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

Earth Day: Time to Think About our Fashion Impact!

Today, April 22nd is Earth Day! There are so many ways that we can make our lives a little greener with small changes to the things we do everyday. I don't claim to be some eco-guru by any stretch, but for me, thrift shopping is one of the ways I feel I can help lessen my impact on the planet. How exactly does thrifting do that?

It's all about reducing our footprint on the clothing industry, and reusing: putting less stress on our Earth's resources, which are used to create new clothing. By thrifting at your local thrift store, like Value Village, you can find all kinds of amazing fashion finds that have been pre-loved, but are still in great condition. And of course, part of thrifting also includes donating your old clothes too. Rather than throwing your old clothes away and taking up space in a landfill, the clothes could instead be going to a new home where they'll be loved again. Sadly, according to Value Village, 52% of Vancouverites threw away unwanted clothing or household goods in 2016 instead of donating. That's just crazy! Those are items that can be easily donated, keeping them out of our landfills.

Interestingly, 45% of Vancouverites said they buy used clothing or household items to save money, as opposed to being environmentally conscious (10%). This was definitely me many years ago. I really had no idea that thrifting was considered eco-friendly! So, if you didn't know before...you do now!

Since it's spring cleaning season right now, I thought hey, what better time to encourage you all to start thinking about thrifting more? Go through your housewares and clothes, pack up what you no longer want, and donate it at your local Value Village! Also need a spring fashion refresh? Why not pop inside one of their stores to do a little thrift shopping. Plus, it's basically guilt-free shopping, 'cause it's cheap and eco-friendly!

Below, I'm sharing some of my favourite thrifted finds, to hopefully inspire you to get out there and get thrifting!

Store: Value Village

Brand: Vivienne Westwood (Red Label)

Store Section: Blazers

What I Paid: $2.99 (was 50% off $5.99)

What it Costs New: $875

Store: Value Village

Brand: Black Halo

Store Section: Dresses

What I Paid: $12.99

What it Costs New: $345 (find it new here and a slightly longer version here)

Store: Value Village

Brand: Bianca Nygard

Store Section: Jackets

What I Paid: $19.99

What it Costs New: ~ 100

Store: Value Village

Brand: Joe Fresh

Section: Jackets

What I Paid: $2.99!!! (Half price on 50% off sale day)

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: J.Crew

Section: Sweaters (Large - always make sure to comb ALL the sizes! you never know how it will fit)

What I Paid: $9.99

What it's Worth: $295

Store: Salvation Army

Brand: BCBGMaxAzria

Section: Blazers

What I Paid: $9.99

What it's Worth: $250

Happy Earth Day! xo

~ Britta

Designer Spotlight: Vancouver's Hetki Designs

This post isn't the usual street style or event post you're used to seeing here on Vancouver Vogue, but it really does fall under the mantra of VV when it comes to eco-friendly, sustainable fashion. I thought it was important to share with you this amazing local brand: Hetki Designs. Plus, what makes this even more exciting, is that the designer of Hetki Designs, Kate Schreiner has been a follower of Vancouver Vogue since its early days! Turns out, we actually went to the same high school as well - Kate in Grade 8, and I in my graduating year. Many of you have heard my stories of my locker being stuffed full of high heels - Kate saw it first hand!

Now a graduate of Kwantlen's fashion design and technology program, Kate has launched her very own clothing line, and it's all about slow fashion. Rather than feeding the fast fashion trend frenzy, Hetki Designs aims to provide classic, timeless styles with a taste of trendiness that are meant to last years rather than months. They're investment pieces.

As a reader of VV, you all know that thrift shopping is my way of easing my demand for fast fashion and supporting more sustainable shopping measures. Now that I get older though, I've also started to look to brands like Hetki Designs for curated staple pieces I can add to my wardrobe for the long haul. I had a chance to see some of Kate's designs in person at a fashion preview event in Vancouver - see below for a closer look!

Photography - Linus Wong

Hair & Makeup - Maliha Artistry

Styling - Jessica Chauhan & Kate Schreiner

With Kate at her design preview at Portside Pub in Gastown, Vancouver

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Eco-Luxury Boutique The Closet YVR Launches in Vancouver

I first met Helen Siwak of The Closet YVR when she kindly helped me style the cast of Hamlet last year. It's truly amazing to see her incredible collection of thrifted luxury goods finally find a much-deserved home in Gastown: a big step from what used to be an all-online shop!

The Closet YVR is an eco-luxury boutique that carries not only designer fashion resale, but also local eco-friendly products and fashions. Mixed among the shoes, scarves and beautiful dresses are all-natural soaps and straight-from-the-runway designs from local fashion talents. Her pre-loved designer items are definitely worth perusing; you'll find everything from Dior to Gucci and more. The shop will even offer personal eco-styling services and wardrobe consultations from Lead In-House Stylist Dominique Hanke.

And it doesn't stop there, every month, The Closet YVR will host pop-up shops in the boutique, giving more local designers and artisans a chance to have their products available for you to shop!

The most adorable Valentino blazer in plaid (of course, it's an obsession) caught my eye while I took a look through the racks of luxury clothes; check it out below, I feel like it's the perfect transitional piece for fall, no? 

If you're in the Gastown area in Vancouver, pop by the boutique at 360 Carrall St, say hello to Helen and check out the beautifully curated collection of eco luxury fashion! The Closet YVR is open from Monday to Saturday, 11am-6pm, or by appointment on Sundays.

With founder of The Closet YVR, Helen Siwak, in an Armani dress & Bulgari pendant from Modaselle

Me & You Body vegan soap & La Cigale personal grooming products 

Vegan treats for the VIP guests & handmade Eco Monsters by Bracken Hanke

Handmade pendants by Tracey Tomtene in silver, pewter & copper: who needs the 'Do Epic Shit' one??

Armani hat, Ted Lapidus scarf, Missoni maxi dress, JC de Castelbajac Pluie tote

'Gassy Jack' made a pit stop by the store too, although he chilled on the floor more than he shopped...

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

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