Who’s Who in Green: Linda Loudermilk

Linda Loudermilk has a message for the world: eco can be edgy, loud, fun, playful, feminine (or not) and hyper-cool.

When it comes to eco fashion, perhaps no other designer is more well-known than she. The Los Angeles-based fashion designer has helped to transform public perception of eco-friendly clothing from bland and hippiefied to chic, modern and accessible to all people – not just hardcore greenies.

Named one of the top innovators to watch by ‘W’ and called the “Vivienne Westwood of eco” by Elle Magazine, Loudermilk didn’t start out as an eco-designer. After rising to the top of the world of high fashion six years ago, Loudermilk felt like something was missing. Of her revelation, she said, “I was creating beauty, but beauty without soul.” It was then that she shifted her focus to sustainability, meeting with scientists and seeking out companies that create fibers without pesticides or other toxic processes.

What’s so great about Loudermilk’s designs is they manage to be eco-friendly without the self-consciously Treehugger-ish vibe that so many other sustainable clothing lines possess. Loudermilk creates pieces that can easily compete with the best of what the Paris runways have to offer, yet are friendly to the earth as well.

Watch Rachel Lincoln of EcoStiletto.com’s interview with Loudermilk in January 2009:

Loudermilk also works to raise awareness and support for environmental issues through the sales of her Luxury Eco line. For this line – which is the first to create a luxury eco lifestyle brand under one umbrella – she uses organic textiles woven from natural sources like bamboo, SeaCell® (seaweed) and Ingeo™ (corn). She also incorporates remnants and scraps from fine European fabrics into her designs.

If only more fashion designers would start being so ecologically conscious, the world would be a better place! Check out the new spring 2009 line at LindaLoudermilk.com.

Linda Loudermilk’s Green Score: 31,765

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