Last week was London Fashion Week (LFW). One of the highest of high-profile events on the annual global fashion calendar.
Naturally, I thought given the hard work and dedication from industry leaders and influencers in the UK such as Fashion Revolution and Paper Tree, that I would find a dedicated LFW online hub where I could find information about which ethical brands were present, and how their story was being told.
Call me naive, but with so many brands championing sustainability and striving to reduce their waste, I simply assumed it was a given.
So, when I couldn't find what I was looking for it posed a question - where were they?
In 2017 the British Fashion Council’s CEO, Caroline Rush, told The Irish News that sustainability will play a key role in the future of British fashion.
“This year we will be championing and shining a light on businesses that have great talent, that is sustainable, that have good news stories that represent our Positive Fashion vision for global best practice,”, she said.
LFW is a hugely influential event with top designers setting the standard for high street fashion brands, some notorious for feeding our customers need for over-consumption. How could such an opportunity to educate and inspire others to design with sustainability in mind, be missed?
One dynamic duo pathing the way at the event was VIN + OMI, two talented and forward-thinking designers with a political message expressed through fashion.
The slogan of their show was 'We are not Sheep'.
The team have pioneered new ways of working with UK organic materials and have produced a chestnut ‘leather’. Included in the show will be VIN + OMI’s new range of soft synthetic wool and textiles, produced from salvaged plastic from the ocean and river clean up operations.
No - kill Llama and rare breed sheep fleece is also incorporated into the show, this has been collected from smallholders who clip their pets annually while allowing them a full natural lifespan.
You can view their full collection and read more about their message here.
The bottom line in all of this, I believe, is an opportunity.
Consumers awareness is increasing about the positive effects of ethical manufacturing processes from a humanitarian and environmental perspective. The presence of thought leaders in sustainability practices and brands working for social good at high profile fashion events is going become the new normal.
There is an opportunity, globally, for industry leaders to take heart and be the face of this wonderful, inevitable change.
One thing I know to be true is that you’ll find Mane Project at the forefront of the shift.
We’ll be there. Even if the movement is 18,764 kilometres away.
Check out the About Us section to find out more about our Values, Manufacturers, Fabrics and Print & Dye methods.
By Abby Parkin, Marketing Manager, Mane Project