What Sustains

(NEW YORK) The Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation is entering its eighth season by introducing a new award to its stable. The Sustainable Design Award, which celebrates green fashion design, will join the women's wear, menswear, and accessories categories. Each winner will receive a grant of $25,000.
 
The Sustainable Design Award will be open to both men's and women's wear designers, but the applicant must include the three elements of sustainability: environment, social equity, and economic viability. The designers must focus on the use of environmentally friendly materials or on production methods that promote fair trade or social equity for workers. All entries must be completed by Friday, October 3, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

"Fashion is a very real reflection of the times we live in, and Ecco Domani is the first to create an award for those emerging designers who are not only thinking about fashion design, but also how the whole process affects the planet," said Julie Gilhart, EDFF judge and VP of fashion merchandising at Barneys New York. "True talent, in my opinion, is creating the same great design, style and energy that talented designers give, but also being concerned about lessening the footprint they are creating. It is most definitely the future of fashion, and with this new category, the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation is once again breaking new ground."
 
Alumni of the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Awards include Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Peter Som, Thakoon, Rag & Bone, Erin Fetherston and Alexander Wang. Judges include Marylou Luther (editor of The International Fashion Syndicate), Sally Singer (fashion news/features director at Vogue), Kim Hastreiter (editor in chief and publisher of Paper), Nicole Fischelis (fashion director at Macy's), Ruth Finley (publisher of The Fashion Calendar) and Ken Downing (fashion director at Neiman Marcus) and Gilhart. The equally formidable men's design committee includes Jay Bell (buyer for menswear design at Barneys New York), Christopher Bollen (dditor in chief of Interview) and Alex Badia (men's fashion director of DNR and Menswear).
BIANCA POSTERLI