The Green Fashion Competition: RUNWAY

Marijn, Mirte, Sagal runway ready! photo x Marco Turini

I am so excited to finally share with you the FINISHED product of what I've been working so hard on for the past 3+months!

 As you may know, I was chosen as one of 4 finalists for category 2 (young designers) of The Green Fashion Competition. There were 3 rounds of the competition and I am still so honored to have gotten all the way to the last one... and to have the amazing opportunity to show my collection [3looks] at the Grand Finale which took place this past Friday, Jan 27th, during Amsterdam Fashion Week!

TGFC has really been one of the greatest learning experiences. Although I did not win [the €15,000]:

• I had the chance to meet wonderful people [other young designers (like Carrie Parry, Narelle Dore, and OhMyBag), visionary makeup/hair artists, the incredibly helpful and encouraging AFW/TGFC staff (Martin van der Werff and Holly Syrett), the amazing choreographer Max Hitipeu, super fun video wizards Cezanne Noordhoek and Bas, my fantastic models who cared for the show just as much as I did (Marijn, Mirte and Sagal), and catching up with the wonderful Irene from EcoBloggerNL (who has been supporting us since the beginning of the competition)]
• Entering and being chosen for this competition gave me a lot of confidence. It allowed me to focus on taking my work/art to the next level, to think about how I can really have an impact on the things I care about by being more just an artist/designer...and being a young entrepreneur. I had to write a business plan, which forced me to really think about where I am right now,  where I want to go, and what I want to do with my work... It was a real challenge, and to be honest, I did not think I was ready for it/or good enough; BUT, this opportunity knocked on my door 3 times (first I was just surfing the web and bumped into it, then Sass Brown suggested I checked it out, and lastly- Holly Syrett, the project manager- saw my garments at the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris and reached out to me encouraging me to consider it), and I JUST felt it was RIGHT to take it!
• After the show, I was able to relax and catch up a bit with myself! I've received wonderful feedback and am so blown away by everyones support. Not to mention a the great honor of a beautifully written Eco Fashion Designer Overview on Sass Brown's website Eco Fashion Talk which was reposted by the Ethical Fashion Forum, another feature on Abigail Doan's Ecco*Eco ! and there are some other little projects sprouting like tomorrow's photoshoot collaboration with FIT in Florence friend Mellina+Co

I just have no words to express how grateful and happy I am right now... so I will just stop talking, and let you enjoy!

I would LOVE to have your comments/feedback!

p.s.: Photo credits to Peter Steigter

THE SHOW IS ON!

MARIJN opens the show!!! wearing the ALVEOLO_tunic/top (as top) [from deadstock wool.felted and embroidered, dyed with annatto, curry and turmeric] and TAFONI_cape/skirt (as skirt)[organic cotton  sateen(grown and woven in USA) naturally dyed and free-motion quilted with recycled PET batting+ COMPLETELY REVERSIBLE]

 

ALVEOLO_tunic/top closeup

TAFONI_cape/skirt detail + handspun scraps yarn as bracelet

MIRTE goes 2nd!... wearing our TAFONI_pants+TAFONI_jacket[organic cotton  sateen (grown and woven in USA) naturally dyed and free-motion quilted with recycled PET batting+COMPLETELY REVERSIBLE] and CEMENTATION_top[handknit from hand-spun recycled textile scraps from NYC, and LB®Undyed Organic Cotton Yarn. this top can be work upside down too!]

 TAFONI_jacket+CEMENTATION_top closeup

 TAFONI_pants closeup

SAGAL wears our 3rd and last look!...  our CEMENTATION_"dress"[handknit from hand-spun recycled textile scraps from NYC, and LB®Undyed Organic Cotton Yarn] I say "dress" because this one is transformable and can be worn a million ways! Here she is wearing THE WHOLE THING... This showpiece was knit from ~5.5lbs of fabric scraps. Good thing they did not end up in a landfill!

CEMENTATION_"dress" closeup!

 CEMENTATION_"dress" EVEN CLOSER

SURPRISE! MIRTE/SAGAL rocking it... transformation on the way!

CEMENTATION_"dress" turned into a sexy little number with a HOOD! SAGAL looked so HOT!

SAGAL, MIRTE +MARIJN walking their wonders!

SAGAL + CEMENTATION_dress closeup!

MIRTE takes TAFONI_jacket off + shows us it is reversible... PLUS we see how sexy the CEMENTATION_top can be! oooh the "cutouts"!

and... MARIN wears the bottom panel of CEMENTATION_dress that SAGAL was wearing AS A SCARF!

ALL IN FRONT of +150 people including Princess Maxima of the Neatherlands!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

THANKS TO everyone that made this adventure ECO_FABULOUS!

mama.mimi.abuelo.ileana.omar.don.tiojorge.dorian.alida.brandon.jessica.daniela.leonardo.

wendy.sohee.mannyrico.auralis.tara.daniel.sassbrown.abigaildoan.owyn+textileartscenter.alina.pabloshablo.

hannaeke.borreakkersdijk.marcoturini.mariannagiustino.chunweiliau.samuelmoore.cristinalopez.peoplefromNHEC+++

andeveryoneELSEwhohasbeentherewithmesinceday1!

none of this would be possible without you