COVENANT GREEN AT FRED SEGAL EVENT APRIL 25th +

So... Last week Fred Segal wanted more of my styles for the store. I just found out why! They are doing a big Earth Month event in cooperation with Heal the Bay and needed more eco-friendly clothing. Voila! There I am, apparently hanging NEXT TO Katharine Hamnett! Fab or what?!?

If you guys can make it, please attend tomorrow's cocktail party and take pictures of my stuff (if you are allowed to). Mommy bought me a ticket to San Fran for some R&R from stress and being sick, so I'll be missing it. Below please find the event information and press release.



FRED SEGAL SANTA MONICA GOES GREEN FOR SPRING
Boutique retailers team with Heal the Bay for fun Heaven is Earth weekend!

SANTA MONICA, California (April 8, 2008) – Upscale retailer Fred Segal Santa Monica, which has been involved with Heal the Bay for more than 20 years, is making a big splash for Earth Month. It is hosting a weekend series of events to educate and raise awareness of consumers about eco-friendly shopping and raise funds for local environmental group Heal the Bay.

More than a dozen Fred Segal storeowners have united to host a silent auction, raffle, and cocktail party on Friday, April 25 from 6-9 p.m. Invited guests can bid on exclusive or one-of-a-kind gifts: clothing, jewelry, accessories, beauty, cosmetics, and home furnishings.

Among the many unique items on offer: a Smart car, with custom graphics by artist Tom Gervais; tickets to Fox TV show “American Idol”; signed sketches by designers Lanvin and Stella McCartney; a Paul Frank beach cruiser; “Hello Kitty” watch by Kimora Lee Simmons; and collectible Barbie dolls. Shoppers can indulge, knowing that every dollar spent at the auction Friday will support Santa Monica-based Heal the Bay in its efforts to make sure millions of Californians can enjoy clean oceans and
beaches.

The weekend will continue for the general public on Saturday and Sunday with various trunk shows, personal appearances, and storewide events showcasing environmentally-friendly brands and products. Live music will also be provided. Heal the Bay staffers will be on hand to offer shoppers practical tips on how to adopt more ocean friendly practices in everyday life.

To encourage the use of reusable shopping bags in lieu of wasteful single-use plastic and resource-intensive paper bags, Heal the Bay has partnered with Fred Segal to create a limited edition canvas shopping tote. The stylish bags will be on sale for $10 throughout the weekend to benefit Heal the Bay. Fred Segal Santa Monica is committed to adopting more environmentally friendly business practices year round, and has been for decades. Many businesses operate paper-free and request that vendors not use Styrofoam. Others recycle packing materials and favor brands that use efficient packaging and non-toxic
materials.

“We are banding together as a center so that we can make a significant difference in our community,” said David Assil, owner of Madison at Fred Segal, which is located at Fred Segal Santa Monica. “Hopefully it will spread into a much larger movement with future initiatives to come.” The full weekend of events include appearances by representatives of Stella McCartney to discuss her Stella Care Organic Skincare line of products and Calleen Cordero showing some of her new pieces at Madison at Fred Segal. Alkemie’s ultimate take on recycling sees melted-down bullet casings turned into jewelry, available at Nina Segal at Fred Segal. Fred Segal Flair will be hosting a book signing and sewing circle with Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin. At Fred Segal Rocks, Love Heals Jewelry will plant 10 trees for every piece sold.

Fred Segal Santa Monica is located at 500 & 420 Broadway. Store hours are 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m.- 6 p.m. Sunday.

Happy Earth Day!

A-HAH!!! Just in time for Earth Day: I found another way to save/help the planet and us poor, doomed souls living in it (please see below blog "Older and Wiser...?" for reference).

I've been hoarding those unassuming-but-annoying junkmail reply envelopes all these years, as I haven't had the heart to discard them. Someone actually took the time to design the layout, the fold, etc., and a machine used up who knows how much energy to cut, fold, print, seal and affix that dang nasty-tasting adhesive on it. At first I tried to send holiday greetings and letters (regarding a family reunion for 150 people, another story), but most of it came back from the post office as not useable, even though I marked out all the print on it and added "Recycle Me" all over the envelopes.

Knowing that the post office might have a chance not to accept them, this week a bright light turn on in my head, flashing like a neon sign in Las Vegas, "Use me for invoices!!!" You see, instead of putting invoices and packing slips with customer's orders in the plastic pouches UPS provides for free (again with the adhesive, plus plastic can take forever to biodegrade), I opted to chuck the darn things and use my reply-to junkmail envelopes to put them in. This way, they are also in the boxes as opposed to being affixed outside of the boxes for anyone to just rip off and take.

So, happily I've been taking my marker (wish someone would make eco-friendly versions), marking off the printed material, adding "Recycle" and happy faces all over them. I'm sure my clients will think I'm wacko, but also am sure not only might I put a smile on some, but will definitely remind all to reduce and reuse. :)

Older is Wiser...?

I heard on NPR a few days ago, and my Mom heard on the news this evening, of the rice shortage in Asia, people hoarding them, etc. (rice hoarding). Sounds like it could potentially be a scene from "Mad Max". Add to that the $4+/- per gallon of gas to fill up. And bottled water we've been purchasing instead of drinking it from the faucet as I did in Hawaii growing up in the good old days. As I washed my dishes, it immediately became a pretty scary realization that humankind is going downhill, with the speed only increasing exponentially as time passes.

Conspicuous consumption used to be in vogue especially at the start of the industrial revolution, but now I think it's just gluttony. When you see proof of its effects to the world, it makes one think twice about how to live. I already recycle my plastic bottles, glass wine bottles, some aluminum cans (don't really drink soda), milk/juice cartons, etc. Everyday before I use or throw something away I think twice. Lately it's been like dire straits that I should think twice, three times before throwing something. What else is there to do to alleviate consumption and help prevent the growth of landfills in order to slow down shortage and have a healthier environment? What else is there to do?

Well whenever I go out for Asian food and use wooden chopsticks, I've begun to wipe it off and take it home to wash and reuse. Been a few weeks now. My grandmother washes and reuses her ziplock bags and I tried to but the sticky stuff stays. But I have been saving the little trays my tv dinners come in, washing them to reuse them again. Same with take-out plastic utensils. Plastic, depending on the make, can take hundreds of years to biodegrade.

And instead of using what scarce water we have to wash dishes and utensils, I've been mulling about the idea of eating with my hands like they do in India and other parts of Asia, so I don't waste the water. I stopped using straws when I go through the drive in or any restaurant, and just drink it from the cup. No cover unless I get in the car with it. And speaking of cars, I have my own business and need some kind of truck or SUV, but the hybrid versions are still hellishly expensive so...?

Eating with hands, lighting with candles, planting a garden of food in your backyard... Medieval times, or saving grace?

To tell you the truth, I'm scared as hell what direction we are going into in this era. Making an eco-friendly clothing line is not enough. Everyday we need to be conscious of what we consume and stop using disposable anything as much as possible!

What are YOU willing to change in your life? We really need to do something. And more somethings.

So yes, there's LOTS to worry about. Like the mortality rate and fate of humankind.

Saving the World with a Thong

October 17, 2007

Never wear a thong when you're hauling a heavy, 60-yard bolt of fabric.

As some of you know, and those of you who don't, I have ventured into unfamiliar territory and went where no Claire has gone before (not this Claire anyway).

All those years I said I never wanted to own a business - well, never say "never". It must be an age thing, a human development thing, a soul-searching desire for some kind of career nirvana... Say what you will, but I couldn't take it anymore and decided to do it my way. The save-the-planet way. ^_^

Am currently designing an eco-friendly, environmentally-conscious clothing line to be launched at LA Market next week (accessories later). Not in a big way, just in an under-the-radar kind of way (in other words, no fund$, so no big hoopla runway show or anything). It feels good to be doing something that makes a difference. I wish you all could feel this holy rush. What makes me even more happy is that I'm making that difference while doing what I love at the same time: create.

But boy, is it *hard* - this doing-everything-by-myself thing.

For one, it took me *forever* to think of a name for the clothing line. After much deliberation and lists of everything I could think of nearly these last couple of years, I polled family and friends a few months ago 'til they oozed "eco" and "green" out of their pores. For those of you who stuck by me and tolerated my name-journey for days on end, I thank you. The planet thanks you. For those of you who didn't, oh well I thank you anyway. I'm just that kind of person. =)

Then came FBNs, dba's, trademarks, copyrights, setting up accounts, applying for a business loan (to which I got denied, bummer - dang corporate beaurocracy - whatever happened to believing in dreams?); meeting with my amazing merchandiser/sales rep; sourcing eco-friendly vendors for environmentally-friendly materials and services (which are hard to come by); and then, finally, actually designing and sketching the line; then sent out sketches to a patternmaker; patterns to send out for cutting; cut bundles to give to seamstresses to sew garments; and to quote "The King and I", et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

As always, in this often-mistaken-as-fabulous garment biz, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the loop.

Found out yesterday that the cutter and sewing service were backed up with work and are not able to produce my designs. So immediately I opted for Plan B (Plan Budget). I picked up the patterns and fabric, took them to my lil' apartment, cleared my small Ikea bachelorette dining table (I don't really have "real" grown-up furniture), and started cutting. It's like "Project Runway" on acid. Or cocaine, whatever helps you imagine. Allz I knowz is, never wear a thong when you're hauling a 60-yard bolt of fabric - it doesn't feel pretty (reminds me of my Vegas thong adventure, for those of you who know - deja vu!).

So now I'm halfway done with the cutting, and am extremely out of energy. Add to that sleepless nights, work 'til the wee hours, and even forgoing meals - which, to those of you who know me, you should relish in thought as you know I never usually decline food.

But you know what, amidst the blood, sweat and tears of starting up this biz, I hate to sound cliche, but it's worth it. I enjoy it. I feel a new kind of fulfillment - both creative and spiritual at the same time. At 2:00 in the morning on this mid-October eve, with my mess on the table and on the floor, after watching "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" AND "Last Call with Carson Daly" while I cut fabric and my sorrows away, I am reminded that life is beautiful, am blessed with supportive friends and family, and very fortunate to have a wedgie from my thong because I was carrying 60-yard bolt of *ORGANIC* cotton.