Nano fibers and babydoll dresses mark Bahar Shahpar’s Fashion Week flows

By Gabrielle Pantera

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 10/14/07 — Bahar Shahpar’s styles are classic and very feminine. “I want women to feel feminine and these are wearable by any body type”, says Shahpar. We eyed the baby-doll dress in her spring collection with red-and-white zigzag stripes. Would it be wearable for someone with hips was the first question, what with waif-like models running about. “Yes”, says Shahpar. “The fabric is flowing and not clingy. It will be very feminine on any body type. This dress skims the body with the zigzag stripe and doesn’t emphasize the hips. It’s very flattering.”

Her line is created using sustainable materials, not just recycled but organic and low impact on the environment. “The fabrics I use are organic cottons, linens, silk blends, organic wool, conventional silk and Ahismsa. That’s a hand loomed silk made from discarded silkworms. These silk worms are not harmed, which is approved by animal rights activists.” One can only imagine the tortures the other designer worms go through.

She also uses Tencel, the first cellulose fiber to draw its strength from nano-technology. Tencel, which we would spell in capitals with a registered logo if we were capitalist lackeys, made from wood pulp cellulose, offers a unique combination of the most desirable properties of man-made and natural fibers. It’s soft like silk, as strong as polyester, as cool as linen, as warm as wool and as absorbent as cotton. The fabric was awarded the European ECO Award and is being hawked to people with sensitive skin.

Shahpar feels that environmental responsibility falls equally on both the manufactures and the consumers to make sure we’re all our doing are part. “Half the responsibility is on the consumer”, says Shahpar. “But the other half is on the manufacturer. When I contact a supplier about zippers, for example, I ask what their environmental stance is.” She likes to source materials locally to cut down on transportation costs and environmental impact. She even uses vintage trims and natural buttons. “My design style is feminine and fun…and wearable for anyone”, says Shahpar.

A self-taught designer from Brooklyn, she debuted her eco-friendly Agricult womenswear line in 2005. Sustainability is the cornerstone of Shahpar’s manufacturing philosophy. She produces locally in New York with designs that use only ecologically sound materials, minimizing waste and overall energy consumption. Shahpar is co-owner of Showroom Four Hundred, a new sales showroom and brand development agency focusing on high-end, fashion-forward sustainable design companies.

www.baharshahpar.com

www.showroomfourhundred.com