Designer spotlight: Laura Siegel

Source: Best Health magazine, January/February 2014

Laura Siegel was enrolled at the Parsons School of Design in New York City when she took a year off from school to travel the world. Backpacking through India, Peru and Bolivia, the Toronto native was fascinated by traditional textile handicrafts she saw in these communities’hand knitting and embroidery, block printing and tie-dye. Siegel sought to incorporate these diverse techniques into her own designs by partnering with the skilled artisans. Her travels and collaborations shape her designs, as well as enable artisans to sustain their crafts and communities. (An example: The Khatri family in Ajrakhpur, India, has made hand-block printed fabric for 10 generations; giving business to this region helped to rebuild it after a devastating earthquake in 2001.) In Siegel’s spring collection (worn by the model above), some pieces incorporate recycled elements: ‘We collected saris from women in rural villages who were going to throw them out,’ she says. The fabric was cut into strips and handwoven into the garments, making each piece one-of-a kind.

Below, left to right: Block printed maxi dress ($315); kaftan woven with recycled saris ($320); tie-dyed dress ($485).

This article was originally titled "Homegrown fashion" in the January/February 2014 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience’and never miss an issue!