Fashion Revolution Week

BY Green Stilettos / Apr 16, 2016

Fashion

This year’s Fashion Revolution Week kicks off on Monday, encouraging millions of fashion lovers around the world to ask brands and themselves a simple question: “Who made my clothes?”

Born out of the indignation following the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, Fashion Revolution has gone from strength to strength, with over 80 countries participating in this year’s week-long mobilization. I will be supporting this year’s Fashion Revolution in Switzerland by giving a talk at the Un-Dress event in St Gallen on Wednesday, 20 April.

I will be speaking about the way forward for sustainable fashion – the topic of my recently published article in Green Fashion – Volume 2 by Springer. I will share my ideas on how we can leverage the many worthy initiatives out there to bring sustainability into mainstream fashion and make sure it is there to stay.

In modern-day fashion, there’s nothing like meeting your clothes’ maker. Last week, the British press was all over the story of a Mumbai dressmaker who made the boho dress for designer Anita Dongre worn by the Duchess of Cambridge on her India tour. As it turns out, neither the Princess, nor the seamstress had heard about the other before.

Happy: Babita (pictured) said she doesn’t feel envious of famous people wearing the dresses she makes but can’t afford. ‘I love my work so I am happy that people on the other side of the world enjoy what we make,’ she told MailOnline

In days gone by, we knew the seamstress, the dressmaker or the relative who made our garments. Today, the anonymity of the global fashion supply chain robs us of this personal connection.

That’s why I feel so happy whenever I know the answer to the question posed by Fashion Revolution. Today, it is Nicola Woods, the founder and designer of the Notting Hill-based brand Beautiful Soul. Thank you, Nicola, for my beautiful floral silk-and-lace top, which is just perfect for spring!