Some stylish environmentalists covet the latest organic cotton and bamboo fashions, while others shun new clothes altogether and shop at thrift stores. Last night’s Re:Fashion Runway show at EM & Co, a Los Angeles fashion boutique brought the two factions of eco-wear together by devoting the runway strictly to clothes and accessories made with recycled materials by L.A. designers.

The eco-fashion curious packed EM & Co’s small space, clutching VeeV cocktails and craning for a better look at the runway, aka a little path between the rows of chairs. The show included pieces by well-established eco-designers like Linda Loudermilk and Deborah Lindquist as well as newer designers like Ylem by Galadriel Mattei and EM, the boutique owner herself. Jewelry, shoes, and headpieces were designed by Noel Hagman, Micha Designs, Veronica Ures, Lisa Soltis, and Laura Kranitz.

Designs ranged from very wearable cocktail dresses to summer-friendly little shorts to outfits made from plastic bags! The plastic bag dresses were actually some of my favorite designs because of their fun flirty shape, though the sheer plastickiness of the dresses makes me think they’d be most appropriate to wear at an eco-event to make a strong anti-plastic waste statement — or on Halloween. Perhaps I’ll get the black dress and go as an eco-witch this year; I already have a pointy hat….

Unfortunately, because all the pieces were included in the same short show, few people could tell whose designs were whose. If you’re in Los Angeles, stop by EM & Co. to see some of these eco-fashions — and others, like the newspaper dress above — first-hand. EM & Co. isn’t primarily an eco-boutique, but is eco-design friendly, especially seeing as the owner does some eco-designing of her own. Plus, EM & Co. goes out its way to support local designers.

EM & Co. 7940 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles

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