Through a series of auspicious events, Samata Pattinson fell out of fashion designing, only to fall back into it a year later, with a sustainable twist. On a whim, Samata entered the Red Carpet Green Dress global design competition, giving unknown designers a chance to eco-consciously craft a dress for the red carpet. To her surprise, she won. Fast forward to today, Samata is the CEO of Red Carpet Green Dress. And she’s a woman on mission to turn a moment to a movement.
What are you wearing?
In 2009, Suzy Amis Cameron accompanied her husband, James Cameron, to the Oscars. He was nominated for his film Avatar and she knew he would receive a lot of press. A common question on the red carpet is, what are you wearing? Suzy, being a lateral thinker, wanted to use that question as a catalyst to create and open a discussion around sustainability. Soon after, Red Carpet Green Dress was born.
Planting Seeds
Today, in 2021, Red Carpet Green Dress has evolved into a women-led global change making organisation. In addition to working with established and emerging brands to dress talent in sustainable gowns and tuxedos at the Oscars, Samata explains that Red Carpet Green Dress has also expanded their reach and message in a host of other creative ways. Their pre-Oscar event is an opportunity for designers to join with thought leaders in design, including Franz von Holzhausen, the head of design at Tesla, and converse about sustainability. Red Carpet Green Dress also hosts brand collaborations with fashion houses and companies. They have a material innovation lab in partnership with environementally responsible eco-couture textile specialty brand, TENCEL. Red Carpet Greeen Dress has also created a think tank on how to continually produce and create intelligent and thought leading content.
Shifting Mindsets
When asked how Red Carpet Green Dress has influenced the world of fashion, Samata shares that there’s been a significant mindset shift in the perception of sustainability due to their educative endeavours. Red Carpet Green Dress has continuously created excitement about sustainable design while spreading messages about human rights and inclusivity, as well as the dangers of toxic fashion. Red Carpet Green Dress has challenged the perception of what sustainability looks like from a design perspective and worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between luxury and sustainability.
2021 Design Contest
In today’s current climate, Samata remarks there’s a willingness to talk about sustainability in a way that is dramatically different than before. It’s no longer thought of as a superficial add-on or a buzzy trend, the shift in sustainable design resonates much deeper. In the 2021 global design contest, design technology meets material innovator as Red Carpet Green Dress is partnering with CLO and TENCEL. The technology behind CLO allows viewers to get up close to the creations on their screens and zoom in to see all subtle artistic nuances of the designs. According to Red Carpet Green Dress, CLO is the “market-leading 3D garment design software that allows apparel designers and brands to easily and accurately construct digital garments. With its user-friendly workflow and state-of-the-art cloth simulation algorithm, CLO provides brands with the ability to instantly see their designs come to life, while also reducing their sample lead time to as little as 27 hours.”
Red Carpet Green Dress is asking designers to submit a sketch that tells a story of decarbonisation, regeneration, and circularity. It’s time to think outside the box , and ask yourself, how can a design be worn in multiple ways by multiple generations for multiple aesthetics. This year’s judges include founder Suzy Amis Cameron, Vice President of Global Marketing & Branding of Lenzing AG and head of the company’s international marketing and branding efforts for the TENCEL and TENCEL Luxe brands, Harold Weghorst, celebrity fashion stylist Micaela Erlanger, and co-founder of Studio One Eighty Nine, Abrima Erwiah.
For full design criteria, rules, regulations, and prizes, visit their website.
