Meet the Team | Georgia Smith
Who Am I?
I am a little fashion-obsessive and have been for as long as I can remember. I love fashion history and learning about the origins of particular garments and how culture has changed them over time. I love how you can use clothes to help you express yourself or how they can evoke a certain feeling in someone.
At university, I studied the impact of fast-fashion following the Rana Plaza disaster and almost stumbled upon all of this by accident. I ended up writing my dissertation on the environmental and social impacts of fast-fashion on cotton production and have been working on ways to personally engage with fashion and support change ever since, particularly enjoying second-hand and more recently, loaning clothes online. Finding the things I love and want in more sustainable ways can be challenging but I love having all the options that trying to buy sustainably presents you with.
What I believe in?
Highlighting the message that you can be really into fashion and also move away from the fast-fashion industry. It's a huge challenge, particularly in this crazy consumerist time. I am coming at this from the angle of someone who loves fashion (and has been hugely addicted to fast-fashion in the past!) and even after years of knowing about the issues in the industry, I still find myself being drawn in every now and again by all the marketing and new styles that fast-fashion brings. I believe in education and finding/promoting options that suit your personal relationship with clothes. I also believe in putting pressure on brands and policy to push for change; it shouldn't all be on us as consumers!
Why SFW?
I was looking to get involved again with something in the sustainable fashion industry when I moved back to Bristol a couple of years ago. I was drawn to SFW because of the focus on community involvement and trying to make sustainable fashion accessible. As with lots of the sustainability industry, sustainable fashion has a tendency to be marketed and perceived as only accessible to those with lots of money and time on their hands. I love that SFW is taking a more inclusive approach, thinking about options for sustainable fashion which can work for everyone. I also love that SFW isn't just focussing on those who are already involved in sustainability and condemning those who aren't; SFW is about bringing everyone on board in ways that work for them.
What I do for SFW
I'm the Communications Lead for SFW. I oversee the content and planning for the website and our social media channels.
My 3 favourite items
Polka dot dress which I currently have on loan. Loaning and borrowing clothes has been an amazing way for me to get the new clothes I want with minimal impact; sharing is caring!
A paisley jacket that I got when I was about 14 and still have. I was obsessed with a similar jacket from Isabel Marant but there was no way I could afford it. When I saw this similar one I snapped it up and have worn it constantly for more than a decade! When you know, you know...
A black silk maxi dress that my Mum gave me (/ I stole from her) when she outgrew it. It's one of those timeless things that's super easy to wear and it's nice to give it a new lease of life.