Monday night the National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers (NASFD) held a screening of a five minute video, Fashion on the Frontline profiling four Philadelphia fashion industry pioneers who are reinforcing sustainability in the local fashion economy. The video was produced by Brain Gravy Creative a Philadelphia based multimedia production group headed by the combined efforts of Patrick Blake, David Harding, and Benjamin Webb.
The video gives an insider view of four industry entrepreneurs who are bringing back the traditions from which high fashion was born. The rebirth of couture in modern day circles has taken on the label of sustainability, in many cases concentrating on designers who produce at the local level.
In the mid- nineteenth century haute couture design houses were built from studios where a couturier would create exclusively designed and custom fitted apparel for their clients. Their reputation would grow and clients would come from all over the world to have sessions with the designer, which created the allure of certain cities that would later become known as fashion capitals of the world. Cities like Paris, Milan, London, New York, and Tokyo have grown from their couture roots of designers like Chanel, Christian Dior, and Prada.
The video profiles Cheryl Ana Organic Atelier, Blue Red Yellow a natural dye house, Melissa D'Agostino Fashion , and Sarah Van Aken of SVA Holding Companies as they tell how they are working to develop ethical apparel lines locally in the hope of invigorating the industry.
National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers (NASFD) a non-profit organization that provides specialized programs, education and industry resources that advance creative, innovative and high impact fashion businesses. The founder, Jamila Payne is a a graduate of Drexel University and has an MBA from the Lebow College of Business. She sits on the National Board of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) and the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) of Greater Philadelphia.
Watch the video Fashion on the Frontline and view photos from the screening from this page using the links to the left. Photography and correspondence courtesy of Josh Pelta-Heller, koalaphotography@gmail.com.
Follow me @stylephilly and on Facebook
Comments