The borrowing trend has several benefits. Not only is it transforming this juggernaut that is fashion, but renting goods saves money and gives access to previously unaffordable designers. Designer products are no longer for the upper crust alone this is democracy at its best.

These companies have also satisfied the modern consumer’s ever-changing fashion needs. Milton Pedraza, Director of the Luxury Institute, comments in The New York Times that “with luxury goods, many people today are more interested in collecting experience then they are in actually owning the asset.” Dan Nissanof, writer and President of Portero agrees:

“We’re evolving from permanent owners to temporary owners. People are beginning to go out and buy, not thinking they are going to have it for the rest of its useful life The whole mindset is changing. Customers are no longer buying things to hold on to. The brands need to embrace this and retailers need to embrace this.”

The borrowing or renting of luxury has expanded globally and evolved into a successful (and incredibly clever) business. This latest bit of marketing genius has satiated the trend hound’s ravenous appetite. But remember: as fickle as fashion is, so it is with the true Fashionista. She must be in order to keep her place at the vanguard of the marathon of fashion.

-Sarah Perpich

Bag, Borrow or Steal ?
From Bags to Riches ?