Go for the Green

Eco-fashion is on its way to transforming the Los Angeles fashion scene, as Angelenos are increasingly “going green” and adopting a sustainable lifestyle.

Green fashion refers to clothing that uses environmentally sensitive fabrics and responsible production techniques, including organic cotton (cotton that is grown without pesticides), linen, hemp, and bamboo, and others. Eco-clothing is usually produced by people earning fair wages in healthy working conditions; some lines even donate a percentage of their profits to charities.

Eco-fashion is appearing everywhere, from the catwalks in New York to the small screen. The aspiring designers on this season’s Project Runway even faced an eco-challenge in which they designed cocktail dresses made from sustainable fabrics, judged by green poster child Natalie Portman.

West Third Street, a hot shopping destination for Angelenos and tourists alike, is ahead of the green curve with several eco-boutiques, including Avita Co-op and recently opened Vie and Romp. Other nearby eco stores include Nau in the Beverly Center and the new Fred Segal Green. Even non-eco stores are doing their part to become more sustainable, carrying a variety of green lines.

Read on to find out more about green fashion at Ethel and eco-boutiques Vie and Avita Co-op.







Vie, one of the newest boutiques on West Third Street, is also one of the greenest. The store sells environmentally friendly clothing and accessories in order to promote a sustainable – and stylish – lifestyle.

Owner Rachel Hurn-Maloney opened the boutique six months ago and has been receiving positive feedback from customers looking to “go green” in a fashionable way.

“There are so many more people even in the past six months that are getting involved in eco fashion and being interested in being more sustainable in more aspects of their life,” she said.

As eco-fashion is still on the cusp of the fashion world, people tend to associate green clothing with dull, muted colors and stiff fabrics. Vie defies this misconception with an array of bright colors and fresh designs.

“We have things in here in every color, every shape, cocktail dresses, blazers you name it,” Maloney said. “I think if it’s done in the right way and it doesn’t scare people and they can see that they can make a small change in their life and it doesn’t have to scream eco all over. It would be just like anything else you are wearing or would buy.”

Vie, 8032 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 323-944-0530; www.vieonthird.com.








Avita Co-op is home to Los Angeles-based designer Amanda Shi’s sustainable designs under the Avita label, which champion “the idea that luxury can be socially conscious.”

In addition to Shi’s fashion-forward designs -- all made from 100% recycled cashmere, bamboo, and organic cotton – the boutique also carries other eco-designers including Good Society Denim and Tom’s Shoes, recycled jewelry and accessories, and sustainable bath and home products.

When walking into the store, it’s impossible to miss the big sign above the doorway: “If you believe global warming is a hoax do not enter.”

The store’s strong message is emphasized with facts about global warming that grace the walls in vibrant green paint, informing customers that “2,000,000,000 trees are cut down every year to make paper for Americans” and “As the earth warms, rising sea levels will engulf coastal areas including 20% of Manhattan, 80% of San Francisco, and 15% of LA,” among others.

Avita Co-op combines fashion with advocacy, inspiring customers to adopt sustainable lifestyles while outfitted in Avita’s eco-chic designs.

Avita Co-op, 8213 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 323-852-3200; www.avitastyle.com








As green fashion becomes more prevalent and eco-designers are increasingly defying expectations with unique and edgy green designs, even non-eco stores are beginning to carry sustainable clothing lines.

Ethel, a West Third Street fixture for the past six years, carries two organic clothing lines among the other designers featured in the store: Stewart+Brown and Viridis Luxe. As owner Deborah Wolsh noted, some of the designers the store has been carrying for years are now creating eco lines as well.

“Now everyone with successful t-shirt lines like velvet and splendid have organic divisions,” she said.

According to Wolsh, Ethel’s customers are not necessarily seeking out green fashion when they walk into her store, but the fact that their purchase may be organic is “an extra.”

“People are happy to find a store that has green items but I don’t feel that right now they are seeking out green lines,” she said. “Certainly with cars being green and everyone wanting to conserve in so many ways it will probably be more and more a popular thing.”

Ethel, 8235 ½ West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 323-658-8602