Lucky Mag tumbler via la sirene de boston

Etsy finds gift recommendations for your Facebook friends – PSFK

Brazil’s eye on sustainable fashion – New York Times

Sketch to runway – dollparts

State of the blogosphere 2011: Using social networks for self promotion – SocialBeat

theswapaholics.com

Swap events are the ultimate in sustainable fashion.  So it’s clear how swap meets made a lot of sense when the recession hit and people needed to cut back.  These events have been a great way to still get that “retail therapy” fix we all need, but for little to no cost.  It’s become more accepted over these penny-pinching years to shop at consignment stores, repeat wearing your clothes more often, and attend these swap events.  But, as the economy starts to pick-up again and people’s discretionary income comes back, will people go back to the mall and skip over wearing other people’s clothes?  Or have these events introduced a brand new way of responsible shopping that is here to stay?

I think even if the recession is going away, people are still struggling to get by and it will take years to get back to where we were before it all went downhill.  With gas prices going up now due to the protests in North Africa, the cost of clothes and food are the next things to rise, so cutting back on the excesses of shopping will be here for awhile.  I do think for those people who are not so passionate about the consignment store way of shopping, they will be the first to go back to the traditional way of buying new clothes as soon as they have the money to spend.  But for people who have always been interested in sustainability, but just found out about responsible clothes shopping, swap events will be here despite the economy.

PS – What do you want to see more of on this blog? Let me know by voting here - thanks!

the remaining designs are now available on eBay for auction for a really great purpose.  all proceeds will be donated to CARE – Emergency in Haiti, an organization that plans to stay in Haiti until 2015 to help rebuild homes, hospitals, etc.

so to purchase a one-of-a-kind design and help support a great cause in Haiti, bid for one of these items here now!

Mademoiselle VG (Italy) - friends who design t-shirts with fun, feminine designs.

EXTRASEED (Addis Ababa) – cute eco-friendly shoes made from scrap fabric and leather that would otherwise be considered waste at garment factories and rubber from used car tires.

Tame (Canada) – really cool, bold jewelry.

How did you get started creating your clothing line?

I have been a working visual artist for quite some time and started dabbling in prints and wanted to transfer that to clothing. It turned out to be an easy transition.

What three words would you use to describe your current collection?

Minimal, soft, sensual.

What do you think makes your designs different?

The balance of femininity with simplicity along with the fact that the prints on my designs are hand-drawn as I am firstly an artist and an illustrator.

What do you see in the future for your collection?

Keep continuing with eco-friendly wares as well as evolving with themes. I have been thinking of incorporating eastern feminine deities lately and taking some steps out in new directions with the line quality.

Why should people buy clothes from an independent designer over a mass-market store?

For so many reasons… supporting a working designer versus a mass-market store which may not hold ethical or environmental standards too high seems obvious to me. Also, it makes the purchase more personable and memorable because of the quality of supporting that designer and their individual vision.

pick your poison: purchase 3 items or more and choose any one item at 10% off.
roll the dice: get between 3-12% off your entire purchase. even better, roll snakes eyes and get 20% off your entire purchase!
pull a card: get between 2-10% off your entire purchase. pull a queen of hearts and get 20% off your entire purchase! (sorry, ace, jack and king don’t mean a thing).
custom orders are brand new and are often one-of-a-kind so they will be full price, but they’re joining in on the fun and the sale games will apply to your custom orders too!

check it out if you’re in chicago, good luck, and let me know what you get!  and if you’re not in chicago, you can still buy Lara Miller’s perfect-for-any-occassion clothes in her online shop.

Christopher Collins started out in the luxury fashion industry making evening wear.  in 2008, he launched his own line of ready-to-wear designs inspired by his background of luxury, high-quality and femininity.

there aren’t many independent shoe designers, so i was excited to find Form & Fauna.  what makes these stylish shoes so great is that they are sturdy for everyday life and they are made of sustainable materials.

for a completely girly outfit, browse through Alyssa Nicole‘s spring collection.  it is very pretty in pink!

for more on san francisco fashion, check out sfindiefashion.com

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

How did you get started creating your clothing line?

I’ve always had an attraction to details and lines, both artistically and practically.  Combined with my love for fashion, designing clothing was a natural fit for me. I started by taking existing pieces and revamping them and then from there, I began designing original styles to sell at the local market. I co-created a previous line for three years and then started Nixxi independently in 2007.

What three words would you use to describe your current collection?

edgy, organic, flirty

What do you think makes your designs different?

Nixxi’s aesthetic is mixing contrasts: draped silhouettes with structured lines; soft knits with textured wovens; taking contemporary shapes and refining them into versatile classic designs.

What do you see in the future for your collection?

Textile prints, accessories, and artist collaborations.

Why should people buy clothes from an independent designer over a mass-market store?

Mass-produced styles can sometimes lack a certain essence and quality. When I buy something from an independent designer, I treasure it so much more knowing that it is unique and that their heart was put into creating it.

every little counts makes tees and sweatshirts inspired by romance and love.

zelaya is a family business from el salvador that makes everinomentally sustainable clothes.

andwhatelseisthere handmakes and tailors fashion-forward clothes from bangkok.

lamixx makes wardrobe staples that are comfortable and made to fit well on a woman’s body.