Can High Fashion be Sustainable?
When it comes to high fashion, you can see almost anything. There are runways made out of mud, Bella Hadid got a dress painted on her, and countless other examples of how high fashion goes out of the box. Today, I want to explore whether high fashion is sustainable and some brands that stand out.
High fashion is where the money is. Clothes, bags, and accessories will retail for thousands of dollars. Considering these factors, these million-dollar businesses should be using sustainable practices. Luxury goods have long lives, so arguably, high fashion is sustainable. In comparison to micro-trend-driven style, high fashion has a long life. Many people search for vintage designer products which can retail for thousands of dollars.
People will spend thousands of dollars on brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, but the materials used are not unique. Many of these brands use basic cotton and other materials. These clothes will go viral on a social media app, and people jump to buy a $500 t-shirt with the brand logo printed over it.
Stella McCartney has been a pioneer of sustainability in the high fashion industry. She launched her first collection in the early 1990s. In 2014, McCartney introduced Clevercare, which labels all of her garments with a consumer care guide to give clothes the most extended life. Her clothes are cruelty-free, ethically sourced, and in sustainable packing. McCartney’s brand empowers women and is a role model for other brands to show how easy sustainability can be.
I want to highlight one brand, Chloé, during the spring/summer 2022 collection. During the show, viewers sat on cushions made of Chloé fabric remains on brick benches. The new footwear line, Lou, was made of Ocean Sole, upcycled flip-flops found on the beaches of Kenya. The brand views sustainability and social justice as its number one priority.
Riccardo Bellini was hired to Chloé in 2019. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Bellini began to rethink how he wanted to shape the brand. He set up a sustainability board, and Chloé became the first luxury fashion company to receive B-Corp Certification–a standard of social and environmental performance for-profit companies.
These practices Chloé utilizes are crucial to standing out in the industry. Luxury brands have the resources and funds to practice sustainability. Through implementation and proper education, companies can use resources to stand out in sustainability.
