Eco Fashion, Where Is It Really?

I have just finished reading the Green Issue of Vanity Fair. As with last year, it makes for pretty disturbing reading. Yesterday Women's Wear Daily came out with WWD Green, a special section on who is doing what in environmentally-friendly clothing. It too made pretty depressing reading. It all just seems so piddly and small. There are some features on celebrities doing their bit (look at Lauren Bush's new bag! And all the proceeds go to charity! Look at Emily Deschanel's green house. Isn't it pretty!), and a round-up of the brands making organic or sustainable clothing -- like OMgirl, and the poster child of the movement, Katharine Hamnett. Bigger names are doing a bit too -- Barney's has a new green line, and Levi's also sells a special eco-make -- but even all together, it all just seems so insignificant. Oh, but wait, green was a chic color in the latest runway shows. Well, yippee. Is this really all the industry is doing to address these issues?. Actually, no.

LVMH has had a major environmental program on the table since 2001. Burberry details its moves towards greener business practices in its annual report. I would love to see someone, if not Vanity Fair or WWD, then an environmental magazine, critique their efforts in this regard, as they surely have greater impact on the environment than a handful of start-up labels.

Ross Tucker argues in the WWD article "Sprouting Issues," that the fashion industry must begin to educate consumers about the subject. I think that the industry's trade paper could take the lead by devoting more time to educating fashion executives about the issues, and the real, measurable, pros and cons of the possible solutions.

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