Is Green the New Black?

Kermit tells us it’s not easy being green, but really, in a lot of ways it is. There are painless ways to do it such as unplugging your phantom load, turning the thermostat down, or just moving your arm one foot to the left to throw your Diet Coke can into the blue bin instead of the trash. Not too much to ask. But are we ready to let green initiatives start influencing our fashion sense?

That’s a question to ponder this weekend if you attend the earth-conscious fashion fete taking place at Pivot, Chicago's first eco boutique. This Friday and Saturday night, the new spot will host to two local fashion designers, Annie Novotny and Alice Berry, each of whom will showcase their latest eco-minded designs. Novotny, founder of Frei Designs, creates pieces that feature alternative fabrics and a billowy, shabby chic vibe. Berry, who has long dappled in unconventional design concepts and textures, will debut her first line that uses earth-friendly materials. At this shin-dig, even the vodka will be organic.

Eco-friendly clothing is nothing new. Patagonia and Timberland have sold merchandise made partly from recycled materials for about a decade. But ok, people are usually less fashion-forward with their outdoor gear, so as long as hikers are kept warm, probably few complain about not being “cute enough.” So can anyone make recycled clothing hip? Littlearth, which introduced the world to ecofashion, has been in business for 15 years and has made it cool to sport license plates and bottle caps. Bono tried his hand at organic clothing, and apparently sustainability was a big theme at London Fashion Week this year.

So is this the wave of the future? Will our entire wardrobes one day be as green AND as fashion-forward as those “I'm Not a Plastic Bag” totes that Hollywood stars love to carry, or are these really just gussied-up (and often expensive) burlaps sacks we’re being guilted into thinking are cool? Only time and Vogue magazine will tell. Our closets may just be the new green frontier.

Pivot, 1101 W. Fulton Market. Event runs Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Photo courtesy of McBeth.