Stylistas vote for eco chic

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Vivienne Westwood, who has been involved with environmental issues for long feels if Kate Middleton would repeat her dresses, it would send out a very positive message. She added if you’re going to all that trouble to get an outfit that suits you, then you should keep on wearing it.

That’s an advice not just for Kate but also for everybody as it’s the need of the hour to switch to “green wardrobes” and be responsible towards our ecosystem.
Fashion-conscious author Ira Trivedi finds it perfectly cool to borrow clothes from friends, sisters and her mother. She has no ego issues in accepting hand-me-downs from friends. She believes that it is certainly not important to wear new clothes every time, especially if there is hardly any difference between the outfits. “In India it is the wedding wear that leads to a lot of waste. I really believe that borrowing or passing on clothes is a lovely concept. Instead of splurging on a new lehenga, I would rather wear my mom or granny’s wedding sari. This has a lovely sentimental value as well. For those who want new styles there are websites like Rent The Runway that let you borrow designer wear. The other sexy option is to mix and match. You can wear one scarf in 10 different ways. Why then would you always buy something new?” explains Ira.
Designer Niki Mahajan seconds that repeating an outfit or an accessory is a very good idea. And if celebrities adopt the trend, others will emulate it. She adds, “Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor are so versatile in their dressing and can carry the same outfit again by tweaking it differently. A basic LBD came be made to look different in so many ways. Go for a quirky hairstyle, headgear, statement neckpiece, jewelled collars, throw a shrug, put on belts, get into stockings for dramatic, formal, flirty look, variation in footwear like wedges for casual or thigh high boots for a glam look.”
Designer Anita Dongre, who is all for ethical fashion, uses organic cotton to create interesting silhouettes and patterns that look glamorous as well as soothing to the eye. “I have always wanted to surprise women with fresh styles that are eco-friendly. Fashion should not come at the expense of mother earth.”
But the fashion industry survives, and succeeds, as fashion styles come and go. What’s ‘in’ this spring, would be ‘out’ next season. Big brands come up with tons of clothes each season to present something new resulting in a huge wastage of resources.
Can you really be an eco-friendly company if you’re still trying to shift a whole new season of clothes every few months? Or is ethical fashion an oxymoron? asks designer Deepika Govind, who has always been an exponent of ethical fashion.
She elucidates, “I’m not advocating that we dress in a sack cloth, give up on style altogether or never buy new clothes. Consumers need to buy fashion styles that last more than a few weeks, months or just one season. Designers need to consider the longevity of their designs as well as the durability of the garments so that they’re wearable year after year. The reality is that climate change and resource shortages are only going to be increasingly important in future years. It’s time everyone involved in clothing recognises that.”