Blog Action Day 09: Climate Change

Today marks Blog Action Day 2009, when blogs around the world highlight an important global topic. This year the focus is Climate Change. If you're a regular reader or shopper at Fashion Ethic, then you know the skinny: Experts believe that the human impact on the planet earth extends to the increase in global warming, and not in a good way.

Now is the time for us to act and innovate before we travel too far down the path of no return.

So what can one person do? Beyond reduce, reuse, recycle, today is the day to get VOCAL. The most vital thing you can do right now is TELL someone about climate change, not least of which includes asking the US Government to address the issue. The Blog Action Day website has an easy click-and-sign page that then allows you to spread the word to your Facebook and Twitter friends.

Problem-solving is best achieved through dialogue and dialogue can't happen when you don't speak up! So tell a friend, tell a colleague, or tell a family member that climate change is an important issue.

TAKE Action and Sign the Petition to ask President Obama to put the US at the forefront of climate change leadership in Copenhagen this December.

Fashionably Responsible and Lavishly Eco

Last night was Seattle's 2nd Annual Eco Lavish fashion show, conceived by Courtney Russell and her Half Past Lavish event production team. The show was held at Georgetown Studios, in a great space that was sparsely and stylishly decked out in white and set aglow by hot pink lighting.

The fashion show featured four local designers with diverse offerings. Renee Corrick's Six Degrees collection opened the show with well tailored cocktail dressing in modern shapes and sustainable hemp/silk blends. Deco Modiste showed vintagey-looks employing reworked fabrics, and Texture Clothing offered up casual knits.

The much-anticipated finale was Lizzie Parker's collection of bespoke holiday dresses for 2009. In her typical pulling-no-punches style, Lizzie showed dresses in various lengths and shapes to suit women of all ages and body types, as well as all confidence levels. The show ended with a flourish as a model wearing a subtley tie-dyed gown topped with a dramatically-hooded cropped hemp silk capelet walked the runway with 'shop dog' Angus. Employing eco fabrics like hemp silk, organic cotton, and her signature bamboo jersey, the bespoke collection marks the first time Parker has delved into remnants, including a dazzling beaded mesh and some sequin trim. Now you can have your glimmer and eco, too!

Each dress will be available in the designer's Eco Atelier in Issaquah's Gilman Village this season, made-to-order in your choice of materials and color. Love the bubble-skirted grommet-back cocktail dress, but prefer the bodice in a color other than purple? Your wish is her command. This bespoke approach marks a return to the days of fashion yore; an approach that helps reduce waste while ultimately creating greater connections between designer and customer.

And what could be more Fashionably Responsible(tm) than that?

Photos and Video SOON. In the meantime...
Check Out some other fashion blogger reviews of Eco Lavish:

@vuesociety Rachel Kim at VueSociety
@ufntarah Tarah Prater Perini at Urban Fashion Network
@youa Youa Kong at Urban Fashion Network
Cameron Levin, special to Seattlest