It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Like a storyline from a Charles Dicken's novel, this Fall's Fashion Week was the epitome of the aristocracy living high on the backs of proverbial peasants.

Being an eco-minimalist style maven means not only choosing materials that are fairly traded and sweatshop free, but also choosing well made apparel that needn't be replaced often, as well as retooling what you already own.

Are you one of those super environmental types who shops at Whole Foods and your local farmer's market, avoids GMOs, and does your housekeeping only with eco-friendly soaps and detergents? But then when it comes to fashion, suddenly all their rules about purchasing products that are good for the earth fly away.

Fashion matters. As we approach a series of crunch talks for the planet on environmental issues pertaining to climate change, beginning with UN talks in New York, I want to say this loud and proud.