Read on for more ethical fashion news, the first Arab Fashion week, American Apparel’s comeback and Alice McCall’s sample sale.
Only 1% of Clothing is Recycled
Only 1% of clothing is recycled and Stella McCartney is outraged. McCartney, has always been known for her aversion to leather, fur and the ethical fashion war she’s been fighting for years. Her most recent campaign made heads turn, with featured a model laying amongst piles of waste. It was also recently reported by The Guardian that the fashion industry produces 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases each year.
In an interview with The Guardian, McCartney spoke about the “Fashioned from Nature” exhibition, where clothing and accessories she’s designed materialised out of recycled ocean plastic. McCartney said to The Guardian, “Everything comes from nature. I mean, where does colour come from, if not from nature, from the changing of the seasons? Every fabric we use is emulating something from nature. Nature is … oh man, it’s magnificent, isn’t it?”
Saudi Arabia’s First Fashion Week
The first Arab Fashion Week ever took place this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 11th – 14th April at Apex Centre, an iconic landmark in Riyadh designed by Dame Zaha Hadid. Known as one of the most conservative countries in the world, the country has evolved significantly in the past year alone due to the leadership of 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. Laws that banned women from sitting in cafes with men, travelling without the permission of a male guarding, drive cars or attend sporting events and concerts have now been abolished by the Prince. The fashion week still maintained a women-only audience, with one press and men day which also allowed cameras. According to Vogue, women wore whatever they liked, although most dressed in modest clothing and some even wore their usual abaya (floor-length robes). Stand-out designers included Beirut-based Basil Soda, Aiisha Ramadan and Alya Alsawwaf. Designer Arwa Al Banawi said to Vogue, “Being in an Islamic country, we do need to respect our religion and dress conservatively, and a lot of women do love wearing the abaya. But it doesn’t have to be a black abaya—I’ve worn a silk coat before, and in Jeddah, you see women in bright colors and different silhouettes.”
American Apparel is making a comeback
After all American Apparel stores were shut down in 2016 before the they filed for bankruptcy, the company has been slowly building themselves up for a relaunch. Acquired by Gildan Activewear in 2017, American Apparel has launched online, in the US and UK. Their most recent expansion is a global shipping option, which means, shipping to Australia. The new American Apparel has a renewed focus – represented by an executive team of only females which is “setting the tone for the brand’s pledge to work with real people, the campaign models represent a diversity of body types, ages, and ethnicities, all sharing the same playful, confident and honest spirit,” according to a statement at the global launch. Gildan Activewear have also confirmed that all clothing will be “ethically made and sweatshop free”.
Kitx and Fashion Revolution Week
Kit Willow of Kitx, Australian designer and advocate for ethics and sustainability, will be hosting an informative and free-of-charge speaking session to commemorate the end of Fashion Revolution Week 2018. Willow will present and speak alongside Caroline Poiner and Glynis Traill-Nash, from Artisan of Fashion and fashion editor of The Australian respectively. The talk will take place at KitX’s Paddington store on Saturday April 28 from 5pm onwards. It takes place as a part of the Official Fashion Open Studio Series, which aims to inform and address much needed reform and supply chain transparency in the fashion industry.
Alice McCall Sydney Archive Sale
Shop Australian designer, Alice McCall’s current and past season collections - with up to 85% off and only four days to shop the sale.
Who: Alice McCall
What: Up to 85% off current and past seasons
When: Thursday 26th April – Sunday 29th April
Where: 55 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery NSW 2018