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  • The Better Lives lectures have definitely influenced my thinking and most importantly, I learned more about Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Diversity.  The lecture that resonated with me the most was “Power”. It showed how “fashion was always a medium to visually communicate power.” But it also portrayed that fashion is not always a force for good. That there are a lot of facts that are ignored by consumers. For example that “the industry becomes wealthy by enslaving others” or that “in four days a CEO earns as much as a garment worker earns in a lifetime.” This really made me think and now I pay more attention to the way I consume. Because we as consumers have the power to change the fashion world for the better. We all have social responsibility. Therefore, I inform myself more about how my clothes are produced. I prefer to shop in charity shops and give clothes a second life instead of supporting fast fashion. Because a lot of effort has been put in its production. I buy second hand clothes online as well – because fashion does not have to cost the earth. Even  though if we do not change our consumer habits, it will indeed cost the earth. We should choose to re-love clothes instead of them ending up in landfill. The lecture pointed out that “decent work with a fair pay should be a fundamental human right.” Therefore it became more crucial to me to invest in more sustainable produced clothes where I know the workers are paid fairly – instead of buying too many clothes without wearing them. I either sell the clothes I do not wear or I donate them to charity shops. I also learned that “media and advertising is driving consumption of fashion products to a level that is not sustainable in the long run.” Social media has become incredibly powerful but in a world of “influencers” who advertise amounts of clothes, it becomes clear that it is not smart to give in to the temptation to buy more instead of making the most of less. The influence culture does not portray diversity because everyone wears the same clothes and everyone advertises the same products. Inclusivity is not portrayed either. It seems that a certain image has to be portrayed – an image of perfection that does not leave room for including those who are different. Although there has been an improvement of inclusivity in the past few years, a lot more effort has to be put in. The lecture underlined that “the pressure of presenting a perfect life is bad for our mental health and is the driving source for feelings of anxiety and insecurity.” I use social media as a source of inspiration and not for comparison. I follow artists and designers instead of influencers and models – because I have the power to choose if I want to be inspired or influenced. Thus: “We have power and can do something even though it seems overwhelming at times.”
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