SHORT TAKES New Eco Lines From Piper & Skye, Aera, Monique Morin Lingerie
Invasive python leather, vegan shoe styles for summer and a new Marimekko collaboration.
NEW MATERIALS
Piper & Skye, a luxury Butterfly Mark- certified leather accessories brand, is partnering with materials maker Inversa Leather.
In a unique stride for ecosystem preservation, Inversa Leather taps invasive species like the lionfish or invasive python to make its regenerative leathers. In this newest collaboration available now, Piper & Skye employs Inversa's invasive python leather. Introduced accidentally from
Southeast Asia, the nonnative Burmese python is vastly overpopulated in the Florida Everglades National Park and surrounding region.
The park was named a UNESCO world heritage site for the ongoing degradation of its aquatic ecosystem, in part from invasive species.
Piper & Skye's styles include the Soho bag, a classic top- handle bag which retails for $ 940, and the Braemar tote, which retails for $ 1,250. The Soho bag's exterior is made with Inversa's invasive python using responsibly sourced leather on the interior, while the Braemar tote's exterior is a blend of Inversa leather with pirarucu fish and alligator leather, said to be more “sustainably” sourced.
“As for our leathers, this is where our Butterfly Mark certification comes in. We have undergone an ESG+ assessment performed by Positive Luxury to assess our business model, including sourcing activity. Piper & Skye score 46 percent above certification standard,” said a brand spokesperson.
All styles are made in the U. S., available now at Piperandskye. com and soon to be sold at indie boutiques and experimental shop Showfields.
NEW LINES
From lingerie to footwear, luxury is being redefined with sustainable values.
Luxury footwear B Corp Aera launched its newest drop of crystal heels for the summer. Aera's signature vegan shoes span five core styles for summer. The styles include Vivien, a classic strappy high heel, Jackie, a flat patent slide, Gabriella, a closed-toe strappy pump, Claudia, an open-toe strappy pump and Anna, a knitted chunky sandal. Liza is the crystal- embellished version retailing for $ 745. New colorways span mustard, black, green, burgundy and metallic tones with prices starting at $ 425 for the flat and up.
The shoes are sold online and at Nordstrom, The Conservatory and Figure Eight, a luxury multibrand pop- up store in Manhattan's
SoHo neighborhood. Founded in 2019, the label is the brainchild of founder and fashion industry veteran Tina Bhojwani, who counts design positions at DKNY, Theory and Dolce & Gabbana, among others. Made by traditional artisans in Veneto, Italy, Aera looks to preserve craft.
In other eco- strides, luxury lingerie label Monique Morin Lingerie introduced its newest sustainable styles for its “Vertigo” collection.
A former designer at L Brands, the eponymous founder and creative director Morin started her brand in 2017. Her label is currently sold online and at Wolf & Badger, a sustainable retailer in
New York City. The brand's assortment ranges from $ 29 to $ 79 at retail.
Morin said the collection represents a testament to the brand's ongoing sustainability journey as both the
Vertigo and Wild Lace bestselling collections employ Evo bio- based threads ( a biodegradable yarn made from castor oil). Recycled components are also a common fixture in her designs.
“We firmly believe that high quality, captivating design and sustainability can seamlessly coexist. The Vertigo collection embodies this philosophy, showcasing our dedication to using renewable materials to create innovative and exquisitely beautiful lingerie,” she told WWD.
NEW COLLABS
Finnish design house Marimekko is partnering with vintage mainstay Beyond Retro to introduce two pre- loved pop- up shops, one in Stockholm and another in Helsinki.
Opening June 9 to
24, the assortment will include vintage Marimekko, spanning iconic prints and styles from the ‘ 60s to the ‘ 90s. The pop- up will also feature a rolling exhibit of dresses from each decade, all available for purchase, to showcase the brand's evolution over time.