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Global conservation organisation WWF has teamed up with Massey University to launch a new green competition for the university’s design students. In support of Earth Hour (on the 27th March this year) the Eco-innovations competition will reward creative work in a broad range of media that promotes sustainability. 

The competition aims to demonstrate that creative solutions to climate change and sustainable living are possible through our bright young design talent.

Entries close on the 15th March and shortlisted solutions will be displayed on the WWF web site – www.wwf.org.nz from 19 March. The winners will be announced just before earth hour on Saturday 27th March.

The panel of expert judges includes Starfish’s own designer Laurie Foon as well as award winning Wellington architect Ian Athfield, innovative furniture designer David Trubridge and  2009 NZ Arts Foundation Laureate, photographer Anne Noble.

In a brilliant mix of ecology and fashion, Starfish have teamed up with Project Crimson to produce a second round of fund raising tee-shirts.

A great Christmas gift idea, the tees cost just $55 with all proceeds going towards Project Crimson’s efforts in replenishing NZ’s  pohutukawa and rata trees (of which over 90% have disappeared from our coastline).

Purchase your tee from our Starfish stores, online at www.projectcrimson.org.nz, or by calling 0800 pohutukawa.

Designed, made and printed in New Zealand

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Waitaki Dam Starfish, in partnership with Meridian Energy, joined forces and used the dam as a spectacular backdrop to shoot Starfish’s Winter 2010 range – Brave New World.

Meridian Energy suggested the location after they and fashion label Starfish formed a business partnership based on their common interest in sustainability. Meridian spokesperson Alan Seay said the pairing of the fashion label and the dam made perfect sense – “Inviting Starfish to shoot at the Waitaki Dam seemed like the most fitting way to showcase our joint efforts and pay a modern tribute to an icon of sustainability on its 75th anniversary.”

Returning from the shoot  Starfish founder Laurie Foon says that she couldn’t imagine a better experience or location. “It was a really great experience to be in such an awe inspiring place, the detail is splendid. We were wondering how it would work but now we’re dreaming of holding a fashion show in there. It was also humbling to think that the Waitaki Dam was hand made (literally by pick and shovel) by Kiwis back in the days of the Great Depression.

At the end of the day we hope this shoot will show that you don’t have to dress down to care for the environment and that eco-friendly fashion can be fabulous.”

THIS YEAR STARFISH HIT THE CATWALK WITH A FIRST AT ANZFW, PRESENTING A COMPLETE SHOW OF ECO-FRIENDLY GARMENTS.

This season the team at STARFISH were set the ambitious goal of presenting a show where every garment had to not only look wonderful but had to also incorporate eco fabrics, trims and/or manufacturing techniques.
Founder and head designer Laurie Foon says that “with recent shows we’ve been close, but this time we’ve finally managed to deliver the desired blend of progressive styling, wearability and eco-consciousness across every single garment. 
It really is an exciting milestone and we hope the show demonstrates that you can still be glam while considering the environment.”
Starfish’s Winter 2010 Collection: Brave New World is inspired by an era of adventure and discovery when spirited individuals pushed boundaries and opened up new possibilities.  
It is interpreted throughout the collections’ confident silhouette and uniform–esque features.  It also reflects the labels groundbreaking journey in the field of sustainable fashion and it’s innovative use of natural and recycled fabrics including New Zealand grown and knitted merinos, bamboo and silk blends, Tencel, organic cotton and a breakthrough recycled fibre mix, Koplon.
Foon says that ultimately Starfish’s aim is to create beautiful garments with as minimal impact upon the earth as possible. 
“This is the essence of Starfish, and what gets us out of bed in the morning.”

To all of our LAURIE FOON followers, it is with a tinge of sadness that we are saying farewell to our LAURIE FOON label, with the winter ’09 collection – Amazing Rare Thing – being the last collection that we will produce.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over the past 7 years and hope that you’ve enjoyed wearing your LAURIE FOON garments as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them to you. I also hope that each LAURIE FOON piece will continue to have a special place in your wardrobe over the years to come.

Saying goodbye wasn’t easy but the decision to discontinue LAURIE FOON comes from the stronger desire to focus on STARFISH and our commitment to using fabrics, trims and manufacturing techniques that have minimal environmental impact. It also comes from a desire to simplify things so that I, and everyone else involved with STARFISH, can spend a little more time with family and friends, and focus on other things in life that are important.

Just so you know, while we may be saying goodbye to the LAURIE FOON label we promise to embody part of the LAURIE FOON character within every STARFISH collection. So thank-you once again for your support over the years, and make sure that you pop into a Starfish store to see us as I’m sure we’ll be able to find something special for you.

All the best
Laurie