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It’s Never Too Late To Follow the Right Path

CHICAGO, IL – Although sustainable resources have been a trend for some time now, fashion is having its green push right now, and Frei Designs is on the forefront of eco-friendly fashion. A high-end wholesale company that produces high quality, sustainable garments in an ethically conscious manner, Frei Design’s seamlessly combines skilled artistry with a social conscious creating a product that is both fashionably-forward and eco-friendly.

Three factors are essential in the production of Frei’s garments:  style, quality, and sustainability.  Designer Anne Novotny believes that style begins with a well-defined concept with each collection.
For Spring 2009, Anne was inspired by Angulimala, an important early figure in Buddhism, whose story is known as the "garland of fingers.” The story (included below) teaches followers that it’s never too late to return to the right path, a theme that directly relates to the sustainable fashion movement.

The Spring 09 collection is made of 100% organic cottons, bamboo twills, hemp blends and other natural fibers like silk woven in India. The rest of the material used for production is over-stock from other designers, which is a unique way to re-use what other designers disregard.  The Collection’s color palette is made up of vibrant oranges that emulate monks’ robes, a charcoal, cool gray that is obtained from a Brazilian bark, and hints of robin’s egg blue and cream.  Together these create a peaceful and graceful feeling, much like that of the Buddhist thought.  The Zen-like garments immediately invoke feelings of calamity and relaxation, giving the wearer a fashionable sense of style all while offering the peaceful notion that she is supporting sustainable fashion where the overall effect can be monumental to the future of the earth.

Frei Designs’ garments are produced locally with a tight quality control process that ensures a well-made product from start to finish.  Fabrics are purchased from farms and mills associated with ecologically sensitive practices, and dyes used are non-toxic. Also, production facilities used by Frei Designs must pay the employees fair and living wages.

On the style end, Frei Designs are created through sophisticated and tailored pattern making, unique hand-dying methods, and one-of-a-kind fabric selections, ensuring that the final products are just as unique as the individuals wearing the garments. Boasting an exceptional sense of wear-ability, excellent craftsmanship, and an artisan attention to detail, the garments cater to an underserved market for sustainable clothing that retains a signature sense of style.

Through the production of ecologically conscious, artfully designed, high-end fashionable garments, Frei aims to make style and fashionable innovation synonymous with green ethics. 

The Story of Angulimala.
Angulimala is an important early figure in Buddhism, whose story is known as the "garland of fingers.” Angulimala was a beloved student, so beloved in fact that his peers were jealous and told lies to his teacher, turning the teacher against Angulimala. The teacher demanded from him 1,000 fingers, each taken from a different victim, thinking that Angulimala would be killed in the course of seeking this grisly prize. Angulimala began killing travelers who passed through the forest. 

To keep count of his victims, he threaded the fingers around a string and wore them around his neck as a garland. On his way to kill his 1,000th victim, his mother, Angulimala was interrupted by Buddha, overcome by his power and followed the path to becoming a monk. The garland of fingers is a story of compassion and enlightenment with the overarching theme of “it’s never too late to return to the right path.”

For more information, visit Frei Design’s website at www.freidesigns.com

FREI DESIGNS
Company Philosophy - At Frei, we believe that beautiful clothing starts with beautiful ethics. Sustainable practices are the backbone of our trade.  While there are currently numerous environmentally conscious clothing manufacturers on the market, Frei offers a key difference.  Although these companies offer quality-crafted products from renewable fibers, they often lack a sense of sophistication and signature style that is indicative of high-end, designer fashion.  Frei Designs sets itself apart by creating unique, finely crafted garments that marry the wearer’s individuality with their ethic.

Our team at Frei upholds three specific values in the design and production of our garments: style, quality and sustainability.  Head designer Anne Novotny meticulously constructs detail-oriented patterns that enhance both the figure and personality of the buyer. The garments themselves boast a distinctive impression of timeless elegance.  While Novotny is careful to keep an eye toward emerging trends within the industry, she is often influenced by experience, finding inspiration through travel, unique materials, and her extensive study of the history of dress.  Novotny strives to retain a personal connection with each garment.  Through her use of hand-dying techniques and selection of uncommon fabrications, buttons and trim, Novotny ensures that each garment is individually imprinted with the mark of its creator.

While being a skilled designer, Novotny is also a conscientious advocate for ethical and environmental sustainability in all aspects of lifestyle, fashion included. She strives to continuously develop her products, searching for new production processes that are less harmful to the environment, and she utilizes organic fabrics whenever available.  Also, all production labor practices are carefully monitored to ensure proper labor ethics.

Frei is more than fashion or style.  We are a company that creates exceptionally beautiful clothing with a high emphasis on sustainability and ethic responsibility. 

FREI DESIGNS
Designer Profile - Anne Marie Novotny, head designer and sole proprietor of Frei Designs, formed the company in June of 2006. Frei Designs is the embodiment of her education and ideals, matching design and style with sustainability and ethic responsibility.

Novotny graduated with top honors from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2004, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design and a minor in Fiber and Material Studies. Her success began in school where she received a fellowship for her senior collection, in which was featured in Women’s Wear Daily. 

Upon graduation, Novotny moved to New York where she worked for designers Gary Graham and Pamela Mayer. After cutting her teeth in the garment district, Novotny moved back to Chicago in May of 2006 to begin her own line, Frei Designs.

Novotny’s background in fine arts always plays a factor in the creation and presentation of each Frei Designs collection.  Considering herself to be a designer with a love for many mediums, Novotny is always teetering between the high art and high fashion world.  Through Frei Designs, Novotny creates a hybrid space where clothing and art cohabit harmoniously.  Using performance artists instead of models, and utilizing concepts that read like stories, Frei Designs bring fashion to life.  Novotny often uses elaborate, conjured, experiences to showcase her collections, collaborating with various artists to bring fashion and other mediums together. Through this she always has interesting and unique ways to showcase her fashion talents.

Besides style, Frei Designs is an opportunity for Novotny to do her part in contributing to the green movement. She does this by finding more sustainable ways to be fashionable.  Frei Designs is a blend of impeccable design and personal responsibility.  For example, many of the fabrications and notions used in the manufacture of Frei Designs’ garments are from mills that support organic farms and use sustainable practices. 

Whenever possible, she uses non-toxic natural dying processes for her garments.  Also, Novotny utilizes local manufacturers in Chicago to ensure that every worker associated with the production process receives a fair and living wage.

Frei Designs is the product of Novotny’s love of artistic fashion and dedication to making a difference.

About Frei Designs
Frei Designs is a wholesale apparel business specializing in high-end women’s garments with an emphasis on sustainable fabrications and practices. More than just fashion or style, Frei Designs seamlessly blends impeccable design with personal responsibility, creating beautiful clothing with a high attention to fit and detail, all with an emphasis on leaving a smaller footprint on the Earth. 
For more information, visit Frei Design’s website at www.freidesigns.com