The thought of "green" fashion conjures images of hemp tunics and yoga sportswear-the frumpy, boring garb of the neohippie, more often seen in the commune than on the catwalk.
But Ryan and Nadira Hurley, the husband-and-wife team that co-owns the new Brightleaf Square boutique Vert & Vogue, are letting conscientious fashionistas breathe a sigh of relief by proving that fashion and the environment can coexist peacefully.
Ryan Hurley has always had a passion for environmental advocacy and met Paris-born Nadira while she was working in the fashion industry. The two merged their interests of fashion and the environment and conceived Vert & Vogue.
Just a few years ago, ecofriendly fashion was unheard of, but the concept has now established itself in the boutiques of New York and Los Angeles. The Hurleys aim to offer Durham residents a fashionable alternative to the mall, where the mass production of clothing chains eats up fossil fuels, fills landfills and pollutes the environment.
So what exactly does it mean for clothing to be ecofriendly? Vert & Vogue's stable of independent designer-suppliers works toward sustainability in several ways. Many use recycled materials that would have ended up in a landfill had they not been given a second chance.
For example, designer Ashley Watts takes old leather jackets and fashions them into modern leather bags. ekologic converts forgotten cashmere from Barneys and Saks into new sweaters. Kim White makes quirky clutches out of the upholstery from vintage Camaros. Other materials featured are sustainable, such as bamboo cardigans by Laura Miller and denim made with organic cotton by Loomstate.
The chic modern decor of the boutique also keeps the ecoconscious theme with bamboo furniture, recycled steel and shoe shelves cut from the drawers from an old tobacco factory. Every item, from clothing to decoration, has a story to tell.
"It's not only about the clothes-it's about the mission," Ryan Hurley said.
Because modern megamalls can be overwhelming, the Hurleys want customers "to experience shopping in a new way" by offering quality and not quantity, he said. Although the look is reminiscent of an upscale European boutique, the atmosphere is anything but intimidating.
The store offers a range of prices from affordable to "ecoluxury," with both men's and women's clothes and baby gifts. Most of the clothing runs slightly on the expensive side-dresses are as much as $436-but items like Alternative Earth's $12.50 basic organic tees won't make saving the environment feel like a fortune.
Either way, you'll feel good while looking good.
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