V-day is just around the corner , so gentlemen listen up! And ladies, if you need to drop a hint, use this link to shamelessly do so. Most of the time, the gesture or sentiment of love found in a handmade card is enough, but sometimes you’d like something to remember the day by. Something that will last a lifetime and stir up the joy in your heart every time you see it… Enter the classic stud earring from Anjolee. Utilizing a conscious manufacturing process in which all waste is refined through to clean waste and often put back into the supply chain, Anjolee produces a line of tried and true precious metal classics. My pick is the Classic Four Prong Diamond Studs, made with white gold and 5.7mm cubic zirconia. Across various price and style ranges, Anjolee has just the thing to make this Valentine’s Day memorable.

* Anjolee is a FMG sponsor

For those of you who know me, you know that I actually grew up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming- which was a treat in and of itself. This winter for my trip home to visit the fam and get a little powder under my feet, I had a cherry added atop my ski holiday- a stay at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole. Located at the base of the mountain out in Teton Village, with a ski valet and apres ski hot cocoa, it was the perfect slope-side stay.

I absolutely loved the western decor that’s appropriate for Jackson Hole, providing an intimate lodge feel with modern day luxuries like the full service spa and workout center. Snuggling by the fire with my kindle definitely became a Four Seasons past time for me!

Many people recognize the Four Seasons as a luxury resort and hotel. What people may not know is the Four Seasons’s commitment to greening the hotel industry through their practices. Through recycling programs, energy efficiency practices, water conservation and community involvement the Four Seasons JH has been a local leader in conscious accommodations. My favorite program that they implement is the ‘Clean the World’ program in which they collect discarded soaps and shampoos from their rooms and distribute the hygiene products to over 545 impoverished people, helping prevent the millions of deaths caused by hygiene-related illnesses every day.

So, next time you are planning your ski holiday and want to stay in a place that upholds your own values of conscious luxury, the Four Seasons Jackson Hole certainly fits the bill!

As consumer attitudes towards conscious living become the new norm- burgeoning awareness around ethical production, environmental commitment, and sustainable strategy- the window for the luxury sector widens with the opportunity to turn waste into profit.

The fashion and beauty industries are prime for an eco-fabulous makeover, without the stigma of ‘hippie chic’. As the image of ethical fashion gets a facelift, a recent report from BBMG entitled The New Consumer states that one in three consumers follow through on supporting brands which align with their values when making purchases. Capitalizing on this trend, luxury brands have the upper hand. Traditionally equated to quality, upscale accessories, are a splurge the style conscious woman is prepared to make- even with a Recession driven decreased spending budget. Couple the ethos of quality with an added ethical story, and luxury brands are positioned to service the needs of the new consumer, twofold.

According to a Bain 2010 ‘Why She Shops’ report, “women surveyed reported that they are explicitly seeking durability (80% agreed with the statement, ‘I am willing to pay more for clothing and accessories that will last more than one season.’). As a result, the style-conscious woman is disproportionately investing in “classic” styles-65% of brands purchased in 2010 versus 35% spent on contemporary brands.” That is good news for luxury brands. Yet, quality is only one deciding factor for the new consumer who is asking themselves, “What is in it for we?” and expressing an interest in products that address the greater good.

So how can luxury brands make the leap to offering classic quality pieces with an authentic environmental initiative without overhauling their supply chains? Zero waste expert and Parson’s professor, Timo Rissanen may have an answer. In his zero waste methods for fashion production research, Rissanen found that within “contemporary methods of fashion making the amount of fabric waste is approximately 15 percent of the total fabric used.”

Fabric cuttings, scraps and waste generated by traditional patterns and production methods are viably the most overlooked cash cow of the fashion industry. The leftover scraps from a cut and sew operation are of course the same quality materials used to produce the original piece. By utilizing those ‘waste’ materials to form an additional piece- most appropriately a smaller accessory- the brand cuts waste costs and reaps the benefits of greater production from the same amount of resources.

One brand successfully showcasing this model is the 2011 winner of the Best Green Handbag award given by In Style’s Independent Handbag Designer Awards, The Sway NYC. Creative Director, Belinda Pasqua is leading the way in upcycled fashion design, producing upcycled leather handbags, clutches and jackets. “Each piece in the collection is made using high-quality excess leathers that are hand cut into new useable shapes to minimize waste. Excess leathers are sourced from a factory that makes motorcycle accessories which is powered using advanced natural alternative energy sources.”

Luxury brands have already in place the design teams to create aesthetically stylish pieces along with quality sourced materials that last. In creating upcycled accessories, they find an eco-entry point into the market where consumers have expressed their needs. As a small step in the right direction, it makes dollars and sense for luxury brands to explore upcycling as an authentic way to offer ethical fashion.

Contact Greta Eagan (greta[at]fashionmegreen[dot]com) for more information and strategy around upcylced accessories.

The budding relationship between Coco Rocha and Senhoa, the organization set up to help human trafficked victims in Cambodia, has been a long time coming. A fan of their jewelry, Rocha took a keen interest in their cause. Collaborating and creating her capsule collection with Senhoa further cemented her involvement and opened a new line of socially charged jewelry that is as good as it is gorgeous.

Trends come and go, but it looks like leather and lace is here to stay. Included in their A/W11 Conscious Collection, H&M produced a high-waisted lace skirt that somehow seems to go with EVERYTHING! Adding a cropped leather jacket instead of a blazer adds a bit of rock and roll, and looks great peaking out from under your wool coat. Layer tights with ankle socks and wedge booties and you are ready to take the office by storm!

FITTED KNEE-LENGTH SKIRT, H&M Conscious Collection A/W11, $59.95. Made with 100% organic cotton.

SLOUCHY CASHMERE TANK, Adam, $NA. Keep your eye out for basics from Adam Lippes who has started using natural fibers like cashmere in combination with modal (a sustainable fiber made from Beech Wood pulp).

ADDISON LACE-UP WEDGE, Cri de Coeur, $450. Friendly fashion designs from NYC.

Me + You designer Jenny Hughes is dead set on you never again using a plastic bag. “If there are quality, stylish alternatives, I know people would be motivated to cut them out,” says Hughes. Using recycled fabric, vegan ‘leather’ and vintage metal accents, she has created just the bag!