by Abby Wester ’22
London Fashion Week, which took place from Feb. 14 to 18, did not go as smoothly as planned. Extinction Rebellion, an environmental movement that uses civil disobedience to insist on climate change action, protested the event outside of Fashion Week venues and around the city. They blocked traffic and passed out flyers at Gatwick Airport.
The fashion industry takes a toll on the environment. It uses large quantities of water resources, increases carbon dioxide emissions, uses fossil fuels for synthetic fabrics and creates more waste in landfills. Fast fashion, which refers to low-quality, inexpensive clothing from brands like Zaful, Forever 21 and H&M, is even less sustainable. These trendy, short-lived items often end up in landfills after precious resources have been used to make them.
Along with protesting the current fashion week, Extinction Rebellion also asked the British Fashion Council to cancel the September 2020 London Fashion Week, due to the exploitative nature of the fashion industry and the Council’s lack of climate urgency. Sara Arnold, a protest organizer, told The Guardian, “London is home to the cutting edge of sustainable and ethical design and yet London fashion week lags behind.”
Thrift stores and consignment shops are easy ways to purchase second hand clothes in store, which provides a sustainable alternative to fast fashion. Apps like Depop and ThredUp allow users to purchase second hand clothes directly from their phones.
On Mount Holyoke’s campus, there are other ways to be sustainably stylish as well. The free bins in each residence hall provide free secondhand clothing. The Free and For Sale Facebook group also allows students to buy and sell items from each other, beyond just clothes.