dsmith2904
ONE love, blood, life
Added-Values Fashion
BY WENDY DONAHUE
Chicago Tribune
"Clothes and me, we had a difficult relationship," Ali Hewson, co-founder of the Edun line says of her youth in Ireland. "My mother made my clothes, or they came from distant relatives in America by post and had to be taken in and _"
"I thought you looked great in Wellington boots, darlin'," Edun partner and husband Bono (aka Paul Hewson), U2's frontman, interjects at a recent Saks Men's Store party for Edun in Chicago.
Similar initial awkwardness plagued the relationship between clothes and ecological objectives. But that, too, has blossomed into a happy marriage of fashion value with social values among a handful of brands (check out Gaiam.com) and designers (think of Stella McCartney).
Edun has a particularly ambitious agenda. It wants to create sustainable employment in places such as Africa and South America. It also uses sustainable, non-subsidized and organic fibers as much as possible.
"People are happy to buy clothes with a good story, but they don't want to wear hair shirts," Ali Hewson said. "We knew we could have all of these nice, happy feelings, but if the clothes weren't great, they wouldn't sell."
Selling is crucial, Bono said - certainly not for his and his wife's finances, though.
"The Africans know the truth, which is that if they had the same share of global trade that they had in the '70s, it would dwarf what we give them in aid. ... We are trying to say to other companies, `Stay in Africa.' "
On the consumer end, Edun designer Rogan Gregory has found affirmation of his work so far.
"I was in the Brooklyn Museum in an elevator and a woman was wearing Edun jeans. I asked, `How do you like your jeans?'"
She gave him the "weirdo!" glance, and he hastily explained, "`I just wonder, because I work for Edun. Why did you buy them? ... Do you know about the connection to all the deeper issues ... ?' " Gregory recounted.
"Yeah," she answered.
"But they're the best fit."
Edun clothes are available at Saks, Barneys New York and select boutiques. For more information check out the company's Web site at www.edun.ie/.
P.S. On the U2 tour, you just might see Bono in Edun's Eclipse jeans, and the Edge in Edun T-shirts. Some of the tour T-shirts also are made by Edun.
BY WENDY DONAHUE
Chicago Tribune
"Clothes and me, we had a difficult relationship," Ali Hewson, co-founder of the Edun line says of her youth in Ireland. "My mother made my clothes, or they came from distant relatives in America by post and had to be taken in and _"
"I thought you looked great in Wellington boots, darlin'," Edun partner and husband Bono (aka Paul Hewson), U2's frontman, interjects at a recent Saks Men's Store party for Edun in Chicago.
Similar initial awkwardness plagued the relationship between clothes and ecological objectives. But that, too, has blossomed into a happy marriage of fashion value with social values among a handful of brands (check out Gaiam.com) and designers (think of Stella McCartney).
Edun has a particularly ambitious agenda. It wants to create sustainable employment in places such as Africa and South America. It also uses sustainable, non-subsidized and organic fibers as much as possible.
"People are happy to buy clothes with a good story, but they don't want to wear hair shirts," Ali Hewson said. "We knew we could have all of these nice, happy feelings, but if the clothes weren't great, they wouldn't sell."
Selling is crucial, Bono said - certainly not for his and his wife's finances, though.
"The Africans know the truth, which is that if they had the same share of global trade that they had in the '70s, it would dwarf what we give them in aid. ... We are trying to say to other companies, `Stay in Africa.' "
On the consumer end, Edun designer Rogan Gregory has found affirmation of his work so far.
"I was in the Brooklyn Museum in an elevator and a woman was wearing Edun jeans. I asked, `How do you like your jeans?'"
She gave him the "weirdo!" glance, and he hastily explained, "`I just wonder, because I work for Edun. Why did you buy them? ... Do you know about the connection to all the deeper issues ... ?' " Gregory recounted.
"Yeah," she answered.
"But they're the best fit."
Edun clothes are available at Saks, Barneys New York and select boutiques. For more information check out the company's Web site at www.edun.ie/.
P.S. On the U2 tour, you just might see Bono in Edun's Eclipse jeans, and the Edge in Edun T-shirts. Some of the tour T-shirts also are made by Edun.
I think the idea behind this is gr-8! It's the ..'give them a fish for one day, or teach them to fish..' idea!! 
I just hope Edun has something in MY SIZE! hee-lol!
), but they have some nice t-shirts in the men's section that fit fine 
