The fashion industry has always been one to be led by emerging trends, but the newest stylistic direction of fashion may prove to be more than a fad. Luxury fashion is now focusing on more than a fresh and exciting look, but a way of achieving any look: through more sustainable practices.
Major brands have come forward announcing big changes to their upcoming lines, and those changes have less to do with hem lengths and colorways, and more to do with ethical production and clean manufacturing. It looks like these changes may be here to stay as the style of sustainability continues to gain momentum with major fashion powerhouses.
Stella McCartney Pays Respect, and Demands it in Return
One fashion powerhouse, Stella McCartney, has led the movement toward more sustainable practices. On their website, the brand elaborates on their primary focus: Respect for Nature, Respect for People, and Respect for Animals. These three categories represent the multi-faceted change in direction many companies are pursuing. Stella is setting an impressive precedent in the emerging world of ethical textiles.
Within her three-pronged approach, Stella McCartney recognizes that the industry depends on people (growing crops and manufacturing the clothing), animals (which provide many of the raw materials used by other fashion brands), and nature (also providing materials, as well as standing on the receiving end of the production process.) The company is working to have a positive, as opposed to negative, impact on all three of these groups, making sure people are making fair wages, their brand remains stubbornly vegetarian, and that the production process uses as many sustainable natural materials as possible, while protecting the environment from harm.
American Luxury Fashion Following Suit
Stella McCartney and the Kering Group have impressed audiences worldwide with their unprecedented ethical practices, but American luxury fashion is eager to keep up with the sustainability trend. In their latest Sustainability Report, Coach reported that they were taking steps toward holistic sustainability through employee engagement, supply chain stewardship, environmental conservation, and community empowerment. The brand’s upper leadership has committed to collaborating with raw material suppliers to ensure responsible sourcing, even to the point of social audits and unannounced visits to production sites.
Similarly, Ralph Lauren has also committed itself to reevaluating their sourcing guidelines and creating new policies that will trace wood-based fabrics like viscose and rayon to make sure there is no connection with rainforest destruction or human rights violations.
Finally, taking a page from the McCartney playbook, luxury brand Michael Kors has publically committed to going fur-free, effective this year (2018). This policy applies to the entire company, including the Jimmy Choo brand, acquired earlier last year.
The public response to the new sustainability plans of these major fashion brands has been overwhelmingly positive, hinting that eco-friendly textile production may prevail as a valued, timeless look and not merely a passing fad.