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Project Earth Day Promotes Environmental Awareness for Third Year

The EGBNY-sponsored event featured a professional eco-fashion show and student design competition in New York.

Sheila Kim -- Interior Design, 4/26/2009 12:00:00 AM

Green is the word in these times, but even more so when April 22, the nation's official Earth Day, rolls around. To mark the occasion, the Emerging Green Builders of New York, a committee of the U.S. Green Building Council, sponsored its third annual Project Earth Day fashion showcase at Openhouse Gallery in lower Manhattan on April 23. The event was founded when environmentally-minded interior designer Molly Garretson pondered where an avid shopper such as herself could find fashion with a green bent.
project earth day, molly garretson, usgbc, green building council, egbny, emerging green builders of new york, environmental ecological green sustainable design, image, photo, eco fashion
The site of the event, Openhouse Gallery, New York. Photo: Abigail Doan/Ecco Eco.
"In my daily life, I would buy organic and local food, specify green products, and work on LEED projects, but when it came to purchasing clothing, shoes, and all the things a girl loves to shop for, I was clueless," says Garretson. "Project Earth Day was founded to bring together the building and fashion communities to inspire and cross-pollinate these industries, and hopefully provide opportunity for design partnerships surrounding sustainability."
project earth day, molly garretson, usgbc, green building council, egbny, emerging green builders of new york, environmental ecological green sustainable design, image, photo, eco fashion
Backstage photo: Abigail Doan/Ecco Eco.
The event began with a networking reception, followed by a fashion show and competition that presented creations by students hailing from such schools as the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design. This year's judges, who sat front and center on green chairs from Hag by Izzy, included Drew Becher, executive director of the New York Restoration Project, Janine James, founder and creative director of the Moderns, John Schroeter, president and CEO of Applied Textiles, and Project Runway 4 contestant Kevin Christiana, head designer and partner of Christiana Zinn. Considering overall look, and how it incorporates both sustainable materials and principles, the panel awarded a first place cash prize of $1,500, as well as a one-month-long spotlight on Cosmopolitan magazine's website, to FIT’s Stacy Longo, who designed a geometry-inspired outfit. FIT also produced the second and third place winners, respectively, Shirley Gallagher and Erika Schuster. Honorable mentions went to Caroline Rossingol of Parsons and Theresa Chan of Connecticut College.
project earth day, molly garretson, usgbc, green building council, egbny, emerging green builders of new york, environmental ecological green sustainable design, image, photo, eco fashion
Installation by Yuko Oda; student design competition winner Stacy Longo. Both photos: Abigail Doan/Ecco Eco.
A professional design show followed with eco fashions by Alkemie, Bahar Shahpar, Covet, Fearlessdreamer/Meiling Chen, Larsen Gray, Mika Organic, and Mottainai, among others. Serving as the backdrop was an art installation by Yuko Oda, who added to the event "buzz" with a pair of dangling bees constructed from recycled materials.
project earth day, molly garretson, usgbc, green building council, egbny, emerging green builders of new york, environmental ecological green sustainable design, image, photo, eco fashion
The student competition winning design on model; professional show featuring a shirtdress by Meiling Chen and necklace by Mi Asunta. Both photos: Abigail Doan/Ecco Eco.