Sustainable Luxury
It’s been a while since I last shared a blog post. I have been occupied with resting a bit more. I was accustomed to an always-on-the-go life until I decided to introduce incremental moments of rest. You can expect more skincare, beauty and fashion contents. In this post, I want to explore the idea of sustainable luxury.
Sustainability is still an uncomfortable topic in fashion. Millennials say they prefer fashion made in a more ethical and environmentally conscious way. However, we can’t seem to get enough of quick stops at fast-fashion stores. These stores do offer trendy clothes at unbeatable prices often to the detriment of a sustainable sourcing process. The fashion cycle has been reduced to “buy- wear once- dispose”. As consumers, we often dismiss the importance of the entire fashion life cycle when we swipe our credit cards. Your favourite pair of jeans was not born in the shop. It started with fibre that was then turned into a fabric that should be recycled thereafter.
Many strategies can be adopted to reframe the environmental impacts of the fashion industry. Designers can embrace trade-offs in the creation process. These trade-offs would include creating multifunctional garments, designing for the immediate use and possible re-use, harnessing new technologies, re-using waste materials and more. Some designers are embracing the idea of sustainability with Stella McCartney at the forefront of this movement. However, change is always uncomfortable and slow to implement.
The complexity of eco-fashion is a daunting task. We are part of the one plus billion who consume fashion. Hence, we do share some responsibilities to the same extent or even more than stores we buy from. The synergy between consumers and designers can accelerate a circular economy in fashion. For those who are not familiar, this term refers to a restorative and regenerative system that uses innovation to cut waste and minimize negative impact while replacing the traditional linear model wherein products are cheaply made, consumed and then disposed. For us consumers, approaches can be as simple as learning more about the cycle of our T-shirt, considering fair trade items or buying long-lasting quality materials with aesthetic durability. Sometimes quality and durability imply a higher price tag. That is why I challenge you to explore sustainable luxury with consignment. I bought my first “luxury” bag off TheRealReal. I wrestled with this idea at first. It was my first high-end bag and I wanted to experience the high that comes with unboxing (the psychology behind unboxing is quite mesmerizing, just look at the number of unboxing videos online). However, I could not justify that narrow-minded view and I would have ignored my responsibility in contributing to a circular economy. I have a great tote that sits pretty in my closet. I am proud to have extended its life cycle. I will use it well and take great care of it. When and if I get tired, it will be on its way to another beautiful home.
Sustainable luxury is attainable. Buy Well and Resell.
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