Eco-friendly clothes often suffer from serious fashion don'ts: they’re shapeless, uncomfortable, and let's face it, sometimes downright dowdy.
To keep us dressing in style, designer Sara Kirsner has created Doie [1], a line of clothes that every woman lives for: comfy pieces to wear around the house that are so flattering, they can take you to brunch with girlfriends or out for a night on the town. The New York-based mixes easy cuts with a little Asian flare, resulting in a look that is not just fashionable, but sexy. What's even better, Sara's chosen to make all of her garments out of materials that are environmentally friendly.
We're not talking scratchy burlap bags here. The soft, flowing fabrics of her latest line for fall are eco-friendly, made of black bamboo with 100 percent silk trim. The collection includes camisoles, lounge pants, hoodies, and a kimono-inspired robe.
Sara, a northern California native, named the company after her very social grandmother who looks glamorous throwing parties and feels comfortable in her own skin. With grandmotherly inspiration, the young designer went to Parsons School of Design, and worked at Marc Jacobs and Ann Taylor before going out on her own. Her bamboo clothing line is now available at Fred Segal and Whole Foods, as well as other stores and online.
Sara recently took some time to talk with LIME about her clothing line, her style, and the inspiration behind her clothing line.
LIME: Women are so in love with your line, they can't take it off! Where did you come up with the idea to make classy attire that feels so good to wear?
Sara Kirsner: I had always wanted to design comfortable clothes that could be worn inside or outside of the bedroom because I love to be comfortable. I came up with the idea while traveling to Vietnam and Cambodia with some friends. When I returned to New York, I designed the prototypes. I started out making cotton lounge pants and people loved them.
LIME: What made you make the switch from cotton to eco-friendly bamboo fabric?
Kirsner: I was over at my friend's mom's house. Her company VivaTerra sells only environmentally friendly products. She looked at my stuff and suggested that I try using more eco-friendly material. I went to a fabric fair and found this bamboo jersey that felt really soft. So I made a little mini collection of bamboo for her. Once I got started, I realized it was just as soft as cotton. It has the same breathability, it keeps you cool, it's naturally anti-bacterial, and it's made from a 100 percent sustainable crop.
LIME: Bamboo, the miracle fabric!
Kirsner: From the literature I've read, to talking to people in the factory, it almost seems like a wonder fabric. It feels great, it performs great, and it washes great.
Cotton is an ecologically disastrous crop. But bamboo is a grass and it grows quickly, it can reach its maximum height in three months. You don't need to douse it with pesticides. And it grows practically anywhere.
LIME: Wow. It sounds pretty fantastic. Will you ever go back to using cotton?
Kirsner: From now on everything I make is made from bamboo. I'm not going to turn back.
LIME: Have you always had a concern for protecting the environment?
Kirsner: Yes. My whole family is environmentally conscious.
LIME: Does it make good business sense to make your collection out of this fabric?
Kirsner: There are advantages to using cotton jersey. It's easier and less expensive. Bamboo costs me $1.00 to $1.50 more per yard. Plus, there aren't a lot of places where I can get bamboo fabric. The fabric I use comes from Canada and there are added costs with shipping, including gas prices.
LIME: So why have you decided to make your whole line from bamboo from now on?
Kirsner: To me, it's worth it to absorb the extra costs.
It's a great niche—a whole new world for me. I've always felt with fashion that I'm not doing good. I have friends who are teachers and doctors and I joke that I'm working with clothing while they're saving lives. It feels good that I'm now doing something good too.
LIME: I imagine there are a lot of tot-carrying mommies out there that are in love with the versatility of your clothes.
Kirsner: Yeah. I think a lot of stay-at-home moms want to still look cute. I have pregnant friends who want to be able to wear something that they feel good in. My pants tie at the waist, so they're good for growing bellies. Plus, the black jersey hides kids' spills and spit up pretty well too.
LIME: And yet it sounds like your line appeals to a wide audience.
Kirsner: I think it's popular with people who are well-versed in eco-friendliness, but also with people who aren't. They picture eco-friendly materials like hemp and burlap, which can be uncomfortable and unattractive. I think women in my loungewear feel good about what they're wearing. They love the design and the clean, flattering lines.
I've been trying to pinpoint the age group of the women who like my clothes best, but really women of all ages are ordering from me. My grandmother and her friends are in their 80's and 90's and they wear my clothes. And then there was a woman recently ordered clothes for her 12-year-old daughter. I think it stretches across a lot of age barriers.
LIME: How would you classify the look you're going for?
Kirsner: It's not lazy, but not overtly sexy. It's a versatile look. One customer told me she's going to wear the dress to a wedding!
LIME: I love that you named your company after your grandmother, Doie.
Kirsner: Everywhere we go, everyone knows her. Every time I see her, she's so cutely dressed—not in a weird grandma way. I would wear her clothes! She has always been really stylish, even when she's just lounging around and feeling comfortable.
When people feel uncomfortable with what they're wearing, I think they feel uncomfortable about themselves too. I think the more comfortable you are, the more confident you are.