Kentroy Yearwood
Kentroy Yearwood

PARIS, Jun 27, 2008 / FW/ — In a small room filled with 5-kilo bundles of old t-shirts, Kentroy Yearwood’s presentation of his all-natural, low-consumption line, “Intoxica,” struck an interesting chord in the fashion world. This presentation represented 1% of 1 day’s worth of trash produced by a country about the size of Belgium. It was quite astonishing to see the amount of consumption that happens daily, without even realizing it.

The South American designer who studied at the Flanders Institute in Belgium believes strongly in producing clothing that people will want to invest in, both for the betterment of their own lives and for that of the planet. With the growing concern today of how our actions are affecting the carbon footprint we will leave on the world, Kentroy is actively trying to reduce consumption and emission of harmful chemicals and un-renewable sources.

Kentroy uses only fibers such as linen, silk, cotton, hemp, bamboo, and wool, which gives the clothes an airy and natural vibe. Such a collection and mission statement are not seen often in the fashion world, which is why we wonder if Intoxica can actually revolutionize how designers produce and design their collections.

In an industry obsessed with over-consumption, it is optimistic yet contradictory to believe that designers will totally change the ways they create garments in order to become eco-friendly. It is the same to believe that customers will begin consuming less in order to selflessly prolong the planet’s viability.

Kentroy says he isn’t trying to make consumers buy less, rather that he wants consumers to, “buy better.” His revolutionary, somewhat trendless line sticks out amongst the others at Fashion Week because its natural, un-dyed cottons and charcoal coated denims are juxtaposed against the usual extravagance that is Paris Fashion Week.

[LINDSAY MCCALLUM]

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