Even though I called my blog ‘green stilettos’, my favourite colour is actually blue. I love its many shades and hues: cornflower and periwinkle, cobalt and sapphire, royal and navy, blue-grey and sky blue, and even turquoise and teal which also belong to the blue colour family.

It’s no accident that for my About page photo shoot I chose to wear a gorgeous blue silk dress by Sass & Bide. The Australian designer duo has teamed up with the UN Ethical Fashion Initiative to produce a limited range of brightly coloured, ethnic chic bags made in collaboration with women from East African tribes. Other designers who work with this great UN-led initiative which empowers women from some of the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and elsewhere include Stella McCartney, Fendi and Vivienne Westwood.

But let’s get back to the blues! Remember the Russian Eco Fashion Week I recently presented at? Here is some media coverage in case you missed it. Well, the event was an eye candy for lovers of strong colours and especially the blues. Here are my three favourite maxi dresses by the Russian label VANUSHINA, founded by Russian designer and graduate of the British High School of Art & Design Alexandra Vanushina.

I absolutely think she is one up-and-coming designer to watch! I also find  that VANUSHINA dresses – with their rich hues, exquisite draping and elegant column shapes – are not dissimilar to the hugely successful gowns by designers Roksanda Ilinčić and Issa London. The good news, they are certainly more affordable!

And speaking of luxury brands, I can’t not feature this amazing blue dress by sustainable luxury brand Maiyet. Freida Pinto, the star of ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’, wore it to Barneys’ Private Dinner last May to celebrate the launch of the Maiyet Varanasi Silk Capsule Collection made in India. Talk about a match made in heaven in terms of a brand ambassador!

I would be remiss not to mention another blue and sustainable creation: The Blue Butterfly, a badge of honour given to brands that make a positive contribution to their communities and the environment by the UK-based Positive Luxury initiative. The butterfly itself – known scientifically as the Large Blue – has a beautiful story: wiped out in the UK in 1973, it is has now been reintroduced back into the wild thanks to a joint conservation programme with Sweden where these magnificent insects had survived. Sir David Attenborough called it a ‘remarkable success story, illustrating the power of ecological research to reverse damaging environmental changes’. Here is the amazing, iridescent blue butterfly…

The Blue Butterfly via Positive Luxury

And for those of you in London next week (from 8 to 14 July), Positive Luxury is organizing a Positive Week with lots of exciting ways to get involved. I am one lucky girl as I will be there on Friday attending the SOURCE Summit 2013 organized by the Ethical Fashion Forum. Can’t wait to meet the many exciting speakers and report back!

Until then, and don’t be blue!