Photo: Naj Jamai / Courtesy of Hiraeth
How does one define the Victorian style? Miles and miles of silk? Feathery embellishments for the evening? Quality leather for men? These are the old and classic interpretations of the said fashionable era, but now, it’s a whole different story. Now, the leathers are vegan and the silks were traded in for organic cotton. That opulently romantic style that designers often touch on was approached with a sustainable mindset by an unlikely new designer, Rooney Mara. Her brand, Hiraeth, is all about highlighting eco-friendly fashions, and for Fall 2019, she took on Victorian style with a modern sensibility but with classic sophistication. A cotton white shirt, for instance, was made into a dress with slightly puffed shoulders and a black vegan leather belt cinching the waist. A structured skirt-suit evoked a strong and rigid shape with its elegant and organic brocade material. And in the evening? An immaculately delicate tiered dress with lace trimmings and slightly sheer finish. Each piece was more beautiful than the next, but what was most striking about them was that they never harmed any facet of the environment in the process!