Eco Fashion In The Park

 Have you every travelled to the top of Manhattan for a fashion show? Highbridge Park was host to an eco fashion event featuring upcycled, recycled runway of sustainable fashion design.

The park does feature a high bridge built in 1848 to carry Croton Aqueduct water across the Harlem River. The park was recently re-opened after 40 years after a 61 million refurbishment. The bridge served as the quarter-mile pedestrian runway to the five fashion designers who showed their eco-friendly fashion collections.

Stylist Gina Constanza organized the community event after discovering her passion for sustainable clothing while working with it for fashion segments on Dominican television. Participating fashion labels included  Sarah Bacchus works natural fabrics, Dominican-born Martin Polanco, Kymistry Designs, Amparo3 and Sohung Designs, whose signature zipper-embellished work is a favorite at Chelsea Market and dominate a few places in my own closet.

The event also included a large clothing swap. The entire community was invited bring gently used clothing to trade with each other in a stylish set-up with help in re-styling. Local businesses provided frozen treats and snacks to keep everyone fed and hydrated. City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez was a collaborator on the fashion show. He helped the get the word out that drew an impressive turnout for a park that wasn't that easy to get to (at least for me).

For anyone who had not seen the re-opened park yet, this was an awesome introduction. The sun was shining, there was a bevy of models in eco-chic fashion that took a long, hot walk down one of the unique runways that the city could offer. For anyone who wanted to learn about being stylish while reducing their carbon footprint, this was a community event that had a lot of heart. Congratulations to all the fabulous peeps in the Heights!