Is a Sustainable Fashion Week Possible?
As fashion has continued to be - and in some cases has become increasingly - expressive and performance-like, the concept of a fashion week is still going strong. Seen as a key opportunity to put a brand, particularly in the luxury fashion sphere, on the map, a spot at fashion week is often (perhaps archaically) seen as critical in launching the careers of next generation, young designers.
However, your typical runway shows have led many to raise some serious questions about the sustainability of the fashion industry and the idea of a fashion week. From the sets that are constructed (picture rivers running through the Grand Palais), the invitations sent, and the water bottles consumed, to the travel impact of getting all the people to the same place to create and experience the show itself, the outputs are huge. The data on the carbon footprint of these shows is notoriously sparse, but a recent report from Zero To Market (in collaboration with Ordre.com and the Carbon Trust) calculated the travel undertaken by buyers and brands attending the four core fashion weeks resulted in about 241,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually - “enough energy to light up Times Square for 58 years”.
This concern is bolstered by the concept of the fashion week itself. Inherently tied to the idea of seasonality, the discussion around trends and what is “current” is inescapable in a set-up like this. The trends observed and shared through fashion weeks all over the world filter down into the mainstream through the outlet of fast fashion, inspiring the likes of Zara’s weekly re-stocks, reflecting key takeaways from shows and encouraging more and more consumption. With environmental activist groups like Extinction Rebellion taking notice, the shortfalls of fashion weeks are beginning to be placed centre-stage in the fashion and sustainability space.
The good news? There is growing innovation and new thinking picking apart these traditions in cities across the globe. Evelyn Mora, founder of Helsinki fashion week, puts the responsibility equally on the event organisers and the designers themselves to run a more sustainably-focused fashion week. From considering the venue, the water fittings, the food served at the press dinners, Mora believes the impact can be in the little things. On a bigger scale, for designers to present, they must meet a strict list of 25 sustainability commitments developed in partnership with the World Wildlife Foundation. This approach is due to be replicated by Copenhagen, a growing fashion destination, from 2023. Core cities such as New York and London are also slowly following suit, although on a seemingly less collective scale.
Increasingly, brands and influencers are questioning the role of the traditional fashion show, considering whether, in light of technological and media change, they need a shake-up. Coupled with the impact of Coronavirus meaning this year’s fashion weeks have been predominantly taken digital, we could be at the beginning of substantial change. Perhaps the fashion week is redundant, perhaps it’s not. Either way, there’s much that can be learned from those who are doing it better. Let’s watch this space…