The days are longer, the temperature is finally above zero, and outside my busy downtown Toronto window I hear the faint sounds of birds other than pigeons calling out that spring has arrived.
However, on the runways at Toronto Fashion Week, trench coats, scarves, tights and closed 
toed heels are all screaming out that fall is upon us in the fashion industry.
Amongst all the winter wear for the Fall/Winter 2009 season is an abundance of fur stoles, wraps, and trims. Designer Linda Lundstrom, who has worked in the Canadian fashion industry for the past three decades, was chiefly displaying fir for this upcoming season, but despite the appearance of her new line, Lundstrom is an environmentalist at heart.
The Lundstrom company, now being manufactured by Eleventh Floor Apparel Ltd, practices a ‘Green-Notes’ Program which gives preference to environmentally friendly fabrics and enforces recycling programs at their manufacturing and administrative facilities to reuse and reduce materials lost in production.
Lundstrom garments are also manufactured locally in Toronto, Canada ensuring quality, but also making another environmental impact by not outsourcing labour to foreign countries. This, then, saves energy and creates less pollution in regards to transportation costs.
In previous seasons, such as Spring 2007, Lundstrom created an eco-chic Bamboo collection (Lundstrom, Green Carpet Series). Using bamboo in the production of clothing provides a biodegradable and natural solution to our necessary fashion fixes. Bamboo is also antibacterial with cooling properties, which is something that man-made fibres can’t boast.
Her recent line includes other Earth-friendly fibres, including: tencel lycocell, linen, silk, bamboo rayon and organic cotton.
It is interesting to see the marriage of sustainable options with fur-lined frocks. As opposed to fighting the force, we’re progressing into an unlikely combination where a blended harmony wins.
The traditionalist way to deal with fur at a fashion show is to, well, throw blood and scream out murder. But we can learn from this: just stop for a minute and look for the designer who may have a soft spot for mother nature and have a talent for making the faux – and fur – look fabulous.
Explore her fashion line at Linda Lundstrom.
Image courtesy of Linda Lundstrom.
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