With a few notable names and some exciting newcomers to the scene, we were thrilled to see so many ethically and sustainably aware collections at Paris Fashion Week this year for the Fall/Winter shows! These six designers created stunning clothing while keeping planet and people a top priority.
Benjamin Benmoyal
This season Benjamin Benmoyal expanded from his signature fabric woven from childhood VHS and audio cassette tapes. Instead he sourced deadstock from LVMH’s Nona Source to create an exquisitely tailored collection. It featured spring-like hues transformed into autumnal looks. Benmoyal also used recycled scallop shells, eyewear frames, and wool for some of his items and cut fabric pieces in shapes that produced the least amount of waste.
Botter
Celebrating Caribbean style, Botter showed a collection that celebrated inventiveness and carnival. An ethical focus was seen through the use of unconventional upcycled items in their designs. – along with recycled ocean plastic beading from Parley for the Oceans. Botter hopes to provoke change and positivity in our world. Some of this was overt messaging like “No War” on the back of one design, and an illustration of a skull fused with gas tycoon Shell’s logo on another.
CFCL
Designed by Yusuke Takahashi, CFCL (Clothing for Contemporary Life) presented a collection of genderless and sustainable garments for the brand’s first time at Paris Fashion Week. To create the collection, Takahashi utilized materials like 3-D printed knitwear and recycled fabrics, aiding in CFCL’s mission to responsibly create with attention to the global environment and basic human rights. CFCL focuses on making easily wearable and timeless pieces that work in everyday life while still appearing refined.
Marine Serre
A consistent creator of environmentally conscious fashion, Marine Serre opened her world of design to the public in Paris this season with an atelier of workers openly showing the brand’s process of making, for free none the less. For the fall show, Serre featured tartan, piecework jackets and dresses, and many bold patterns. And staying true to the brand’s dedication to sustainability, the garments were made of pieces that could afford a second life when restructured or deadstock materials.
Sheltersuit
Showing a colorful collection of unique items like weatherproof puffers and parkas alongside matching sets, this label was developed to support the Sheltersuit foundation and use fashion for good. Garments were designed in a collaboration of multiple designers and created from upcycled luxury materials and repurposed fabrics. They were originally constructed with the sole purpose of aiding people experiencing homelessness. This is still the core mission of the foundation which recently donated over 500 backpacks that can be converted into wearable clothing to Ukraine. And now the decision to allow anyone to buy Sheltersuit pieces has helped the foundation gain more financial independence to continue their inspiring work.
Stella McCartney
War resistance was a prominent theme at Paris Fashion Week and Stella McCartney was no exception. Starting the show with JFK’s “A Strategy for Peace” speech and finishing with “Give Peace a Chance” by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, sent a message that couldn’t be questioned. As for the clothes, McCartney collaborated with Frank Stella, a modern artist, to create traceable, imaginative pieces. 67% were made with sustainable materials like organic cotton, regenerative NATIVA wool, and more.
–Natalie LaBarbera
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