By: Shehrezad Bawany, FW Writer

You can act the part but can you look it
too? Top Canadian designers have decided
to follow the eco-trend and conjure up some
friendly designs!

Toronto led the way and hosted the Fashion
Takes Action show last year in September,
displaying 10 designers that created haute
couture from natural and organic materials.

This show commended the creativity of
designers such as Farley Chatto, Damzels,

Thien Le, and Annie Thomson who included
organic cottons, soy/bamboo/silk blends,
and hemp in their outfits. The show’s success
inspired so many that they were asked back
to Toronto’s L’Oreal Fashion Week 2008 F/W
Collection.

This year’s Spring 2008 Fashion Week,
sadly, did not include as many eco-friendly
runway looks, but did feature some of the same
artists who participated last year. Mellinda-Mae Harlingten put out her best efforts by
featuring a nature inspired show. Unfortunately
for her, we need more than just inspiration at
this day and age.

Playdead Cult, the supposedly darker but
apparently friendlier side of Damzels In This
Dress, made their entire collection this year
from screen-printed recycled clothing. Their
fashion is used to publicize their viewpoint
about the western world, and their everlasting
desire to consume and waste. Second-hand
Levi’s jeans and jackets were decorated with
their logo, a dia de los muertos skull and at
times, a moth in flight. This exceptional show
left more of an impact on the audience, and less
on the environment.

We understand that it is hard to be creative
with such limited materials, but we hope in the
future that there will be more artists that will
use their talents for the greater cause.