Blog Post 2
The fashion industry has long been criticized for its unethical practices that has led many conscious individuals around the world to stand against the industry’s sustained exploitation of human, animal and natural resources. The core themes of Better Lives unit – Diversity, Sustainability and Social Responsibility addressed these issues and allowed me to explore how these values can be encompassed in practical settings.
It isn’t hard to see that this industry has an unmistakably hefty carbon footprint, is responsible for animal cruelty and jeopardizes the safety and health of millions of workers who go unnoticed in its hidden supply chains. However, we as young creatives can use fashion’s influence to shape our world in a positive way and ultimately dictate the new future- one that is sustainable, ethical and ecological.
Online lectures and lockdown gave me ample time to reflect on my practice as a fashion journalist. Journalism is essentially the voice of the voiceless, a powerful tool that influences society and bridges the gap between brands and consumers. The pathway I selected for my Better Lives Unit is Messaging Fashion. Despite having theoretical knowledge about Public Relations, I found myself better understanding PR’s role in fashion communication when I put myself in its shoes and got first-hand knowledge about it from its tutors. Messaging Fashion especially encouraged us to incorporate the themes of diversity, sustainability and social responsibility in our projects. Working in groups, we were allocated a brand and asked to design an initiative around a social responsibility cause that is authentic to the brand. The list of brands available to us for selection all reflected the Better Lives themes, making me understand that partnering with ethical brands is the first step towards a responsible fashion career.
I always associated sustainability as something relevant to practices that are more hands-on – like fashion designing which can directly be linked to sourcing of sustainable fabrics.
However, after engaging with the Better Lives lectures, I realised that journalists can support sustainability by writing about ethical fashion brands and bring them to spotlight by highlighting their positive efforts in battling fashion industry’s wrong doings. Promoting transparency within fashion’s supply chain and spreading awareness through words is how a journalist can combat these moral issues. I have always admired fashion journalists like Elizabeth Paton, who recently wrote an article for New York Times – Luxury’s Hidden Indian Supply Chain. Her investigative style of writing that explores business, tech and sustainability inspires me to pen my thoughts on similar themes in future and bring consumer awareness.
This unit also made me value connections by working collaboratively. Working with a diverse group of people, not just at the face of a campaign but also at the rear of it ensures that important messages don’t get lost in the translation. I hope to use these learnings from Better Lives unit to fuel my growth as a fashion journalist in future.
References:
Paton, E. (2020) Luxury’s Hidden Indian Supply Chain. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/style/dior-saint-laurent-indian-labor-exploitation.html (Accessed: 26 April 2020).