Eco Fashion Week: 81 Pound Challenge

My favourite part of Eco Fashion Week is always the Value Village runway shows. Their 81 Pound Challenge aims to bring awareness to the amount of clothing waste we make each year, and shows just what can be done with that waste through upcycling! Every year, the average person throws away 81 pounds of textiles. That's a massive amount! The really concerning part is that just a few years ago, it used to be called the 68 Pound Challenge, but new statistics have been released since then showing that number has continued to rise.

Evan Biddell, the winner of Project Runway Canada Season 1 was the designer tasked with creating an entire runway show from the 81 pounds of clothes this year. Take a look below to see his incredible eco-friendly creations! I've included photos from the Toronto Women's Fashion Week runway show from earlier this year, since Vancouver's showcase did not include a full runway show of Evan's collection. Instead, Eco Fashion Week displayed the 81 Pound Challenge in a unique setting at the Museum of Vancouver, which allowed guests to get up close and personal with each piece, to see how it was constructed! Isn't it inspiring to see what he was able to create with all those old garments?

While at Eco Fashion Week this year, I was very grateful to have the opportunity to share my eco-friendly thrifting hacks with ET Canada's host Erin Cebula, as part of their coverage of Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver. Click to watch the video below, and maybe you'll pick up a few tips for the next time you're thrifting at Value Village!

Again, I also wanted to show my Eco Fashion Week outfit, entired thrifted from my favourite thrift stores, Value Village and Salvation Army. All the details are below!

Coat - Zara $39.99 (via Salvation Army)

Jumpsuit - Zara $13.99 (via Salvation Army)

Blouse - Loft 82 $8.99 (via Value Village)

Heels - Call It Spring $12.99 (via Value Village)

              Purse - Aldo $12.99 (via Value Village)            

Total = $88.95

[ runway photos by Jonathan Hooper ]

Happy (Eco) Styling! xo

~ Britta

Eco Fashion Week: Chic Sheets Challenge

Over the last few years, Eco Fashion Week has become a highlight of my annual fashion calendar. Back in the day, before I'd ever been to Eco Fashion Week, I had already discovered the joys of thrifting. It was an easy way for me to keep up with my fashion obsession without breaking the bank as a student. But it wasn't until I attended Eco Fashion Week that I really started to understand the environmental benefits of thrift shopping versus shopping new. It certainly made my shopping even more guilt free! I've also come to love Eco Fashion Week, as it not only inspires me to shop eco-friendly, but it's bringing awareness to a larger audience about the benefits of eco-fashion and thrifting.

Today, I wanted to share with you Eco Fashion Week's Chic Sheets Challenge. It's one of my favourite shows, and features some incredible designs from local talent. The show challenges fashion students from LaSalle College in Vancouver to design creative fashion pieces from old sheets provided by the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. The concept is meant to show how beautiful clothing can be created by upcycling - something we should all consider doing more of, even on a small scale. To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday this year, the theme of this year's Chic Sheets Challenge was "What does Canada mean to you?"

Which one of the below designs is your favourite? Personally, I fell in love with the floor length blue gown by Christina Granneman, but they all had unique features that made them beautiful pieces of fashion art. I first saw the back of the blue dress, which incorporated 3-D scale-like detailing all the way up the back in a silhouette form that really accentuated the curves. Then I saw the front and fell in love with it even more! The neckline was stunning and very well structured.

I also wanted to share with you what I wore to see the Eco Fashion Week shows! I styled a fully-thrifted outfit, which I've given a cost breakdown for below. I hope it'll help show how affordable and easy it can be to look polished in thrifted clothes (no grandpa sweaters here!):

Cost breakdown of my thrifted spring outfit:

Shirt - Meiling $4.99 (via Salvation Army)

Skirt - Choies $5.99 (via Value Village)

Shoes - H&M $19.99 (via Value Village)

Total = $30.97

Ana Lisboa - Inspired by the untitled painting of Canadian artist Lawren Harris, founding member of the Group of Seven. According to the Hammer Museum, Harris "...scenes of a cold and empty northland, isolated peaks, and expanses of dark water beyond barren shorelines remain for many Canadians and non-Canadians the essential images of the country."

Christa Granneman - Inspired by her hometown Port Alberni, the salmon capital of the world, and its importance to the indigenous people of the west coast.

Hailey Yoon - Inspired by Canada's multicultural diversity. Each pleat with different colours represents the diverse cultures in Canada. When the model walks, these pleats are uniform, showing how these different ethnicities are able to live together in harmony.

Jaspreet Kaur - Inspired by the mountains and natural landscape of Canada. The look reflects her personal style: feminine, casual and simple.

Jinju Ha (winner of the $1000 prize, chosen by a panel of eco-fashion industry experts) - Inspired by the northern lights. Only a few countries in the world are privileged enough to view the aurora borealis. The dress shows the beauty of Canada's northern lights, and conveys how we need to protect this beautiful environment. 

Rodica Goreea - Inspired by the history of the First Nations and the book "The Last of the Mohicans". Mohicans were a tribe that lived in lower Canada. They were honest and decent but defenseless. The dress is a Goddess, Uncas, who is the interpretation of the nature, mountains (the silhouette of the dress) and the indigenous (the colours of the dress). She protects the history and reminds us to care about the environment in order to have a future.

Ryan Li - Inspired by the midribs of the maple leaves that branch into veins, and the veins continue to brand into small netted veins. It reminds Ryan of how Canada is made up of people from all over the world, and how it is essential for the citizens to be united, peaceful and tolerant of people from different races: exactly what the maple leaf represents as a recognized symbol of Canada.

Yan Tong - Inspired by the diversity of Canada's population, this dress combines elements of Asian culture with details from European fashion history: namely the ruff. The ties that surround the circles symbolize how Canada connects all the different cultures together in harmony. This is further reflected with the colours of Canada's flag.

[runway photos by Peter Jensen]

Happy (Eco) Styling! xo

~ Britta

Eco Fashion Week: Thrift Style Challenge

I've really grown very fond of Eco Fashion Week over the last few years. At first, I wasn't sure if it was the right place for me - I mean, this blog isn't about greening our planet, it's a fashion blog, and I never considered myself as eco-conscious as maybe I should be... But after I attended my first season a few years ago, I realized that there are so many ways to help the planet that aren't all hippy and hemp - if you know what I mean.

My absolute favourite show at Eco Fashion Week is the Thrift Style Challenge, presented by Value Village. That's where I really saw for the first time that thrifting isn't just fun (because I definitely already knew that!) but it's a way of decreasing our consumption of textiles. The more we thrift shop and buy others' used clothes, the less demand we are putting on the clothing industry! And that means less of a footprint we're leaving behind. Sounds pretty great, right?

The 3 stylists this year, Jason Pillay, Nadia Albano, and Nathalie Rees did a fabulous job of showcasing how thrifted clothes can look just as chic as new clothes - an important stigma that I think needs to be broken! There are still lots of people out there who think thrifted clothes is all grandpa sweaters and out-of-date styles (none of you though, since you see all kinds of amazing thrifted finds here on Vancouver Vogue!).

Keep reading below to see the 3 Thrift Style collections, as well as the eco-friendly and locally made design I rocked at Eco Fashion Week from designer Theresa Chen!

Nadia Albano:

What a chic collection! Very feminine, somewhat ethereal, and so perfect for Spring! I loved how Nadia showed the uniqueness of Value Village finds (that grecian dress!), while also showcasing how wearable they can be. I always hope that these Thrift Chic challenges inspire everyday people to thrift shop, and I think this definitely hit the mark!

 

[ photos by Peter Jensen Photography ]

Nathalie Rees:

I think it is just amazing how Nathalie was able re-create what looks like a perfectly curated Spring collection for a mainstream store! And guess what, it's all thrifted! Everything looks straight off a store rack, which I think is great. This collection slayed any preconceptions that thrifted clothes are old and frumpy, that's for sure! 

[ photos by Peter Jensen Photography ]

Jason Pillay

For anyone who thinks that Value Village is just full of old 80's clothes (perfect for your tight and bright parties, no less), this collection may not dispel those assumptions. BUT... I must say that Jason did a fabulous job of rocking those 80's trends in a way that was definitely worthy of a runway. Not bad for an all-thrifted collection, hey? Jason even managed to incorporate some very on-trend pieces, like the wide-leg pants.

[ photos by Peter Jensen Photography ]

Now of course, because this is Eco Fashion Week we're talking about, an eco-friendly outfit is a must! Wonderful local designer Theresa Chen offered to outfit Vicki of Style By Fire and I for the evening, and I couldn't have been more thrilled. I have been a huge fan of Theresa's designs, ever since I covered her collection at Vancouver Fashion Week about 12 seasons ago! I chose a piece that is on the more avant-garde side, and I must say, I was a little sheepish about the -ahem- hemline at first, but Theresa and Vicki gave me the courage to rock the hell out of it. I ended up absolutely loving it! And doesn't Vicki's red dress look amazing too? She looks fantastic in the colour and the cut, and would you believe it - it's all one piece with no zipper! Comfy.

[ photo by Gianluca Cescon ]

Dress - Theresa Chen | Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Earrings - c/o Nobis & Grey | Shoes - thrifted via Value Village

Well that's it for the Thrift Style Challenge! Next, I'll show you my favourites from the awe-inspiring 81 Pound Challenge, presented by Value Village. And let me tell you, much like the Thrift Style Challenge, it did not disappoint!

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Hair Pampering with La Biosethetique

Now that my hair is shorter now, it actually seems to grow a lot faster than the glacial pace it used to...which means I'm finding myself in the hair salon more than usual now (meaning more than one a year!). Eco Fashion Week and La Biothetique offered us the chance to try out their services at their Vancouver flagship salon, Black 2 Blond, so I thought I'd gift it a try when it was time to refresh my haircut.

From start to finish, the experience was so much more than just a regular hair cut appointment. Hairstylist Sara Burke walked me through the salon, and sat down with me for a short consultation. A small tray awaited me while I relaxed in a comfy lounge chair- a towel, hydrating body milk, and herbal tea to enjoy. Sara conducted a specialized scalp test to see how dry my scalp was- pretty normal, apparently. If your test showed something more dry or oily, there'd be some specific products she could recommend to combat it.

I always love getting my hair washed at the salon; I'm sure I'm not the only one who could use a good head massage! But what I'm not used to is a super relaxing hot towel on my scalp: seriously, this should be waiting for me when I get out of the shower everyday. After that, Sara gave me the option of two aromatic oils for the scalp: one for relaxing, one for energizing. With a full day ahead, I figured the energizing one would be best. It smelled amazing! Then, just when I was already blissful and feeling recharged, Sara gave me the most awesomely relaxing head, shoulder, and back massage. Talk about a mini spa trip disguised as a hair cut appointment!

Sara even walked me through how to get the beachy wave look myself at home, and suggested a few products that might help me re-create it on my own (because we all know it seems impossible to do that after leaving the salon!). I decided on the La Biosthetique Powder Spray and Styling Spray.

Just when I was happy to head out with my new 'do, the Black 2 Blond team offered to give me a complimentary make-up touch-up. They picked out the perfect orange/red lipstick to pair with my dress, touched up my brows and cheeks, and then I was ready take on the rest of the day!

Thrift Shop Day with Value Village

This Monday, August 17th was Thrift Shop Day - a chance for us to celebrate the awesome sustainable shopping experience of thrifting! And you know I'm a thrifting fanatic...

We started off our Thrift Shop Day celebrations with a little pampering at a special eco-friendly beauty salon in downtown Vancouver, E-Style Beauty Spa. They use natural and health conscious products, which made for the perfect spot to get pampered with Value Village and Eco Fashion Week! 

Value Village also created a very special art installation at Robson Square in Vancouver to for the special day, showing passer-by what 280 pounds of clothing looks like. Why 280 pounds? That's the average amount of clothing each family throws away each year. But Value Village is hoping to inspire people to break that statistic! You can help save all those pounds of clothing from going to our landfills by donating them to your local Value Village and shopping thrift.

If you've never been thrifting before, it can definitely be a little overwhelming at first; there is a LOT of clothing and searching to be done, but when you find that perfect find, it's all worth it! You'll love the treasure hunt. Plus, you'll know you're supporting local charities and protecting the environment by donating and buying donated goods!

Novus TV & BC Living reporter Natalie Langston & Eco Fashion Week founder Myriam LaRoche recording some Periscope coverage of the art installation

Celebrating in my thrifted outfit:

Dress - Zara (thrifted), Shoes - Mei Xi (thrifted), Purse - (thrifted)

And of course, it wouldn't be a full thrifting celebration without some Value Village goodies! Carefully curated in VV red, I am positively in love with their reusable shopping bags and heart sunnies <3 Also, candle lovers take note: this candle from Rewined is made from a recycled wine bottle! They're cut by hand and filled with premium natural soy wax, and given the most wonderful scent- this one in mimosa (how sweet!). This is honesty one of the best smelling candles I own- now I want to try their champagne scented candle too! In the spirit of reusing, you can also recycle the candle when it's all done.

Good luck with your thrifting adventures,

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta