Coterie Show 2018: PatBo and the Future of Fashion - Andrea Hernandez

On September 17th, I had the opportunity to visit the Coterie Show at the Jacob Javits Center in search of sustainability in local, global, and e-commerce fashion brands. Upon entering the lower level of the show, one was immediately drawn in by the elaborately decorated booths for various brands. Rebecca Minkoff, Loveshackfancy, and PatBo are just a few who participated in the visuals of their pop-up. The large indigenous tent in the center of the show served as food for thought as to where the fashion industry is heading. Possibly relating more to artisanal work? Indigenous regions? Sustainability? Or is it all for show? Greenwashing, the idea of making a company seem like they are supporting sustainable and ethical practices as a means to reel people in, when they really are not, was evident at the show. A handful of brands had booths that gave off an earthy aura, however,
were struggling to answer questions regarding their sustainable practices. This may be due to the fact that many were not instilling any sustainable practices into their brand at all. However, not all brands were guilty of this. As I walked around I had the opportunity to speak to brands and discuss where the future of their company was heading.

PatBo, a Brazilian fashion company was one of the many booths that had an indigenous feel and tropical plants surrounding them. (As pictured to the right). I had the opportunity to learn about the history of their brand and what it is that puts them on the sustainability map. PatBo was created in 2012 by founder Patricia Bonaldi, who had been known in her hometown of Uberlândia, for her incredible embroidery work on her couture gowns. As demand began to pick up with customs order, Bonaldi decided to turn her orders into a full company. Since then, PatBo now has 4 retail stores up and running in Brazil with much success. So where do the sustainable practices come in? PatBo takes an interesting approach to their sustainable methods. Rather than taking an environmental approach, PatBo has created a school for local artisans in Brazil to teach them the craft of embroidery for couture fashion as a means to provide opportunity for them. Sustainability is not solely focused on environmental issues but it is rather an interconnected web of social, economical, and environmental improvements in our world. As stated on their website, "More than 400 local women are now able to support their families because of the skills they have acquired." Working on improving the social and economical standing of this region will help the sustainability chain; improving one sector at a time, one person at a time.

I dug deeper when talking with the reps for the brand asking about the kind of fabrics they use or quantity of clothing to make to see if their business practices align with their social practices. I was delighted to learn that they make in small quantities and avoid any mass production; this eliminates waste in the industry. I also learned that the prints and designs on all garments are designed locally by in-house employees which cuts down on a companies carbon footprint by not shipping goods to different locations to be designed. All of these small business decisions add up to a positive effect on our environment and all fall under the sustainable umbrella. It doesn't take much to decide to interject positive practices in ones business plan however, when done correctly, it goes a long way and gains the respect of many in and outside of the fashion industry. It demonstrates that by putting people first, you will always achieve success.