Event Report: Fashion Forward

On the 26th of September 2024, a dynamic panel of speakers gathered to collaborate at Philanthropy Impact's ‘Fashion Forward’ event. Coinciding with London Fashion Week 2024, this event brought together leading minds in the fashion industry to address sustainability issues.

The panel included notable figures such as Sara Parker Bowles, Founder of Wardrobe Revivals; Oliver Scutt, Senior Associate at Bates Wells; Ahlya Rafique Fateh, Managing Director and Luxury Brand Consultant; Nathalie Haidegger-Riess, Founder of SUSTYLE; and the panel's renowned chair, Lina Constantiniovici, Founder and CEO of Innovation 4.4.

Fashion Meets Sustainability

Fashion plays an influential role in our daily lives. As the fashion industry evolves, sustainability has become an essential focus for many. The ‘Fashion Forward’ event aimed to spark conversations around this, drawing attention to how our fashion choices can contribute to a more eco-conscious future.

The event attracted an inquisitive, colourful crowd eager to explore the ways they can incorporate sustainability into their lives and work. Attendees included both industry insiders and consumers interested in learning how to make fashion more sustainable while still maintaining personal style. The event’s audience was vocal, engaging the panel with insightful questions and exchanging their own experiences.

Key Points of Discussion

The panel addressed several key themes which are at the forefront of every individual’s fashion choices, focusing on how consumers can contribute to sustainability and how industry practices must change to drive real impact.

1. Embracing Vintage and Second-hand Fashion
   Vintage fashion offers a fantastic way to promote sustainability. By giving new life to old clothes, consumers can reduce waste while still experimenting with style using apps like ‘Vinted’ and ‘Depop’. Rather than giving in to the fast fashion cycle, the panel urged attendees to prioritise what’s already in their wardrobes or opt for second-hand clothing over brand-new items. Vintage fashion not only promotes a circular economy but also allows for more unique and individualised style expression.
2. Quality Over Quantity
   Fast fashion offers cheap, trendy clothing at the expense of quality and durability. The panel highlighted the importance of resisting these fleeting trends in favour of more mindful shopping habits. Investing in fewer, higher-quality pieces not only ensures longevity but also contributes to a more sustainable wardrobe. Clothes that are made to last save money in the long term and minimise the environmental cost of constant production and disposal.
3. Charity Shops and the Circular Economy
   Charity shops play a pivotal role in the sustainability movement by keeping clothes in circulation and out of landfills. By donating and buying from these stores, consumers actively support a circular economy, where garments are reused, rather than discarded. However, the rise of fast fashion has made things more challenging for charity shops. Low-quality, mass-produced clothing often end up in stores, and since these items don’t last, they become harder to sell. More of these garments end up in landfills, contradicting the mission of these shops.
4. The Complexity of Fast Fashion
   It is easy to vilify fast fashion, but the panel acknowledged its place in society. Affordable clothing is a necessity for many, particularly for those with low-income backgrounds. A $5 t-shirt serves a critical need in some communities. The problem arises when fast fashion, designed to meet immediate needs, transforms into a mainstream trend. The panel emphasised that addressing sustainable fashion must start not just in our wardrobes, but within the entire supply chain.

The Sustainable Fashion Supply Chain

The conversation around sustainable fashion delved deep into the complexities of the fashion supply chain. The panel identified several critical areas that need to be addressed:

• Materials: Conventional materials like cotton and polyester are resource-intensive, requiring large amounts of water, chemicals, and fossil fuels. Sustainable fashion champions the use of organic or recycled fabrics, which are far kinder to the environment.
• Textile Production: Dyeing and processing fabrics often leads to water pollution. Sustainable brands are increasingly using eco-friendly dyes and implementing water recycling systems, significantly reducing waste.
• Manufacturing: Fast fashion is notorious for poor working conditions and unfair wages. Sustainable fashion, on the other hand, promotes ethical manufacturing processes, including fair wages and safe working conditions. Some brands are even producing closer to home, reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping.
• Shipping: The global movement of clothes contributes significantly to CO₂ emissions. Sustainable fashion seeks to mitigate this by sourcing materials locally and opting for more eco-friendly shipping methods.
• Post-Purchase Life Cycle: Unlike fast fashion, which encourages constant buying and disposing, sustainable brands design garments to last. Additionally, many of these brands offer recycling, reselling, or take-back programs, ensuring that clothes are reused rather than wasted.

Expanding the Dialogue: Innovation in Fashion

In addition to the critical points raised, the event shone a spotlight on emerging innovations in sustainable fashion. Technologies such as 3D printing and biodegradable textiles are set to revolutionise the industry, offering more sustainable options in both production and consumption. Brands are increasingly adopting blockchain technology to improve transparency in their supply chains, ensuring that consumers are informed about the origins of their garments.

Final Thoughts

In summary, sustainable fashion is not just about the clothes we wear, but about transforming the entire system to reduce the industry’s environmental impact. The event left attendees with a clear message: by making more conscious choices, we can enjoy fashion whilst playing a part in protecting the planet.

Author: Mia Rose, Administration and Communications Executive at Philanthropy Impact