The “DLC” in DLC Brooklyn may stand for “Dirty Librarian Chains,” but these accessories are far from grimy or quiet. Designer Susan Domelsmith knows fashion can be sustainable, and it’s the element that makes her brand unique. Utilizing deadstock materials salvaged from the shuttered jewelry factories of Providence, Rhone Island, the fall collection pays homage to the past by giving the pieces new life. The distinctive, bold shapes of this line perfectly capture the mood of the spiritual Aztec Empire.

How can you win this spectacular Toltec Necklace valued at $175? Go to DLC Brooklyn’s Facebook page, “Like” it and leave a comment telling us why sustainable fashion is important to you. The best, most well-thought out commenter wins. Good luck!

To learn more about DLC Brooklyn and to shop the collections, visit the website here.

1. Factory Work – Working in a factory is probably the pits. Working with a factory is nearly as bad. In the current state of the world, you’re probably talking to people that don’t speak your language about very precise details.

2. Spec Sheets – Because of that factory fact, all of designs must be transferred into numbers and plugged into an excel spreadsheet. Attached to the spreadsheet is a basic outlined drawing of the garment on which you draw arrows, measurements and instructions (ie, the specifics). Tedious? Yes. Essential? Absolutely.

3. Pattern Making – Many “designers” sketch out their concepts and send it off to a pattern maker. I, however, believe that patterning is essential to the creation process and a proper designer will do it him/herself. It is mathematical and holds the key to transforming the two dimensional into the third. It is typically the step in between the draping and the sample making. Without exact patterns, it is impossible to replicate.

4. Pins and Needles – If you’re the slightest bit clumsy, your fingers might end up looking like Swiss cheese from the amount of time you poke yourself with pins and/or hand sewing needles. Also, when you start bleeding from the fingertips, remember priority #1: don’t get blood on the fabric.

5. Sourcing fabrics – From Project Runway you might think all it takes to get fabric is a solid trip to Mood. Not exactly. Many of the fabrics they carry are limited, like they’ve acquired excess fabrics from designers. That’s why they’re fabulous. But you’re going to need fabrics that you can order infinitely. It’s a catch 22 though, because many textile mills have super high minimums, like 1000 yards per order.

6. Sustainability – Designers looking to make beautiful clothing and do right by the world is going to have a tougher time at it. This means following the lifecycle of their garments from the beginning of fiber growth and spinning, through weaving textiles,  through screen printing and dyeing, through sewing and assembly, through packaging and shipping; all to ensure that the earth was minimally impacted and people were treated and paid fairly along the way.

7. Private Label – Many big companies have “in-house” labels. AKA they hire outside companies to design and manufacture these lines, and the designer will never get credit. But that might work in said designer’s favor when they’re designing for Lane Bryant and Chico’s. Or as I like to call it, Selling Your Soul.

8. Not Making Money – Fashion is a business that has historically relied heavily on slave labor. The slaves of the modern day don’t pick cotton – that’s left to machines – but rather are now called interns and are lucky to be there. Also, if you’re starting your own business, don’t expect to turn a profit for at least a year, if you’re any good.

9. Never Sleeping – If you have your own label, chances are you’re losing sleep. In fact, you should probably stop reading this and get back to work. And the closer it gets to fashion week, the less you’ll be sleeping. You simply can’t attain perfection and get eight hours of sleep a night. You can hardly get five.  Make it work with three.

10. Knock It Off – It’s going to suck when you go into H&M and Forever 21 and see your designs, being sold for a fraction of the price to people who may never know it was yours. But it’s the game we play.

Alexander Wang Vs. Forever 21

Work is work is work, but if you love it, those unglamorous moments are worth it. It’s the tireless buzz behind the scenes that allows for all the glamour that is fashion.

We know you’re fabulous, but tell us about your unglamorous fashionable duties.

Sewing Machine photo from Danielle Pettee

Let the professionals demystify concepts and words like “financial strategies” and “cut tickets” as they walk you through the process of creation. They address topics like sustainability with ease; not as its own separate “trendy green”, but rather as the norm of operating business.

Afingo has focused the Get It Made process into four categories: Idea, Business, Product, Production. From there they’ve further broken those concepts down into five or six categories each. This tool is invaluable because it allows fresh designers access to knowledge that might otherwise take years to learn and research. It’s a true fashion education in the form of a website – each topic, a different course.

It’s been exactly one month since the Afingo Fashion Forum in NYC, where major players in the industry like Cynthia Rowley, Adam Lippes, the designers of Duckie Brown, SVP of Groupon Darren Schwartz, Summer Rayne Oaks of Source4style and many more spoke with one another to an audience of future fashion pioneers. Different panelists took to the stage all day to discuss Sustainability and Philanthropy, Innovations in Fashion, being ready to Launch Your Line, Social Media and Publicity, and Iconic Wisdom. Now, wisdom like that is available to all, conveniently online.

Afingo.com will help you realize your dreams of being a clothing manufacturer – it’s up to you to be the designer.

Who is the Carrie Parry woman?

I’d say someone that’s confident and really wants to wear something that they love and also feel proud of it and where it’s coming from. Someone that goes for classics but also likes a little bit of whimsy in their wardrobe. Something they can really play with and make their own.

You worked for a number of really excellent designers. Were there any that particularly influenced your designs?

Jonathan Saunders. He taught me how to print. We used to all the silk-screening by hand. He’s amazing and an extremely talented designer. I learned how to print there and from that I started teaching printing at a studio in London, and I think that really inspires the textiles that I do.

What’s the aesthetic for next Spring?

Next season I’m looking at bringing in more color and some casual pieces. I’d say my circus influence is always going to come through, especially in the spring with the sun and everything. That’s the direction it’s going to be going in in, but also keeping with the sophistication and wearability, of course.

Circus? What was the circus like??

It was amazing. I was there for two years, two seasons. It was the Gifford Circus in England. It toured the Cotswold, which is the English countryside. I did the costumes, and I also maintained the costumes throughout the season, so it was a lot of work, but it was an experience that I’m so happy I had.

What was the craziest piece you designed for the circus?

Oh, [laughs], a foam cockerel. It was a piece that someone stepped into to become a cockerel bird. It was pretty intense. I dressed up as a frog there as well. I had lots of hats at the circus; I did the costumes, but we also had a travelling organic restaurant that my husband actually ran, and I was a dishwasher there in the evening. I dressed up as a frog before the shows to entertain the kids. So it was a fascinating experience. And I often think about going back there for a season.

How did you ever get into the circus?

At Central St. Martin’s I took a year out to get some experience. And I’d always been fascinated with the circus; I did gymnastics and dance, and I’ve kind of always wanted to be a performer in the circus. That’s not where my path led me. So my professor at St. Martins told me of this great circus where she’s from. I went down and helped with the horses for a while then got hired to help with the costumes. But being from L.A., I had never been in a field or lived in a caravan. It was just such a different type of experience that I really loved.

At Central Saint Martins, was there any focus on sustainability and social responsibility?

Unfortunately not when I graduated in 2006. Now, however, the University of the Arts, London College of Fashion and St. Martins are really ahead on teaching sustainability throughout schools, but I just missed it.

When did sustainability become important to you?

I moved out to NY and was working at an accessory design company and witnessed firsthand the environmental impact that the industry had. So we were starting to build in a socially responsible handbag line. I started doing the sourcing of the materials for it, and got really obsessed, and decided that I couldn’t work in design under [not sustainable] circumstances. So I went to work for Earth Pledge and built their textile library, and signed up for classes at the University of Delaware in their Socially Responsible Business graduate program. And then I was working with designers helping them to source their fabrics at Earth Pledge and decided that I could combine my background in fashion, and my passion and drive to promote sustainability.

On a serious note, how many times in a day does someone Freudian slip you a “Katy Perry”?

My married name is Carrie Parry. I met my husband at the circus. Everyone made fun of me. When I was trying to figure out what to name the line, it was right there: Carrie Parry.

Like what you’re seeing? Shop it all at 10% off at Début when you mention FashionIndie!

LOOK FIVE: Sustainable Pattern Mashup

The Parachute Hoodie: Christopher Raeburn, $462

Christopher Raeburn caught my attention with his collection in London for next fall. He takes discarded military material and repurposes them as slickers and other articles of clothing. Like this jacket for instance, that is made from 100% Parachute Nylon. I had been eyeing a different holy jacket down, as it was featured in its own front display, but I didn’t end up putting it with my chosen looks. That piece would suffice to live independently of an outfit; a true outer layer fit to engulf any look. This neon piece, however, seemed more the challenge: I was after some good pattern mixin’.

The Tank: Timo Weiland, $320

To suit my pattern mashing desires, Timo Weiland jumped to me once more. The sheer red-orange organic shapes that formulate on this tank completely complement the wild dotting of the jacket. But what’s on the back of the shirt, you ask? Why it’s the same tree landscape we saw on the dress in the previous look.

The Skirt: Lisa Marie Fernandez, $224

You might have sensed my affinity for neoprene at this point. Lisa Marie Fernandez shapes up a lovely little black skirt, beach- and bar-friendly.Though, I must admit, if there were to have been a brightly patterned bottom that meshed, I would have Man-Repellered it up.

The Necklace: Orly Genger, $395

This rope conglomeration collar hung from a single nail in the Orly Genger nook, and eyed me down the entire two hours I was in Début. Each mountain climbers rope speckled with neon, hand-tied knots wrapping concentrically around thick straight ones, clung together.

The Sandals: Love Is Mighty, $175

My vision for this outfit was sandals. Monisha Raja‘s vision for these sandals was environmental and social sustainability. Employing artisans from indigenous tribes across the globe, she uses traditional arts and crafts techniques and completely animal friendly materials to produce beaded sandals and bags. See the Facebook page for more about their world involvement.

Thanks to Début for a fabulously fashionable week! Check back Monday for another shop, just down the block.

Début | 298 Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10012

These days there is no doubt that times are tough. Even in the world of all things fashion and glam we find ourselves tightening our stylish belts. But editing down your wardrobe isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are benefits to being selective and limiting your fashion choices to just a few meaningful pieces; you just may find that one elusive piece that makes the perfect statement…

… For me that one piece will be my new go-to T-shirt from HOLSTEE, a new brand that was founded not only to be fashionable and functional but also to be eco-friendly and supportive of a good cause…. could it get any better??

The worn-in look of these tees not only make them super cute but also incredibly comfy. The holster-positioned pocket is great for function while the shirt itself is made from recycled materials. To top it all off the company is guided by a greater mission which is to support what its founders call “Humanitarian Sustainability.” Through a partnership with KIVA (a non-profit micro-lending venture), 100% of Holstee’s proceeds are dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs in places of extreme poverty around the world. Style and support for entrepreneurship??? that sounds right up our alley. In fact we think these shirts are such a brilliant idea we’ve contacted co-founder Dave and worked out a discount for all our lovely readers out there…

Order a shirt online and enter the discount code FASHIONINDIE for 25% off the final purchase price. 

You can also learn about their cause and follow the story of a Kiva loan to learn more about micro-lending and supporting Humanitarian Sustainability on their website  at   http://www.holstee.com/index/