We’ve highlighted a few quality eco-finds since LDB started. We love hearing how designers are concerned with using techniques, fabrics or materials that are socially conscious and working to protect our planet. But I have to be honest. I’ve said it before that eco-friendly doesn’t always equal eco-fashion. And I can NEVER in good faith, recommend a product that doesn’t reflect great design.

So, I’m thrilled to introduce you to a new designer who has made a commitment to using environmentally friendly methods since she was a little girl…long before it was trendy. And, what’s better…her designs are so fabulous and becoming widely recognized in green fashion circles. With an extensive background in design and a specific focus on timeless, classic looks (my favorite!) Melissa Baswell and Mountains of the Moon is carving out a place in modern fashion. This was one of the most intriguing interviews I have had with a designer so far! I love her honesty and integrity in the way she talks about her designs. I hope you enjoy reading it!

LDB: It seems that each of the pieces in your collection has a specific design inspiration. Tell us about that.

Melissa: In general, whenever I am designing a new piece, I keep in mind that sustainable design is about much more than just using eco-friendly materials. Sustainable design has to reject the concept of disposable fads and instead possess a style that is classic and timeless (but with modern wearability). Because of this, I have done a lot of research into vintage fashion, and have found inspiration in design that has, for lack of a better phrase, “stood the test of time.”

In that sense, I find myself inspired by the style sense of 50s and 60s fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Edie Sedgwick, even if the pieces I create don’t appear to be directly influenced by them. Even though the Audrey Dress, for example, is a mock wrap dress and nothing like anything Audrey Hepburn ever wore, the lines are clean and the cut is classic. Those adjectives always come to mind when I visualize Hepburn’s wardrobe choices. Another example is the Coco Dress. Coco Chanel’s design work was

Coco Dress

incredibly menswear-inspired, and this dress is very feminine. But it represents her efforts to create designs that were simple, but that possessed a very dramatic flair that made women feel beautiful and unique.

LDB: I’ve read that your concern with creating recycled pieces began at a very early age. How did you get started creating eco-fashion and what do you think sets your label apart from other eco-friendly brands?

Melissa: Despite my passion for the environment from a very young age, my original attempts at creating eco-fashion weren’t even realized at the time. It just made sense to use my mother’s left over fabrics growing up, and then when I started sewing for my friends, it was obviously much more affordable to recycle thrift store pieces. I was working as an intern for an environmental non-profit in college when I started to really comprehend how eco-friendly it was to be reusing in this way, which motivated me more than ever. This was in the mid to late 90s, and at the time, eco-fashion wasn’t even a term yet. Around this time, I also started working with hemp and organic cottons. Fabric choices were very limited, but I really enjoyed working with materials that I knew were making a positive impact on the Earth, and I liked the challenge of creating really stylish designs from fabrics that were so raw.

My focus has always been on designing chic clothing that is also sustainable, but there are actually many other designers doing that recently as well. So more than anything, I think the main thing That sets Mountains of the Moon apart from other eco-friendly brands is that we’ve created a unique niche for ourselves. We’re designing very wearable, on trend pieces, but they are designs that can also be wardrobe staples forever. We’re not designing eco-friendly apparel that is based on trends so much that it won’t be “in style” next season, but we’re also not creating stereotypically “granola” pieces. I really try to design clothing that will make the most discerning fashionista feel chic and stylish, but that can also be worn on many occasions, for many years.

Candy Wrapper Dress

We also produce locally, which is important to us. We can visit the manufacturer and really be a part of the process, we’re helping the local economy, and we’re also keeping our carbon footprint low. In addition, we organize events with local environmental organizations and donate to environmental groups. It is very important to me to be as eco-consious as possible with my company, not to just throw around the “green” label because it’s trendy right now.

LDB: What do you enjoy most about the process of creating a new item?

Melissa: I love the very beginning, when I’m creating mood boards. When I do a mood board, it’s non-traditional, in that it’s usually a box of things I put together that includes fabric swatches, pictures of nature and the city, sketches, etc. I also absolutely love fashion illustration. Drawing is my first love. It’s very exciting to put all of these things together and then transform it into an actual garment sample.

LDB: What has been the most exciting experience for you since beginnning this business?

Melissa: There have been many exciting experiences, but the one that probably stands out the most is the recycled candy wrapper dress I made that was exhibited at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art last fall during Chicago’s fashion week. The MCA has been one of my favorite museums since I was a child, and to have one of my designs there, especially one that was sustainable, was a pretty amazing feeling.

LDB: Which piece in your collection are you the most proud of?

Melissa: The Coco Dress is probably my favorite piece. It’s so much my own style. One thing you have to consider as a designer is that as much as you need to love what you create, you can’t only create pieces for yourself. This dress is something that I wear constantly and really defines who I am as a designer.

LDB: Where would we find you when you aren’t working?

Melissa: Well, I am usually working, but when I find some cherished free time, I am usually relaxing with my boyfriend and dog. I’m also a huge live music fan. My boyfriend is the Stage Manager for a band, so occasionally I’ll take a trip with them. LAs year we went to Amsterdam, Paris and Bruges (Belgium), Jamaica, San Francisco, Boston, New York…I love being able to see these places and have music involved. I also do side work in the music industry. I work as a stylist for several bands, design merchandise, produce eco-fashion shows and speak on sustainable design at music festivals. But we’re talking about NOT working here, right?

LDB: Do you have a favorite online or boutique shop?

Melissa: Oh, I have so many! I love smashingdarling.com. They are unique in that they really make an effort to promote emerging and independent designers, which is so important to the future of fashion, eco and otherwise.

Mountains of the Moon is becoming a reputable name in Chicago and soon will be a label that the rest of the country will know, too. Melissa’s commitment to a sustainable process is one that many designers can learn from and her love for the creative process is great fun to watch.

And the good news for LDB readers…you can enjoy Mountains of the Moon at 30% off this week! But hurry, the offer ends July 2nd. Just type in coupon code: WA30 at checkout to receive the discount.