Industry insiders and rising designers came together at The Blond to celebrate the five finalists for the 2018 CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative on Thursday evening. In partnership with Lexus, the designers were selected based on their leadership in the field of sustainable design. They are Cienne (Nicole Heim and Chelsea Healy), M.Patmos (Marcia Patmos), St. Roche (Sue Stemp and Paud Roche), Studio One Eighty Nine (Abrima Erwiah and Rosario Dawson), and Whit (Whitney Pozgay and Parker Argote).
Before unveiling the five esteemed designers, Rachel Espersen of Lexus spoke to the intention behind the initiative. “Part of the Lexus brand ethos is the concept of sustainability without sacrifice,” said Espersen, “and the brands who have been chosen to participate in the Fashion Initiative 2.0 class are thought leaders who have demonstrated their commitment to making sustainability a priority for their companies.”
Following the announcement of the finalists, we caught up with each to learn more about their dedication to sustainability within the fashion industry.
What are you most excited for in the program?
Whitney Pozgay, Whit: “We are made in New York and so our main goal is to understand how and who is manufacturing our fabrics. When you start to realize how much waste is involved, you want to better understand the process. I think we are all aware our industry is the top-polluting but when you get to see first-hand how much waste there is, you want to minimize it. So for us, mindfully manufacturing is key, and we want to keep improving.”
How does sustainability fit into your brand’s DNA?
Marcia Patmos, M.Patmos: “Sustainability is something that I always think about and use in the development and manufacturing of my designs.”
What are you looking forward to most?
Sue Stemp, St. Roche: “To being in a position where we have mentorship from professionals who are able to look at our business from a perspective of sustainability and educate us on innovative ways.”
What are you most excited to learn?
Nicole Heim, Cienne: “We started about two years ago and our goal was to have ethics and aesthetics co-exist simultaneously and to build that into everything that we do. We have been on that quest to redefine the narrative around responsible fashion and what that looks like and means for our brand.”
Chelsea Healy, Cienne: “The creative thinking that goes into sustainability is just endless and there is so much opportunity to learn.”
What opportunities do you see in the CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative?
Abrima Erwaih, Studio One Eighty Nine: “There are so many opportunities to learn. There is a lot of work done in the States that is very advanced such as high-tech sustainability production.”
