The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » linda loudermilk

SHARP SPRING SUGGESTIONS: Wings + Horns, Culturata, Linda Loudermilk, Pants to Poverty, Porter, Folk

joshuakatcher — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:34:45 +0000

• Wings & Horns SS10 collection is out and about, featuring some organic cotton items. I wish the whole collection was organic, but nobody's perfect. Yet.

• Culturata's organic cotton shirts are now available online at Juno & Jove. $95

• Also on Juno & Jove is this Linda Loudermilk mud-cured organic cotton, double-breasted coat. It's totally out of my price-range at $1960, but I thought the mud-cured leather-like cotton is an amazing idea! • These organic undies are part of the global Make Poverty History campaign! Today, nearly 5 years after Pants to Poverty were born, their pants sell in over 20 countries around the world, support over 5000 farmers in India and within a week of launching their first campaign, they made one of the world’s most powerful companies pull a killer pesticide off the market! The power really does lie in our pants! • Porter, the Japanese accessory line, offers a bag made from organic cotton and nylon. $530 • Folk Jeans in organic cotton features a collaboration between Folk and Edwin - and the two brands intertwine their individual styles.

Judicious Gentlemanswear

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:41:08 +0000

1. Fashion Week: Spring 09 Menswear Spring '09 will be full of stripes, neutrals with pops of color, and above-the-ankle pants. Band of Outsiders offered casual, laceless loafers, 80's inspired kid-hipster cuts, and a sense of playing film-noir dress-up. The DKNY man was mostly tie-less and laid back, wearing canvass sneaks. Ducky Brown was inspired by bike messengers and swimmers' spandex, Lacoste's man in red simply showcased polos and cuffed, fitted slacks. Marc Jacobs' double-belts, volume, and stripes followed the trends this season. Patrik Ervell toyed around with glam rock-a-billy, Rag & Bone just went straight for the many schools of punk, and Robert Gell er took us to eastern Europe, with Gypsy-softened, military cuts. What we know about menswear is that there is little flexibility (at least in comparison to womens' fashion) concerning garments. There are things that define men - suits, ties, knits, hats, waistcoats, jackets, slacks, and certain accessories. In the world of menswear, the leather jacket is almost as defining to male gender as the Bloody Steak is in the world of cuisine. Aside from the perpetual re-modification of tailoring, cuts, and fits - most menswear designers are lost in a cyclical pattern of rotating colors, prints, eras, and fibers. Surprisingly, it is easy to use organic cotton instead of conventional cotton. It is easy to find alternatives to leather and fur. Thanks to designers like Jaanj, we know that ties do not need to be made with silk to be luxurious or silky. Same for knits and wool, yet designers keep pumping out the same old thing - imagining that somehow this is iconoclastic. Menswear is dying because of logistics and lazy creatures of habit. It is dying due to a lack of vision and a defiant unwillingness to adapt to a landbase in crisis. Designers could use ethical textile suppliers, forcing those who continue to shit on us and get paid for it to change or vanish. Phillip Lim's grotesquely excessive snakeskin shoes, and so-over keffeyah-inspired scarf seemed useless on the runway. I'd rather see the actual living snake (it is much more beautiful) - or a tribute to Palestinean solidarity that hasn't been bastardized. Hillfiger's bone and white suits could easily be made with organic fibers. Designers are just starting to realize that the bubble most of them have found tolerance in - where snakes are shoes and cows are jackets and raccoon-dogs are collars - is becoming more and more difficult to cajole consumers with, whose broadening awareness begs for well-made, compassionate garments and accessories, and exposes the absent referent. The problem goes even deeper - in a culture of mainstream fashion 'journalists' and writers who lack the knowledge to create a critical discourse concerning textiles, labor, and functioning ecosystems - many simply fail to take into account what the clothes are actually made of, how that happened, and what the effects are. Instead, when we do hear about fabric - the only barometer it is measured by is that of outdated and disfunctional ideas of luxury and evocation of wealth. There are a handful of ethical designers recognized in the mainstream - Trovata for instance - who will be selling their garments from a vegetable powered bus. Others are Organic by John Patrick, Turk & Taylor, NSF, and Linda Loudermilk. They are almost always written off as 'cooky'. More to come from spring '09. 2. Culturata Organics

What can improve upon a long family history in fine italian tailoring? Organic cotton. When in Rome... wear classic, tailored, organic shirts made by expert craftsmen. Culturata Organics is an emerging company with strict environmental and ethical standards.

Loud Men: Interview with Luxury-Eco Visionary Linda Loudermilk

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:02:11 +0000

by Joshua Katcher

Linda Loudermilk is making waves that are hitting the coasts of Europe, Asia, and both sides of North America. She is also turning the seaweed in those waves into textiles. With almost a decade of experience in eco fashion, Linda is finally being ecstatically celebrated for her investments and achievements. Everyone is talking about her - and getting a seat at her runway show is a coveted pilgrimage. After abandoning the Haute Couture runways in Paris to feed her soul by conducting research with environmentalists, scientists, and textile innovators - she is responsible for many of the eco fabrics that are gaining ground (and body coverage) and being recognized as both necessary and desirable. Her cri de coeur is both aesthetic and holistic - citing the healing power of nature that saved her very life - and the overlooked health and environmental devastation from conventional garment production. Linda Loudermilk design is for rock stars and creative professionals alike - and she has a loyal and growing clientele including discriminating celebrities and eco warriors. Like any visionary, she admits she is perpetually learning - lamenting about her use of leather in the past, but looking forward to creating an entirely vegan shoe line for men and women in the near future. Beyond her personal collection is the LUXURY ECO™ Stamp, which is part of her vision for how the very best products can be identified based on everything from labor practices and environmental impact, to design and aesthetic. I had a few moments on the phone with Linda recently. Here is our interview: DB: When did you start making menswear and what kind of man wants to wear Linda Loudermilk? LL: A man that wants something different! I have preppy men, creative men, and stars all as fans of my menswear. I've got it all. Adrian Grenier, Leonardo DiCaprio, producers - even computer geeks, and they all just wanna wear it because it feels good. Its for the 20 to 50 year-old that wants a nice cut and that are professionals, but still creative. I stared making menswear about 2 years ago - but I started very slowly with simple Tshirts. Within the last year the quality of woven fabrics I was looking for finally enabled me to get the shirting and suiting fabric I needed to do the collection in the way I wanted it. I noticed that men really felt the difference in the fabric. The men that wear the seaweed shirts - I can't even explain the look on their face! They have a look like "I've never felt something like this before in my life!". With men its always been about comfort - at least in the last 50 years. They really can feel the fabric feeding their skin -the seaweed with the sea salt. Same with bamboo - its much better for your skin because it wicks away moisture and has antibacterial properties. Seacell is seaweed bonded to wood pulp - they bond it naturally on a molecular level. Its not forced with chemicals - and when your skin warms up the fabric, the benefits of the seaweed nourishes the skin. I've been working with the textile company to design these fabrics - that's why I'm a leader in the industry - because I hook up the scientists with the fabric manufacturers. I used to do couture in Paris, but I realized no matter how honored I was to be there, it didn't have any meaning to me. So I had to reinvent my profession. 8 years ago I came back to states and worked on sustainable fabrics. The quality of the mens fabrics is amazing right now. We have suits & tuxedos made out of sasawashi - its a leaf from japan that is anti-bacterial and anti deodorant. They first used it to make sushi (it regulated small) and it also was used as insulation in homes. So I made fabric out of it and now its a fabric in line! We don't have to use synthetics to create what we need a fabric to do.

DB: Is 'Eco' finally becoming sexy? Do you see yourself playing a role in this? LL: Yes! and yes! DB: What kind of materials and processes do you use, and why? LL: One process I'm a huge fan of is ozone wash. It doesn't break the fiber down - it's a molecular process, and thats how I treat my jeans. Its entirely environmentally friendly. Health-wise too. Time, energy, water usage, and the water is actually returned cleaner than when it came out! I don't know why everyone doesn't do it. Actually I do know why - because people get partnerships with wash houses that don't want to change. Its so much cheaper to do once you do it, but switching over seems overwhelming. Money-making industry doesn't like change.

DB: How did you become an environmentalist? Do you have role models? LL: I was cured through nature of a debilitating disease, and through that experience I realized that I experience my spirituality through nature. It's all about respect of nature and animals. I found out who I was. I set forth to do everything I could to spread that message because it was and is so monumental. When I started - no one else in fashion was doing this. I created 'lux eco fashion' - the high fashion aspect. But I had to! I had to feed my soul. I just watched a documentary on Frank Lloyd Wright - his god is the one that starts with an "n" - nature. He was a rebel. He was a maverick and I really respect him and his way of thinking. It was all about his truth. If we keep to our truth and the greater truth we would all be doing great things.

DB: What other areas of your life are affected by your eco-ethics? Is 'fair-trade' important to you? Why? LL: Everything! Its been a slow process, but when I first got into this I didn't trust labels, and I still wanted my life to be stylish and sexy. So I started the 'lux eco' stamp of approval so people can know that something's been well designed, its not gonna fall apart, and it's environmentally benign. But most importantly, it's something with a design you can respect. A lot of people subscribe to labels in order to showcase a certain taste level. That's what high fashion and labels are all about! So instead of wearing Fendi or Gucci to represent the qualities we want to espouse - it would be great if we could go look for the 'lux- eco' stamp of approval and be able to support a more evolved set of aesthetics and values. It applies to anything! Restaurants, gloves, garbage cans - anything can be stamped. Every area of my life has been affected by this. As far as sweatshops and fair-trade, it's a hugely important issue. I think we are 80% perfect - we make sure to check people out, but when you turn your back you never know. It becomes a complex question.

DB: How has mainstream fashion and media's response to your work changed over the last few seasons? LL: Well, I've gotten a lot more press attention lately - all these green TV shows are coming and shooting in my salon. Finally people are paying attention! It's putting 'eco' in a new light and convincing people that there is a new light - proving it by putting a product out there and investing everything in creating a news platform. People are finally understanding my knowledge base. They can come to me to find out certain things. They are valuing the research I've done for over 8 years.

DB: If you could put an end to any element of the fashion industry you see as destructive, what would it be and why? LL: Water usage. Access to clean water is the biggest problem we have right now globally. Also the dye process, because there's a lot of chemical dyes we're exposed to, not knowing that our bodies are trying to fight it off. As a result people get sick and doctors don't know what it is. It's really the wash process and they way the fabric is treated. Thats why ozone is a great solution.

DB: If fashion is a form of visual communication, what is someone who wears Linda Loudermilk saying about themselves to other? LL: I hope they are expressing truly who they are. That's why I make such a diverse line. there is something for everyone. People who wear my garments are also saying "I am is someone who likes quality. someone who likes personal expression - no matter what it is." Be who you are! If its yucky express it. If its rock, express it. My clothes are more sculptural and rock oriented. I have no problem with Gucci or Fendi, but if you're wearing it just for the label you've lost your own identity. I never buy big logos.

DB: What is your opinion on the fur and skins trade? LL: Don't support it! The thing is, we need to keep innovating products that mimic what hides and fur can do. There are certain properties that come out of nature that are pure - so there is nothing exactly like shearling - you can't duplicate it - but if we're going to try to lessen the fur and leather trades, we need innovation because those trades have been around for eons and won't go away without a fight. I often subscribe to the Native American philosophy of only taking what you need and being grateful for it. Unfortunately, Thats not how the industry or this culture is set up - and even if they say they are, they're not. So I avoid it. I am ashamed to say I used to use leather a lot - because it is so sculptural. It's so easy to make something look expensive with leather. There is some rubber and some organic cotton dyed with mud and it looks like leather- but it doesn't sculpt. We really need more innovation.

DB: What is your understanding of the environmental crises we are immersed in? Is looking fashionable important to having the environmental message heard? There is simply a loss of respect. That's it. You can go on and on about every issue. But if you look at the core - it's lack of respect for the earth and people and animals. If we really respected ourselves we wouldn't be in this crisis at all. Being fashionable is very important because we (environmentalists) exist in the 'hippie granola scientist' realms and it needs to grow and needs to be fashionable - its a hook.

DB: Anything else? LL: People should apply for the stamp of approval because its gonna make a big difference! Visit my website. We can have a stamp of approval on almost anything . I am looking for high-end, well made cool fashionable items of any kind - or people who do services! Anything! Tell me how are you eco, where do you stand and why. Also - big news, I am coming out with vegan shoes for men and women!

Linda appears in W Magazine

Wall Street Goes to the Farm, Anti-Sex Teen Magazine, & Vegan Suits

TheDiscerningBrute — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:32:17 +0000

1. Vegan Suits that Don't Suck DB Reader Jared asks:

I have been on a year-long quest to find a good vegan suit, but to no avail. There are of course cotton suits, but I am looking for something more classic (but slim) and slightly more professional looking during the non-summer months. H&M is the best that I have found, but their options tend to look polyester-ish and have low rise pants. Would you happen to know of somewhere where I can obtain what has become my holy grail? I would be forever indebted to you."

Jared, you are not alone in your quest for ethical suitage! When I was attending the anti-globalization protests in the early 2000's, I posed the question to some of my fellow protestors "Can you image what would have happened if every activist showed up in a business suit? The f***ing cops wouldn't know what the hell to do!". I still believe this - especilly since the main purpose of the police is to protect the haves from the have-nots. Since the suit is a symbol of having, the typical dance between activists and cops would take an interesting turn for sure. It certainly wouldn't be as easy to know who to arrest or whose face to bash in with a night-stick.

Isn't it funny how the suit has come to represent the official non-verbal symbol of power? This is the power of fashion - it's all too underestimated in many activist circles. When searching for an ethical suit, there is a near conflict-of-interest when we consider 1) what the suit represents, and 2) how suits are typically made (sweatshops, animal skins & hairs). It's almost like wearing a faux-fur! "Don't worry, this suit isn't really a tool for global domination, oppression and resource pillaging."

So what's to be said for appropriating a powerful symbol in the name of gaining clout for your cause? I think it's great!

If you need an affordable suit - I would first go to a thrift store. Some people are opposed to secondhand wool. I am not, and my argument is simple: If you are purchasing something that looks like a suit, no one is going know if it's wool or synthetic. Buying a new synthetic suit requires a lot of undesirable processes and labor practices. Secondhand requires no new resource extraction or labor. In the ethical equation of new synthetic vs secondhand wool I have to say that secondhand wool wins. The drawbacks of new synthetics are just too great.

Next I would check sample sales. Finally, if you can afford to purchase new designer suits or commission a designer to make one for you, some ethically produced suits are:

Linda Loudermilk (not everything is vegan, so check labels)

Turk & Taylor (not everything is vegan, so check labels)

Covet (not everything is vegan, so check labels)

Bamford & Sons (they use fur & aligator skins, so def write them a letter )

Pangea Vegan Store

DownBound (Organic Hemp Suit Jacket)

Seersucker Suits

Hemp Suit

Linen Suits

2. Wall Street visits Farm Sanctuary! Read the article Here (thanks to Dawnwatch for this newsbite)

3.Right Wing Tiger-Beat?

My friend Esther Bell pointed me to the scary and inaccurate new tactics that some right wingers are using to scare kids about sex and abortion.

The publication is described by the Human Life Alliance as "this extremely marketable, cutting edge magazine will cause your friends to want to get their own copy. The colorful graphics will catch their attention, and the thought provoking stories and facts on the inside will challenge them to change the way they think about sex outside of marriage." These "facts" are actually (and not surprisingly) tons of misinformation cloaked in teen rhetoric. One example is a advice column type section with Dr. Mary Paquette, who she contends that abortion causes infertility, breast cancer and ruins girls lives. The feature also ends with a section called "My Choice," where there is what seems to be a biographical note of a teen who put her baby up for adoption, saying, "I thank God every day that I don't have to visit the memory of an aborted baby, the grave of an innocent life."

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:08:13 +0000

1. Military punk. This summer, go for above-the-knee cargo shorts and tucked in, rolled up button-downs like this look from Edun's Spring/Summer 2008 menswear collection. Choose a monochromatic color theme, and accessorize with a wallet-chain, your best-beat up shoes, and a dissenting attitude! This look is easy to put together at any thrift store, military surplus store - of if you're feeling like dropping a paycheck, directly from an Edun retailer.

3. The Loudermilk Man is a conscientious bad-ass. Stay tuned in the following week for my exclusive interview with the Duchess of Eco-Lux herself, Linda Loudermilk.Where to buy.

3. 500 NYC Cats to be killled this Tuesday. Attend the Rally to Save JFK cats. Tuesday, June 3rd, 11:15am- 1pm (Rain or Shine) at Port Authority headquarters, 225 Park Avenue South, between 18th and 19th Streets, Manhattan.

According to Super Vegan:

The hundreds of feral cats living at JFK airport are facing death once again. Today, AMNY reports the Port Authority plans to capture the cats and turn them in to animal shelters. The organization continues to refuse assistance from The Humane Society of the United States and other animal protection groups offering—at no cost—a humane and effective solution towards feral cat management through a Trap-Neuter-Return program. The Port Authority seems unsympathetic to the fact that placement in a city shelter is a near death sentence for the wild critters, most of whom aren't tame enough to be adopted into homes.

Click HERE to find out how else to help, and how to contact NYC officials who can stop this!

4. Tea Boxes from recycled pallets in Calcutta.

Typically in Clacutta, boat loads of pallets arrive and are simply discarded every single day. An enterprising young box-maker salvages old and discarded shipping pallets, strips them down, and creates these unique hand made boxes. Each box contains 2 ounces of tea. For the full story, click HERE. From the'carbon free' company, The SImple Leaf:

5. Vegan Cowboy Ankle Boots.

They "Wayne" and "Ankle Harness Gusset" from Alternative Soles is an awesome, affordable vegan ankle boot for men. The sleek sole, stitching details and choice of two colors makes these boots kick ass. Wear 'em with fitted chinos or skinny jeans - steer clear of wearing these with wider/baggier pants and shorts. Only £25.00 !

6. Artisana Nut Butters are OBSESSION worthy. I can't stop eating the entire jar of the whipped cashew butter - and at a party the other night I was dunking chocolate cookies into the coconut butter. Healthy fats, raw, vegan, and tons of nutrients and protein - what's not to like?

7. My other new obsession is Bikram Yoga. If you ever craved a workout that leaves you feeling as light and clear as air - bikram yoga, otherwise known as 'Hot Yoga' might be right for you. The first class tests your limits, no doubt. But as it gets easier, the benefits come through.