My favorite accessories are those one-of-a-kind pieces designed by artists that I know are supported directly by my purchase, wherever they may be. While I'm all for finding the best prices on clothes for me and my kids, I'm also happy to splurge on a few special accent pieces, especially when I know how important the purchase can be to the people who make them. Thus, my obsession with fashionABLE. And along those lines, my newest find is the stunning selection of eco-friendly, fair trade scarves from Sophia Costas by Mia Berglund.
If you're not familiar with Mia Berglund, she's an Iranian-born, Swedish-raised designer who made her way to NYC after opening her first shop in Denmark ten years ago. How's that for a global citizen pedigree? She ended up founding The Azahar Foundation, which helps create non-violent conflict resolution for children around the world through the arts and yoga, and her Sophia Costas line of scarves helps support the NGO.
But the scarves definitely don't make style an afterthought.
Just in time for fall, she has a new collection of lightweight wool scarves for kids and adults that are just gorgeously made. They look less like something you'd see from a sidewalk seller and more like what you'd expect on the shelves at Barney's.
Featuring a repeating pattern of animal silhouettes, from afar it looks just like a cool pattern. Get closer, and you'll recognize sheep, penguins, elephants or beetles--and my own kids' obsession, the polar bears. They're not cheap, but you know, fair trade. They provide living wages to support the Nepalese women makers.
The scarves for kids have a traditional long narrow shape that's perfect for fall and the early, not-too-freezing days of winter. Sadly, they're sized perfectly for kids, meaning not for me. However there are also dozens of women's scarves and men's scarves, with the same soft, non-itchy wool and beautiful colors--just know they're pretty spendy in wool. But there are also some stunning cotton scarves, if it stays warmer longer in your neck of the woods, with designs like foxes, bluebirds, playful dots, or cool vintage stars.
Also be sure to take a look around the sale section right now where styles are more than 50% off. That light grey elephant scarf is so great looking, and for under $20 I know I could justify one of the cotton scarves. Then again, Mia Berglund gives me a whole lot of reasons to justify buying nearly anything in the shop.
Find the fair trade scarves from Sophia Costas by Mia Berglund online at her web shop.
[top image: the stylish geek via sophia costas tumblr]
