Sustainable development in fashion? It’s the new big thing – and when the United Nations wants to make a fashionable splash, you know it’s for a good cause.
Somehow, when you think ‘United Nations’, ‘fashion’ doesn’t really pop into your head.
However, that’s all set to change.
The UN is starting an initiative called ‘Fashion 4 Development’, trying to persuade industry leaders in fashion to use their (metaphorical) heft to raise awareness of sustainable development issues in clothing.
Sustainable clothing is a big-ticket item – consumers are increasingly eco-friendly and educated about where their clothes come from, and sweatshops and outsourcing are increasing causes for concern.
The UN’s Fashion 4 Development branch is working on promoting many initiatives along these lines, including fashion made from tyres and the use of traditional artisans. One of their major projects? Nelson Mandela’s fashion line, which aims to fund AIDS research and give work to African artisans. And that’s just the start.
Now the UN has brought in a proper fashion heavy-hitter – Vogue Italia’s Franca Sozzani – to represent them as a Global Ambassador. Being a celebrity Global Ambassador is no picnic – Angelina Jolie is probably the most famous one, and she’s not exactly sleeping on the job – but Sozzani seems to be up to the challenge.
So what will the job require? Bringing her expertise on high fashion to round-table discussions with economists and sustainable development experts. Sounds pretty cool to us.
Sozzani isn’t a stranger to campaigning – she’s started several initiatives of her own this year, from wanting more models of colour to wading into the plus-size debate – and hopefully this new role will suit her down to the ground.
Are you looking forward to seeing what Fashion 4 Development produces?
Image: Franca Sozzani.
Rescu. can’t help it – we just love an elopement.
And when the participants are one of the world’s top supermodels and a respected character actor, you know it’ll make fashion headlines.
Agyness Deyn, the blonde English model who broke onto the fashion scene in a major way with neon-friendly designer Henry Holland a few years ago, has just married Giovanni Ribsi. You may know his face from Friends and minor roles all over television since.
They simply popped round to the registry office in Los Angeles – and announced the marriage by, of course, Tweeting.
It’s a shock to the fashion world – Deyn is a hot commodity, and had showed up at fashion parties with numerous rockers including Albert Hammond Jnr of The Strokes, but she kept this so quiet nobody knew she was dating Ribsi at all. (There may be a good reason for that – Ribsi broke up with his long-term girlfriend, singer and indie-fashion darling Cat Power, only two months ago.)
As yet, nobody knows what the cutting-edge couple wore, and it looks likely that no photo deal with be forthcoming – alas for other aspiring elopers looking for fashion tips.
It looks like street style bloggers should start hanging out on City Hall steps to see if they can catch a quick fashion wedding in the making…
Image: Agyness Deyn on the cover of British Vogue, 2008, shot by Nick Knight.
