Yesterday: London Fashion Week February 2011: D3 – Sourcing = Knowing + Acting
Tomorrow: London Fashion Week February 2011: Summary – What does the future hold?
The luxury sector in ‘green’ fashion finds itself in a somewhat disputed corner of the fashion scene. On the one hand, the sector does not exactly spearhead a sound ethical understanding neither in their supply chains nor in any other aspect. This, despite that that while there is a lot of cash to be earned, and the margins ample enough, so one would think, to spend ‘a little bit extra’ on the issue of supply chain transparency, traceability and ‘doing the right thing’.
On the other hand, too much focus is set upon the luxurious end of the spectrum, the focus is diverted away from the middle, and not the least the high street level of the market, which where the highest impact occurs due to the quantities produced, the low price level and the short lead times.
Finally thought, the luxury sector seems to awake to its potential and responsibility.
Maybe it is not by chance that Germany has assumed the lead in eco luxury fashion and accessories – meaning: ethical, ecological, sustainable and the high end of the price range – starting already a couple of years ago, as one initiative within Berlin Fashion Week.
The Green Show Room was initially the initiative of a two individual designers in response to them not finding a ‘niche’ to fit the properly within the existent framework of available fashion showcases. Founded in 2009, the event has just seen it’s 4th double season, taking in Paris and Berlin in subsequent months of each fashion season. It’s aim is purely and entirely the exclusive high-end section of the market, yet with a commitment to sustainable materials and production. It is probably the only ‘eco fashion show case where the term ‘Cradle to Cradle‘ is widely understood at all.
The success of The Green Showroom with buyers and press alike prompted the principle high-end show case of Berlin Fashion Week, the Premium, to adapt its concept. Since its January 2011 edition, this showcase event hence has allocated a predetermined number of slots to ‘green’ high-end brands. Other than with the Green Showroom however, who they exactly are is only identifiable via their website (names in green), and their exact credentials need to be assessed entirely on a one-to-one basis with the brands’ representatives attending the event.
While Milan or Florence’s Pitti, remain so far pretty much blissfully ignorant to the topic, as much as their buyer attendees, in Paris, to the best of my knowledge, ethical brands mingle with their non-ethical peers on the same floor and the same exhibitions, with ethical credentials being a non-topic.
In London, the panorama is somewhat peculiar. Until only a couple of seasons ago, EstEthica could boast with the attendance of a few high-end luxury brands. Interestingly however, and this seems to be the typical for London Fashion Week and its designer exhibition, they received the elephant share of the press coverage – but where bypassed by the buyers. This – again, this is my very personal observation – is due to first, buyers at LFW plan to sell in the 300-500£ price range to cash rich but a relatively young and cool crowd, where as the high-end sells at the 800-1500£ price range and people with a distinguished classy (call it posh) life style.
This all said, since September 2011 also London boasts a dedicated showcase event for ethical luxury and high-end labels. The event is called EcoLuxe London , and purposefully presents itself as a not-for-profit organisation, with the sole aim to promote ethical luxury fashion and jewellery brands, often in combination with their respective commitments, such as British craftsmanship or the training of the next generation of highly skilled textile technicians and designers.
The prices at which the designs seen at EcoLuxe retail are, in average, 2 to 4 times of their more main stream EstEthica or LFW’s designer exhibition peers. Invariable though, one aspect remains the same: unless one asks detailed questions, which are often perceived as rather aggressive and critical by the brand representatives, there is now way how to assess if and to what extent the label ‘ethical’ is indeed justified, or if it is just yet another label for the mere purpose of marketing. Like with their main stream peers, one has to dig rather deep to uncover the story behind the label, the degree of knowledge, commitment and involvement of each brand, designers and even braking it down on occasions to individual collection.
Assuming that what I have found to be the case at EcoLuxe London applies to both, the Berlin’s Green Showroom and the Premium, as well as to new ‘eco luxury’ showcases that will no doubt crop up as time goes by, the lack of quality knowledge, practises and commitment to sustainability is irritating, specifically in sight of the fact that these brands retail at a price-per-piece level in line with an average citizen’s net monthly income.
At around, or well over, 1000£ a piece, I expect a brand, and each single piece of a collection, not only to be first class design-wise – that, I take as a given – but I expect them to know their ropes backwards, forwards, and inside out. At least if they openly claim ethical credentials.
Some do display this knowledge and the commitment, and in that sense are possibly worth their money. But some, sadly, don’t.
Tomorrow: London Fashion Week February 2011: Summary – What does the future hold?
Yesterday: London Fashion Week February 2011: D3 – Sourcing = Knowing + Acting
