Last night we attended the GEN ARTS x Soy Joy for the presentation of the first ever Fashionably Natural, an Eco show hosted by Maggie Gylenhall. The runway showcased looks from Brigit Catiis, The Battalion, Popomono and Velvet Leaf, 4 Eco L.A. based brands. The event was held at the Petersen Automotive Museum, a great venue with a good vibe.

Each brand showed selection of 15 looks, but as far as we are concerned the only brand that deserved the spotlight was Velvet Leaf. The Velvet Leaf Spring/Summer 09 Collection came a long way from their past collections and set a new tone and standard for Eco-Fashion. It is no longer sufficient to be Eco and make clothes. Being Eco does not make you a designer. If you want to play the Eco game and make any difference in the fashion world you have to be able to make an impact on the market in a large way, which means you have to compete with the best brands and make your name by being the best, not just being Eco.

I was very impressed with the fabrics and story that Velvet Leaf delivered, proving that you can use denims and silks and still be Eco friendly. Sister Laura & Becky Carter, the designers of Velvet Leaf were very happy to open the show. Their modest reactions to all the press was very humbling; we will be keeping a close eye on these girls.