As a long-time champion of environmental causes, Tonne Goodman – legendary stylist, former Vogue fashion director, current Vogue Sustainability editor – has always been my north star on what to buy, where to buy it, when to buy it, and how to wear it. It doesn’t hurt that she is one of the chicest women I’ve ever met and I idolize her personal style as much as I do her work for both Vogue and our planet. With Tonne’s book Point of View coming out last year, we thought a joyful way to talk about the future of fashion would be to look back to some of Tonne’s greatest shoots for Vogue and breathe new life into the looks by shopping them out from sustainable clothing brands. This is a celebration of timelessness – good style is forever as are great wardrobe basics – and we already know Tonne’s edit will stand the test of time.
THEN:
“This story was actually a suiting story,” Tonne starts off our weekly chat, “this was when we would do very thematic fashion stories for the magazine.” We are looking at an image of Amber Valletta looking positively radiant in a monochrome light-khaki look. Shot by Steven Miesel, this story appeared in the August 2001 issue of Vogue. “When you think of a suit, you think of a corporate outfit so the challenge for this kind of story is to give the suit renewed life – really address every shape, form, personality.” Tonne is a pro at infusing character into basics, as we know, from jeans and t-shirts to silk slip dresses. Through her many years at the top of Vogue’s masthead, Tonne has mastered the art of giving life to pieces that would at first appear quite ordinary. This image of a rain suit is a perfect example. “The way we approached this story was to give the suits charm and the exuberance of this photograph speaks to the fun we had,” she says. It’s the end of April and in New York, so naturally we are being inundated with wet weather. Given the fact that we are all in quarantine and having nonstop grey days, this peppy approach to cloudy days is an instant mood lifter. “April showers bring May flowers,” Tonne says optimistically, “Plus, bonus, is that Amber is such a champion of sustainability. She is a very serious environmental activist.” This week I can’t help but think that Tonne has, and continues, to spin beige into gold.
NOW:
“April showers bring May flowers” is very much our cheerful tagline for this week. We are approaching this look with the optimism that Amber brought the day of this shoot in 2001. “The suit today has evolved.” Tonne states, “Classic pieces put together make a wonderful go-to uniform.” The most any of us can do to shop sustainably is to shop smarter by buying items that you can wear time and time again, mixing and matching them into your own personal uniform. Buying sustainable versions of these timeless treasures? Well, that’s a double win.
We turned to Cos to find the perfect pant and jacket combo. This light-colored anorak and pant – worn well together or separately – are made from 100 percent cotton that is sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative – a not-for-profit organization which is the largest sustainable cotton program in the world.
Let’s be honest, we all need the perfect white t-shirt at the ready. This one is a hemp and cotton blend from Jungmaven. Hemp is a natural fiber that has a low impact on the environment and has antibacterial properties so it breathes better than other fabrics. For accessories, let’s first highlight the bucket hat from Conner, a company specializing in handmade hats using environmentally-friendly materials such as organic cotton and, in some cases, algae. Conner will also donate 25 trees for each item bought.
For jewelry is this stunning recycled gold Prounis ring featuring an antique moonstone which is also handmade, in this case locally in New York. Jean Prounis started making jewelry to celebrate her family’s treasures and artifacts. This ring is no doubt something to buy now and hold on to forever as a precious investment. Last but not least, there is no doubt that the sneaker brings both a cool factor and practicality to this look. This Thousand Fell sneaker is a “closed loop” sneaker – meaning the lifecycle of the shoe starts as sustainable as it ends. First, it’s made with things that make it sound more like a smoothie than footwear – aloe vera, sugar cane, coconut husks – and then some recycled rubber and recycled plastic bottles for good measure. When you’re done with the shoe, Thousand Fell provides a return label so you can send them back and they will responsibly recycle them to prevent more footwear in landfills. And, luckily, they don’t cost as much as their name might suggest. The best part of this look is that while any clothing purchase is an investment in your wardrobe, these classic pieces come in at varying price points, proving that __sustainable clothing isn’t always more expensive than conventional options.