I was a judge for this year’s Seamless in Seattle contest sponsored by Seattle Magazine, which awarded recognition to emerging designers. I met designer Renee Corrick through that experience and was impressed with her innovative designs and the eco-friendly fabric she chooses for her line Six Degrees.

If this New York Fashion Academy graduate is new to you, I’m happy to be introducing you to her. If you saw Renee in the September issue of Seattle Mag, here’s an update on what this up-and-comer is up to.

Alison Brownrigg: How long have you been designing?

Renee Corrick: Actually, my first collection debuted in April 2009. I’ve since added a couple more pieces to the collection, but I’m looking forward to creating Fall 2010. Right now, I’m in the middle of exploring new eco-fabric options, as I’d like to include more knits in my next collection for increased versatility.

AB: What came first: a desire to design or your interest in eco-friendly fabrics?

RC: Definitely my desire to design. However, the more I learned about textiles and their impact on the environment, the more jaded I became about pursuing a career in what I thought was essentially an environmentally challenging industry. It wasn’t until I moved to Seattle and started researching the variety of eco-friendly fabrics available that I became excited once more to try to break into the fashion industry.

AB: What are your criteria for an eco-friendly fabric?

RC: Any combination of organic, sustainable and ethically/responsibly produced. Preferably all three.

For example, any cottons that I use are organic. Since regular cotton is grown with so many pesticides, using organic cotton is really important to me. I use some color-grown fabrics where there are no dyes or bleaching agents used, but where I do use colored fabrics, the dyes used are nontoxic, safe and low-impact.

AB: What is your favorite fabric to work with?

RC: Hemp/silk charmeuse features often in my current collection -- I love its visual impact. I also use an organic wool/bamboo blend that is a dream to sew (and wear!). I have to say, I really love all the fabrics I work with, and I’m looking into incorporating some soy based knits that feel so silky smooth.

AB: Other than using eco-friendly fabrics, what sets you apart from other designers?

RC: My real focus for the future of my label, Six Degrees, is using it as a platform to benefit women and children in impoverished countries.

I was in Africa a few years ago and saw so many women still using human-powered, treadle-like sewing machines to create fantastic traditional clothing. Their skills and the fabrics they used really inspired me. Someday soon, I’d like to work with women like them, really refine their construction skills and have them act as my vendors. That way they can learn business skills, have a market for their products and really gain financial independence so they can put their children through school and build stronger communities.

The name Six Degrees was inspired by my vision for the future of the company: that every person can be connected to any other person on the planet by six degrees of separation. The idea for my whole concept is that by purchasing products from Six Degrees you could be directly helping improve the way of life for someone on the other side of the world!

That is my dream, and I hope that if people really start to gravitate towards my designs and ideas, that I can find a way to implement this plan. For now, I’m just starting by sourcing fair-trade fabrics and trying to have minimal negative impact on people and the environment. But hopefully it won’t take long to really take this dream to the next step!

AB: Where does your design inspiration come from?

RC: Rather than relying on trend-based research, I instead try to create elements and shapes which challenge me. With a background in engineering, I love figuring out how to make a new shape or feature of a garment come to life. It’s like solving a puzzle. For me, that’s the most exciting aspect of creating a collection.

AB: When will your next collection be available for sale and where?

RC: I’ll continue to do custom garments for clients and will be adding online shopping to my website. I’m also exploring the possibility of partnering with a local boutique to have a store-within-a-store.

Hit me with your best shop: alisonbrownrigg@gmail.com

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