“Two people who have had an influence on me are Katherine Hepburn and Coco Chanel. Both of who, had a strong sense of independence and a timeless style,” says designer Carrie Parry who  recently launched her label CARRIE PARRY. The line reflects her whimsical style with a 1930′s  flare while high lighting lots of texture and clean lines on subdue colors of fabrics.

A cause that is near and dear to her heart is the a non-profit organization Earth Pledge which is dedicated to educating the fashion industry on sustainable materials and processes. Parry played  an instrumental role for the organization by helping to create the Future Fashion sustainable textile library.

Recently I had the pleasure to interview Parry about her preview show that was held this month in Los Angeles. Here’s what she had to say.

What inspired you to create your current line?

The F/W 11 Collection is inspired by the tailored and classic clothes designed by Adrian in the 1930s film The Women with Joan Crawford. The prints that I designed for the collection are inspired by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and from my time as a costumier for the 1930s English traveling circus Giffords Circus.  In terms of the versatility and modularity of the designs, I was inspired by the 1830s housewife Mrs. Montague who in Troy New York invented the detachable collar.  Story says Mrs. Montague got tired of washing her husband’s shirt and noticed that the part of the shirt that was dirty was the collar and cuffs. So instead of washing the whole shirt, she cut them off, washed them and sewed them back on and soon gave way to a thriving collar industry which lasted to the 1960s.  I was so excited by this idea as it really addresses the sustainability of garments and also allows the wearer to become more engaged with their clothing.  In the F/W11 collection there are shirts with detachable and interchangeable collars and cuffs (they come with an extra set for added versatility), a jacket with a detachable collar as well as a skirt and dress with a detachable bow collar.  The idea for this is to add duality to the clothing as the detachable pieces really transform the garments so they can easily be transitioned from day to night, work to play etc and of course they are easy to travel with!

What challenges have you faced by sourcing your fabrics in the US?

It has definitely been a struggle to source fabrics and trims locally.  I spent a couple years researching fabric and trim suppliers in the US, as well as the time I spent while working at the nonprofit Earth Pledge building their Future Fashion Library.  I try and source as much as possible locally from the US, but unfortunately through my research I was saddened to learn that it is not possible to source everything as we just don’t have the industry for it here anymore as much of it was moved overseas. There are also other issues that small designers face such as not being able to reach minimums for purchasing fabrics but fortunately new initiatives are launching like the new website called Source4Style which will surely help designers with problems like this. Supporting the mills, printers and factories are very important now so we can start to build and grow the industry here again.

In your bio it says “your woven wool supports the Panchahuli Woman Weavers”, can you explain that a little?

The Panchachuli Women Weavers was started in 1998 by Dena Kaye with a dream to bring social and economic empowerment to for the women in their province. Today, over 800 women from a total of 32 villages in the region are involved in the processing of high grade raw materials which are then processed, dyed, spun, woven, and finished entirely by hand.  The women are shareholders in the company as well as receive regular wages, and the cooperative has played a key role in changing the socio-economic dynamics of the local community, providing livelihoods and empowerment using the traditional arts of weaving and knitting.  For more information please visit their website www.panchachuli.com as it is such a beautiful story which I fell in love with and such an honor to be able support them by sourcing our beautiful handspun and hand woven wool fabrics from them.

Do you have a favorite US supplier?

I source our Organic Wool from the wonderful Maida and Howard Silver at Jasco.  Jasco has been around with high quality fabrics since 1946. They are very supportive to emerging designers, are very transparent within their supply chain and offer a great line of environmentally conscious fabrics. The Organic Wool interlock used in the convertible bow dress and bow skirt is a classic wool double knit redefined using 100% certified organic fine merino.  The wool is sourced in New York, with the fiber spun at a certified organic factory in Maine, died in Pennsylvania using low-impact dyes, and knitted in New Jersey.

Do you use fur in your designs?

No, there is no fur currently used in the collection.  I believe that fur production can be intensely polluting, energy-consumptive and not to mention the animal welfare problems that can go along with it.

What do you think about the current push to ‘Go Green’, do you feel most people really know what the term means or do you feel it’s more like a fashion trend that will eventually lose steam?

Good question!  I don’t think it is a fashion trend, I truly believe that it is the only way forward and is here to stay.  The terms ”Go Green” and “Eco” etc are confusing to everyone and I’m not really sure they have any meaning at all anymore!  I really feel that transparency and accountability within businesses as well as consumer and industry education is key if we are to reduce the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. There is often a misconception that social and environmental responsibility is black and white but the life cycle of clothing and the supply chain of the industry is complicated and unfortunately it is not as easy as saying one fiber is completely environmentally conscious or that a factory is completely compliant. I feel it is really more about analyzing all factors in terms of both the social and environmental aspects and then continuing to openly strive towards a better solution.  I am currently completing a graduate program in Socially Responsible and Sustainable Apparel Business which has helped give me the knowledge to better address these issues within my company.

Are there any designers you’re a fan of?

I love Jonathan Saunders, whom I gained work experience with.  His eye for color and print is really amazing. Phoebe Philo of Celine for her classic, simplistic and feminine design. I’m a huge fan of Marni, Chloe and Kenzo too among many others.

What is one thing you wish people would recycle more?

Textiles! Unrecovered textile waste accounts for approximately 4 percent of the content in US landfills and most of it is recyclable. Textiles can be recycled at Greenmarkets and of course at Charity Shops.  I am working on a take back program which will be launched in a few seasons so customers who would like to part with their CARRIE PARRY garments will be able to send them back to us so we can make sure they are either properly recycled or are given a second life.

What’s in store for the future?

I am really excited about the SS12 collection which I am currently designing.  I just saw a great exhibition of Sonia Delaunays work at the Cooper Hewitt which I found incredibly inspiring and I’m sure her influence will show through! I also am working on some fun accessories like scarves and totes.

 

Note to Readers:  I was approached to interview Carrie Parry by her PR department.  Upon doing research for my questions I discovered that Parry uses wool and silk in her designs. I am vegan and under no circumstance do I condone the use of these materials or any other animal product; however that is my ethical view and not the view of The Green Stylist which is not a vegan blog. I choose to continue to write and publish this article because Parry is a very talented designer who is lovely to work with and I wish her the best in her future endeavors.