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.
