What is Fashion Revolution?

Look out for Fashion Revolution Week - 22nd – 29th April 2023

I hate the word ‘fashion’. Well it’s not the word itself but what it represents. If you’re thinking, ‘What the heck is she talking about? She’s a stylist!’ then check back. I never use the word. I talk about style all the time but the two words for me are not interchangeable.

Style is what you have! Fashion is what manufacturers make you think you need to have!

Don’t get me wrong, it has a place. I guess it’s when the word fashion is used in the context of what we now know as ‘fast fashion’. That’s what I actually hate. But what I LOVE is the Fashion Revolution movement. Fashion Revolution Week happens every April but the movement continues day in day out and will do so for as long as we need it to.

Fashion Revolution Week is an annual campaign to bring together the world’s largest fashion activism movement for seven days of ACTION. It has been 10 years since the Rana Plaza tragedy where 1138 people were killed. Most of the victims were young women who died whilst making clothes for some of the biggest global fashion brands.

This year’s theme is ‘Manifesto for a Fashion Revolution’. The objective is to call out retailers, some seemingly ‘ethical’ or ‘sustainable’ but possibly not really, to be open and transparent about the way in which their clothes are manufactured including how their workers are treated and paid. You can read more here Fashion Revolution and you can help by spreading the word on your social media pages and making carefully considered purchases of all of your clothes from now on. Number 7 in the 10 step manifesto is all about never unnecessarily destroying or discarding your clothes but embracing the principles of ‘circular fashion’. If you’ve been following me for a while you will know this is something I am passionate about.

Here are just some ways you can embrace the idea of circular fashion in your every day wardrobe……

· Buy quality items you intend to keep AND WEAR for longer.

· When an item has finished serving you (or you’ve outgrown it) pass it on. You can gift it to a friend, donate it to a charity, arrange a swish with a group of friends, sell it on.

· Think about buying some of your clothes from charity shops or other online sellers.

· Regularly review your wardrobe. Know what you have so you can avoid unnecessary repeat buying or simply buying what you don’t actually need.

· If you’re no longer reaching for an item, can you do something with it? Does it need altering? Do you just need to pair it with different things for a new lease of life? Could you dye it? Can you pimp it up to make it more appealing?

· If something has seen better days can it be repaired? Can stains be covered over with embellishments? Does it just need a de-bobbling?

· Stop buying from brands you know are unethical. If something is ‘cheap’ chances are the person making it has not been fairly paid or treated.

· Educate yourself by reading up. Who made your clothes? What are they made of? Is the process ethical?

· Buy less and wear it more. You will be surprised at what you can afford if you stop buying in quantity and buy only what you need but much better quality.

· Take care of your clothes so they last you longer. Do you really need to wash after every wear? Can you wash on lower temperature? Are you storing your clothes correctly?

If you need help with creating a more sustainable and ethical wardrobe then why not consider my wardrobe editing service where I will do the hard work for you. Head over to my website to book your 15 minute call so I can design exactly the service you need.

There’s really no excuse, we can all be doing a little more to support our planet and get on the Fashion Revolution.