Winning Couture Designer Garcia from Spain to London

by Delia Montgomery October 29, 2008, 10:16 pm 82 Views

The Elena Garcia Eco-Couture studio produces creative clothes for women using exquisite fabrics and eco-friendly processes. Designer Elena’s style is feminine, comfortable and elegant. Her garments are made with special care and with materials that change for each collection. Primarily find pesticide-free silks, organic linen and eco bamboo.

This is high-end women’s wear made sustainably and ethically, with a focus on local resources. Pictures here are from the 2008 Winter collection that features silks farmed from silk worms and mulberry trees that are pesticide-free. The silk yarn is processed entirely without chemicals.

All garments are handcrafted by small manufacturers and social enterprise units, giving something back to the community. The dyes are free of metal, amine, and azo compounds. Batch dyeing is sent to a local company. Find loose jackets, flattering wide-leg trousers, silk camisoles, slip dresses, and elegant satin bustle skirts.

Elena says that most of their wool comes from sheep that are reared organically in UK. Some garments are an exquisite mix of organic silks and linen in indigo and ivory. The decorative details include felting, cutwork embroidery and shibori dyeing. No two garments are exactly the same and each piece can be custom tailored to suit the wearer.

Elena was born in Spain, but based in London since 1992. She completed her degree in Surface Textiles for Fashion at the London College of Fashion. Her work blends daring design, traditional techniques, and luxurious, eco-friendly textiles to create beautiful, timeless pieces for women of all ages.

Know that Elena is a tied winner with America’s Britta Reynolds as second runner-up for Chíc Eco’s 2008 Best Eco-Creative Women’s Fashion Designer Poll. Both designers are innovative with proven devotees, but oh so different. I love that fact and now congratulate Elena!

Cradle to Grave Certified Fashion

A Green-pro Designer for Custom Couture

Written by Delia Montgomery

I am Delia, d/b/a Chic Eco on www.ChicEco.com, and established myself as an eco fashion guru by learning "who makes what in the world of environmental fashion and design."

Enjoy reading some of my freelance writing about environmental design, fashion and art -- from both consumer and supplier perspectives. You may notice I focus most on individual eco designers, movers and shakers.

From sustainable fashion apparel to paint and flooring, discoveries are a rush. I get my kicks this way. I also offer sales representation of earth-friendly designed products for wholesale buyers. Retailers may take advantage of my services with factory-direct pricing. Spend less time sourcing and prevent green-washed purchases!

My other forte is connecting suppliers with business-to-business tools. Aspects of my business vary with consulting services while I'm proud to be the aide that embraces unique and innovative gigs.

I'm originally a Kentucky Blue Grass gal who relocated to Maui early 2006 and the tropical Puna District of Big Island, Hawaii late 2007. Walk the talk is my motto here.

Early 2009 I constructed a yurt home office in a semi-urban setting on a tiny lot. My water comes from the sky, contained in a catchment that's not likely to dry in this rain forest. The electric is designed for solar conversion. I grow about 30% of my food organically, compost, and recycle to the hilt. Permaculture with a full eco system is my gardening style.

In fact, gardening is my ultimate joy. I seek gigs like design, weeding and planting between other jobs. My love is Hawai'i which has more climate zones than any state. There are frequent earthquakes here, typically under a 3.0 magnitude, and I happen to dig the vibrations. It's a wonderful simple life in paradise. As I grow older and wiser, I become more and more grateful.