The Oscar Worthy (and Sustainable) Dress

Mar 4, 2013 4:30 PM ET
Campaign: CSR Blogs
Photo Credit: Red Carpet Green Dress Website

SANGEETA HAINDL

What the stars wear on the night of the Oscars is all very much part of this gala Hollywood evening, with celebrities navigating the five-hundred-foot red carpet in their elaborate designer gowns and very high heels. To ensure that some integrity is put back into the red carpet display so that it is not completely vacuous, "Red Carpet Green Dress" was launched in 2009 to highlight the importance of sustainable fashion, and also to fundraise for MUSE Global and MUSE School, in Los Angeles.

Essentially, Red Carpet Green Dress is a clever international social innovation dress design contest started by Suzy Amis Cameron, an environmental advocate and wife of film director James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic). Now in its fourth year, this contest sets designers across the world the challenge to create an Oscar® worthy dress made sustainably.

This year's 2013 winner is designer Michael Badger; his creation was worn on the red carpet at the 85th Academy Awards® by the actress, Naomie Harris. Legendary designer Dame Vivienne Westwood mentored Badger, who not only used an organic cotton thread for hand embroidery, but also ensured the gown was made of a Global Organic Textile Standard certi?ed organic silk crepe de chine. It was embroidered with old vintage glass beads from the '20s through the '60s and chocolate candy wrappers. Standard reclaimed zippers were sourced, while the dying process used goldenrod and a renewable biodegradable natural plant source, chamomile, used medicinally and for chamomile tea. Since there were no water pollutants or chemicals used, any waste produced was transferred to a compost heap.

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Sangeeta Haindl is a staff writer for Justmeans on Social Enterprise. When not writing for Justmeans, Sangeeta wears her other hat as a PR professional. Over the years, she has worked with high-profile organizations within the public, not-for-profit and corporate sectors; and won awards from her industry. She now runs her own UK consultancy: Serendipity PR & Media.

Photo Credit: Red Carpet Green Dress Website