Eco Fashion Panel
Full Bios Listed Below
Leslie Hoffman, Executive Director, Earth Pledge
Leslie Hoffman, the executive director of Earth Pledge, recently shook up the fashion world with her buzz-worthy FutureFashion runway show, which debuted during New York Fashion Week in February 2008. Hoffman challenged the fashion industry by enlisting 28 internationally recognized designers from fashion houses such as Givenchy, Versace and Burberry to explore environmentally and socially responsible design for future collections.
Ms. Hoffman is a pioneer in the fields of sustainable architecture and agriculture. She holds a degree in architecture and design, and worked as a carpenter and green builder for ten years.
Since joining Earth Pledge in 1994, Hoffman has spearheaded the nonprofit’s four core initiatives: Green Roofs, Farm to Table, Waste=Fuel, and FutureFashion, all of which use research, education and demonstration to deliver viable models of sustainability to government, industry and communities. She has traveled the globe speaking to naturalists, developers, legislators, chefs and corporations about practical solutions to environmental challenges.
Under Hoffman’s leadership, the organization has received accolades from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and numerous industry and trade publications. In 2004, Earth Pledge was named an Environmental Achiever by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its work to identify and promote innovative techniques and technologies that restore the balance between human and natural systems.
Rebecca Luke, Co-founder, Sustainable Style Foundation
Rebecca Luke is Senior Stylist and Co-founder of SSF, as well as President of her own image consulting and creative services company, Les Egoistes. Rebecca has more than 15 years experience in fashion and event production, and her skills run the gamut from production, public relations and marketing services to art direction, styling, costume design, choreography and visual display. Her expertise has been honed by working with clients both locally and nationally in non-profit, retail, clothing manufacturing, TV/film, theater and the arts industries. Rebecca maintains an active role in the social and environmental issues that affect her community and has committed the resources of her company, les Egoistes, to further these causes whenever and wherever possible. Rebecca holds a BA in Marketing with an emphasis in Clothing and Textiles.
Anna Cohen, Designer
Anna Blossom Cohen worked as a designer in the fashion and textile industry in Florence, Italy for Max Mara, Patrizia Pepe, Guess and Binicocchi. She returned to the US in 2004 and worked for adidas co-designing the Women's Performance lines for the US market.
In 2004 she was one of fifteen designers selected worldwide to participate in a fashion design competiton and showcase in Florence Italy; awards were given by Ferragammo, Pucci, and Pitti Imagine. Anna has now returned to the US in Portland, Oregon, a center for sustainability, to create this “Italian street couture” line of sustainable fashion apparel.
Lizzie Parker, Designer
Lizzie Parker has leveraged her rich experience in the technology industry (she is a former Microsoft employee) to create a unique line of eco-friendly pieces made from bamboo and organic cotton that appeal to a broad spectrum of women. Parker is a member of One Percent for the Planet, an organization that contributes one percent of sales to environmental groups around the world.
Ian Yolles, VP of Brand Communications, NAU
Ian Yolles, VP of Marketing Ian Yolles has extensive executive-level leadership experience and has managed brand building and marketing activities in some of the world's most influential consumer product companies. He has direct experience building and stewarding highly successful and profitable brands that have defined and differentiated themselves based on their strong sense of social and environmental purpose.
In his current role as VP of Brand Communications for Nau, Ian manages the full spectrum of communications that define the Nau brand. He works to establish awareness of the values of Nau and through these values is building the deep and lasting relationships with customers that will be at the core of Nau's success. By employing the range of marketing opportunities presented by Nau-storefronts, catalogs, Website, advertising, PR, promotions, CRM strategies, partnerships with beneficiary organizations, and third party reports- Ian will bring the story of Nau's new way of doing business to customers in a compelling and powerful way.
Ian was the Director of Social Inventions and member of the executive leadership team for The Body Shop, where he was responsible for brand strategy and the development, promotion and application of company values, policies and procedures on environmental protection, social issues, animal protection, and public information. He has also been the Director of Marketing and member of the executive leadership team at Patagonia, where he merged his passion for the outdoors with his interest in environmental and social responsibility in business. In 1997, he became the Director of Brand Marketing at Nike where he provided strategic direction, leadership, inspiration and management in the creation and implementation of integrated marketing strategies. He worked across all marketing functions, and led the integration of marketing concepts across all business units of Nike. As part of his brand building responsibilities, he managed a $25 million quarterly brand development budget. |
