Elegance Redefined: How is Sustainable Fashion Transforming the Luxury Industry?
In recent years, consumers have been increasingly demanding and prioritizing sustainable practices in all aspects of life and the luxury fashion industry is no exception. Amidst growing concerns for our planet, we’ve witnessed a notable shift from exploitative and unethical practices to a commitment to building a compassionate and eco-friendly future. Although there is still a long way to go, as a society, we’ve largely improved our consumption habits. Fast fashion is slowly giving way to a new era, in which style meets sustainability.
To just give a brief overview, the rise of fast fashion began in the ‘90s when retailers started introducing stylish and cheap garments due to improved technology, inexpensive low-quality materials, and low-cost labor. From 2000 to 2014, clothing production doubled. This caused a rapidly moving trend cycle, inevitably leading to overconsumption and introducing a new concept – microtrends. Certain items now gain popularity incredibly fast, and sadly, lose it even faster. Consumers are purchasing garments they will use for short periods of time because they’re trendy and inexpensive. Unfortunately, these garments are quickly thrown out and consequently end up in landfills.
This expedited movement of trends has made fashion one of the most profitable industries but also makes it one of the most heavily criticized, as it is notorious for being one of the biggest polluters of our planet, with the production of clothing emitting up to a tenth of global carbon emissions.
So what exactly does sustainability mean in the context of luxury fashion and why is it so important?
It refers to the ethical and environmentally friendly production, consumption, and disposal of clothing and other fashion items. One of the key principles that define sustainable fashion is the impact it has on the environment. This underscores the need for the fashion industry to minimize its carbon emissions, water usage, and waste. Sustainable fashion seeks to transform the industry into an environmentally conscious one and strives for a balance between environmental and social responsibility and creating sophisticated, timeless designs. Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, and Acne Studios stand out among the brands that have been advocating for an environmentally conscious future and have subsequently become pioneers of sustainable luxury fashion. Similarly, brands like Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, Loewe, The Row, and Max Mara have dedicated themselves to the use of natural materials, quality craftsmanship, and the distinctive look we now know as “quiet luxury”.
By minimizing the production of clothing and establishing a more conscious approach, sustainable fashion aims to also protect the well-being of those who are making the garments. Very often, workers in sweatshops are forced to work unreasonable hours at a rapid pace, which leads to physical and mental exhaustion, all while receiving inadequate wages. Consequently, a high percentage of the sweatshop workers live in poverty. They are also exposed to toxic chemicals and dyes without proper protection, which negatively impacts their health. In recent years, discussions about improving working conditions and raising wages for workers have been mainly led by brands like Stella McCartney, Gucci, Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, and Loewe.
As evident, many luxury brands are responding to this transformative movement by prioritizing transparency about the sourcing of materials, manufacturing processes, and working conditions in their factories. They have started incorporating sustainable, recycled, eco-friendly, and quality materials, and most importantly, embracing the concept of circular fashion, which promotes longevity and encourages durable, quality, and timeless designs. Garments, made in regard to the principles of circular fashion, have longer lifespans, which reduces the need for frequent replacements. Circular fashion also encourages shopping for second-hand or pre-owned items to extend the lifecycle of clothing, which is also the fundamental principle of TheRealLuxury, where you can choose from a wide array of renowned fashion brands and products from the segment of clothing, footwear, accessories, jewelry, watches, home decor and much more!
To conclude, for many people, fashion serves as a form of self-expression. It can be used to communicate our identity, personality, individuality, interests and values to those around us. And what better way to express our love for style and the planet than through the embrace of sustainable fashion?
We encourage you to shop your favorite new but pre-loved luxury pieces at great prices at TheRealLuxury!
