GREEN LOUNGE 2014




@Nina Pieroth 
And here is the GreenLounge party at Umspannwerk Kreuzberg, one of the biggest networking parties in green fashion land organized by Innatex - international trade fair for sustainable textiles.  The venue which is located in my favorite part of town is set up with a generous amount of space to accommodate the growing crowd of designers, labels, buyers, photographers and journalists working in sustainable fashion.  I sure had a good time mingling with my besties Arianna from UFS and the gorgeous ladies Sarah, Steffi & Bea from Upcycling Boutique Water To Wine.  ROHstoff pal Ala & Bea were tuning in to the current trend of odd painted nails and we all loved it!  Who's got time for elaborate manicures when you're rushing to get out of the door. So why not just paint one or two nails instead and leave the rest natural...or just paint those nails with paint chipped off & mix it with your old shade - saves time & paint 

DUTCH ECO DESIGN





 
 



Last Wednesday it was showtime once again for Ethical Fashion in Berlin. This time the venue for the Green Showroom had been moved to the Kronprinzenpalais. A stunning building with a lot of pre-wall fall retro charm and a long trail of history.  It has hosted the Hohenzollern Kings and seen a few heads of states in its time.  I strongly suspect catwalks & gorgeous girls in stunning frocks were a first though.
Arriving in one of the convenient shuttle taxis connecting the E-werk site with its posh and not-so-little-anymore-sister site we had a good browse around the exhibition where Ala and I met new & familiar faces! 

Having set the bar high with her S/S 2014 collection Dutch designer Elsien Gringhuis didn't fail to deliver yet another strong and intelligent collection. For Winter 2014 she was exploring the idea that all things connect.  Situations, people and events respond to signals - good or bad vibes you send out and not everything is what it seems at first sight. The gorgeous sleeveless organic wool coat for example can be zipped off half length, worn as a jacket or swapped for another contrast bottom. Elsien stayed true to her classic, angular and elegant signature with a beautifully cut, boxy sleeved, grey marl sweat top and introduced natural rhubarb tanned leather a collaboration with German brand DeepMello as a new material for Winter.  The black sweatshirt with leather lined front detail is my new fav for next season and I just had enough time to give it a quick try as seats were going fast for the evening scheduled runway showcase featuring Dutch Eco Design.

Dutch designers always had a strong presence at the Greenshowroom since it first appeared on the Berlin fashion horizon in 2009. The show was a special treat for this season sponsored by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  Another brand featured in the show was Dutch brand Studio Jux who made it their goal to look AND do good as they build up their label using only sustainable materials.
'Jux' is German for fun and by employing and fairly paying tailors from Nepal one of the poorest counrties in the world they're making sure that their fairly paid and treated employees have plenty to laugh about. Their mantra is: 'My tailor is my rockstar' - deffo a label to watch 



ON WITH THE OLD...





Since downsizing my wardrobe I find that whatever the occasion I can put together an outfit in under 15 minutes and without being totally distraught after not being able to decide what to wear.  For last night's New Year's Eve celebration I flicked through my rail to re-discover this gorgeous Armani all-sequins split pencil which I bought in a small second hand boutique in the back streets of Covent Garden way back when still living in London. 
I love a bit of sparkle especially at this dreary time of year - the granddad cardigan takes off the OTT edge and paired with the chunky ankle boots I felt comfortable and chic, ready to welcoming the new year with a smile.

And as the first day of the new year gently draws to its end I've decided to plan for less, minimize my stuff and remember that whatever happens, whether I feel love, frustration or excitement...longing or sadness, whatever I'll do or wont do...for better or worse, the curtains will come up on a fabulous new show tomorrow - may the good times continue in 2014