Eco Fashion Week - Lucky Season Five

Written by Colleen Tsoukalas (Treasure Seeker Colleen)

Eco Fashion Week - Lucky Season Five!

The number 5 was Coco Chanel's lucky number and it is also a winning one for the 5th Eco Fashion Week season.  Held at Robson Square Wednesday Oct. 17-Friday Oct. 19th, this was a spectacular and full program of runway shows, product exhibits, seminars and a whole lot of meet and greets and welcomes to the world of recycling, redesigning, purchasing and sourcing locally, and being more mindful about what, where and how we build our wardrobes.  This is my year attending Eco Fashion Week: a truly funky, feisty, fabulous and totally thrifty showcase of what can be created out of the vast array of second hand and reusable material that might otherwise end up in the landfill.

Robson Square and Vancouver Art Gallery

Myriam Laroche believes in partnerships and there were many, as always, to achieve this much success. Value Village, Vancity,  and The Economic Commission, were major names on the photo op backdrop but there were lots more...I enjoyed a lovely vegetarian dinner from The Noodle Box and a host of other refreshments including snacks, wine and exotic cheeses and fancy crackers. Colin colinhargreaves.com and Carla, provided "just the right mix" of music to set the stage. Although we received a welcome letter, there was very little evidence of wasted paper, plastic or cardboard, anywhere.  Name badges were recycled at the end of the 3 days and, as you would expect, all appropriate recycling practices were observed.  Myriam's opening night outfit, a brilliant, bright pink short dress and white lace up ankle booties were right off the Value Village rack.  I wore a black felt hat, black and white hounds tooth tailored jacket and carried a patent leather bag also from the Village.  Conversation starters often began with the question, "Where did you get that?"  And the responses presented a range of second hand, vintage, re-gifted, locally redesigned, preloved treasure troves.

Myriam and Kim

Partnerships

The Runway shows from Value Village materials were extraordinary!  What can be created for all sizes, shapes and ages, is always unique and designed to fit and flatter.  I loved the show for men, including the accessories and headpieces.  It was a spring/summer show after all!  The 68 pound challenge undertaken by Kim Cathers was an example of how material that could easily be reused is often wasted when it could be used to make the most beautiful pieces ever!  Value Village is to be commended for sharing materials rather than tossing them into the ever increasing landfill.  The 68 pounds of material they gave Kim for her runway show was enough to make many, many runway shows.  She still has bins of unused but perfectly wonderful future 'fashions' for another day.  We discard so much; why not let someone else put it to good use?  Donate, have a clothing swap, remake, 

reuse and keep refashioning those quality, locally made outfits.  Don't buy a hundred cheap, poorly made bits of this and that, just for this occasion or throw stuff out because you've had it for awhile and are tired of it.  And by the way, instead of endlessly window shopping, come to Eco Fashion week and find something special, something unique, and something that will last until you refashion and recreate it for your next life.

 Menu at Eco Fashion Week

Musicians Colin Hargreaves and Carla

Myriam's white booties

Reducing our carbon foot print!

 Amanda Nguyen - Amanda Nguyen

Anny Leclerc - Director Supply Chain Value Village

Sara Gaugl - Public Relations - Value Village

Ava and Colin

At Eco Fashion Week

Nicolette Lang-Anderson

Mimi Lauzon

Tony Vu

Front row shoes!

Kim Cathers

Backstage