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THE INSEAM VOL. 80: ECO FASHION WEEK 07

Vancouver is home to a thriving fashion industry made up of individuals committed to its growth and success. Get to know these personalities in The Inseam and discover what makes the Vancouver Fashion scene so awesome.

Vancouver is home to a thriving fashion industry made up of individuals committed to its growth and success. Get to know these personalities in The Inseam and discover what makes the Vancouver Fashion scene so awesome. Every month, The Inseam’s Eco Edition focuses on the innovators that shape the green movement in local fashion.

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Photo credit Peter Jensen

The 7th Edition of Eco Fashion Week, which took place at Robson Square October 6th to 9th and finished with a special reception at Holt Renfrew on October 10th, was up to the usual high standard of a fun atmosphere, high quality runway shows and smooth production. There were some new elements and some old favourites, and overall another great event. Day one once again kicked off with the Seminars, opening up the discussion on sustainable practices in the garment and textile industry. The opening runway presentation was Nicole Bridger's F/W13 collection "You Are Not Alone" show at Celebrities Nightclub. One to always look for unique ways to present her collection and show the meaning behind the clothes, Nicole used mostly male models, with all models looking very androgynous.  Each model paused for a physical connection when transferring on and off the runway, a hand to hand touch, or hand to shoulder. It was a powerful statement on how we are all the same regardless of our outer appearance, and in life's journey together.

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Photo credit Peter Jensen

The second day of Eco Fashion Week, and the first evening of runway shows at Robson Square, was again presented by Value Village with a focus on second hand clothes. The first runway presentation was the Thrift Chic Challenge, where three stylists are challenged with putting together a collection of garments pulled from the Value Village floor. The evening featured the third 68 Pound Challenge, this time with a new designer, Evan Ducharme. The 68 Pound Challenge represents not only what can be done with second hand clothes, but mainly the amount of clothes that end up in the landfill each year.

Evan's take on the 68 Pound Challenge was very different than the designer from the past two seasons, Kim Cathers. He stuck with classic neutrals, black, white and grey, and used the found garments more as source textiles for his original designs. Evan's pieces channel classic and structured tailoring, with modern elements, making them timeless.

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Photo credit Peter Jensen

Days Three and Four of Eco Fashion Week's 7th Edition featured original collections from a wide range of designers who use vintage and new textiles, curate vintage collections, use a variety of manufacturing techniques and even create garments from recycled film strips and bike tubes. My favourite part of events that feature sustainable and local designers is the incredible diversity, and EFW07 did not disappoint.

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Photo credit Peter Jensen

The final evening of Eco Fashion Week this season was a special reception held at Holt Renfrew, in their H Project space. The reception featured Cornelia Guest, an ethical handbag designer from New York, and Alexandria Weston of Holt Renfrew and creator of the H Project which showcases sustainable and ethical brands. The event was a new partnership between Eco Fashion Week and Holt Renfrew and hopefully signals the beginning of sustainable practices being embedded at all levels of the fashion business.

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Photo credit Alfonso Arnold

 For a full list of speakers and designers check the Eco Fashion Week website.