There's more going on in Brightleaf Square than big beers at Satty's. As students began returning to Durham this August, something other than drink specials and half-price sushi was stirring up excitement near Main Street. Through the window at the latest addition to Brightleaf Square's motley crew of retailers, shelves began filling with bags made from car upholstery, patterned dresses and thick, wintery knits for men.
Nope, not your average Zsa Zsa Zsu.
If you've gotten this far, you're exactly the type of person who'll be shopping at Vert & Vogue, freshly open and stocked for fall as Durham's first "eco-friendly" fashion boutique.
"The Triangle is a really happening place," says Ryan Hurley, the store's owner, on its grand opening Sept. 10. "There are a few options in the area... but our approach is more stylish, more high-end."
With the arrival of eco-chic in downtown Durham, there's no getting around it: Pink is out and green is most definitely the new black.
Yet nothing says tree-hugging and style-loving can't peacefully coexist. While Hollywood's valets have their hands full of hybrid keys, the darlings that own them are swaddled in organic cotton, vegan footwear and reappropriated bling.
It seems as though the earth is taking over, well, the earth-or at least the Co-op.
Style mavens who once heard "earthy" and went running at the thought of Birkenstocks and hemp bags are now embracing environmentally-friendly fashion. Runways now feature recycled ball gowns and high-end retailers like Barneys New York fill their shelves with hand-combed cashmere. That's means manually combing through the goat's hair, for all you warm weather kids.
Devotees to www.shopbop.com have long been able to find a whole category of clothing dedicated to "earth friendly" designers-and those items are among the site's top sellers, says spokeswoman Kelly Peterson.
But ecouture is only a slice of the market, and the reality is that dressing sustainably is easier than drinking from the tap.
Not to mention, a greener getup doesn't necessitate shelling out greenbacks.
Haven't you heard that fashion always repeats itself? Leggings, for example, continue to reincarnate themselves.
Designers have been recycling styles for decades, a phenomenon exemplified by Lilly Pulitzer's shifts and Diane Von Furstenburg's wrap dresses. Even the Gap never retires its trademark jean jacket, which means that that whole "reuse" thing is fully acceptable when it comes to clothing of any vintage.
Common materials are, in large part, what make the modern wardrobe so toxic, said senior Carina Barnett-Loro, a member of Students for Sustainable Living. "I think a huge part of the environmental movement is re-evaluating the effects of our most basic commodities-clothing being one of the biggest," points out Barnett-Loro.
Take your average Hanes tee, for example. Lightweight, practically see through even before it gets drenched at Tailgate. Probably decomposes in about one month.
Even a lifetime of those is no biggie, right? Little known fact: According to Barnett-Loro, the cotton industry is responsible for an enormous number of pesticides pumped into the earth (DUU, take note), not to mention the impact of overseas manufacturing and superfluous packaging.
Similarly, polyester, which may be in more of your clothing than you think, is made from petroleum-and nothing good comes out of wearing petroleum.
Don't even get started on polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. (Kate Moss and her plastic pants must die.)
Instead, companies such as Seven for All Mankind, H&M, and even Target are embracing organic cotton.
Cashmere, long-lasting and handwashable, is an ideal sustainable material, as is fibrous bamboo, which grows abundantly and easily without water or pesticides. "Thinkimg environmentally doesn't come easily to a lot of people," says senior Lindsay Rawot, a civil and environmental engineer. "Shopping green is a good way to start living in that mindset."
The online resources for shopping green can be overwhelming, but save your delivery guy the trip and get it locally.
Vert & Vogue just opened, and Brightleaf already had the means to outfit your life just a pedal from campus.
Dolly's is packed with vintage sundresses, glittery frocks, straw hats, sequined clutches and neon go-go boots. Naturally.
Or you can furnish your apartment next door at Portabello Road, where highlights include vintage china, linens and reupholstered loveseats. There's also the odd pair of cowboy boots strewn about.
If you must trek to Chapel Hill, offset carbon emissions by picking up organic C&C California tees and J-Brand jeans at Uniquities on Franklin Street. For the adventurous, just down the block there's Time After Time, a vintage haven with probably the sweetest collection of recycled junk anywhere-for guys in particular.
These stores aren't cheap. If you're looking for quantity, there's no doubt that Hanes will equip your entire closet before C&C even fills a drawer. And some students are openly skeptical about how "green" expensive designers can be when they're charging such outrageous prices.
"I'm not an idiot and I know there's a good chance it's more of a marketing scheme than an initiative caused by the concern of high-end retailers," says senior Lauren Wessel.
At Twig, also in Chapel Hill, the bamboo trend has found a home in yoga knits perfect for perusing organic wines at neighboring Whole Foods (Check out Towerview's Taste Test on page 7 for the best bets).
The easiest way to promote sustainability is just to stick with what's already in your closet. Chances are good that no one at Club Nine will remember last Saturday's dress, so wash it in cold. water and biodegradable detergent, line dry it and wear it again.
After all, there's nothing trendier than saving the planet.
One outfit at a time.
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