Sustainability in January fashion and textile shows
Pitti Uomo: it is undoubtedly one of the most important male fashion shows, but it is slow in embracing the arguments of sustainable fashion. Are just a few the brands who use their choices in this direction as pillars of their communication strategy. Consequently we can meet only few sustainable collections. Among them: the Italians of 500gr with their new 100% recycled wool collection (at their second year); Uniforms For The Dedicated with an increased use of sustainable materials – from 21 to 51% – including hemp, recycled cotton and pet, nuts instead of horn buttons etc.; Cushe, a british footwear company, increases their sustainable offer with Shucoon a sport shoe realized according to their new project C.L.I.M.A.T.E. – Containing Low Impact Materials And Thinking Environmentally; and Landini, in collaboration with ASAP – as sustainable as possible, presented a new line of extra-light scarves in pure cashmere dyed with natural colours from herbs, roots and leaves in full respect of the environment.
Pitti Bimbo: Also this season the organizers proposed EcoEthic section dedicated to those kids collections where ethics and eco-sustainability are basic elements. Here we find brands from all over the world that use organic and sustainable materials respecting the environment and the people, contributing, with a certified supply chain, to support local productions and small communities. The brands are: Alta Rosa, Corral de Pollitos, Frilo Swiss-made, Inch Blue, Kidiwi, Kite, NaturaPura, Nixie Clothing, Paola Maria, Småfolk, Stregatoccacolore, Veja.
Pitti Filati: It seamed clear after July edition, that attention to sustainability would have been a common theme through out the event. Unfortunately we noticed that the section dedicated to these issues is no longer present. Among the exhibitors already there in July, at the moment only Tintoria di Quaregna is present. Of course there will be many recycled wool producers, but how many will focus on the sustainability aspect of their work in their communication and sales strategy?
Who’s Next Paris: the continuous rush to anticipate the collection presentations brought the WSN Developpement group to move Who’s next event from the usual February and September to January and July, more and more distant from the catwalks week. This radical change and the acquisition of Pret a Proter Paris has signed the end of So Ethic, one of the most important sections dedicated entirely to sustainable fashion in an event of this kind.
Despite all what has not change is the number of sustainable brands, stating once for all, that dedicated events are on one side very important and interesting for press, public and brands, but on the other side not necessarily the best form of promotion and selling.
Many the brands, some italians too, present at Who’s Next different shows: L’Herbe Rouge, Les Racines Du Ciel, Misericordia, Komodo, Veja, Tudo Bom?, Toms, Ombre Claire, Pachacuti, Po-Zu, Swedish Hasbeens, and the italians Dalaleo, Hell’s Kitchen and for sure many others.
Berlin: The Berlin Fashion Week is monopolized by the usual two largest events – Premium and Bread and Butter – but sees, in this edition more the ever, a flourishing of small and medium events distributed though out the city, Some are new others well established and in this scenario sustainable fashion has a role anything but marginal.
GreenShowroom confirms it’s reached maturity welcoming a limited but well selected number of brands where luxury and sustainability are deeply interconnected. Stands out the presence of Stewart+Brown, american organic cotton pioneers at what it’s probably one of their first shows in the old continent. Other participants were: Reet Aus, Royalblush, and the Italians of Right as Rain.
Ethical Fashion Show Berlin: For sure the absolute new entry in this Berlin Fashion Week edition. It is the second event that Messe Frankfurt dedicates to sustainable fashion in town, after GreenShowroom. It is as well the first real experiment in exporting from Paris the event created by Isabelle Quéhé back in 2004, not considering the partially unsuccessful attempt in Milan in February 2009. Within the list of the exhibitors some well known brands like *MILCH, Elementum, Studio Jux, Komodo, Hemp Age, Helvetas e Banuq by Atelier Awash and few interesting new faces like the underwear of BUTTWRAPBERLIN and the organic collection with mongolian inspiration of ‘room to roam’.
The presence of sustainable brands does not end with the two dedicated shows, but invades slowly and relentlessly all other fashion events. To conduct the visitors in this journey one guide above all: Berlin Fashion Week Eco Guide realized by Beyond Berlin an agency for sustainable fashion and lifestyle. Many the brands already present at the Paris shows as well as the well established and interesting ones from People Tree, to the Italians of Reale; from Noir to Nudie Jeans, all together more then 100 brands distributed in 8 events.
Ethicalista 