Summer Rayne Oakes
Eco-Model Extraordinaire
By Rita Cook
herself as an eco-model, she actu- ally didn’t coin that
S
term,
instead she says “About eight years ago now, I started doing what
values-based modeling—aligning my values with who I am as a person and assisting companies, programs, designers and projects be better stewards. The media started referring to me as “The Eco-Model,” but it’s more than about being the face for a greener brand.”
So, modeling career, check; green lifestyle and good causes she cares about, check and what else; well, even a book that has just hit bookstores. Read on!
What was your first big break?
It’s been a lot of hard work every day—there’s never been that “one thing.”
Where did you grow up and how did that contribute to the person you are today?
I was born and raised in Northeast- ern Pennsylvania. My house was bordered by farm, fields and for- est, so it was a perfect place for a curious kid who liked getting dirty.
Velcro, and a bridge. Magnifying lens: I’m very analytical … I like to look at complex issues closely and try to figure them out. Velcro: Once I find something I like, I stick to it - no matter how challenging. A bridge: I love connecting dis- parate groups together. You get more accomplished that way, hence the reason why I started in the space of sustainability and fashion.
I call cause-related or
o who is Summer Rayne Oakes, well we thought you’d never ask. Describing
Tell me a little about who you are as a person—three words to describe yourself.
I had this same question on my college application, except it asked “What three objects best describe you and why?” My answer would be the same: A magnifying lens, a swatch of
Talk about your projects, you had a book that just came out too.
I’ve wanted to write a book since I was 13; it’s just not the same book I ended up writing. My book is en-
titled Style, Naturally: The savvy shopping guide to sustainable fashion & beauty (Chronicle
Books). I wanted to write a book that looks and feels and reads like a style guide, but would touch upon greater issues like conserva- tion, organics, women’s issues, and fair trade, without feeling so daunting. I was able to accom- plish this with some witty personal vignettes, great girl-on-the-street style profiles, awesome designer profiles, and more than 500 color images and product reviews. I wanted a book that was very global, very accessible, something that each woman can make their own, and overall would fly in the face of what most people think “green” is. One of my main goals is to push the environmental con- versation forward by keeping it fresh and real. I wanted to ac- complish that with this book; for one, it’s on recycled paper, veg- etable-based inks, and 1 percent for the planet with proceeds going to Energy Action, but it looks, reads and feels “invisibly green.” I
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