We were hit with a little spring fever as we watched the runway shows at Vancouver Eco Fashion Week this season.  From beautiful draping and fun florals to gorgeous crochet swimwear and a show dedicated to vintage lines, the spring/summer 2012 collections brought together the best in eco friendly trends for having fun in the upcoming sun.  

In addition to the runway shows, Eco Fashion Week also hosted a trend seminar by Carly Stojsic of WGSN, a designer panel and DJ shopping hours. Whether the attendees watched the latest trends on the catwalk, drank and danced their way through the vendors or gabbed with Eco Fashion Week’s always fashionable president Miriam Laroche, EFW Season 3 added to the bi-annual event’s growing reputation for the place where eco and fashion come together.


It goes without saying that Anna Kosturova’s handmade cotton crochet and tie-dye silk swim and resort wear speaks for itself, but her work is just too good not to mention. Her show featured super cute crochet shorts, fringe and tassel embellishments, and scalloped edge tops in pops of color and sexy neutrals. Her hand died silks and sequin adornments added sexy sheen to her eco friendly collection.  To finish her show, one of her models playfully passed out samples of yarn to the crowd.


Second Denim is where functionality meets style. The runway show featured a ballerina showing off the versitility of their jeans. Jumpers, scarves, charming western inspired shirts, cute dresses and flirty floral prints gave a nod to vintage style in a fresh spring color palette. Among our favorites from the show were a bold print floral maxi dress and a super cute cropped denim trench with oversized hood.


In flashes of marigold and rich earth tones, the Jujube collection wowed the crowd with gorgeous draping and ruching in luxurious eco fabrics. The show truly lived up to the designer’s four core values: Love the Earth, Love People, Love Originality, Love Quality.


Sitka rocked the runway with one of the best combinations of functionality and fashion, a true representation of Canada’s west coast active outdoor life style. As designers of surfboards as well as clothing, Sitka’s fun and funky collection featured men’s wear and flirty floral dresses perfect for the beach.  They sent their garments down the runway with models sporting gumboots and one even with a fishing rod. (Remember the ax from last season?) Their great mix of nature inspired styles brought a chic and fresh look to outdoor casual style.


What can we say? Nicole Bridger’s show summed up what eco fashion is all about. Her fresh, simple, and inspirational approach made dressing sexy easy. Inspired in meditation by a vision of the rising sun, Bridger’s collection ‘Allowing Grace’ was created from a calming earthy palette with pieces focusing on beautiful draping and effortless elegance. Her show featured a mix of traditional runway and dance showcasing the versatility of her eco friendly collection.


As the hands-down most rocking show of Eco Fashion Week, Misty Greer’s Trunk Show featured burlesque dancer Melody Mangler from Vancouver’s own Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society and funky couture vintage-inspired frills. Greer’s sexy, sassy and colorful show got everyone involved as models and dancers alike rocked their inner pinup girl sashaying and shimmying their way down the runway to songs like “Foxy Lady” by Jimi Hendrix.  Originally finding her inspiration in the L.A. rockabilly scene, Greer told us after her show that she has now found new muses for her handmade designs in Vancouver’s lively burlesque scene.


Featuring classic and elegant styles from the best of vintage, Miriam’s Closet displayed a beautiful assortment of classic colors like splashes of bright reds, greens, yellows and purples.  We loved the high waisted slacks and shorts and the cute finishing touch of tying off blouses instead of tucking them in. Accessories that also caught our eye included the unique use of belts and scarves.


Downtown Betty added flair to their show by using bikes from one of Eco Fashion Week’s sponsors, Opus Bikes, in their show. Specializing in eco friendly garments that lean towards the chic beach vagabond look, this brand creates effortless fashion forward styles that also allow you to ‘tread lightly’ on the earth.


As one of the few shows at Eco Fashion Week that focused on menswear, LRMA showcased sleek and slender trousers and khakis paired with bold button-ups in what seems to be the popular print for spring and summer: floral.


As one of the most cohesive shows of Eco Fashion Week, the Shefelt show awed the crowd with its eerie gothic music and use of masks on the runway.   But all show aside, the unbelievable handmade garments more than held their own. In beautiful rich earth tones and textures, each garment was gorgeously handcrafted and detailed featuring felted wool and silk. The show was a strong representation of wearable art.


After long awaited anticipation, Jeff Garner’s headlining show “Rebel Yell” on the closing night of Eco Fashion Week veered away from his typical and gave us a taste of vintage inspired whimsy. Although the menswear held more true to his past visions, Garner’s newest collection seemed to jump forward in time from antique to vintage for the women’s collection.  His walk through time was accompanied by special musical guest Caitlin Crosby and by stunning repurposed vintage jewelry by Mary Kay Samouce.
(Source: www.ecofashionworld.com )