NYFW Preview: (Sustainable) Fashion's Night Out

I will not be in NYC for this upcoming fashion week but rather on the road working on new art and fiber outreach initiatives here in Europe. I will miss seeing dear friends and celebrating all of the hard work that they have put into new collections, handmade accessories, and valiant efforts on the sustainable/ethical fashion frontier.

Handcrafted fiber jewelry by Erin Considine

One event that is particularly exciting this week is (Sustainable) Fashion's Night Out, co-hosted by EcoSalon at the Textile Art Center's gorgeous new Manhattan space. Amy DuFault, Managing Editor and Fashion Editor for EcoSalon describes the event as the following:

"(Sustainable) Fashion’s Night Out, (will be) a unique collective at the Textile Arts Center in Manhattan co-sponsored by Of Rags and the New York City Fair Trade Coalition – featuring fair trade and sustainable designers and shops carefully curated to tempt the tastes of all. The collaborative event takes place on September 8th, from 6 to 10 p.m. at TAC’s new location, 26 West 8th Street, and will gather sustainable and mainstream style purveyors under one roof."

Feral Childe F/W 2011 'Orchestra' collection

Goodie bag/sustainable product totes will be given out to the first 30 guests and will include this visually inspiring World Textiles issue of HAND/EYE magazine.

Learn more on EcoSalon's preview – top scarf/textile image via Shabd.

Fashioning Self and the Environment Gifts: 'Of Rags' Fair Trade Fashion

'Of Rags' fair trade fashion: recycled textile trousers 

(photo courtesy of Rachel Schwarz via Liz Ricketts)

I am pleased to share the very groovy news that Of Rags will be offering shopping coupons in the goodie totes that we will offer to the first 25 guests at 'Fashioning Self and the Environment', the art/fashion Earth Day open house at the Textile Arts Center.

"Of Rags is a fair trade fashion cooperative that combines elements of New York style and Ghanaian fashion into unique, artful clothing as a way to globalize the localized. Established in September 2009, Of Rags is the vision of J. Branson, an American social entrepreneur, photographer and musician, and RAAM, a Ghanaian designer and artist in Accra. The organizations employs seamstresses at fair trade wages and plans to work with new design partners, first in Ghana and then around the globe in a cooperative structure."

'Of Rags: Mixed Matched Dress' from textile leftovers

Guests at Friday evening's event wil alsol be able to chat with Of Rags team members, Liz Ricketts and J. Branson, at our community business table. Do not forget to rsvp to: rsvp@textileartscenter.com. See you there!