It hardly matters what the hot hues of the season are - designers the world over are going gaga over green.
From mass retailer Target to French house Yves Saint Laurent, fashion's top names are embracing eco chic.
This is a far cry from a decade ago, when only flower-power hippie types favoured au naturale style.
Today, green fashion is just as stylish as it is eco-friendly.
Think draped dresses made from recycled cotton, ballerina flats of recycled rubber and metallic coloured jackets spun from plastic from edgy labels like Japanese label Cosmic Wonder Light Source and fresh Thai brand N+.
On why eco-fashion is becoming more trendy, Dragos Necula, 28, co-founder of local eco-label Etrican, says that it boils down to designers' growing awareness of the need to be environmentally friendly.
'More people are realising that climate change and environmental damage are real threats to our future,' he says.
'Eco wear is finally making the transition from hippie to chic, and gaining credibility as a real alternative in the fashion world.'
Newsweek magazine reported in 2008 that consumers aware of eco-fashion increased from 6 per cent in 2004 to 18 per cent that year.
Scott Hahn, co-founder of American organic denim line Loomstate, told the magazine that tech-driven eco garments like sports jackets made from recycled plastic are increasingly perceived as 'cool' and ripe for mainstream popularity.
One of the key architects of the eco chic movement is British designer Stella McCartney, who showed how green fashion could still be stylish when she debuted her eponymous line in 2001, declaring she would never use animal products such as leather or fur.
In the last five years, her clean, fuss-free designs have also infiltrated high-street fashion through collaborations with H&M, Adidas and, most recently, Gap.
Following her lead, other high-fashion brands have caught the green fever.
Last June, Yves Saint Laurent debuted Edition New Vintage - a 121-piece collection which used remnant fabric to create chic jackets, pleated trousers and shift dresses. The entire collection sold out in under two weeks.
YSL creative director Stefano Pilati told British newspaper The Independent that the brand's foray into eco-conscious fashion was 'a response to the moral issue of sustainability and an initiative to create sturdy buys in an uncertain climate'.
On the local front, at least four labels have moved to the green side within the last six months. New labels Jujube and Etrican offer dresses and T-shirts in eco-fabrics respectively.
Menswear labels Goldlion and Van Garie also made their first forays into eco-wear last month with 100 per cent organic cotton button-downs and biodegradable rubber belts, respectively.
'If you care about the environment, one of the easiest and most effective ways to make a difference is through your purchasing choices. And the contents of your wardrobe are just as important as the contents of your fridge or bathroom,' says Necula.
[email protected]
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
