Lindsay Jo Burke: Conscious Style

A year ago, I began working on a passion project to produce an environmentally conscious clothing line for stylish girls and women called Harper Lei. My goal was to create simple, high quality pieces created from sustainable fabrics and materials. Most importantly, I had my heart set on producing the line in the United States in order to practice the green method of localism and contribute to my country’s economy.

Admittedly, I think that Harper Lei is a little ahead of its time. We still live in a world where cheap, trendy clothes are a must-have and consumers have little to no interest in where their clothing comes from or who makes it. However, I believe there is hope for change, and it begins with educating friends, family members and complete strangers about the slow fashion movement that is beginning to take hold. So, I am going to take this opportunity to tell you about slow fashion and how it can change the world for the better!

Slow fashion is about designing, producing, distributing and consuming more mindfully. It’s a new approach to fashion in which designers, retailers and consumers are more aware of the impact fashion has on the ecosystem, workers and the economy. Often, there is an emphasis on creating beautiful clothing that is not trend-driven but instead is unique, classic or simple enough that it doesn’t become outdated. Many slow fashion lines are produced in small quantities and from up-cycled materials, which makes the garment sustainable and exclusive. It means owning something that few other people have. Slow fashion also promotes localism, which ensures that the workers that sew our clothes are being paid fair wages.

Today, with the Internet and social media, our world is moving faster and closer together. Trends change so rapidly that we, as consumers, have two options: Keep up with the flickering trends or have the courage to develop our own personal style. In the summer of 2013, Harper Lei will launch our first line of eco-conscious dresses, and we hope that our customers have the courage to choose the latter! Simple and elegant, the dresses are designed to be dressed up or down and to be worn for seasons to come. We hope that our customers will add their own twist to these simple pieces and think of Harper Lei as a canvas for self-expression.

I encourage all fashionistas to learn more about the slow fashion movement and get on board! There is absolutely nothing to lose - and everything to gain.