style.comNEW YORK, September 8, 2011
By Brittany Adams
Marcia Patmos is known for more than just her innovative knitwear. She's also building a reputation as an eco-warrior in an industry that often only pays lip service to trending "green." The M.Patmos designer has been working for a while with a Japanese factory that produces seamless, "zero waste" sweaters. Also on her extended team are two women's knitting collectives in Bolivia and Nepal, which create some of the line's more delicate pieces (for example, a stripe-effect, webbed top). The CFDA has taken note of Patmos' sustainable efforts, and word is she's got a good shot at winning this year's Eco Fashion Challenge.
Today's M.Patmos Spring presentation took place at the Standard Hotel, and the sleek wooden plank backdrop fit the designer's "saving the environment one string at a time" MO well. According to Patmos, Birth of the Cool, a book that dissects the sixties California art scene, gave rise to the color palette of citron, white, and metallic. And negative spaces in New York artist Mary Judge's work inspired the various pointelle patterns. Patmos subscribes to the notion of sweaters for every season, and while her knitwear game is certainly strong, that focus can make things a bit predictable. We'd like to see a few more pieces like this collection's non-knit standouts: a long, silver drawstring skirt that can be dressed up or down, and a below-the-knee tank dress with leather paillettes.
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