Maria Cornejo will receive the Sustainability Award at the Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars gala later this month. It’s a well-earned nod for her commitment to earth-friendly fabrics and responsible design. Making changes at the textile level, which Cornejo has achieved by incorporating materials like recycled cashmere and “eco drape” viscose into her collections, presents significant financial and production challenges, but without them all the sustainability talk is just that: talk. And if there’s one thing that the U.N. Panel on Climate Change’s recently issued report makes clear, it’s that the time for talk is over. To ensure humanity’s future, now is the time for action.
Forging a more sustainable path has turned Cornejo on to the beauty and variety of textiles. This Resort collection had no shortage of news on that front, from the three-dimensional texture of the silk and linen plissé used on a loose-fitting tank dress and coat, to the softer-than-soft Japanese terry of sweatshirts and jackets, to the dry feel of the squiggle-print jacquard that appeared on a side-fastening vest. The lineup had excitement in the form of prints, as well. That squiggle print, for example, was Cornejo’s answer to the logomania of recent seasons; naturally, her interpretation is anything but first degree. There was also an eye-catching multicolored abstract motif inspired by the frenetic street culture of Tokyo. It’s the kind of print that would stand out at a gala—or just about anywhere.
