///WALL OF FAITH

An ode to the people who make this Hiphonest movement happen. At the page Wall of Faith you can meet the enterprising creative pioneers who dare to stand out. ‘Dare to share because you care!’

Fashion designer Meiling Chen, Based in New York City.

Meiling Chen’s designs are a free-spirited journey into the uncharted terrain of contemporary ready-to-wear and eco couture. The NYC-based designer launched her first sustainable fashion collection in 2008, and has since participated in runaway shows during New York Fashion Week as well as numerous gallery exhibitions. She also collaborates with Ekovaruhuset (‘House of Organic’), Paris, New York, and Stockholm.

Meiling’s work is organically interdisciplinary with creative ideas patterned after her Taiwanese upbringing. A family tradition of bespoke tailoring led her to pursue fashion design at FIT, post-graduation from the School of Read the rest of this entry »

///WALL OF FAITH

Finally the first male faces at the Wall of Faith.

An ode to the people who make this Hiphonest movement happen. At the page Wall of Faith you can meet the enterprising creative pioneers who dare to stand out. ‘Dare to share because you care!’

Architect Gereon Pilz van der Grinten and entrepreneur in Sustanable Fashion Frans Prins, both founders of THEKEY.TO, based in Berlin.  (photo by Kristyan Geyr).

Their motto:  BE PART OF THE SHIFT!

THEKEY.TO was successfully launched in July 2009. Its start leads back to the visionary idea of an international team of interdisciplinary professionals who decided to give birth to the first international event for green fashion, sustainable lifestyle and culture in Berlin. THEKEY.TO is the ideal event to spot new trends and visions in the fashion industry. Through the labels’ selection and the intense cultural program THEKEY.TO aims at spreading the signal that the shift towards an era where coolness and a strong sense for quality and responsibility are naturally interlinked, is already possible. It’s now! Read the rest of this entry »

///WALL OF FAITH

New face on Wall of Faith.

Based in NYC, Italy, Bulgaria

Eco-fiber artist and writer Abigail Doan creates recycled fiber forms and textile installations as a means to stimulate dialogue about her own memories of a homespun upbringing on a small family farm and life today navigating the urban landscape. Sustainability is very much a personal issue, and even though there are guidelines for what we must aim to implement and put-into-action, if you do not find a lifestyle that advocates balance and beauty, then a future based on sustainable methods is not really a reality.

I am a farmer and artist at heart, though I began writing about sustainable textiles and fashion as a means to examine the interconnected threads and patterns of our lives that are openly frayed and in need of repair. I make a point of breaking down categories and prejudices when it comes to reviewing design and fashion items, as there is no excuse for a well-made piece being understood by only a handful of folks. Fair and ethical practices are intrinsic to the integrity of any craft or business, and we need to share this message with everyone we meet.

People who do and make things for honest reasons really inspire me. There is, indeed, an interesting global shift occurring right now, as product materials necessitate care and resourcefulness in how they are treated. I believe that style will be increasingly informed by our ability to see into and through everything that we grasp and adorn ourselves with – as we push towards a moment where awareness has a texture and value that is irresistible in its appeal.

You can follow my journey on Ecco*Eco and my artist blog, Abigail Doan

///WALL OF FAITH

New face on Wall of Faith.

Based in Paris

‘there is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness’, by Mahatma Gandhi

Ethical Fashion Show (EFS) was founded in 2004 by Isabelle Quéhé and has become the must see alternative trade show in Paris,  each year with more than 4,500 visitors. The EFS provides designers, retailers, the media and professionals in the field of Ethical fashion with a unique platform to share their ideas, knowledge and network. The main goal is to create opportunities for new sustainable relationships between fashion designers and labels, buyers and agents. Featuring more than a hundred international labels, EFS is the biggest trade show in Ethical Fashion. Besides Paris, EFS takes place in New York City, Milan & Barcelona.

///WALL OF FAITH

New face on the Wall of Faith.

Based in Swiss (& Canada and more)

Be proud of what you have achieved, feel grateful for the moment you’re in and be excited about what lies ahead!

My mum once told me that I should always try to strive for balance between four essential aspects of life. Her advice is my guideline as I nurture my relationships (social), feed my soul (spiritual), care for my body (physical) and exercise my intellect (education/work). Living a sustainable lifestyle to me means, making conscious choices, where ever I am and what ever I am doing. Choices about what I create, purchase and where I put my feet.

I am passionate about eco fashion and my PhD research and website business (www.ecofashionworld.com/Kim) focus on this theme. As a Dutch global citizen I have been working in various eco fashion projects around the world. In 2005 I co-founded the first eco fashion YOIstore in Amsterdam, Read the rest of this entry »