Kristinit/ Anita Arze Trunk Show

It was a beautiful LA day when eco-friendly designers Kristina Lenss and Anita Arze hosted a trunk show and sample sale at the House of Love and Luck on La Cienega. I had the opportunity to glimpse and purchase (at a ridiculous 70% off) their Spring 2010 collections, while also enjoying yummy treats and drinks and drooling over the vintage jewelry that was offered at the House of Love and Luck. The designers will donate a percentage from each garment sold would benefit the Pachamama Alliance- whose missions are “to preserve the Earth’s tropical rainforests by empowering the indigenous people who are its natural custodians” and “to contribute to the creation of a new global vision of equity and sustainability for all.”

A little about the designers:

Kristina Lenss- designer of Kristinit. She designs with not just style in mind, but the environment as well. She uses organic fabrics, local manufacturing and fair trade. Her inspirations come from nature, love and life. Named “One to Watch” by Lucky Magazine, she is a favorite among celebrities like: Eva Mendes, Scarlet Johansson, Zoe Deschanel, and Finola Hughes. I tried on a couple of her pieces and adored them. One of which is a cute brown babydoll dress with sweetheart neckline with lace inserts, ruffled straps and pockets. This dress was inspired by vintage lingerie of the 30’s and made from organic cotton/cupro blend. The lace inserts along the neckline were handmade by coop women in Brazil, which allows them to preserve their traditional weaving skills and provides them with work. The dress retails for $375. For more information on Kristinit, go to www.kristinit.com, or email her at kristina@kristinit.com and she is also on Facebook!

Anita Arze-Designer of Anita Arze Collection. Anita looks back to her cultural roots of Bolivia to get inspiration for her eco-conscious line of ponchos, wraps, cover-ups, etc. Her mission is to ‘drive sustainable employment in developing countries.’ Her garments are made from Peruvian Pima Cotton and alpaca and are either hand-crocheted or hand-knit. The knitted masterpieces are well-made and would be great worn from day-to-evening. For more information, please go to www.anitaarze.blogspot.com or email her at anita@anitaarze.com.

SPECIAL THANKS: House of Love and Luck (www.houseofloveandluck.com), J, Anita Arze, Kristina Lenss, Erin (Eba) Weber, and Pachamama Alliance (http://www.pachamama.org)