Situated in the newest trendy neighborhood of South Main in Vancouver, sustainable style shop, body politic, is engineering a greener future in shopping. Destination shopping has come full circle. Not only does body politic carry the hottest independent eco and sustainable labels from coast to coast, but the true reason to travel to South Main is the urban design oriented aesthetic.
Owner Nicole Ritchie-Oseen edits her showcased collections to include a fresh mix of LA’s most well known green designers, like Stewart + Brown and Perfectly Imperfect, to the upcoming fresh faces of Vancouver’s eco scene, including Elroy and Noir bonbon. One thing is for sure, at body politic shoppers know they are not only making a conscious ecological choice to support local North American manufacturing, but also have confidence that all their purchases represent the sustainable, limitless design philosophy her shop was built upon.
Eco elements were added to the entire space while still maintaining much of the space’s design integrity; from the energy efficient lighting to the repurposed antique furniture pieces housing some of the boutiques accessories and adornments. The raw concrete walls help to balance out the vibrant light shining through the stores huge windows, while the neutral color fabrics and dark Mahogany wood help to subdue the vibrant colors and designs of the Spring/Summer 2010 collections.
Here’s an insider secret- take a trip down Main away from the over crowed shops to body politic for the personalized shopping and warm boutique atmosphere found nowhere else in the city. You will walk away from the experience with not only a eco friendly shopping bag full of fashionable finds (some exclusive to body politic), but just ask the owner what her best kept secret is….A few of her designers carried make pieces specifically for body politic (if you love a piece that you didn’t think came in an eco fabric alternative …think again, body politic may just have it). She has this special sort of relationship where many of her designers make green pieces specifically for her store to keep with the sound philosophy of its owner.
body politic is proving that green boutiques don’t have to be full of uninspired casual athletic wear, but can assert itself a major player in fashion’s big league. Owner Nicole Ritchie-Oseen says, “At body politic we began with the belief that sustainable and eco-friendly clothing didn’t mean sacrificing style. The goal was to fuel our absolute love of fashion and distinct style without compromising our environment, our community, or ourselves!”
Steve is a urban farmer who has created a french-intensive, biodynamic starting an edible gardening company in LA. He has transformed his 3,000 square ft. childhood backyard in West L.A., from a shaded field of weeds and 50 foot trees into a sun-soaked, Bio-intensive, urban mini-farm. It’s just the beginning for the home of a CSA, an educational garden and an edible garden building company!
