Starfish- Fashion Week's first eco show

Starfish at the Group Show
Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2009
Thursday 24 September

Starfish hit the catwalk with a first for Air New Zealand Fashion Week, presenting a complete show of environmentally-friendly garments called Brave New World.

Green Party leader Metiria Turei flew from Wellington to attend the show as Starfish's V.I.P guest to show her support of the Wellington-based label.

I asked designer Laurie Foon if it was challenging to design an eco fashion range. "Challenging!?" she exclaimed, "Oh, yes."

Some fabrics such as silk will never be completely eco but Starfish use environmental printing processes on the cute heart prints, shown below in a silk dress. They use organic cotton, bamboo and silk blends, and New Zealand grown and knitted merino wools. 

Her aim is to make fashion that has "as minimal impact on the earth as possible." But in these beautiful dresses, you're sure to have a maximum impact on those around you.  

We love the styling with a cute sailor hat teamed with their khaki trouser and heart print shirt. Even the trainers are a sustainably-made brand. The blue double-breasted jacket pictured below was a superbly soft cotton also cut into a boyfriend blazer. It had the look of a jacket that'd been left on your floor by a guy and ended up in your laundry hamper and washed to be all soft and lived-in.

It was a great blend of style and substance, enscapulated in a beige maxi skirt with ruffles; so feminine, but all made in an evironmentally-friendly cotton. The collection felt really strong and seemed more modern and fresh, rather than a look back. After all, Starfish is all about our future and preserving our earth for those to come.

As Thread's Anya said, "Starfish were the feel good show of the day – fashion with a conscience at it best." Well done to Laurie and her team!

Designers Laurie Foon and Carleen Schollum take to the catwalk for a triumphant turn down the runway; a small step for woman, a giant leap for eco-fashion...



Below: Eco Warrior Laurie Foon. She deserves to feel good about this collection; with fashion week's first environmentally-friendly show combining good sense, with good looks, making great fashion.



Words and photos Megan Robinson