Robyne Robinson to Judge Eco Inspirations Contest

CELEBRITY JUDGE – Robyne Robinson, former Fox 9 news anchor and founder and designer of ROX Minneapolis will join a panel of esteemed judges in Design Collective contest during the Eco Inspirations Fashion Show. One garment designer and one jewelry designer participating in the show will win an exclusive one month showcase at Design Collective.

SOL INSPIRATIONS FASHION CERTIFICATION LABEL – Sol Inspirations will be revealing their own garment and jewelry certification label during the Eco Inspirations Fashion Show. Three local retailers will be announced as participating by carrying labeled clothing and jewelry enabling consumers to quickly identify true Eco friendly and fair trade fashion. A certification board made up of college professors and other industry professionals will author certification requirements and a certification approval process for retailers and designers.

Sunday, May 6th at Bespoke Hair Artisans

3PM to 5PM

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn (April 25, 2012) – Bespoke Hair Artisans is sponsoring Sol Inspirations’ second annual Responsible Fashion Show called, “Eco Inspirations.”

Robyne Robinson, former Fox 9 news anchor and founder and designer of ROX Minneapolis will join a panel of esteemed judges in the Design Collective contest during the Eco Inspirations Fashion Show. One garment designer and one jewelry designer participating in the show will win an exclusive one month showcase at Design Collective. The panel of judges include Robyne, Dr. Anupama Pasricha, Fashion and Apparel professor at St. Catherine University, and Jay Nelson and Anita Jensen, owners of Design Collective.

Sol Inspirations will be revealing their own garment and jewelry certification label during the fashion show. Three local retailers will be announced as carrying labeled clothing and jewelry enabling consumers to quickly identify Eco friendly and fair trade fashion. A certification board made up of college professors and other industry professionals will author certification requirements and a certification approval process for retailers and designers.

The fashion show includes creations from Tim and Thom Navarro, Katy Vereide, and Deborah Block of You and Me, The Design Collective, Susan Crow of East Fourth Street, Jenny Carle, CounterCouture, Autumn Mary Kirchman, Jenn Bratvold, Kora Gleason, Kari Kachelmacher, Ariel Bock, Khamphian Vang, Hilary Hubanks, Carla Cohen, Erika Backberg, Kristi Relopez, and Venessa Zahid. In addition, students from the University of Minnesota and St. Catherine’s University will create inspirational runway looks using post consumer materials.

This year’s show is an exhibition about the possibilities of responsible fashion. Sol Inspirations has invited several designers to create mini-collections using their interpretation of beautiful fashion with a statement about  social responsibility.

Tim and Thom Navarro, Katy Vereide, and Deborah Block of You and Me will headline Eco Inspirations with their latest collection; “Spun: Refine. Reconstruct. Refashion. Socially responsible eye candy. You and me to participate in Sol Inspirations’ Certification labeling program to be announced at the fashion show.

With assistance from St. Catherine’s University and the University of Minnesota, Sol Inspirations has established criteria to insure garments and accessories are earth friendly and ethically made. These criteria include using post consumer textiles or certified organic AND certified ethically made textiles. All garments and accessories must be locally made.

Bespoke Hair Artisans is located at 3918 West 49 ½ Street in Edina (one block north of 50th and France). Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Bespoke Hair Artisans or at Sol-Inspirations.org.

Proceeds will benefit Sol Inspirations’ Fashion Education and Advocacy efforts including an active blog featuring local ethical fashion efforts, showcasing a traveling fashion exhibition, providing on-line resources to educate consumers and designers about responsible fashion, and continuing student education programs with the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society and local colleges and universities.

Ethical fashion practices contributes to a healthy and responsible world on many fronts including choosing organic and locally made textiles, manufacturing clothes efficiently to use less energy, respecting responsible labor practices, recycling clothes to make new fashion (up-cycling), and commissioning demi-couture clothing over disposable fashion.

Sol Inspirations’ fashion shows are Minnesota’s only responsible productions representing the community’s collective couture talent. Until now, designers have relied on small independent fashion shows and booths at trade shows to promote themselves, branding ethical fashion practices as available in only niche products such as bamboo t-shirts and ‘granola’ style clothing. To change this image, Eco Inspirations’ designers will be able to showcase their creations in a fashion forward event that helps to educate consumers that art and beauty do not have to diminish with responsibly made clothing. With the current popularity of the global Green movement and fashion shows, the timing is perfect for Sol Inspirations to market reposition ethical fashion as mainstream.

Sol Inspirations is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advocates for responsible clothing, styling and beauty products and educates consumers about how these products make our world a healthier and better place to live. Their goal is to position ethical fashion as fashion consumers aspire to wear and that art and beauty do not have to diminish with responsible choices.

To advocate for responsible fashion, Sol Inspirations produces a regular networking event called, “Fashion Network Happy Hour,” as a social way to connect industry fashion professionals, find new clients, and strengthen relationships. During their events, models wear Minneapolis’ top ethically made looks to educate fashion professionals about how earth friendly and ethically made clothes can be sheik, beautiful and fashion forward. For more information about Sol Inspirations, visit www.Sol-Inspirations.org.

Bespoke Hair Artisans is a full-service boutique salon founded in the spring of 2011. Industry veterans Lisa Williams and Margaret Ayache were inspired by the European term “bespoke,” coined after a group of London tailors who create custom designs for each client. Creating the same aesthetic, delivered by Master Stylists, Bespoke aims to custom design a look for each client, creating the most beautiful you.

Bespoke offers the following: Hair, Skin & Body Services, Fashion Shows, Designer Trunk Shows, Art Shows, Designer furniture sample pieces, Fashion & Lifestyle Products.

Bespoke also carries a luxury product brands including, the local brand, Intelligent Nutrients and highly coveted PATYKA, Coola Sun care, Kerastase and Shu Uermura which are all known for delivering four essential values: performance, expertise, personalization and beauty.

Bespoke is located at 3918 West 49 ½ Street in Edina. For more information about Bespoke Hair Artisans, call 952-224-4062 or visit www.bespokehairartisans.com.

You And Me is a responsibly fashionable boutique that offers affordable custom services located in the Minneapolis’ Wedge neighborhood. You And Me collaborates with local artisans to contribute to the community.  Established in 2011, designers, Tim and Thom Navarro, Katy Vereide and Deborah Block came together to change the relationship between the designer and client.  By providing alterations and custom services we can conserve our clothing and accessories to promote a more responsible consumer. For more information about You and Me, call 612-823-8200.

Design Collective is a clothing store featuring the latest collections of local apparel, accessory and jewelry designers. All pieces at the store are made by the talented hands of local artisans are high quality and exclusive. Our mission is not only to bring a fresh style and unique designs to the Twin Cities, but also to ease local designers with new fashion labels into the industry. Design Collective is located at 1311 26th Street  West, Minneapolis, MN 55405. For more information about Design Collective, please call 612-377-1000.