The Sustainable Fashion Brands To Know For Travel Season

The resort experience begins way before reaching a Spring or Summer destination. Excitement kicks in the moment you start packing for your next resort getaway. To the fashion devout, fitting before the flight is non negotiable. Much like a dress rehearsal, they dedicate hours to not just packing a suitcase but also to trying out each ensemble until each look is in a rendered picture perfect . Before writing this story, I saw a post on my social media feed that asked: “When packing for a trip, do you ‘rehearse’ your outfits?” The answer to which was a resounding, “absolutely.”

After months of restricted travel, it’s impossible to contain one’s excitement over discovering new places and revisiting treasured vacation spots. The idea that beautiful garments made for resort living will see the light of day again is also cause for celebration. It has even inspired a wardrobe refresh where new additions tell the story of an individual rekindling a love for travel and style.

This season’s resort edit highlights special collections, collaborations, and conscious brands that honor heritage, craft, planet, and a new life after lockdown.

A Collection Inspired by Ethnic Ancestry

Robes, swimwear, and coordinates from RSB SWIMWEAR are always the first inside a luggate headed to paradise. The sustainable luxury swimwear brand never fails to ignite wanderlust, and turn a few heads. Stunning silhouettes drenched in the brand’s signature prints transport senses to some of Venezuela’s most magical places. Case in point: The Ancestral collection for Spring/Summer 2022. It is a product of its designers’ imagination, hard work, and dedication to honoring indigenous communities in the region. Handcrafts of the Yekwana and Yanomami ethnic groups are reimagined by mother-daughter design tandem, Ruth Sanchez Bueno and Marlene Lazarde, through infusion of bright colors.

Ruth expounds, “The Wapas vegetable fiber baskets hand-woven by Yekwana men, inspired the prints. It displays the mythical narrative of the origins of mankind, a very important sacred statement for the indigenous group. For the Yekwana, the Wapas tell the story of creation.” This affinity to origin, earth, and coexistence also manifests in other patterns revered by the Yanonami ethic group. Mostly done in black and golden hues, images of the jaguar, moon, sun, and spirit stirs solemn introspection into the past and its stark contrast to modern life.

Statement Pieces Made Entirely By Hand

When packing for a spring or summer holiday, the well-dressed will always tell you to have at least one statement piece. THRIFTS AND THREADS is an artisanal, slow-fashion brand with roots in Mexico. And the label company knows how to make strong resort statement. It celebrates the work of hands, employing time-honored traditions to weave pieces that elevate any resort ensemble. Every step in the creation process is homage to the creativity and workmanship of underdeveloped communities in Mexico.

Fringe is the unifying element that ties together every new creation from the brand. From tops, dresses and pants, a deliberately raw and undone look conveys a too-cool-to-care style temperament. This distinctive design element instantly elevates a daytime poolside ensemble or even a cocktail number. I love that every garment can work as both a cover up and a nighttime showstopper. They can even be worn on a sultry night out on the city.

Core Pieces For A Compact Resort Wardrobe

Since 2009, ONIA has been creating versatile, clean-cut garments that brings forth a sense of ease. In Hebrew, Onia directly translates to “sailboat.” It is indicative of the brand founders’ passions: “journeys of discovery, fine craftsmanship, and superior design.” Simplicity is a core value that rings true in their choice of silhouettes, color ways and prints. A recent collaboration with European fabric purveyor LIBERTY OF LONDON, birthed a vibrant resort collection filled with blooms and color.

In true form, silhouettes remain streamlined and seamless. Every garment from the collection makes for a clever addition to any compact travel wardrobe. Versatile in nature, pieces offer endless possibilities for mixing and matching. If anything, the brand’s offerings for the season serve best as core pieces that can be pared down or built to suit any season, destination, or mood. The team’s manifest affirms this as they write: “We are committed to making easy, stylish living an achievable concept with essentials that seamlessly transition from active days to restful weekends.”

Everything Plant Dyed

The color depth and intensity that can only be achieved through plant dyes are beautiful especially for resort living. It lends elevated effortlessness to any look. And because natural dyes leave unique imprints on fabrics, they inherently register like bespoke articles of fine living. AWAVEAWAKE is the first luxury clothing label dedicated solely to showcasing the use of plant dyes. Founded in 2021 by Jaclyn Hodes, the brand eschews all things synthetic or artificially manufactured. Instead, its makers choose to highlight “botanicals that not only render the materials more luminous, but also offer healing to the wearer.”

Exclusive use of “living color,” as it is referred to in the AWAVEAWAKE atelier, is not just healing. It also aims to unburden wearers from the toxics of mass fashion production. Apart from leaving a positive impact on wearers and the planet, the thought process behind every piece anchors on the organic, almost magical ways by which natural dyes register on fabrics. The team explains, “Botanically dyed materials alchemize the fabrics most lusciously and take form in a lot of sensual shapes–several bias cut slip styles and other flowing and swirling silhouette and layering pieces are consistent themes each season.”

Boarding The Same Boat Towards Peace

Proof that fashion is not frivolous is reinforced by the fact that the industry does what it can to support worthy causes. Among these efforts is a powerful call to support fashion brands from conflict striken Ukraine. But even before the war, Kyiv-based womenswear brand, BEVZA, has been on the radar of the fashion cognoscenti especially when it comes to sophisticated, streamlined dresses.

The sustainable fashion brand, which has temporarily opened its website, is a shining example of Ukrainian grit, courage and resilience. This season, the BEVZA team forged ahead with the release of its Spring/Summer 2022 collection. It is a presentation that surprisingly–and most impressively–emanated with lightness, movement, and serenity. Evening dresses echo a mastery of draping techniques and true understanding of the female form. Sailor inspired tops, skirts, and jackets leave a poignant message that inspires compassion: we are on the same boat.

Chic Choices For a Conscious Change

Fashion is always changing. In the context of conscious and sustainable lifestyles, change is best manifested through the choices made by producers, suppliers, and consumers. Inside the workshop of independent label ECRU in Peru, makers believe that, “you are what you wear.” The brand takes their commitment to sustainability by working with natural fibers produced by local communities. Pieces are made following values of slow fashion. Everything is made to last and outlive trends.

Pieces from ECRU are easy. relatable, and accessible. I’d like to think of them as entry level items, ideal for those just learning to wean from a fast-fashion addiction. Their knit dresses, robes, kimonos and matching sets for Spring/Summer are smart travel options that work beautifully with just about any style sensibility. Fuss-free yet visually impactful, selections from ECRU are likely to become staples in the wardrobe, not just come travel season but also all year round.

The Secret is in The Tape

A professional stylist’s secret to success lies underneath the beautiful garments clients wear. No matter how stunning an outfit might be, unsightly straps and awkward nip slips can instantly ruin a major fashion moment. YOOBTAPE is a fashion find regardless of season, but most especially in months when backless dresses and slinky dresses are on rotation. It distinguishes itself from other players in the category through use of organic materials. I love how the brand’s bust tapes come in a wide variety of colors to suit all skin tones.

Products from YOOBTAPE were thoughtfully developed to also appeal to all shapes, sizes and personal styles. Unique fabrication consists of 95% organic cotton, which is latex-free and hypoallergenic. Unlike other nipple tapes that pull on skin or irritate sensitive skin types, the brand’s signature adhesive sticks on the surface snuggly while ensuring easy removal. Since getting my personal stash of YOOBTAPE products, I’ve been spared from having to worry about finding reliable, well fitting undergarments to wear underneath favorite resort pieces.