The white-walled, minimalist interior of Eco Citizen's sleek Russian Hill store, which opened in 2007, is as clear and unencumbered as the message of the clothes. Owner Joslin Van Arsdale moved to San Francisco from New York City to start Eco Citizen because, "San Francisco is the center of the green movement. This is where everything began so it just made sense." Surprisingly, Van Arsdale noticed that, despite the green-leaning nature of San Francisco, our city lacked a boutique that sold clothing both eco-friendly and luxe. "Eco Citizen is the first high-end eco boutique in San Francisco," Van Arsdale tells the SFBG. "We were the only store of our kind in San Francisco."

High-end is right, as shown by the hefty price tag for many of the clothes. The garments at Eco Citizen are, generally, in the $70 to $500+ price point. When I asked Van Arsdale how the current recession affected her business, she responded briskly, "Everyone's business is being affected. People aren't going to stop buying ethical clothing, but they will be smarter about the way they spend their money." For Van Arsdale's customers, shopping smarter means buying classic, well-designed pieces they can wear over and over again. "These clothes are all fair-trade and ethical, and they are also well-made. That's a smart investment." Though they are expensive, the clothes at Eco Citizen offer a high-fashion, eco-friendly alternative to haute design and rejects the use of ecologically damaging synthetic fibers, cruel materials like fur, and unethical practices like child labor. Also, these clothes aren't statement pieces (with the exception, perhaps, of the gold Ciel pants) that are only relevant for one season, but rather season-to-season classics and basics that can be worn with style for years to come.

Eco Citizen carries popular lines like Edun, Del Forte, Ciel, and Linda Loudermilk, along with lesser known lines by local designers, like
San Francisco's own Sara Shepherd, whose beautiful blazer is displayed in the photos above. Sara Shepherd is gaining global recognition as a rising young designer (she's been featured in Women's Wear Daily several times), and her eye for volume and draping are really stellar. I especially loved the back of her fitted black pinstripe blazer, with its romantic cascade of ruffles perfectly offsetting the unique alignment of the pinstripes (note that they are pieced in several different directions, lending an edgy touch to an otherwise whimsical piece).

Turk+Taylor (a reference to the streets that intersect in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood) is another local line available at Eco Citizen. Their hand-crafted, hand-dyed clothes are made of natural materials like organic cotton, silk, twill, and linen, with an eye toward urban life in the bustling city of San Francisco, like this charming "Vertigo" tee, an homage to Hitchcock and San Francisco that depicts Kim Novak's scene in the Legion of Honor.

Turk+Taylor's "Vertigo" t-shirt.

More beautiful t-shirts are offered from Organic by John Patrick, a New York designer whose clothes are made with minimalist, well-edited details out of maximalist, luxury, organic materials, like this incredibly soft cotton tee that perfectly rides the 90s trend.

With its surprising detail of eagle wings spread across the back, this Edun sweater caught my eye. Made from alpaca wool, (alpaca are a "domesticaed species of South American camelid" whose wool is incredibly warm and soft), this trendy piece is also fair-trade and cruelty-free.

Eco Citizen also stocks a great collection of shoes and accessories, like the gold sparkly TOMS on the shelf (also as seen on the feet of Van Arsdale herself). For those who aren't familiar, TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair bought, and their espadrille-like slip ons have been a street staple with since their inception.

Van Arsdale's initial inspiration for opening Eco Citizen was her incidental meeting with a Brazilian lace maker who managed to support 26 indigenous villages with the sale of her lace. Not only was the lace beautiful in itself, but it also served a purpose of helping others. Many of the clothes at Eco Citizen also reflect this charitable message, like TOMS, which supports children in need, and Edun, which assists developing regions in Sub-Saharan Africa by increasing employment at a fair wage. For those who are interested in fashion and design, Eco Citizen is a refreshing substitute for the conspicious, consumerist nature of much that is offered in the garment world. Stop by the store in person to see more lovely and eco-friendly pieces.

Eco Citizen

1488 Vallejo, SF

(415) 614-0100

www.ecocitizenonline.com