Just as Charlotte was going to snap a shot with me and the zoe&zac summer collection, Margaret from the Lazy E and the gal from (Wendy is her name?) Women’s Health walked in. They fit so nicely between my arms, I just had to let them in to the shot!

A little sneak peak at the Spring/Summer ‘09 collection. I’m there sporting my Aoi jacket; organic cotton Katherine Hamnett tee; Ombre Claire necklace; sunglasses from American Apparel; organic cotton pants by Linda Loudermilk; and Lotus oxford from the first zoe&zac collection (still in time for Mom’s Day this coming May 10th - don’t forget!!!)

And drum roll please…A few shots from the upcoming summer collection, including a basic black Snapdragon ballet flat; a vintage floral wedge; and a pretty pink Tigerlily wedge (back by popular demand) from the first season. Zoe&Zac launched this April 13th, 2009 in 1,000 Payless stores and on payless.com. I’m pretty psyched that we’ll also be launching the summer collection this June through September in many Latin American countries…In fact, that reminds me: I gotta pen an article for En Sociedad tomorrow, (with a little translation help of course)…

Stella McCartney. A month or so ago I got a message from Annabelle over at Stella’s to say that the inimitable animal-loving designer was in town and I should swing by. After throwing a host of Style, Naturally book launch parties at her chic shops in both The Big Apple and La-La Land, I still hadn’t been able to link up with her thanks to both of our ridiculously erratic schedules. Every time I’d come, she had just left, and when she came around, I would have already slipped out the door. No worries: This past month we clocked in on our time cards right at the same time (thanks Amy, Daniel, and Annabelle!). Just as I was signing my book to leave for her, she popped in, already mobbed by some selfishly hip socialites who enjoy chit-chatting about conscious face care (despite the horrendous Botox they have shoved in their Grouper-like lips). Ahhhhh life can be so entertaining at times.

Much to my delight, however, conscious face care dovetailed into animal-friendly speak, which gave way to a discussion on environmentally-friendly fashion. “I never expected to talk about my values that I grew up with so much in my design, but journalists are now asking me specifically about it,” she said turning to me. “And I don’t know if I’m using the best materials,” she said softly. “I mean, I’m not using leather products but I am using plastics.” (I think she mentioned something along the lines of 50 billion animals are slaughtered every year worldwide for food + fashion, which is a staggeringly high number when you think about it in totality.) I gave my book to Stella at that point and began chatting about best practices in the industry, our upbringing, and some of the latest innovations on the fiber-front. I had to run to my next meeting, so I couldn’t hang, but we agreed to stay in touch… so off I went. 

Patricia Field. A few days ago we had our second Payless shoot for zoe&zac. The styling on the first shoot was a little too Boho for my liking, so we brought in the outrageously creative eye of Pat Field, whom will forever go down in fashion history for her styling of Sex and The City, The Devil Wears Prada, and now Ugly Betty. She’s the type of gal you’d want to throw back a few beers with at the bar (and maybe a fistful of whiskey, a bottle of rum, and a couple shots of vodka) while talking about all of what is wrong with the world. I seriously admire that woman - because she just does her thing - the same damn thing that she’s been doing - and has just stuck with it and does it super well (i.e. pairing a sequin top that has no business rubbing up against some Safari-shorts and a studded belt named Roger (yes that famous belt you’ve seen at least twenty times in the Sex and the City movie here and here and here), yet when paired together they all seem to fit nicely together (like the whole Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt family). Granted PETA would have a hair-raising experience with Pat’s once-four-legged-animal-turned-purse, but we kept it in line for zoe&zac….and who knows, perhaps after Pat picked up Style, Naturally, we’ll be seeing some eco-conscious wear on America Ferrera’s lovely brace face…or maybe a studded belt named Roger.  :o) - SRO

We’ve launched the first season’s line of zoe&zac and next week I’ll be back in the design room working on upcoming season’s lines. If you have gotten a chance to head over to a Payless store and check them out like I did the other day, then check out the website here and let us know what you think (web shots below). It’s definitely a work-in-progress…and we got a lot more to tackle. Some of the boys out there were wondering whether they’ll get some kicks - and the short answer is “Yes.” This will eventually be a family brand - but we’re still developing styles and materials, so the men’s versions will launch a few seasons down the road. Stay tuned. Check out the video below for a bit more behind-the-scenes + tips from the last shoot/work session.

overview of the brand

a little bit more on my role

Being stylish and eco-friendly is getting easier than ever, says author and Planet Green contributor Summer Rayne Oakes. Find out who tops her list of must-wear labels.

I’m two months into my book tour with Style, Naturally and I’ve been able to connect and re-connect with some amazing operations that have been revolutionizing how we think about what we wear. So many of these people listed below (and many more that are not listed) made Style, Naturally possible because I’ll tell you what: This stuff wasn’t nearly as interesting seven, eight, nine years ago. (Thank you fashion-forward freethinkers!!) And the best news is still yet to come: Most of the jobs within this space haven’t even been invented yet. I see so much more potential for growth and invention, so despite the down-beat economy, there is a lot of room for entrepreneurship- both on a for-profit and non-profit level. The book tour is a good excuse to head to different countries and cities to see first-hand what cool work is cropping up—and I’m sure by the end of July (when the official tour ends), I’ll have at least ten more great organizations and operations to give a shout out to. Check out my picks here, and, if you have any cool suggestions about you like to wear, leave them in the comments below.

The Maverick: People Tree Foundation


I met Safia Minney, founder of People Tree in December 2005 during our involvement at the Fair Trade Expo at the World Trade Organization, which was designed to inform trade ministers on Free Trade vs. Fair Trade. What can I say, her spunk and her direction immediately impressed me. People Tree, the foremost label defining fair-trade fashion, has just launched The People Tree Foundation the day after London Fashion Week, which happened to be the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight in the UK. Since 1991, Safia has been working with various groups around the world to not only build an incredible fashion label, but also to help train artisans, build schools, and help cotton growers transition from conventional to organic farming methods.

As a newly-anointed People Tree Foundation ambassador, I discussed with Safia what she’d like to accomplish with the organization. She sees the nascent organization working in tandem with the People Treebrand, to help scale up training, technical support, sustainable community development and environmental initiatives. This should allow the brand to strengthen and expand while simultaneously bringing in new resources and donations to sustainable development projects in the Swallows and Artisan Hut (Bangladesh) and Sasha and Tara Projects (India). Stay tuned for future adventures with Safia. I’ve been threatening to plan an excursion to her project sites for some time! Maybe this year is the year. But if not, you can tune into her work on her blog here.

The Cool Kid: School House


I spoke with Rachel Weeks what seems like eons ago in regards to her “ethically-sourced collegiate apparel company” idea and was so thrilled to hear she launched it with flying colors—or should I say with Blue and Silver with the Duke University Blue Devils! Rachel spent a year after her graduation from the school researching socially-responsible apparel manufacturing initiatives in Sri Lanka, and, with the help of various mentors and a long-winding road of challenges and new findings, her label is totally up and running. The factory workers who produce School House is earning 2-3 times more than what factory workers down the road are earning. Additionally, the School House factory is independently monitored by Oxfam AustraliaApparel Industry Labour Rights Movement (ALaRM). School House will be rolling out to various other North Carolina schools as well as select schools in the Northeast. Feeling a little left out? Well tell your alma mater to hop on it!

The Future Force: Made-by


I first wrote about MADE-BY way back in 2005, shortly after they launched the “umbrella label” to help brands map, gauge, improve and communicate sustainability and transparency along their supply chains. The organization was set up in 2004 by Solidaridad, a Dutch NGO, and just launched this year in the U.K. duringLondon Fashion Week. It was awesome to connect with everyone, including Tim Wilson, founder of Historic Futures, who works closely with MADE-BY. I was happy to see that he still remembered our interview. “I said back in 2005 that transparency is the way of the future,” he said, smiling, “and I still say that transparency is the way of the future.” MADE-BY now has over thirty companies using its system.

The Newcomer: Payless ShoeSource


Chalk one up for Payless who figured out how to democratize green in the footwear space in the new zoe & zac line launching this April, and which has been an exciting project for me personally to work on. The line initially will include sneakers, ballet flats, wedges, and sandals made from organic cotton, hemp, linen, recycled rubber, non-PVC foam beds, recycled PET, and water-based glues—and no doubt they will quickly evolve and grow in forthcoming seasons. We’ve been looking for easy ways for Payless customers to get involved in going green, but also something that will help them make a meaningful impact, so I’m happy to announce that Payless will also be pushing one more step forward by teaming up soon with a non-profit partner. We’ll be announcing that partnership on April 13 so check this space!

The Dark Horse: Environmental Justice Foundation


The members of the EJF take on some pretty serious issues, from forced child labor to pesticides, but they send their message in a gentler way: through exclusive designer T-shirts from people such as John Rocha and Allegra Hicks. I bumped into the peeps first at Designers & Agents Green Room and later at Esthetica at London Fashion Week. Check out some of their tees and their work, because these people definitely know how to team up with the right people to get their conscious swerve on.

The Sleeper: XS Project


I first spoke with Ann Wizer back in 2005 after a television program we were doing in Singapore. Her non-profit, XS Project, creates high quality goods out of the massive trash heaps that get dumped on Jakarta, Indonesia every day. The XSOutreach Program is designed to provide fundraising opportunities for schools, PTAs and environmental organizations. All of the products—from wallets to “trash” bins (how ironic!) to bags—can be purchased and resold. The whole model supports XSProject Foundation and trash pickers in Indonesia, as well as the organization of your choice. Think about it: It’s so much better than trying to sell those candy bars.

The Stalwart: Goodwill


Goodwill is North America’s leading nonprofit provider of education, training, and career services for people with disadvantages. Last year alone, local Goodwills collectively provided employment and training services for more than 1.1 million individuals. I recently met a young woman who works with Goodwill, and said she was happy to hear me mention them in one of my talks because she feels so strongly about the work that they’ve put forth. After all, the clothing that you donate to Goodwill is sold in more than 2,200 retail stores and on their internet auction site. Revenues go back to fund job training and other services. More than 84% of Goodwill’s total revenues are used to fund education and career services, and other critical community programs.

The Risk-Taker: Fashion Fights Poverty


D.C. is known more for it’s politics than it is for fashion, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a little FFP (Fashion Fights Poverty) http://www.fashionfightspoverty.org. My friend Jake introduced me to the people at this organization, but it wasn’t until this past March at a Style, Naturally launch in our nation’s capitol that I got to meet Yvette Castro and hear what they’re all about. Fist and foremost, FFP rewards and recognizes designers and organizations who embrace the powerful potential of creativity and design to address issues of poverty. Secondly, it is about showing choices of responsible consumerism. Really what they’d like to do is go over the heads of all the bureaucratic think tanks and policy makers and get both producer and consumer participating in the process. Not a bad idea.

The Recycler: Wearable Collections


Based out of NYC, Wearable Collections puts bins inside buildings to make it easy for people to recycle clothes. (Up to 5% of our municipal waste is comprised of apparel!) They have now expanded into colleges with the College Clothing Collection Challenge and listen up students, because this is about you too! Leaders in clubs, sports teams, or fraternities and sororities can ring up WC and get a bin on their campus. You’d handle all the promotions and collections and Wearable Collections will be able to dedicate 20% of the gross revenues back to the prospective club or host. A successful clothing drive could result in $1,000-$2,000 for the respective organization. And think about collecting during graduation. I know I didn’t want to schlep all of my clothes back to a tiny NYC apartment, so check it out.

The Hipster: Friends of TOMS


Blake Mycoskie and his friends over at TOMS are all about the One-for-One deal. Haven’t heard of it? Well, for every pair of shoes you buy, TOMS gives a pair to children in need. I’ve done two shoe drop missions with them—one in South Africa and one in Mexico—and they sure won’t be my last. Friends of TOMS is their charitable arm of the company that allows you to volunteer, experience and give to the One-for-One mission. This coming year they want to help eradicate podoconiosis, a debilitating disease from certain soil types causing infections in the foot which results in extreme swelling, ulcerations and deformities. The disease actually happens to be preventable with clean water and shoes, so stay tuned for new developments on that front.

Footwear News. Vol 64. No 39. Payless ShoeSource will announce today it is adding a new line of ecofriendly footwear to its stable of brands. To support the launch, the Topeka, Kan.-based chain, a division of Collective Brands Inc., has signed fashion model and sustainability consultant Summer Rayne Oakes to help develop the yet-to-be-named line, which will be sold in about 500 Payless locations starting in April 2009.

Matt Rubel, president and CEO of Collective Brands, said that Payless could bring sustainable fashion to the masses by using its economies of scale to purchase certified organic and recycled materials at an affordable price. “We have more than 4,500 stores — Payless is Main Street. What we do gets into neighborhoods and to people who might not normally have access to [sustainable fashion],” he said.

The first collection of eight to 12 styles of women’s shoes and handbags will retail for about $30. Footwear for men and kids will follow, with distribution growing to 1,000 stores. “This is part of a larger company initiative on many levels, and this line is going to help teach us how to do it,” Rubel said. He expects methods and materials for the green line to cross over into Payless’ other brands as well. “We are examining everything that we do. It’s part of a holistic approach [to increase sustainability],” he said.

“We are also trying to source more locally, because that decreases transportation,” said Oakes, who is best known as the Discovery Network’s “Planet Green” fashion and beauty expert. She will be working on sourcing and supply chain issues, providing design direction and appearing
in advertisements.

“With the economy the way that it is now, many people think [green products] are that much more inaccessible, so this line is coming at the right time,” said Oakes. And she hopes other large companies will take notice of Payless’ sustainable efforts. “Part of this is to inspire and lead by example. You have to set the bar higher in this day and age.”

PAYLESS SHOESOURCE ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER AFFORDABLE GREEN FOOTWEAR LINE

New Brand Shows Retailer’s Passion to Democratize Green; Retailer Also Signs Agreement with Summer Rayne Oakes to Serve as Environmental Consultant to Help Drive Innovation

TOPEKA, Kan., Oct. 13, 2008 – Payless ShoeSource announced today plans to launch the first-ever affordable green footwear line due in stores early next year and that it has signed an agreement with Summer Rayne Oakes, Discovery Network’s Planet Green fashion and beauty expert and author of Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion & Beauty (Chronicle Books, February 2009), to serve as the green footwear brand’s Eco Consultant.

The new brand is a key part of Payless’ mission and strategy to democratize fashion, design and new ideas in footwear and accessories and to position Payless as a “House of Brands” retailer, offering well-recognized, fresh new brands – all at a great price.

The forthcoming line will include on-trend, fashionable footwear and accessory products that are also green through the use of sustainable and eco-friendly materials such as organic cottons and linen, natural hemp and recycled outsoles, as well as the use of eco-smart packaging. The line will be seasonally refreshed offering the latest trends; the new brand will launch initially for women, expanding to include kids’ and men’s styles in the future. The “green” shoes will be available at prices, on average, of under $30 a pair early next year in about 500 stores with select styles appearing in 1,000 stores, as well as generally available on Payless.com®.

“The sustainability movement is pervasive today and is touching so many elements of consumers’ daily lives and they are interested in more and more green product options being available to them,” said Matt Rubel, CEO of Collective Brands, Inc., the parent company of Payless ShoeSource. “But green items are often expensive and inaccessible to so many. With our mission to democratize the latest ideas in footwear and accessories, we are in the best position and proud to bring forward a green footwear line that is affordable and accessible to all.

Our alliance with Summer Rayne Oakes is important to this new brand initiative. Summer Rayne is a trend-setting expert in Eco Fashion, and she will help us launch our new green brand, as well as assist us in driving innovation with fresh, new eco-smart ideas for this brand going forward.”

The new line is unique not only as the first-ever affordable green footwear, but also because it will stress fashion first, while being eco-smart.

“When Payless approached me to partner with them on what would be their first-ever affordable green line of footwear, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” said Oakes. “It’s high time a stylish line of shoes can be both environmentally friendly and reasonably priced. Payless is at the forefront of a significant movement bridging fashion, environmental awareness and accessibility — an undertaking I am proud to be a part of.”

The contract between Payless and Oakes is a multi-year arrangement. Oakes will be involved in seasonal line reviews focusing on materials use and aesthetics for the product, packaging, and in-store materials, as well as participate in other marketing activities for the brand. Additional terms of the deal were not
disclosed. Payless said it expects to launch the new brand name closer to when the shoes are available in stores next year.

About Payless & Collective Brands
Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories and inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value. As of the end of second quarter 2008, the company operated more than 4,500 stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through Payless.com® at www.payless.com.

About Summer Rayne Oakes
Summer Rayne Oakes is a model-activist and spokesperson, resident expert, and youngest board of advisors for Planet Green, Discovery Network’s new eco-lifestyle channel. The Cornell University graduate and environmental scholar has received media accolades including Vanity Fair naming her a Global Citizen, Outside naming her one of the Top Environmental Activists, Cosmopolitan naming her Fun, Fearless Female of 2007, and CNN’s Nicole Lapin nominating her as a “Young Person Who Rocks.” Through her work as a consultant Summer Rayne advises companies and organizations, and works on sustainable development and environmental programs in the U.S. and abroad. In February 2009, she’ll release her first book, Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion & Beauty published by Chronicle Books. www.summerrayneoakes.com.

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