Earthly Delights

imageFashion designer Nina Valenti’s raison d’être is to minimize waste. So much so, that she recently designed a formal dress made entirely from trash! Created exclusively for world-renowned concert pianist Soyean Lee, during her Carnegie Hall debut in New York this February, this wearable work of art (pictured above) was compiled from over 6,000 recycled juice pouches and took Nina over 2 months to make. Now that’s what I call dedication!

While the “garbage” gown is guaranteed to generate some buzz, Nina’s biggest claim to fame is Nature vs Future, her cutting-edge, yet eco-friendly and biodegradable clothing label. Designed for confident women who aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd, Nature vs Future has received accolades for its ultra flattering fit and innovative use of sustainable fabrics. Even celebs such as Parker Posey and Tina Fey are fans of Nina’s earthy, yet edgy approach to fashion.

Unlike traditional eco-friendly clothing lines that often resemble potato sacks, Nature vs Future’s silhouettes are sexy yet sophisticated, with tailored, architecturally designed shapes. Each piece is produced from organic wool, hemp, soy, bamboo, seaweed, lyocell (a.k.a. wood pulp) and Ingeo (made from corn), along with recycled and technologically-forward fabrics such as Polartec, which is made from soda pop bottles and industrial waste (who knew?).

A few earth-friendly numbers I have my eye on: a fitted Polartec fleece jacket in chocolate brown, a swirl collar tunic dress in black, a leaf-green top with ruching and a silk charmeuse button-down shirt in dove grey. As for Spring ’08, standouts include a soft pink, body-hugging jersey dress with edgy shoulder cutouts, a pleated, bubble hem shift with multiple shoulder straps (made from recycled polyester) and a delicate sea foam, linen sheath.

Just goes to show you, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Exclusive Deal Just For YOU! naturevsfuture.com is giving Fashion Junkie subscribers 20% off any Fall/Winter items of your choice from Thursday, January 24 through Thursday, January, 31st. Simply enter the promo code “FJFIX” upon checkout to redeem your discount. Happy shopping!

  • Nature vs Future
  • naturevsfuture.com
  • $100-$600
  • within 7 days of purchase with receipt
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