Kicks With A Cause In Mind French label Lacoste, no stranger to China collaborations, recently teamed up with BEGINS, the Beijing boutique founded by Chinese singer and fashion designer Zhou Bichang, to create a collection of eco-friendly sneakers. Currently available for 850 yuan (US$137) at BEGINS shops in Beijing and Hangzhou, as well as on the company's Taobao store and at multi-brand footwear store 3NITY, the sneakers sport logos of both brands and quirky color blocking in earthy canvas and natural fibers. Burdened by China’s increasingly smothering climate and quickly growing more aware of product sourcing and quality control, more Chinese designers, retailers, and consumers have taken an interest in more sustainable forms of fashion, using environmentally-conscious materials and means of production. Recent initiatives, including interdisciplinary exhibitions and recognition of emerging eco-designers, make Lacoste’s eco-chic campaign a cred-building entrance into an emerging segment in China's fashion industry.
