Luxury footwear maker Sylven New York is the latest sustainable fashion label to announce it is closing its doors.
Just days after sustainable fashion icon Mara Hoffman announced she’s shuttering her namesake label after 24 years, Sylven New York, founded by Casey Dworkin in 2017, has announced it is also ceasing operations.
“We’re no longer making shoes, now we’re making waves,” Dworkin wrote in an Instagram post. “It feels like a new daily occurrence that another fashion brand announces that they are pausing or closing. Unfortunately, this is in fact one of those announcements.”
The label had garnered attention for its unique approach to combining sustainability with luxury fashion, making it a standout in the industry. Sylven was focused on timeless, versatile designs handcrafted in Italy with an emphasis on ethical manufacturing processes including fair labor practices and transparency across its supply chain. The label relied on environmentally friendly materials including apple leather and other vegan materials such as organic cotton and natural rubber.
In her letter, Dworkin said the decision doesn’t mean an end to her efforts to make the fashion industry more ethical. “[W]hile we may not have any shoes in the pipeline, we are just as committed as ever to making waves in this industry,” she wrote, noting that Sylven was founded to be the brand she never had access to, “the one with equal emphasis on design and values.”
“Sylven was founded to be a pioneer in the fashion space, and we have pushed boundaries and made cutting-edge products we are so proud to call ours,” Dworkin wrote. “We have partnered with incredible change makers, helped advocate for better fashion policies and treatment of garment workers, and have made shoes from never-before-seen combinations of plant and bio-based materials.”
Despite the decision to cease production, Dworkin says Sylven’s passion for a more ethical fashion system has “never been more present” than it is now. “When industry veterans and pioneers have to close their doors because we all are struggling to stay afloat, it is clear that there are many problems to solve. So that’s where we plan to start,” she wrote.
“For the time being, our mission is to help uplift as many sustainable businesses as possible. We want to act as a resource hub where we can hopefully connect the dots, share value through telling our story, and brainstorm new creative solutions.”
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