Sustainable Fashion Week — an oxymoron
Fashion Week across the globe is historically not sustainable but a step in the right direction is better than nothing. Here are the good, the bad, and the areas for improvement we need to push for others to adopt!
Perhaps when you think about how Fashion Week can be more sustainable, you might point fingers at the designers who create so much bizzare pieces that won’t be sold in stores and would end up in the storage (and eventually, trash). While that is true to a certain extent, we can’t forget the purpose of Fashion Week: which is to inspire others, gain publicity, and connect with like-minded people. Cancelling Fashion Week just because it hurts the environment or because it isn’t “essential” is like asking to cancel the World Cup (this may be an extreme comparison but you get the idea).
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean there is no hope. First, let’s look at the bad — namely the carbon emissions that arise from Fashion Week. You’d be surprised to learn that the consumer side is contributing as much (if not, way more) to the problem. A research done by ORDRE.com found that a buyer’s average carbon footprint was 12.1 tonnes of CO2 emissions (tCO2e) while that of a designer employee’s was 7.6 tCO2e. The main source of emissions was due to air travel whereby tons of press, celebrities, fashion houses and their crews fly into certain regions just to watch the runway shows. How could this problem be mitigated?
Well, COVID-19 has shown us that going virtual is certainly possible. Of course, some would argue that that simply isn’t the same — the ambience is off and it’s difficult to recreate that at home. After all, current reality isn’t ready for everyone to enjoy 4D experiences. Alas, considering how we are moving into the digital age with many brands starting to create virtual experiences for consumers, I’d say there is a lot of potential for designers to redefine what it means for a runway show to be authentic. Perhaps they could send a virtual-runway-show-package containing samples of the fabrics for consumers to feel, a mist device that is synced to certain scents at various timings… the possibilities are endless! I believe this a new opportunity for creative growth in the industry.
Another major aspect is the entire set-up of the runway itself. The environmental impact would stem from these areas — lighting, sound, set design, hair and makeup. The way to address these would be to use more energy efficient equipment, recyclable or made-from-recycled material props for the set-design, and reduce the amount of cosmetic usage (honestly, cosmetics are a whole other environmental issue in itself, don’t get me started).
“We use green generators at events, and for lighting, we’ve gone heavily into LED, which is low-energy but still high-impact.”
(Keith Baptista, founding partner of Prodject which has produced shows for Chanel, Prada, and Tom Ford)
“Our bags are biodegradable and made of cassava root, which bugs can eat. Our utensils and cups are eco-friendly, and we’re creating an app so the audience does’t need paper during the event.”
(Emmanuelle Rienda, founder of Vegan Fashion Week)
One commendable thing that I believe other designers can adopt is the seasonless concept that Melbourne Fashion Week championed in 2020. The organisers showcased vintage looks at Pop Up 2 — Flashback; gave designers the opportunity to showcase past-season’s garments; and have been spotlighting designers who embrace ethical, sustainable practices. Copenhagen Fashion Week have also been setting a great example by banning single-use plastics, employing electric cars etc.
Unfortunately, I feel that these people who engage in such efforts are the minority. A lot of designers and organisers of Fashion Week are simply using green washing tactics to get into the hype of sustainability. Take Richard Malone’s collaboration with the BFC and Bags of Ethics to create a canvas bag for people to carry around their freebies and invites at the British Fashion Council show space. Wouldn’t it be better to ask people to bring their own bags for that purpose rather than creating new ones that add to the environmental impact through the production process? The irony is real.
Ultimately, we as consumers need to put more pressure and hold more designers and organisers accountable in order to see a bigger change. Statistics and actual proof are needed rather than just words of “we will do better”. Keep fighting the good fight, cheers!
