As a long-time champion of environmental causes and eco-friendly clothing, 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 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 shoot was wonderful, it included the top models of the moment–the most delightful people on the planet–and each photograph represented their favorite activity,” Tonne says joyously as we chat over the phone on a sunny-but-breezy spring day in New York. Our image this week, of the ever-effervescent Shalom Harlow, comes via Vogue’s June 2003 issue. Shot by Steven Meisel, the piece is titled “Supermodel Summer: Leaders of the Pack.” Looking through this shoot is bringing a smile to Tonne’s face. “They were so much fun to work with on this shoot. This is an example of excellent collaboration and we had the best time learning what everyone loved to do. It was pure positivity. Who doesn’t want to skydive?” Tonne says referring to the last page of the spread where Audrey Marnay is dressed for just that. “Well, not me, but some. The fun was unlimited. Literally.” In lieu of skydiving, Tonne and I decided to stick to baking. Cooking of all kinds is in fashion right now with stay-at-home and social distancing orders in place all over the country. “Baking is having a moment,” Tonne says, “it has always been a great comfort, which we see with Shalom, but now we all really have the time to enjoy the journey. All you need is quality, simple ingredients to make the best desserts. Berry season is ahead of us and a beacon of goodness. The galette is a great short cut for a fruit pie and I love how easy Melissa Clark from The New York Times makes it in her recipe. I also do a savory one in the summer with feta, tomatoes, thyme and onion.” What more can we ask for when celebrating the earth than it’s delicious seasonal treats?
NOW:
Getting a bit more into the fashion, it is hard not to see the parallels between Tonne’s love of perfected simplicity in both food and fashion. That, and her dedication to the environment. Shalom’s excellent at-home look is vintage-inspired, and is as easy as apple pie to shop out sustainably.
This week, we will start off with a tote that is versatile enough to use as a handbag or for your grocery haul. Paravel, a leader in sustainable luggage, has crafted this bag with a waterproof inner liner made from recycled plastic bottles – meaning you are spill-protected. Flour is hard to find these days with everyone trying their hand at a variety of breads and baked goods but this gluten-free, organic flour mix from Arnel’s Originals is Tonne’s go-to and, luckily, still in stock. We encourage you to act quickly!
This apron will help protect your clothes from any cooking mess. Made from 100% cotton that is sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative, a nonprofit organization that is the largest sustainable cotton program in the world, this apron will last a lifetime and, hopefully, cut down on needing to wash your clothes as the result of any small stains. Pangaia, who makes this perfectly cropped white t-shirt, shows off it’s own recipe right front-and-center: “This shirt is made from seaweed and organic cotton, with just a touch of natural peppermint.” What more can you say? Sounds nearly good enough to eat, sans cotton of course.
Ganni, the cool-girl Copenhagen-based brand, takes its environmental responsibility seriously. Not only does the eco-friendly clothing company produce garments made from organic or recycled products (they have committed to using these materials more), they also measure the carbon footprint of each piece. Ganni produces a Climate Compensated label for all garments and they cover any cost to zero out the carbon footprint. Last but not least, don’t these Baabuk boots look like a dream? Made from wool – which Baabuk, a certified B-Corp, refers to as “nature’s magic fiber” – sourced in New Zealand, these shoes are built to last. Wool itself is a renewable resource, as sheep grow their coats annually. Shearing sheep is a necessary haircut as the season’s change; it keeps them clean, agile, cool and able to continue to produce more durable, hydrophobic wool. These boots will keep you hot, cold, and everything in between for season after season, year after year.