For the woman who recycles plastics, uses low-phosphate laundry detergent and buys cruelty-free cosmetics, can environmentally correct fashion be far behind? Not if Barbara Lesser can help it.
In 15 months, the Santa Monica, Calif., designer has placed Wearable Integrity, a stylish, socially responsible career and casual clothing line, in 150 stores nationwide.
“Clothes should not only fit our bodies but also our state of mind,” says Lesser, 41, an alumna of Esprit and San Francisco Shirtworks. “I feel I have a mission to be a pioneer in pushing for clean, green production at both the textile and production levels.”
So Lesser uses only organically grown cotton to produce affordable skirts and jackets, pants and vests, jumpers and dresses, tunics and tank tops-all of which are manufactured in the United States-for the environmentally conscious career woman. All garments are machine washable. Prices vary: A tunic costs about $60, while a cardigan-style jacket sells for about $88.
What distinguishes her collection from other eco-clothes, Lesser says, is the infusion of clean silhouettes and striking details, to say nothing of their comfort, derived not just from the style but also the fabric.
The cotton is grown under strict organic farming standards in the United States, and all fabrics are finished without formaldehydes, resins or bleaches.
A subdued palette of periwinkle, citron, alfalfa, mauve and taupe is created with dyes that minimize solid waste, water and energy consumption, Lesser says. By using “low-impact dyes,” about 95 percent of the dye stuff adheres to the fabric-compared with only 50 percent in conventional methods-so less goes into air and waste water, she says.
Even the accessories are environmentally correct, supporting the rain forest economy in South America and cottage industries in the Far East: Fetching buttons created from the ivorylike tagu nut, which is harvested from a palmlike tree in Ecuador, along with hand-painted coconut shells, pieces of bone and palm wood from Indonesia accent elegantly simple garments.
Launched in January 1992, Wearable Integrity emerged from Lesser’s environmental awareness, which grew during a yearlong sabbatical, she says. In 1990, Lesser and her husband, Mark, closed Felicity, their mainstream women’s sportswear company, immersed themselves in the environmental cause and charted a course for their next venture.
“We were burned out and tired of throw-away fashion,” says Lesser. “We were looking for work that had more meaning.
The resulting endeavor is expected to generate $1 million in sales this year, she says.
And the designer also is betting on her newest label, Barbara Lesser, to appeal to a fashion-forward clientele. For that collection, Lesser uses conventionally grown cotton and Tencel rayons but insists on the same environmentally safe production techniques found in Wearable Integrity, she says.
“She’s very educated, upscale, aware, reads a lot and wants to spend her money wisely,” Lesser says of her typical customer. “She wants products that she feels have some integrity.”
Where to buy
Jumper, $145; and shirt, $68; vest, $78; cable cloth jacket, $78; and shell, $42; cardigan, $98; skirt, $58; all from Wearble Integrity/Barbara Lesser. Available at boutiques and department stores around the country, including The Green Planet in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Call 310-449-8606. Shoes, $47.95; beaded necklace, $78; pendant necklace, $22 from Nordstrom.
