Dana Thomas, author of Deluxe How Luxury Lost Its Luster and Gods and Kings The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano has recently penned a new exposé about over consumption and the business of apparel. Cleverly named Fashionopolis (a reference to the Industrial Revolution and a German silent film) it examines the history of fast fashion, the over production and over consumption of cheaply made garments. The facts are that we are consuming clothing at an alarming rate that is devastating the environment and exploiting communities around the world. The current fashion industry is dated and unsustainable. This is a cost we can not afford.
Fashionopolis The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes includes extensive interviews with Stella McCartney, probably the most well known eco friendly luxury designer in the world, and Iris Van Herpen, a Dutch designer pushing boundaries with technology. More topics covered include worker’s rights and the dark truths of abuse and exploitation in the textile industry that runs as far back as the invention of the loom.
Throughout the years, there have been organizations campaigning for better conditions and livable wages, but now more than ever I believe serious reform is needed. We have the technology and knowledge to do better, just not the right people making the decisions. I stand in solidarity with Thomas in her belief that there isn’t just one solution to the problem. If an impact is to be made, it’s going to take a lot of people making a lot of changes. Consumers and producers alike.
Dana Thomas contends the future of fashion will be robot based. Whilst I see the pros and cons, I myself will always favor garments made by hand. Fashion is my art and I care about the people who create the work. Shopping for me isn’t about mindless over consumption. It’s about collecting pieces I love and their stories. Sometimes, those stories include the artisans who made it.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO PENGUIN PRESS