Emerald City: LA’s Best Eco-Fashion
When it comes to eco-fashion, Los Angeles is ahead of the pack. There’s something about its laid-back vibe and look-at-me style that infuses our ecoistas with a certain je ne sais quoi.
Or maybe it’s just the sunshine.
Anyway, the irony that this sprawling, gigantasaurus, carbon-spewer of a city should spawn such a deep well of sustainable talent was not lost on us as we criss-crossed the city to find the best eco-fashion in our favorite ‘hoods.
As blogger extraordinaire Siel Ju first said, it’s the Emerald City, baby. Let’s take a ride.
SILVERLAKE
You can spot a Calleen Cordero creation from across the room. Thick brass studs accent supple, veggie-dyed leather (no chrome here) that mold to the foot in complicated patterns, while the heels of the hand-crafted wood soles strike the floor in a point. And those are just the shoes. With boots, bags, clogs, cuffs and even guitar straps under her belt—her design, of course—Calleen (pictured above, in a photo generously shared by Los Angeles magazine) is single-handedly bringing back the art of artisan accessory making, one sole at a time.
ECHO PARK
If you’ve been reading EcoStiletto for a while, you’re clear on how we feel about hemp—a miraculous plant that grows pesticide-free and is as American as the flag (which, in fact, was woven out of it) yet is still unfortunately banned as a crop in this country because of its association with marijuana. No, wearing hemp clothing will not get you high. But it might get you happy, if you’re hanging in Echo Park wearing one of the new super-soft hemp slub styles designed by Angelena Sandy Skinner, the powerhouse behind ecoSkin.
PASADENA
From fabulous heirloom jewelry to somebody’s grandmother’s prom dress, there’s really nothing you can’t find at the Rose Bowl. That’s kind of how we felt when we discovered fashion editor and former Vogue staffer Brenna Egan’s new online vintage emporium, Chic & You Shall Find. Forget the mismatched photos of online vintage shopping of yore, C&YSF presents gorgeous, period pieces expertly styled—from sunglasses to shoes—and photographed. But be forewarned: Stock sells and swaps out daily, so those $185 Louboutin Espadrilles (yes, really) you’ve been eyeing today might not be there tomorrow.
DOWNTOWN
We love Marty Stevens-Heebner. A fixture on the Los Angeles green scene, she’s got serious sustainability cred: She worked with Global Exchange in Mexico in the aftermath of the Zapatista Rebellion, and created a line of ReBagz from entirely recycled materials that benefit women’s rights groups like Women for Women International. Fitting, then that we’d only choose ReBagz upcycled rice sack computer sleeves and messenger bags—purchased with a donation to charity in EcoStiletto SHOP, natch—to tote the VIP equipment of our oh-so-electronic lives to a Downtown meet-and-greet.
HOLLYWOOD
We’re written about Deborah Lindquist before—she was upcycling before anybody’d even coined the term (maybe she did). But we couldn’t resist a shout-out ‘bout her newest collection, a rocker-meets-gypsy inspired smorgasbord of pieces, made from sustainable and upcycled materials like hemp, micromodal and recycled cotton, destined for Sunset Boulevard. The centerpiece of Deborah’s wearable eco-fantasy? A bustier made of a fabric crafted from recycled cassette tape and get this: It plays sound.
THE CANYONS
We seriously covet each and every piece of Alkemie glamourous-yet-green jewelry, which husband-and-wife team Ashley Lowengrub and Dara Gerson crafts in their Topanga Canyon studio from recycled metals culled from castoffs like bullet casings and old electrical wires. Inspired by natural elements—the texture of a stingray skin in a thick gold cuff; tiny bees dangling from a delicate necklace—Alkemie is stops-you-in-your-tracks beautiful and heirloom-quality. No wonder we’re selling Alkemie at EcoStiletto SHOP, with a big chunk o’ change from each sale going to charity.
WEEK OF 9.3 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN THIS $190 ALKEMIE HUMMINGBIRD CUFF!
THE VALLEY
When it takes an hour to get from one side of the Valley to the other (let’s not even talk about going down the 405), it makes sense to be prepared. Burning Torch by Karyn Craven uses upcycled and sustainable materials to craft gorgeous, go-anywhere clothes, while Pocketflops are the perfect solution to that painful shoe (bad) or pedicure possibility (good) day-changer of a situation: Made from recycled car tires, these flops fold up into an organic cotton carrying case and pop right into your purse.
Like so totally awesome.
WEEK OF 8.23 FIVE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $22 PAIR OF POCKETFLOPS!
WEST HOLLYWOOD
Shop much? Then you know WeHo is an Angelena’s shopping mecca. But what to wear when your sole goal for the day is slipping in and out of fabulous-outfit contenders? Something small, slinky and preferably nude, like Spreegirl‘s truly-perfect cami-and-boyshort combo, made from sustainable bamboo with just a touch of spandex. Skinny jeans? Bring ‘em on!
WESTWOOD
There was a time in Los Angeles when buying jewelry meant you went to Westwood. Not Downtown, not to Beverly Hills, but to the tiny little jewelry shops wedged into pizza-slice store fronts between a falafel place and a record store. Of course, in those days, no one knew from blood diamonds, and the fact that uber-polluting cyanide was used to mine the gold that composed the delicate little unicorn charm hanging between your collarbones was off-record. You wanted the unicorn. And you wanted a boyfriend to buy it for you. And when that didn’t happen, you stole quarters from your father’s stash until you’d saved up enough to buy it yourself.
The little unicorn is long gone, but that fierce desire for a delicate trinket lives again when you witness the work of local jewelry designer Danielle Birrittella, whose line, EllaPoe, is crafted solely in recycled EcoGold and conflict-free stones, and donates a percentage of sales to Women for Women International. Now where did you put that quarter?
BEVERLY HILLS
For the lady who lounges, may we present Doie, designed by Los Angeles local Sara Kirsner. Locally made from bamboo jersey and silk, her spring/summer collection of date-night dresses and tops is fun and flirty, but what caught our eye was this slinky little number accented by a Japanese-inspired print, just perfect for a weekend getaway to the Inn up the coast.
WEEK OF 9.6 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN THIS $136 DOIE OJAI ROBE!
MARINA DEL REY
Forget Topsiders. The new Molly shoe from Green Bees—crafted from veggie-tanned leather with the company’s signature recycled tire sole and donating a Tree for the Future for every pair sold—is drop-dead gorgeous, no matter what side of the bow you’re on. Combining the comfort of a deck shoe with the versatility of a loafer, the Green Bees Molly looks like something an Italian heiress would wear on her yacht as it glides past North Jetty—if that heiress had a conscience, of course.
SANTA MONICA
Jessica Alba wears them. Fred Segal carries them. Could there be anything more beach-worthy than Riley’s collection of one-of-a-kind pieces crafted from upcycled vintage fabrics and garments? They’re known for their cutaway tanks, but we’re biggest fans of their soft and snuggly sweatshirts, accented with vintage denim patches and studs, and roughed up in all the right places.
MALIBU
If you’re a ‘bu girl, you know the uniform: flip-flops, low-rider skirt, tight-in-all-the-right-places tee over an itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie. And since Pammy’s been in the ‘hood, Malibu has gotten a bit more conscientious with that last part—you’ll see as many organic cotton tees at John’s Garden as you will as the party heads south on PCH. What are these girls wearing? Why, organic cotton LIV GRN, of course; each LIV GRN shirt donates 10% to Global Green.
VENICE
Yes, it’s mellow, but with production companies and design houses lined up like dominoes on Abbot Kinney, many a million-dollar deal has been made over an afternoon tea at Jin Patisserie or a latte at Abbot’s Habit. That’s why we love the new flip-flops designed by SoCal native Rebecca Mink, the powerhouse behind all-vegan, all-the-time Mink Shoes. Crafted sweatshop free in Italy, from petroleum-free “corn” plastic with an organic linen upper, these shoes go from the boardroom to the beach with ease.
WEEK OF 8.16 ONE FREE ECOSTILETTO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER WILL WIN THIS $125 MINK VEGAN FLIP FLOP!
BEACH CITIES
Nothing goes better with a tan than the gorgeous cuffs, earrings and necklaces created by Fahmina, who upcycles all locally-sourced materials to create her designs. We’ve written about her Slit Cuff before—in supple reclaimed leather, this ridiculously sexy bracelet molds to your wrist and is the perfect accent to everything from jeans and a t-shirt to your favorite LBD. But this season, Fahmina’s shoulder-grazing, Duster Earrings get our vote for best head-turning accessory for a bar-hopping night in Manhattan—Beach, that is. So. Hot.
