fashion loves people » Fashion Week

“Project Runway” winner Gretchen Jones on sustainable fashion, personal style and what it takes to win

Janette — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:06:52 +0000

Before Gretchen Jones was on Project Runway, she was a sustainable fashion designer in Portland, merchandising her slow-fashion line MothLove. But to take her work to the next level, for the sake of both finances and fame, she knew she needed some kind of jumpstart — so Season 8 it was. I got to chat with her by email last week about where she’s come from and, more importantly, where she’s headed next.

***

From the beginning of the season, it was great knowing that Project Runway had a sustainable designer in the mix. Were you able to incorporate sustainable fabrics into your designs? How?

Gretchen: Mood is a end-run stocked store, so although I did let go of my personal connections to sustainable materials, I knew by circumstance I was creating out of re-used materials.

As the season went on, Project Runway viewers saw you cast in somewhat of a negative light. Do you think you were accurately depicted?

Gretchen: It’s all about context. Rarely do we all openly discuss how we feel about ourselves and others. Rarely do we have spotlights on our every action. Even more rarely do we expose ourselves to others in such a raw way, ready to be exposed and vulnerable… I believe that I, in an environment so completely foreign and challenging, stayed true to myself. A part of the risk of participating in something like this is to let go of the control of representation. And this was only a mere fraction of a representation into who I am.

What I hope is that I was able to represent myself as thoughtful, informed, honest and kind, but fiercely competitive and talented. You have to be in this industry. And then you have to let go…

Did you watch Project Runway before? What made you apply for it?

Gretchen: Yes I did, but never for the on-screen drama, only for the clothing/design. It’s inspiring watching others create, how they create and what things turn out like… I was always very aware of the differences between reality and reality television.

I applied because it became very clear that in order for me to reach the successes I aspire to reach, I was in dire need of exposure. Coming from a humble background, having no connections to the high fashion community/industry and realizing that fashion and fame go hand-in-hand made me realize that it was time to take the risk and apply. Also — PR had had me on their radar for quite some time, as well as a few of my retailors understanding my situation [who nominated me] which involved my failing business, it seemed serendipitous and meant-to-be to apply.

So what’s next for “Gretchen Jones”? Where and when will we see styles, how can we buy them and, obviously, will it include the jewelry?

Gretchen: I have moved away from Portland already. En route to New York, as I realized through this experience that I have many more ambitions to pursue. My goals are lofty and it is time to take the next step and reach for the ‘big’ dreams. I intend on finding a luxury brand mentorship, exploring styling and writing and honing my skills so I can sometime soon launch my own high-end brand… which very much will include the jewelry line! I’ve wanted to dip into jewelry for some time now. I also have my fingers crossed that working with Piperlime.com will come sooner than later. It seems as though my wares are in high demand! What a dream come true!!

I know you’ve traditionally been a fan of the slow fashion movement, including your conscientious use of materials, local production and sew-on-demand model. Will your new fame (and thus demand) be a platform for those values, or will you need to change your approach?

Gretchen: Slow fashion has many facets. As I move foward and upward with goals of being a luxury designer, I believe slow fashion will easily follow suit. Hand Craft = slow. Couture = slow. And sustaining domestic and native craftsmen/women all play into my personal ethics. I still intend on producing as sustainably as possible, but for my own personal moral convictions. As I said on the show, I want to be supported and purchased for the design/fashion, NOT for being sustainable. I believe good design IS sustainable, because it has a place in every woman’s [and hopefully man's] wardrobe. Also — I maintain that over-production is not necessary on a large scale, however production always has glitches and should be accoutned for when mapping out manufacturing.

You mentioned in another interview that you’re part of a revolution of young, modern women designers who are creating clothing for their communities, which I would agree with completely. Who are some of those other designers you admire?

Gretchen: Vanessa Bruno, Rachel Comey, Vena Cava, Mara Hoffman, Samantha Pleet, Mociun, Isabelle Marant, etc… Gretchen Jones!

On that note, you were a beacon of personal style inspiration this season. Did you really fit all those clothes in your suitcase?!

Gretchen: The secret is in rolling your clothes! It makes a HUGE difference in packing. AND — I only packed 2 [big] suitcases… and didn’t wear the same outfit twice!? Crazy! But very important. I need women to look up to not only my design aesthetic, but personal style. IT’s how you build a brand. The reality of the situation is you are buying into ME. The fantasy I create. I certainly feel that way about the designers I support. I want a little bit of them in my closet!

Thanks, Gretchen! Best of luck with your next phase!

***

You can view Gretchen’s full design portfolio from the show here and more of her own outfits here, and if you didn’t catch it all, you can watch full episodes of Project Runway at mylifetime.com.

On fashion and style

Janette — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:55:27 +0000

This shot from The Sartorialist is fantastic in the first place. But I also love the context in which Scott Schuman posted it: In the midst of New York fashion week, he snapped this and then asked the question, “So what is more important, fashion or style?” Referring to “fashion” as following the trends, and “style” as doing your own thing. I think she speaks for herself!

Suno Spring 2011

Janette — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:12:12 +0000

Another amazing collection from Suno! There’s so much good styling inspiration here.

All ethically made in Kenya. Shoes designed as a collab with Loeffler Randall. Check out more close-ups over at Style Bubble! Suno is available at Opening Ceremony.

Images from Style.com.

Suno, Fall 2010

Janette — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:50:01 +0000

So much print-on-print! It’s perfect. Suno, which launched two years ago with the impetus of bolstering Kenya’s manufacturing industry (and which I first wrote about here), seems to have made an especially big splash at NYFW with its newest collection. Style.com wrote, “Of course, along with a major buzz comes major pressure—but Suno’s confident and spirited collection made it pretty clear the two-year-old label is going places.”

I just hope everyone recognizes what strides this brand makes in the world of social responsibility! The brand employs Kenyan talent, treats workers fairly and showcases Kenyan artistry with the goal of lasting social and economic change. About this new collection in particular, the brand says:

We are showing off the rapidly growing skills of the tailors we work with in Kenya as well as experimenting with some truly exquisite beading and embroidery.

And their inspiration? So broad, I love it:

SUNO’s Autumn/Winter 2010 collection was inspired by late 1960s American interiors, traditional East African textiles, Klimt, travels to Turkey, Paris, and India, as well as our friends in NYC.

Apparently the line is no longer featuring exclusively traditional Kenyan fabrics and instead designing most on their own.

The brand continues to be offered exclusively at Opening Ceremony, where pieces start at $265.

Via Wikstenmade. Images via Style.com.

Paris’ Ethical Fashion Show + Valentine Gauthier

Janette — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:13:55 +0000

The beginning of this month marked the bazillionth-ever Paris Fashion Week, and along with it, the sixth-ever Ethical Fashion Show. I was flattered to have been invited to judge this year, but alas, I was not able to make it to Par-ee. (One of these days…!)

The show looked and sounded truly amazing, and Ecouterre posted a great recap of designers, including a new favorite of mine — Valentine Gauthier.

Her current Autumn/Winter collection is so perfect, I want every piece of it. I can’t find the line for sale anywhere online, but the site shows a beautiful flagship store in Paris and lists outlets in NYC, Philly, SF and LA, plus nine more throughout Europe and Asia.

Perfect studding and color-block details. And those boots!

I love the detailing on all the wide belts. The overall simplicity… gorgeous.

For now, the line is a perfect inspiration for subtle color palettes styled with thoughtful details. And who wouldn’t go for opaque tights and wellies?

Ecouterre says that, for her upcoming Spring/Summer line at least, she incorporates organic cottons and silks dyed according to Oeko-Tex standards, plus vegetable-tanned leather gladiator sandals. Really looking forward to seeing more.

Ecouterre Launched Today

Janette — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:17:59 +0000

I’ve been a reader of Inhabitat for a few years now, soaking in their coverage of green architecture and consumables. They’ve always covered eco fashion to some degree, but as of today, they’re launching a new blog devoted entirely to it: Ecouterre!

It’s about time… I’ve always really enjoyed Inhabitat’s fashion coverage (yes, even from the wearable to the unwearable!).

As I’ve been working on my own blog redesign and putting FLP’s niche into words lately, I really appreciate reading Ecouterre’s raison d’etre. The site is self-described as:

“An eco-fashion website dedicated to showcasing and supporting designers who not only contemplate cut, form, and drape, but also a garment’s social and environmental impact, from the cultivation of its fibers to lifecycle and disposal. Our mission: To follow the evolution of the apparel industry toward a smarter and more sustainable future, as well as facilitate a conversation about why sustainable fashion matters.”

Yuka posted her coverage today of The Green Shows from last week, which gives an exciting look at the acceptance of sustainable principles in high fashion right now. Great stuff.

Congrats to the Ecouterre and Inhabitat teams!

Lalesso Bazaar: Ethically Made in Kenya and On Sale Through Friday

Janette — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:52:57 +0000

Lalesso is a socially aware company to watch — and right now, it’s one to buy from ASAP. The Maridadi Dress above is now just $30 (plus $12 shipping) during the company’s annual end-of-summer sale!

From Lalesso’s site: ”All Lalesso clothing is manufactured under strict and extremely conscious ethical conditions in our self owned workshop in Kenya, East Africa. All our employees are paid well above the average wage and are already benefiting not only their lives but the lives of their families and have been able to increase their standard of living considerably. We also strive to involve other artisians and unemployed locals where ever possible, for example the beaded bracelets are used as the cord on the swing tag and all the crochet is hand made by Zimbabwean refugee nuns.”

The pieces are sewn from traditional silk khangas, giving the line an interesting design challenge: each is made from a rectangular piece of cloth with a large-scale pattern in the middle and contrasting border, as you can see in the sarong below. The sale pieces are made from one of four khanga patterns, and $5 from each sale goes to a fund to support the children of an original Lalesso tailor who recently passed away. Check them all out, and happy shopping!

For more views, check out runway pics from Cape Town Fashion Week or additional Lalesso sale items at Fashion Conscience. All ship from the UK. (Worth it.) The sale at Lalesso.com ends this Friday.

Organic by John Patrick

Janette — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:03:33 +0000

This line keeps growing on me. Style.com‘s review was perfect:

The clothes had charm, and the focus remained centered on the company’s ethical practices: the use of sustainable materials and the team of cottage-industry workers Patrick employs in Peru. Designers frequently offer clothing with no real relevancy to the world we inhabit. It’s refreshing to see someone approach their work as part of a greater whole.

The setup for John Patrick’s Organic presentation fell into place when he settled on his venue, the lower level of a Garment District church. “I thought, ‘What happens in church basements? Bake sales!’ ” he said. Against one wall, a group of farmers from Patrick’s upstate hometown offered attendees local cheese samples, seed packets, and literature on the benefits of sustainable practices.

NY Fashion Week Notes

Janette — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:59:10 +0000

Several quick jots…

Marc by Marc Jacobs, as always, was excellent. Check out NYLON’s First Look, as previewed above.
Diane Von Furstenberg was also awesome.
Showings from eco-fashion houses Organic by John Patrick and Bodkin have had some nice highlights. Via Ethical Style’s Behind the Seams.
Black models are crediting “the Obama effect” for more runway castings this season, as reported by the NYTimes. JC Report, which has covered runway diversity for years, says the boon started last season; “Designers slipped black models into their lineup in numbers not seen since the ’70s.”
I’ve been following the week’s show primarily through my Style.com iPhone app. For a quick flip through all the shows, it rocks.

Legos! Heart pins! Marc Jacobs! Oh, my.

Janette — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:03:58 +0000

First, I saw them on The Sartorialist.

I sent the link to Heather, who’s helping me design Fashion Loves People — note the heart pin in my header, above. (Albeit much more rudimentary, we’re playing with the idea of making this my “thing.” Like pink ribbons.)

I initially thought these guys were some of the Sartorialist’s random street finds, and I wasn’t sure what the hearts were made of. Turns out, they’re definitely LEGOS, as designed by these very dudes. These and a series of other Legos-made-accessories were created by 21-year-old twins Dee and Ricky and donned in the Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2008 show! Read all about it at Fred Flare.

Then, I saw this!

(I do love me some Kanye…)

And this!

And then I did this!

Which means, make your own Lego heart pin for $2.06. Plus the price of a pin closure and some glue. (And shipping.) Thank you, Lego.com.

Two: Brick 2×2
Two: Brick 1×2
Four: Roof Tile 2×2/45°
Two: Brick 2×4
Six: Roof Tile 2×2/45° Inv.

LOVING IT!

UPDATE: I originally got some of the roof tile bricks wrong. Oops. This is correct, and confirmed!