Podcast’s Essential Bites:
[13:25] SK: "The principles they are mandating for companies [at Copenhagen Fashion Week] who want to show [are that] by 2023 [they] can't have fur, they must have a diverse management team and diverse models, no single use plastic in their stores or fulfilling ecommerce orders. [...] They can't destroy unsold clothes. 50% of their collection [must be] made from sustainable or upcycled materials. [...] There are 18 principles that companies have to align with."
[16:11] CB: "There are plenty of brands that do just fine without a fashion show and without runways. It is just by no means necessary. And it's certainly less necessary now than it was 10 or 20 years ago. [...] During the pandemic [...] we started to see real growth and output and interesting approaches to how you show digitally."
[17:32] SK: "There was so much conversation [during the pandemic] among all the labels about this is our moment to really do a reset, because it's not sustainable from a labor practice standpoint, but also from a sustainability of our business and climate impact perspective. And so for it all to come back and have this rush to normalcy [is sad] and I think there are more shows than ever this season."
[21:34] RK: "It's estimated that all fashion weeks combined, their carbon impact is equal to lighting up Time Square for 58 years each year. So that would include traveling, accommodation, transportation. [...] All Fashion Week's combined is about 51,000 cars on the road. So it's not an insignificant amount of climate impact."
[24:30] RK: "There's all these new governing bodies and governing guidelines to inform different brands on how to produce a more sustainable fashion show. [...] Gucci has been certifying its fashion shows as carbon netral since 2020. They're focusing on renting materials, local catering, avoiding single use plastic. [...] Brands will start using their own guidelines to clean up their impact. [...] There's so much creative opportunity here for waste."
[27:53] CB: "Last season was the NFT season. Everybody was doing an NFT. So I'm super curious to find out how many NFTs we see this time. And I'm really curious to see sustainability and sustainability claims. [...] New York went almost entirely to digital invitations, which is fantastic."
Rating: 💬💬
Additional Links:
Article: "Are Digital Fashion Weeks Really More Sustainable?" (Vogue, 2020)
Article: "Copenhagen Fashion Week Leans on Sustainability and TikTokers for Revival" (Vogue Business, 2022)
Article: "Will the Hottest Ticket at September Fashion Weeks Be an NFT?" (WWD, 2022)
