"Green" Wedding Dresses ... For Real!

I adore wedding dresses and love browsing the internet and magazines seeking out my favorites to ooh and ahh over. The most perfect job for me in all the world would be to accompany brides on the hunt for THE perfect wedding gown that, not only suits the style of their wedding, but that best compliments their shape. How fun would that be!

I came across a designer who's dresses I really like and who is doing something a little different. So what so different? She is using recycled materials in her wedding gowns! How cool is that? Deborah's wedding gowns are eco friendly or "green". So, what does "green" mean? Green means the dresses were made through environmentally and conscious means.

Here's some info on Deborah you just might find interesting if you love wedding dresses.

Deborah Lindquist raised a few eyebrows when she launched a day-wear line made exclusively from recycled fabrics in 1983, long before the terms “eco” and “green” had been coined. Raised on a farm in Willmar, Minnesota, surrounded by gardens, orchards, and cornfields, Lindquist was 5 years old when her grandmother taught her to sew. “Life on the farm sparked my respect for the Earth, and I knew that if I was to make an impact in the fashion world, I would have to do so in a manner that remained true to my love for the environment,” says the 52-year-old.

Lindquist highlighted a 2005 fashion show with a wedding dress made of hemp that drew national interest – from brides who read about it in blogs to a USA Today article on help farming that featured it. So in 2007, Deborah launched a green wedding collection made entirely of recycled materials, hemp blends, and soy silks.

If the idea of wearing hemp conjures up thoughts of scratchy ill-fitted clothing, brides can rest assured that these luxurious, highly stylized gowns are more suitable for a walk down the red carpet than a stroll up Haight-Ashbury. Lindquist’s dresses have a romantic, feminine feel with a bit of an edge. Detailed lace, beadwork, and ribbons embellish her creations with an air of elegance, while flirtatious bustiers and corsets lend a cutting-edge aesthetic. In an era when greening your wedding is oh so stylish, her designs allow you to wear that environmental commitment – and look good every step of the way.
Deborah Lindquist, North Hollywood, CA, 818-762-7199, deborahlindquist.com, $935–$3,000

To find out more about Deborah and here line of wedding gowns and clothing check out her site at: www.deborahlindquest.com