Bel Esprit Welcomes New Members to the Showroom

Esprit, the virtual showroom for international fashion collections of responsible and sustainable fashion, announces several new members joining the showroom for Spring 2010.

New York, NY, October 11, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Bel Esprit Showroom continues to promote talented and innovative designers who create contemporary collections that respect the world and its inhabitants. Bel Esprit welcomes a new group of artists from couture to sportswear that are changing the fashion landscape.

Article 23 is committed to following the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and adheres to the principles of Article 23 of that Declaration guaranteeing fair labor and trade practices in the production of their collection. The socially and eco-conscious collection offers contemporary sportswear with French style and sophistication that is chic from the office to after 5. The collection offers separates for women and men, and a new group of “unisex” styles perfect for both. Already popular in Europe, Article 23 is brand ready for the global stage.

Germany company room to roam brings precision construction to streetwear. The collection is filled with cutting edge pieces that will last forever in any wardrobe. Many of the pieces are reversible offering a number of style options. All of the pieces are made from eco-friendly fabrics, and are locally produced in fair wage factories in Germany to reduce the collection’s carbon footprint and to support local industry. Room to roam also uses their collection each season to spotlight a landscape endangered by industrialization. Spring 2009 celebrates the reintroduction of wolves to the Lausanne region of Germany.

London collection Emesha presented a collection with a nod to the sport set. Clean lines, crisp tailoring, and comfortable styles were the key to her success. Her simple and elegant white sheath dress, perfect for business and after 5 occasions, was the most popular, with editors already asking where they could buy it. Designer Emesha Nagy was born in Hungary, and has watched the economy of her homeland devastated by outsourcing apparel production to cheaper factories. She is employing the savoir-faire of her native country, whose skills were honed manufacturing high-end international designer collections, to produce her expertly crafted collection.

Using refined knits, Indigenous Designs merges a new delicate minimalism with a sporty contemporary design for a fresh look. Numerous collections also feature vintage inspiration and subtle femininity, with silhouettes offering a sense of grace and fine detailing reminiscent of another place and time. Each and every Indigenous garment is hand knit or hand loomed by artisans in worldwide knitting cooperatives using the finest quality organic yarns and fiber blends to insure ultimate style, comfort and lifespan of the garment. Attention is on detail, quality and treating each garment as a reflection of self.

Boutique Ethique designer Linda Row believes that designing clothes in this Century requires an awareness of the environmental impact of all raw materials used, from growing the fiber to manufacturing and coloring the cloth. The London-based company Boutique Ethique adheres to the slow fashion movement, creating a timeless collection of stand alone pieces featuring sculptural inserts and artisan detail. Following an arts and crafts tradition, the pieces are made locally in the UK using handcrafted buttons from shell, ceramic, glass and wood. The pieces are offered in a range of natural dyes from lilac and purple to rust and faded pink, blending together to give a comfortable ‘lived in’ feel. Using organic cotton, organic linen, hemp and silk the aim is to combine good design with ethical manufacture and change the perception of 'Green Clothing'.

American designer Lusmila McColl believes in giving fashion a new life. To support the local industry of the Hebrides Islands, the McColl&Clan collection uses Harris Tweeds in new, contemporary designs for men and women, offering high fashion from a centuries-old traditional wool. The wool is locally grown, hand-spun and woven, and dyed with vegetable dyes. All other materials used in the collection are “surplus” – fabrics that other design companies discard. The beautifully tailored collection offers surprises – tweed evening gowns with fuschia linings, unfinished edges to highlight the raw beauty of the tweed fabric, and an incredible creativity in the use of discarded materials.

This new group of talented designers adds exciting fashion to the Bel Esprit Showroom, joining creative, contemporary and avant-garde collections from around the world that respect the environment and human rights. Editors and buyers applauded the Bel Esprit designers showing at the Ethical Fashion Preview and are looking forward to New York Fashion Week in February where more designers will show the world that fabulous fashion can have a conscience.

Buyers and press may register to access the showroom at www.belesprit.net. Consumers can discover the collections and where to buy the fashion (not in a store near you? Ask us!) at www.belesprit.com.

About Bel Esprit
Bel Esprit is the online showroom exhibiting collections of sustainable and responsible fashion from around the world to the global fashion industry. Bel Esprit supports young designers and small companies that lack the resources to increase their exposure in the global marketplace and offers marketing, promotion and sales assistance to help designers build their businesses. Bel Esprit’s mission is to promote ethical practices in the fashion industry and assist designers in implementing ethical principles in their business.

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Bel Esprit LLC
Chris Williams
215 963 9394
www.belesprit.net
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