Livia Firth wears Local Design
“Quite rightly fashion has attracted attention over labor rights and its environmental footprint,” she explains, “but there are also some amazing skilled designers with a stunning aesthetic and vision but who also prioritize environmental and social justice. I wanted to help to give them a platform.”
In 2010 Livia Firth worked with Leila Hafzi, Linda Loudermilk and Orsola de Castro among other designers, even wearing a ‘repurposed wedding gown’ to the Golden Globes.
For 2011 she chose to launch with US designer Jeff Garner whose Prophetik label is admired internationally for both its values and its sartorial elegance. “When I went to the Prophetik catwalk at London Fashion Week last September, I loved the romance of Jeff Garner’s gowns. There is nothing granola or worthy about the way they look,” Livia continued.
Livia also appreciates the way Garner is able to approach problems in the fashion chain such as the heavy chemical pollution associated with dying and come up with a considered response. “Prophetik’s understanding of ecologically intelligent fabrics and processes is extraordinary, as is his respect for the natural world.”
Garner created Livia’s garment out of Tussah silk, also known as ‘peace silk,’ and hemp; all of which were dyed in his own Indigo Plant in Leipers Fork, Tennessee where he has revived the art of dying with natural indigo.
Prophetik is a nine year-old sustainable and ethical fashion line based in Leipers Fork, Tennessee created by designer Jeff Garner that caters to the dapper man and the modern chic woman with a romantic renaissance flare. The Prophetik line is currently featured in select boutiques across the globe including the new flagship store in Fred Segal Originals in Santa Monica, My Sugarland in London, and, soon to open in April 2011, the barn in Leipers Fork, Tennessee. Visit www.prophetik.com for more information.