Mara Hoffman’s eco chic

With the impacts of climate change and global warming becoming ever more apparent, the need and desire to protect our planet has never been stronger or more pressing. The first place we can all look is our lifestyle – what can we do at home to reduce our footprint? You might have chosen to cut down on single-use plastic, switching to reusable tote bags, coffee cups and water bottles. Or perhaps you’ve given your diet a rethink, opting to eat less meat or even go vegan. You could switch to driving an electric car and look into renewable energy sources for your house. But how ‘green’ is your wardrobe? With fashion’s impact on the environment facing more and more scrutiny, it has never been more prescient to become a sustainable and eco-conscious dresser. Thankfully, today there is an increasing roster of brands around the world looking to invest in sustainable practices, clean up their supply chains and create more environmentally friendly shopping experiences.

A leader in the field of sustainable fashion, Mara Hoffman has been shifting towards more responsible credentials since 2015. The New York-based designer launched her eponymous label in 2000 after her colorful, handmade, vacation-ready pieces caught the eye of American costume designer and stylist Patricia Field, who was working on Sex and the City. In the years that ensued, Hoffman’s brand began to grow and take off, achieving global recognition, and she soon came to realize that she didn’t want her ever-expanding business to be a major contributor to negative environmental practices. Over the past few years, Hoffman has been striving to make her brand as sustainable as possible by crafting each collection using ethically sourced and recycled fabrics.

What can fans of the label expect this season? For Spring/Summer 2019, the label continues its commitment to sustainability while creating a collection that embraces bold colors, elevated neutrals, and artisan fabrics and techniques. The result? Clothing that is simultaneously light-hearted and sophisticated. Combining bohemian influences with a jet-set style sensibility, the brand has everything you need for the perfect vacation wardrobe. Take this season’s button-up pencil dress crafted from crisp, ivory-colored recycled cotton – it’s an ultra-elegant option for sunset cocktails on an outdoor terrace. Then there is the striped organic linen skirt, ideal for throwing on over a bikini for laid-back lunches by the pool, or teaming with a camisole and sandals for sightseeing ventures into town. For languid beach days, Hoffman’s printed dresses and swimwear are the ultimate in easy elegance – simply team with sandals and a basket bag by day, then add gold jewelry and a smart clutch to go from beach to bar in style.

Fabrics within the latest collection include the brand’s perennially successful tencel/linen group, TENCEL™, which is produced from sustainably sourced wood by environmentally responsible processes. There are also organic cottons that leave fields pesticide-free, and hemp – a favorite fiber for its enduring quality and growing process that causes minimal harm to the environment. Fashion has never felt so good.