An Industry Tainted

Fashion Designer Jason Hewitt graduated from RMIT in 2010 and was selected to show in the prestigious National Graduate Showcase at the 2011 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. He's revered as one of the most aesthetically exciting designers to emerge from Melbourne in recent years. Hewitt publicly advocates sustainable design and recently discussed this for The Urban Times. You can read the full article at The Urban Times.

“While purchasing with the idea that the item will last for an extended period of time is not a groundbreaking phenomenon, or one that will save the environment, it is an idea that will perhaps help to combat the throw away attitude that society takes to fashion; an attitude that is in many ways the fault of the industry itself.” ~ Jason Hewitt 

Hewitt touches on the idea that a conscious consumer has responsibility of curating their own wardrobe. To curate a sustainable and ethical wardrobe it is important to buy with longevity in mind, buying less good quality garments, to source from companies that are transparent - that are sustainable and ethical, supporting small (local) businesses and trade - not supporting sweatshops, giving love back to creativity, rekindling a personal approach to style; this will cut down the amount of unwanted goods purchased, while also ensuring there will be less; better yet, none to 'throw away'.
Curating a wardrobe isn't a new idea to me but it's one that I'm working on.

'What we – both as an industry and as the target audience seem to have largely forgotten – is that clothing is a craft, and should be treated as such...'

LEFT TO ROT: Does the above photo speak of craft? Mass production results in thousands of items heading to landfill. Source: The Guardian

The article written by Hewitt pulled at my heart-strings. It was especially the latter that did this.

Jason Hewitt currently lives in Melbourne and spends his time trying to reconcile his love of design with what he describes as an “ever increasing sense of dissatisfaction at the state of the world, and the state of his chosen industry”.

I sincerely relate to Hewitt's reconciliation efforts. Honest artists like Hewitt remind me it's alright to feel this sense of dissatisfaction and I realise I'm not alone in this. 
Nowadays, for me, anything that sparks a sense of dissatisfaction acts as fuel to perpetuate my aspirations; along with inspirations.

" If there is any hope left in a world so far fallen into the most hellish part of itself, it is within the arts and its screaming artists." 
~ Anthony Anaxagorou 


[Keep screaming Hewitt, 
I hear you!]

Lucy Siegle - To Die For; is fashion wearing out the world?

I've recently read To Die For written by Lucy Siegle.
Lucy Siegle is an ethical writer and sustainable fashion advocate.

image courtesy of goodreads.com

To Die For tells of eye-opening accounts of the inhumane corruption and environmental devastation in the global (fast) fashion chain. Tackling particular issues of the current obsession with cheap and fast fashion, Siegle appeals for an urgent change that needs to be made by the industry and the consumer.
Siegle breaks down environmental devastation, animal welfare and human rights factors to inform the reader of the current situation of the industry, advocating an available sustainable and ethical alternative. This clear information encourages the reader to understand the differences between sustainable and ethical design and why it's important to support both and preferably not the majority of mass-industry which is in reality supporting neither. Good design is capable of protecting environments while supporting human rights - why wouldn't we want to adhere to that? And I've learnt, just like biodiversity is important in a healthy eco-system, it is also healthy for our wardrobes.

Lucy Siegle shares her ethical fashion vision, one that isn't all hemp shoes and hippie throw-backs but one that lives in the strong presence of today with sustainable and ethical designers challenging big fashion's footprint with an impassioned genuine care for people and planet, while also maintaining fashionable desirability.
This book will make you think twice about your purchasing decisions, and shock you into desiring the alternative. Siegle acts as the light at the end of the tunnel, directing the way to a more sustainable lifestyle; a lifestyle that asks more questions, a lifestyle that involves personal informed choices.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.