L.A.'s Flora Animalia Is Making a Conscious Case for Fashionable (and Dirt-Friendly) Gardening Garb

While nap dresses and loungewear may have been the real MVPs for many a pandemic wardrobe, stylish green thumbs might think otherwise. Those seeking victory garden-friendly garb (but make it fashion!) can turn to Flora Animalia, the outdoor workwear brand and studio helmed by star-faved fashion designer Rozae Nichols.

Nichols, known for her namesake womenswear line beloved by Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Natalie Portman (among many, many others), staged an alfresco performance at her West Adams studio's rooftop edible garden in early October to showcase Floria Animalia's latest collection of luxe gardening apparel and accessories ($25 to $495). The video was unveiled later that month during a virtual fundraiser in collaboration with nonprofit organization Mercy for Animals. (Watch the ethereal show here or below.)

The designer tapped a handful of creative friends to dream up the outdoor presentation, which was filmed and edited by director Matt Mahurin (who recently worked with Marilyn Manson), and choreographed and directed by Morleigh Steinberg (who's worked with David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, and U2, to name a few) and dancer/performance artist Jamie Buris.

The ethereal imagery might very well inspire a few dirt-resistant denizens to do a bit more veggie and herb digging — and maybe even some soul-searching. The approximately seven-minute video features models planting, picking, and pruning greenery while sporting breezy blouses and tops, functional field shirts, perennially cool denim aprons and pants, tiered skirts, and dresses — all with plenty of pockets (all the better for your alfresco accoutrements) and root-friendly room to spare, and all made locally using sustainable fabrics.

"With Flora Animalia, our focus is to use as much GOTS-certified textiles as I can source, which is more than 90% of our collection," Nicols tells UncoverLA." This also includes clean crop Belgium linens and GOTS Japanese organic cottons."

For those that missed the online event, Flora Animalia is hosting virtual workshops, including an edible gardening event with Summerland-based Garde Shop on Nov. 21. (Stay tuned for more.)

We recently sat down with Nichols to learn more about her experiences in the fashion industry inspired her Mother Earth-powered path, what she hopes people will discover in their newfound gardening hobbies, what's sprouting (and coming soon) in her own plots, and more. Read on below, and scroll through the gallery above for more images from the fashion performance.

We love your commitment to Mother Earth! As we are experiencing more and more effects of climate change, how has this affected your mission, both personally and professionally? 

As an animal rights and vegan advocate, my views on global warming are greatly influenced understanding the devastation of natural resources caused by intensive animal agriculture as well as the pollutions of the textile industry — namely GMO and pesticide-laden cotton crops. 

What was the mood like as you were filming the video? What do you love about your collaborators? 

The mood was one of joy and collaboration between like-minded, creative and friends whom from their hearts, totally embraced the Mercy For Animals film project. Artist & filmmaker Matt Mahurin, choreographers and dancers, Morleigh Steinberg and Jamie Burris, are lifelong friends. And the amazing composer Jacknife Lee filled the piece with his hauntingly beautiful soundscape. I'm so fortunate to have their gifts in this project.  

All of their work is an extension of their consciousness — living true to their values, each honoring their creative practice to bring beauty and goodness to the world in all their talented forms. The creativity we share together is a constant inspiration and grounding especially after so many years together.  

Many people have started "pandemic victory gardens." What shifts in culture and society do you hope this leads to? 

With so much suffering from this pandemic, my hope is that there may be a few silver linings as we have more time to seek and discover moments of happiness within stillness and in particular, in the garden. For those of us lucky enough to have a small or large plot of earth to seed and nurture, or even a windowsill, finding peace and joy in edible gardening can offer us some self-reliance and remind us of the incredible symbiosis in nature.

I have certainly grown even more appreciative of farmers, farm labor and of the devastating tragedies and of a very broken global food system. Also, I feel very strongly about the virtues of the growing & compassionate plant-based food movement that will one day replace and eradicate factory farming, animal suffering, and workers suffering within the animal meat-processing factories. The practice of home and co-op edible gardening just might bring us closer to this end.

As far as your own garden, what's growing in it right now? 

We still have loads of herbs, some tomatoes, eggplant, and squash from the summer and our persimmon and citrus trees will be ready for harvest soon. But I'll be planting fall vegetables in a few days: Arugula, Swiss chard, kale, beets, carrots, radish, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, and lots of onions.

You have long been part of the action within fashion to be more conscious and sustainable. What are some of the changes and conversations that you're happy to see happening now?

Corporate transparency, upcycling, organic and recycled textiles — throughout my career, I have been concerned about labor exploitation especially "off-shore" production so prevalent in all price ranges of clothing. I have always been very hands-on with my production: Keeping it local, paying above living wages, and being very involved with the local artisans and small factories workforce and clean production methods. This is out of respect and love of the production process and those involved. 

Flora Animalia creates and produces everything from design and samples to our small batch-cutting, sewing and shipping right here, in a studio-adjacent to the edible garden. Not new to this local practice, for decades, I have enjoyed keeping a large portion of production made in-house. And once again, this process works for me on all levels for ensuring that what we do is healthy, fair, and fun. But it's really only been within the last six to seven years that I have and continue to learn more and more about the pollutants inherent in much of the textile industry.

Lastly, where are some of your favorite L.A. spaces (besides your own garden and home) for reconnecting to the earth, whether it's a hiking trail or public park, etc.?

We have lived in Laurel Canyon for more than 25 years. There are amazing trails literally just 100 feet from our redwood home that is surrounded by still undeveloped land allowing the animals from the Santa Monica Mountain range to visit all of us all of the time. I also love walks and hikes in the Griffith Park trails, Tree People in Coldwater Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon in Santa Ynez, Big Sur is bliss, and of course, Joshua Tree. I feel very lucky to live near so many protected natural parklands.