A DJ spins tunes at Magic Market Week
By Laura Ferreiro
With temperatures soaring well above 100 degrees, Las Vegas sizzles in the summer. Things got even hotter during MAGIC Market Week when the fashion tradeshow descended on the Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay Convention Centers in the legendary gambling town in August.
MAGIC features some of the fashion world’s biggest clothing, footwear and accessories brands showing off their wares to the approximately 80,000 attendees who determine which fashions will be available in shops around the world. Music and fashion often go hand-in-hand, and musicians including Carlos Santana and Fergie showed off the fall and spring styles of their shoes and accessories lines.
What’s more, it’s becoming increasingly more common for brands to support good causes and use environmentally sound practices to produce their products. In addition to TOMS, which spearheaded the “one-for-one” movement in which they help a person in need with every product sold, we met with brands that donate a large percentage of their sales proceeds to important causes and those that help local artisans in economically disadvantaged communities around the world. Here are a few up-and-coming brands that stood out:
Cozy Orange show off their wares at Magic
Cozy Orange makes yoga and casual wear out of recycled materials. From its fabrics to its packaging, the company takes care to use recycled and/or reusable materials, and you’d never guess it because they’re incredibly soft and well, cozy. The company strives to protect the earth’s resources while producing well designed clothing to keep people active and healthy. Cozy Orange also matches customer donations to World Vision, an international organization that works to end child poverty.
Stubble and Stache founder Nicholas Karnaze
Stubble & ‘Stache was founded by Nicholas Karnaze, a former special operations Marine, in honor of fellow soldier Justin Hansen who was killed while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan in 2012. Hansen was known for growing epic beards, and Karnaze grew his beard for Hansen’s funeral. He then discovered that beards can be dry, itchy and abrasive, and decided to create a line of products to help combat these problems. What’s more, Stubble & ‘Stache donates 15% of its profits to charities supporting wounded heroes and their families, with particular interest in organizations combating post-traumatic stress, depression, and other mental wounds.
Studio Pennylane creates unique jewelry, journals and glasswear that share a distinct design element in common: the penny. Following a tragedy in the life of a friend, Pennylane founder Laurie Libman-Wilson is using her passion for fashion and bringing about positive change in the world through Pennylane jewelry. She chose to use the penny as a symbol of gratitude, abundance and mindful change, reminding people to take a moment to think about something they’re grateful for every time they see a penny.
Check out Libman-Wilson’s moving TEDx talk:
Pura Vida Bracelets provides well paying jobs for Costa Rican artisans
Pura Vida literally translates to “Pure Life” in Spanish, but it’s a phrase Costa Ricans have adopted and use constantly to express their appreciation of all aspects of life. San Diego-based Pura Vida Bracelets works with Costa Rican artisans to produce handcrafted bracelets that provide them with full-time jobs. They also donate a percentage of sales proceeds to the Surfrider Foundation to protect and preserve oceans and beaches around the world. Pura vida indeed!
We all know Carlos Santana is a legendary guitarist and performer, but we didn’t realize that he channeled his unique sense of style into a footwear collection for women. It features alluring high heels, flats, sandals and boots with an abundance of colors and animal prints. What’s more, a percentage of sales proceeds goes to the Milagro Foundation, charitable organization that makes grants to community-based organizations that work with children around the world in the areas of the arts, education and health.