Sustainable Style: Carrie Parry

Every week we feature a sustainable brand on our blog. This week's featured brand is Carrie Parry.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Carrie Parry is a Brooklyn-based designer of an eponymous womenswear label. Aftergraduating from the prestigious Central Saint Martins design school and stints at various fashion brands, she launched her label in 2011, the culmination of her pursuit to integrate her love for textiles, innovative and quality design with her commitment to environmentally conscious and ethical production. Her line of carefully crafted eco designs quickly earned her various accolades, including the 2012 Eileen Fisher Women Business Grant Award, the 2012 Green Fashion Competition during Amsterdam Fashion Week and the Ethical Fashion Forum’s 2011 Innovation U.S.A. Award.
 
Carrie Parry is one of the pioneering brands that have eschewed the traditional fashion calendar and accompanying fashion weeks shows in favor of spending more time exploring her supply chain. Getting off the fashion calendar makes for increased flexibility in production time, more time to develop and produce during the off-season, giving her factories consistent work and managing inventory better to prevent waste.
This business model has the added benefit of allowing customers to buy pieces when they are relevant rather than purchasing clothes as much as six months out of season.

 

As for what makes the brand sustainable, it's their commitment to manufacturing locally in the New York City Garment Center (they have a partnership with the organization Save the Garment Center), sourcing organic and renewable materials wherever possible and using hand-woven fabrics that support indigenous artisan communities. Check out their limited edition garments on their online store.
 
Credit: Photo from Carrie Parry