Fashion has always been thought of to be a mirror of society. Today, people across the world are more and more aware of their impact on the environment. How does that trend reflect on the fashion world?
The fashion of a current time reflects society. If we look back in time, in history the women’s right movement had a huge effect on women’s fashion. During the 1920’s corsets gave way to camisoles, low waisted dresses with fullness in the hemlines allowed women the comfort to move their bodies to the current new dances. Fashion proved adaptable and driven by its consumers. Silk was out of the reach of many women’s wardrobes so the textile industry developed rayon in response. These are some examples from the past. Today, people across the world are becoming more and more aware of their impact on the environment, and the fashion world seems to be following that trend.
Examples of eco-fashion in 2009
So, here we find that fashion has once again mirrored society and adapted itself in 2009. Let’s take a look at a fashion staple in everyone’s wardrobe – Jeans. We are now seeing big name brands such as Levi Strauss and 7 for all Mankind launching an eco-friendly range of jeans.
New Zealand fashion designer Kate Sylvester has incorporated organic cotton and eco merino fabrics into her collection and has started to reduce the carbon footprint of her business operations. Stella McCartney the British fashion designer chooses only to use materials not derived from animals in her collections.
A big name brand in sportswear Nike completed a line of sportswear for the Beijing 2008 Olympics made from 100% recycled polyester. Nike have also released a range of shoes (Considered Design) which are aimed to minimise environmental impact by reducing waste throughout the design and development process, using environmentally preferred materials and eliminating toxins.
Elle Macpherson new collection (Procession) released earlier this year makes use of bamboo cotton and Seacell. Bamboo has the physical properties of cotton, but it contains more antibacterial properties than cotton or wool (which are very absorbent and hold moisture in). Bamboo also wicks moisture away so it is better for the wearer’s circulation and skin. Seacell has a porous and open structure. This helps promote humidity intake and release and a healthier interaction between the fibre and the skin. Even after numerous washings the health-promoting beneficial effects of Seacell remain unaffected.
Eco-fashion show
Eco-fashion has also been given its own fashion show. New York is known as one of the fashion capitals in the world and for the 2008 fashion week, the opening show was an eco-fashion show. This helped bring attention to how rather than who when it comes to the process behind the label.
London is also another fashion capital and during London Fashion Week there were eco-fashion shows showcasing new designs using sustainable clothing materials. Other fashion cities around the world such as Berlin and Los Angeles have also hosted eco-fashion shows within their fashion week. And we all know that fashion week sets the stage for what the trends for the rest of the season are.
Once again we are seeing the fashion world mirror society and adapting by becoming more eco-conscious as their customers become more aware that they can play a role in helping to combat climate change.
Ponder this: Will eco-initiatives be a staple for the fashion industry like a pair of jeans, or will it soon face extinction like fluorescent clothing?
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Fashion has always been thought of to be a mirror of society. Today, people across the world are more and more aware of their impact on the environment. How does that trend reflect on the fashion world?
