Green Runway: Spring-Summer 2011

Summer is already fading away and, with moving to a new house and spending a month in Italy, I feel like it passed by much too quickly and I didn't get to truly enjoy it. Trying to hang on to it for as long as I can, I was recently looking for some inspiration and the Spring-Summer 2011 collections shown at Portland Fashion Week last October - an entirely eco-friendly event, like Vancouver Fashion Week - proved to be just what I needed. I was happy to see lots of bright solids and prints along with plenty of white pieces - and some black ones for good measure - throughout most of the shows.

Ethos Paris

I've featured pieces from this brand on my blog before (here), but I have to admit that this collection really blew me away! In my book, there's nothing better for spring and summer than a crisp white shirt or dress paired with a mix of bright colours, and this collection pulled it off beautifully.

La Vie by Michelle Decourcy

This is a collection that I found to have a very French feel - just as its name implies. There were plenty of easy, wearable looks that featured details such as stripes(!!!), bright colours and soft fabrics, so I think it is quite obvious why it has found its place among my favourites.

Project Runway's Goga by Gordana

I don't watch Project Runway, but I am incredibly happy to see that eco-conscious designers are featured on such a popular program. I was completely taken by the decidedly girly feel of the collection and I thought that the designer did a great job of accentuating the beauty of such a bright coral shade - that seemed to be quite popular throughout the shows.

Stephanie D Couture

This runway show was filled with beautiful dresses that could easily work for various occasions, be they more or less formal. I had a hard time picking just a few to showcase because, truth be told, I would slip into most of them in the blink of an eye.

Suzabelle

Although during spring and summer I try to stay away from too many dark colours, especially black, the pieces in this show captured my heart just as much as all the other, brighter looks. In keeping with the label's focus, the clothing is beautifully tailored, and features a multitude of intricate details - from bows and ties to smartly-placed pleats.

• All photos via portlandfashionweek •

PS: I've been really inspired lately and making an effort to post more regularly, something that I'm really enjoying and I hope that you are too. For even more updates, you can check out my Twitter account - I've tried to be more active and present on there too. Have a great week-end!