On Thursday evening, as an unofficial kick-off to NY Fashion Week, Earth Pledge staged their FutureFashion show, which showcased one-off pieces made from sustainable and organic fabrics. The FutureFashion show was one of the hottest tickets in town, with the industry’s biggest-name designers participating, the most-sought-after models walking the runway, the front row packed with big-name celebs and magazine editors. The clothes were gorgeous, and it’s got everyone talking. The FutureFashion initiative, like most things done by Earth Pledge, is genuine, thought-provoking, and world-changing.
Can’t say the same for some of the other “green” initiatives that are on full display at NY Fashion Week right now. On Saturday, no less than three designers gave out canvas totes as swag at their shows. What easier way for a designer to scream “I care about the environment” while at the same time sourcing toxic fabrics and staging an energy-sucking runway show? At the same time, DKNY has locked up some 75 neon orange painted bikes to trees and lampposts around the city to promote biking as an environmentally-friendly way to get around. But branded utility it’s not — the bikes are actually unusable, and only serve as urban spam. We think the better ad would have been to actually provide free bikes as a service to weary fashion week guests, buyers, and editors (though we doubt they would actually use them in their 5 inch heels).
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Reddit
StumbleUpon
What is Donna Karan thinking? An un-ride-able bike as a symbol for bike riding? Deep!
I don’t think all the yoga/meditation in the world can help clear the mind of This One!
February 4th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I disagree. Orange bikes, very cool. Stand out. She is trying a lot harder than most others in an industry linked to what’s new today is gone tomorrow and deserves credit, not critique for a clever idea guaranteed to arouse more interest than giving away bikes. Beware the purest….
February 5th, 2008 at 7:22 am
With respect Mary Anne Davis, Yes it stands out, reflects the seasonal color of their website and gets a few industry folk posting on website but I fail to see how it’s a clever idea?
Giving away 100 bright orange bikes to people who need them would have been smarter than attaching broken bikes to lamp-posts. I’d call that litter.
February 5th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Anybody else think taking a cue from Ghostbikes is just a wee bit crude? I mean, it’s kind of like using tombstones as billboards…
February 5th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Good point Jeff.
It’s a bit like 0800-Flowers fixing bunches of flowers to lampposts as an ambient media campaign…
February 6th, 2008 at 10:54 am
http://flickr.com/photos/rollingrck/2237104081/
they didn’t last long…
February 8th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
“genuine, thought-provoking, and world-changing.”
hmmm. how genuine is making a one-off sustainable garment and then producing the rest of your collection business as usual?
how about earth pledge supporting designers who are committed to sustainability year round?
maybe that would be world-changing…
February 11th, 2008 at 12:41 am
In response:
We think the better ad would have been to actually provide free bikes as a service to weary fashion week guests, buyers, and editors (though we doubt they would actually use them in their 5 inch heels).
Yes… free bikes. It’s New York city.
Nobody would want liability over passing bikes out to the public.
Lets respect their intention.
Come on…. sometime post seem so in need of an edge/ an alternative opinion.
It seems their point was to promote bikes in an urban environment.
A bright orange bike screams bike, it makes you think “oh look, there is a bike.” It places the thought in your mind.
Blah
February 12th, 2008 at 6:22 am