Lecture 1, Power & Lecture 5, Nature

A crucial, lucid message that is portrayed throughout both of these lectures is that; as individuals in the fashion industry, it is essential to consider the relative ways that we can practice sustainably in our creative future. Being a makeup and hair student, I was influenced by Kate Fletcher’s lecture to look into the increasing number of cosmetics/makeup brands that operate their practices truly sustainably and ethically, but I found that there are still many that do not. Consequences to the environment in the cosmetics industry are equally detrimental and damaging to life forms as those in fashion, such as; vast species-rich deforestation for palm oil plantations, water pollution from chemicals, and animal testing etc. Things like these are undoubtedly harmful and have knock-on effects on all life forms. As Kate said, “people tend be disconnected because they don’t see these things first-hand”. We are all aware that ecological decline is happening, and I would agree with Kate that we are the generation that is going to be most capable of making a difference to protect our planet. I aim to research and further educate myself about the negative impacts of the cosmetics/ makeup industries alongside the fashion industry to influence my decisions to purchase more ethically, raise awareness to others, and ultimately carry forward ethical and sustainable thinking in my future creative practice.

Julia Crew’s lecture on Power highlighted the importance to consider the effectiveness of our decisions, and how we can use our power as a collective through protests and boycotts as well as an individual to make a difference. As Julia said, “consumers have a great deal of power with every purchase they make” – which for me, emphasised the fact that even the most small, seemingly-simple purchases have a back-story; where it came from, how it was manufactured, how the raw materials and ingredients were sourced etc. Admittedly, I can’t say that I truly consider these things every single time I make a purchase. Nor had I put into perspective the contributing effects that a single particular purchase may have on the Earths life support systems as a whole. Both Julia and Kate’s lectures certainly raised my awareness and have made me more conscious of, and even passionate about how change can make a difference. We should be researching and considering the origins of the products that we buy, whether it is makeup or fashion, and using our consumer power to support the brands and companies that practice with their ecological identities in mind. We need to find a balance between reducing our negative environmental impact, while remaining ethical and fair for humans and their needs. A product may be cruelty-free but are the worker’s conditions less than humane? Our choice not to support less sustainable brands are surely going to cause knock-on effects/consequences to the workers in employment of the line of production, so it is of course essential for us (as well as the brands themselves) to consider, research, and work towards balancing this, to ultimately create better lives.