International Fashion with a Conscience Debuts at New York Fashion Week

    PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 29, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Bel Esprit showroom (www.belesprit.net) and Nolcha, the online fashion portal, are partnering to create the first Ethical Fashion Preview at the Carlton Hotel on Madison on September 14, 2009, during New York Fashion Week; supported by Aveda, Clarins and Starbucks. This event will spotlight fashion designers who create collections use environmentally friendly materials and processes, and manufacture their collections respecting fair trade and fair wage principles.

In a short time Nolcha has grown to become the platform for emerging and independent fashion talent to be educated, network and showcase their work on a global stage making a stamp worldwide for its resources, business advice and continually expanding tools. Each season, Nolcha seeks the latest upcoming collections and produces catwalk shows and events in New York and London, spotlighting independent designers to an enthusiastic and growing audience. Bel Esprit members representing the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and France will bring creative and chic luxury fashion with a commitment to respect for the world and its inhabitants to the Nolcha Fashion Week: New York Ethical Fashion Preview debut. The Ethical Fashion preview will launch the Bel Esprit consumer website, www.belesprit.com and the Bel Esprit event website, www.belespritsbeautifulworld.com.

From Germany, room to roam designer Akela Stoklas and her design team, fuse creativity, curiosity and boldness with certified organic materials and quality construction from German sewing workshops. The result is a cutting-edge and precision-executed urban collection upholding the philosophy of ecological and fair trade fashion.

Based in the Netherlands, the Van Markoviec team of Kasia Markowska and Zuzia Andziak transform luxurious organic fabrics dyed with plant pigments and high quality fair trade production in Poland, into innovative and avant-garde designer sportswear with surprising details. Van Markoviec creates design that is a favorite of editors, buyers and consumers while maintaining their commitment to sustainability.

France is represented by Article 23, using only organic and natural materials, and producing their collection in fair trade cooperatives in India that support disenfranchised women. The sportswear collection infuses classic silhouettes with a retro style creating a chic, clean and high class tailored look.

London couturier Elena Garcia draws inspiration for her collection from a new theme each season, and sculpts her designs from hand-felted, hand-dyed organic and natural fabrics. Elena Garcia reinvents silhouettes with uniquely placed pleats, gathers and closures, creating true eco-luxury.

London designer Emesha Nagy is launching her new company at the Ethical Fashion Preview. Using only organic and natural fabrics and fair wage production in her native Hungary, Emesha's collection mixes the classic with the avant garde; luxurious fabrics are cut, draped and pleated to give unique volume and shape.

L'Shandi designer Lara Akinsanya is from the Washington DC area, but her collection originates in her native West Africa. Lara uses fair trade African Lace and hand-woven cotton Oke fabric to support and develop the textile industry, and will shortly begin the manufacturing of her collection in fair trade collectives in Africa. The bright, colorful dresses in beautiful silhouettes easily transform from day into after 5.

Alberto Parada, also from the Washington DC area, creates fine jewelry with "everyday elegance," a timeless yet modern style. Blending diamonds and brilliant semi-precious South American stones with various tones of 100% recycled and reclaimed 18K gold. Alberto is known for the high quality of his materials and extraordinary craftsmanship in his custom-made pieces.

Philadelphia designer Poonam Singhal is expanding her successful ready to wear with Ojasvy, a collection of designer cocktail and after 5 dresses and accessories. The vibrant colors of the silks are vegetable dyes, and the dresses are produced in fair trade cooperatives in India. The collection features hand-beading and hand-embroidery giving the elegant dresses added glamour.

Moonlight jewelry combines recycled sterling silver, semi-precious stones, vintage glass and lead-free crystals bringing romance to modern expressions. Renaissance patterned wire is sculpted into contemporary, flowing ribbon shapes, and simple wire is transformed into Victorian and Baroque motifs. Hand-made in the United States, each piece is individually crafted, giving a unique quality to each necklace or earring.

Members of the Bel Esprit showroom exhibit their collections around the clock to buyers and fashion professionals around the world. Bel Esprit provides a menu of marketing, sales and distribution services to help designers reach their target audience, enter international markets and build their business. The Bel Esprit showroom and services are open to designers regardless of where they exhibit their collections. Bel Esprit markets, sells and distributes collections on behalf of all members of the showroom, and promotes the members' exhibits at any trade show or fashion event worldwide. Group events and marketing campaigns as well as group exhibits at international trade shows are organized to promote the collections.

Bel Esprit is working with international chambers of commerce, non-profit organizations and ethical and organic cooperatives to develop resources for designers interested in pursuing ethical business practices. Bel Esprit has initiated a network of contacts throughout the world to provide fair trade and ecological materials and labor to companies of any size and is developing relationships to encourage and facilitate ethical fashion in the apparel industry.

Nolcha Fashion Week: NYC will conclude with the popular seminar season, taking place at Bohemian Hall, the headquarters of the Czech Consulate, the current European Union presidency. This season, ethical fashion will be featured in a seminar presented by representatives of Bel Esprit, the fashion design company EDUN Live, and major retailers.

Global style and global conscience will come together in New York City in September!

About Nolcha Fashion Week: New York
Award Winning Nolcha Fashion Week held simultaneously with New York Fashion Week consists of runway shows featuring emerging and independent designers, accessory exhibition, industry networking events and fashion business seminars held by reputable industry figures.

About Nolcha
Nolcha is an award winning multi-faceted media and events platform that operates an online fashion network, a print publication, and major annual events for the independent fashion industry and related retail businesses. Nolcha offers cost effective resources to aspiring and veteran fashion professionals, and enables advertisers to directly target these professionals and with their products and services. Initiatives include Nolcha online, Nolcha Fashion Week: NYC, London Fashion Week partner events, Independent Retail Week and Dress the Band competition. www.nolcha.com

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