Sustainable fashion show proves green

While Victor Vega is a man of many hats, he is also a man of many couture creations. By day, he works at the University of Miami hospital on the medical campus as the associate vice president of customer and concierge service, but by night, he is “Viktor Franovik,” founder and CEO of Franovik Designs.

Franovik’s line is a vivacious display of clothes made from recyclable materials, a sustainable-meets-fashionable centerpiece to the showings held at Miami Fashion Week. His new collection will be presented Saturday at 6 p.m., in Miami’s Design District.

This year’s show, aptly named “Elements of Green,” promises to be just as fierce and environmentally friendly as the last, where models paraded around in get-ups made from materials normally found in a recycling bin.

The clothes are made in homage to mother nature. Franovik and his design partner, Francisco Perez, founded the company based on the idea of being responsible for the world in which you live.

Las Vegas-based designer Elizabeth Calderon also contributed to the upcoming collection.

“We are eco-designers,” Vega said. “We believe in giving back to the environment and helping the environment. We’re able to do this by making fashions with recycled and vintage materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill.”

While their clothes are not made for everyday wear, he considers the pieces to be more than just a typical costume.

“We make wearable pieces of art,” he said. “We do not make paper dresses or dresses from plastic bags. We use things like linen, duck tape and raw silk- unprocessed- so no chemicals are going into the environment. We cater to the couture side, all these pieces are unique, nothing is mass-made.”

This year, the show is donating a portion of its proceeds to Angel’s Pediatric Heart House, a non-profit organization supporting families affected by congenital heart defects.

Franovik Designs, while focused on high fashion, is not just limited to the runway. Their pieces have been featured in Miss Earth United States, Miss Teen Earth United States and Miss Latina USA.

“We cater to the couture side,” he added. “All these pieces are unique, nothing is mass-made.”

The show this year is donating a portion of its proceeds to Angel’s Pediatric Heart House, a non-profit organization supporting families affected by congenital heart defects.

“As designers we think of the environment but we also thing of social causes. We give proceeds from the show to the charities that we work with,” said Vega.

Franovik Designs, while couture-minded, is not just limited to the runway. Their pieces have been featured in Miss Earth United States, Miss Teen Earth United States, and Miss Latina USA.

The show’s shock factor is its main attraction: people want to see what can be created from the reusable materials that are overlooked in daily life. Vega believes there is anticipation for what they can think of next.

“People are astonished when they see a dress made from duck tape and window screen,” Vega said.