As Stella McCartney debuts her new collection at the runways in Paris, everyone’s talking about the sharp tailoring of her designs that exude an androgynous feel. It seems that the contrasting of opposites will be a major theme for Autumn-Winter 2010 as designers at estethica also heavily explored that theme.

Emesha's silk jumpsuit

Menswear fabrics were used in abundance as several designers employed them to create feminine silhouettes with some really sharp tailoring. By Stamo and Emesha both mentioned their inspiration as such using tailoring fabrics and hard woollens respectively to produce covetable dresses and coats. Junky Styling was also a prime example of the ‘opposites symphony’ as original men’s trousers and jackets were transformed into contemporary classic dresses and skirts for women. Tailoring also seemed to be the word at Anatomy.

Sometimes I have to admit to being a little disappointed at the amount of stylish men’s ethical fashion. There are certainly some labels that hit the mark (Edun, Lu Flux and People Tree to name but a few), but – as is usually the case in the fashion world- we gents get left behind a bit when it comes to new and stylish designs. Luckily, while we wait for more ethical fashion labels to deck us out in fashionable garb, we can rely on the constant flow of ethical collections for men on the high street.

The limited edition range of Fairtrade Topman t-shirts is certainly a winner for me. I particularly like the NYC cream t-shirt (above), which has a lovely edge of vintage bohemian style. The t-shirt ticks the trend box with that big monochrome screen-print, but the print avoids clichéd skull and tattoo prints which I think we’ve all become a bit bored with. Instead, the cityscape and the scrawl of French lettering gives this t-shirt the look of a Robert Rauschenberg painting or Robert Frank’s famous mix-media pictures of New York. I have just bought this one, so I will soon be wearing it, pretending I’m some sort of Greenwich Village dweller who writes novels by day and rocks out by night.

If you’re looking forward to a summer of festivals and beach parties, then the 24/7 grey t-shirt (right) might be the choice for you. The large slogan print has a Katharine Hamnett look to it, with an image of speeding lights making up the lettering. The long sleeve tops have a great retro look and they’re ideal for the beach or for huddling round a barbeque as the summer sun sets.

Topman said: “We’ve selected one of our most on trend colourways and print types in our range to ensure that we sell as many Fairtrade tee as possible. We’ve supported the Fairtrade Foundation for the last four years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  Supporting the cotton farmers and their communities via paying more competitive cotton prices is very rewarding for the buying team and brand.  It also raises awareness of Fairtrade in the male younger fashion market.”

Topman has released this limited edition range of brilliant t-shirts for Fairtrade Fortnight, but did you know they have a Fairtrade line all the year round? Topman told us: “Fairtrade Fortnight aims to raise awareness of the problem [or unfair working conditions] but Fairtrade is an ongoing project. Therefore Topman aim to have Fairtrade products available all year round.” To find more Fairtrade products by Topman, look out for the Fairtrade logo on Topman products.

The limited edition range includes two short sleeve and two long sleeve graphic options that start at just £14 (Topman has made sure that no extra costs for the Fairtrade production are passed on to the customer.) The t-shirts are available from 40 stores across the country or from Topman’s online shop.

Although being slightly disappointed that no one took my street style picture (I blame the rain and the coffee I spilt on my shirt solely for this- note: you cannot pull off a coffee stain as a ‘quirky’ design pattern), it was great to see the stylish folk at London Fashion Week pull out all the stops.

We spotted this stylish lady in the Somerset House courtyard. Channeling Chanel glamour and Christopher Kane modernity, this look is a timeless classic. Sheer fabrics are set to be big once again this coming season, but of course this look will always be a la mode.

The always stylish, always ethical label Outsider has given us a sneak peak at its new Spring/Summer collection which centres on the theme of ‘the abundance of life’. It’s a range that is bound to banish all thoughts of winter and snow with its fiery prints and sharp tailoring. George Walker takes a look at this new range of colourful and quirky couture.

Will Spring ever come? Will the snow ever stop? These are the questions many of us might have been asking over the past week, but here at Greenmystyle.com we think it’s definitely time to think warm, positive thoughts by pondering what we’ll be wearing in the hotter months of 2010. A perfect little source of inspiration for you ladies comes from Outsider’s new Spring/Summer collection which is bound to put a spring in your step with its stunning bright colours and sumptuous, ethical materials.

Outsider brought in London based designer Karen Grout to work on the theme of ‘the abundance of life’ for the new range. The quirky yet elegant pieces we’ve seen so far certainly seem to offer an abundance of style, if nothing else. Grout has used hand drawn designs of flowers, spots and hidden insects to instil a modern and unconventional edge to the classic Fifties cuts of her dresses.

All of the garments are manufactured in India at a factory which Outsider has ensured fair working conditions. The Spring/Summer line uses organic cotton manufactured in India and sustainable fabrics such as bamboo denim. All the fabrics are sourced from as nearby to the factory as possible to reduce transportation emissions.

Outsider said: “People want fashionable clothes and they should be able to buy them without worrying about the impact on the world.”

The new collection is available at www.outsiderfashion.com from March.

The Brooklyn-based sustainable designer, has a good eye for bright, bold, unusual colours and prints. In addition to owning her self titled label, Bahar Shahpar is also co-founder and creative director of The Four Hundred, a showroom dedicated to the best high-end eco fashion.

Shahpar, born in Iran and raised between Georgia, New Jersey and California, launched her first eco fashion collection, Agricult, in 2005 and has since followed it up with the debut of her self-titled label.

Shahpar is a self-taught designer with a diverse background. She has tried her hand at make-up artistry, multimedia event production, art direction, publishing and owning an art gallery in San Francisco. It was when she dabbled in designing her own line of accessories; that her passion for fashion was ignited.

Bahar Shahpar designs using only ecologically sound materials, minimizing waste and energy consumption. Shahpar’s gorgeous, eco-friendly signature pieces are urban, playful and feminine, the line balances style with substance and a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. It is clothing for a cultivated consumer.

Her luxurious designs have been featured in ELLE, NYLON, Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily.

Bahar Shahpar

Eel skin is a by-product of the food industry in Asia. However, thanks to the material’s resistance and easy absorption of dyes, eel skin is proving to be a highly stylish alternative to leather.

What makes it good for bags
Using eel skin as an alternative to leather is nothing new. Browse any vintage shop and you’re quite likely to find shoes and bags made from this material, dating back to the Second World War. Interestingly, eel skin is suppler and stronger than normal leather, and the fact that no two skins are the same means that every item made is truly unique.

Who uses eel skin
British label BoBelle, founded by Claire Watt-Smith, specialises in fair traded eel skin accessories, from handbags to dinky purses. BoBelle’s feminine clutch bag which retails at £79, is available in a smoky white hue, and is adorned with a delicate bow. This clutch comes in dusky pink, ravishing red and rioja red and is a sure-fire way to liven up evening wear.

BoBelle’s clutch bag

From girly print dresses to floral holdalls, we discover who will be adding bloom to your wardrobe for the coming months.

Start our Trends Guide here

Glamour and ethical fashion used to be as unlikey a pairing as Guy Ritchie and an Oscar. Not any more. As we move into the party season (shouldn’t every season be party season?), glamour is topping our Most Wanted list, and there are plenty of green options to choose from.

Look out for ruffles, frills and pleats, trouser suits with tuxedo style jackets, strong architectural shapes, monochromatic layering, soft sheeny fabrics, and the quintessential glamourous party dress, in all shapes but mostly, yes you guessed it, black.

Black, of course, is the queen bee of glamour’s colour palette, (or should that be black and yellow stripes – it being a bee?). And like all great Autumn / Winter seasons before this one, there’s plenty of black on offer.

There’s a heady mix of bright colours too, from magentas to emerald green, indigoes and other jewel colours hard to achieve without chemicals.  If you want to avoid these, and black too, go for golds, ivory and nudes, all of which made an appearance on the catwalk.

We’re having a love affair with Camilla Norrback at the moment, and definitely recommend you take a look at her range. Try Noir too. For these and other glamorous options, click on the thumbnails in our gallery below.

Also read Autumn / Winter 08 Trend – Bold accessories

Accessories for Autumn / Winter ’08 are loud and proud. Greenmystyle.com hunts down the most stylish ethical versions.

Don’t be shy, layer up multiple necklaces, think cuffs rather than skinny bands, try headpieces even, and add some drama. Accessories are a great way to refresh an outfit in credit crunch month. If you have time, go mooching around vintage and charity shops for unique pieces.

There are plenty of gorgeous new ethical options too. Greenmystyle.com is coveting all these pieces, chosen by stylist Aimee Watkins. Click on the images to find out why we love them, why they’re ethical, and where to buy them.

Also read: Autumn / Winter 08 Trend – New Glamour