Live Earth has come and gone, but the organizers behind the event have envisioned the ripples of its impact stretching far beyond the stadiums, crowds, and music. Fashion designer Audrey McLoghlin is helping to contribute to that momentum by releasing a limited edition organic t-shirt commerating the concert and contributing to the growing sustainability of America’s fashion industry. Under the brand name of Aude, the t-shirt (with different styles for women and men) is made from 100% organic bamboo, locally spun in Los Angeles, and created using natural dyes and printing. You wouldn’t think that such a t-shirt would be difficult to conceive, but McLoghlin faced several obstacles in aligning the natural origins of the design with the changing definitions of what’s green and what isn’t. “The design concept has changed several times,” she told me at the New York concert. “Originally, the shirts were tea dyed, but then the environmental world decided that tea dyeing wasn’t too eco-friendly, so we had to switch directions.”
McLoghlin launched her first store named UNA about four years ago after weathering the Dot-Com bubble and finding her passions lay in the fashion industry. She now has three stores around LA — with a fourth coming soon in New Port Beach. Her second business, Aude, was launched as a “fresh, high-end t-shirt line” with a collection of sexy tanks, v-necks, henleys, crew, and scoop necks. The popularity of the brand has exploded with celebrities like Calista Flockhart and Cameron Diaz among the loyal customers.
Late last year, as plans for Live Earth were coming together, Audrey approached Kevin Wall about creating an official t-shirt for the event. It was decided that it would be a limited run with 600 going to artists and celebrities, 400 to artist relations, 600 for online orders, and 200 for Live Earth producers and staff. Everything would be designed, printed, and knit in LA to reduce the environmental impact. Organic bamboo was chosen to promote the use of the plant as a renewable, high-quality fabric. The SOS design rounded out a clean package that anyone can show off without feeling like they’re wearing a souvenir.
“All of the clothing in my fashion lines are knit and designed in LA to reduce impact and keep things local,” said Audrey. “It’s my intention to use this tee as a launching pad for an all-organic fashion line that encompasses the very things Live Earth stands for.” As a young up and coming designer, we can only hope that Audrey McLoghlin succeeds in joining the small, yet powerful club of designers with sustainable initiatives. Judging by the artists that have taken to her design for Live Earth — people like Damien Rice, Christian Slater, Bono, and Kevin Bacon — the future is a bright one.
Source: ecorazzi
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