When I think of “sustainable fashion,” words such as brown, shapeless and just plain ugly come to mind, but this is certainly not the case with Vancouver’s top sustainable designer Nicole Bridger.
Last month, I had the pleasure of attending Bridger's FW11 show on behalf of Youthink Magazine, which took place at the SALT building in Vancouver’s own Olympic Village. The exposed wooden planks in the ceiling and the adorable "grass carpet" created the perfect setting and made it obvious that this event was all eco, all the time! After some very organic refreshments and snacks, the billowing white curtains closed and it was showtime.
With every outfit that floated across the runway, I became more and more surprised by how wrong I was about environmentally-friendly couture. Beautiful coral cardigans paired with dusty pinks and earth-tone oranges, highlighting the natural, wispy shapes of each piece.
With such simple but elegant eco-friendly pieces it is no wonder why Bridger is as successful as she is today. In addition to her eye for fashion, what sets Bridger apart are the uplifting values that are woven into the very fabric of her being. “The company has a three fold philosophy… 'Do what is right for the earth, it's people and spirit,'” Bridger explains. “So for the earth, it's sustainable fabric; people, it's ethical production, fair trade factories, and [the label with “I Am Love” stitched on the sleeve of each piece] is part of spirit. It's about doing things and making things better.”
With product names like the "Healing Cardigan" and "Integrity Top", how can a girl not fall in love with this beautiful designer? Let's hope that all fashion will follow in her footsteps and serve up some more eco-friendly pieces with pretty on the side.
With a glowing Nicole (left) after the best first fashion show experience ever.
To learn more about Nicole Bridger and her eco-friendly fashion go to www.nicolebridger.com
To read the full version of this article, please visit www.youthink.ca!
