Decoded fashion

advertisement advertisement advertisement President Biden, while your administration is hard at work tackling emissions from the automobile and energy industries, there seem to be no plans to regulate fashion, which produces 10% of global carbon emissions. American fashion companies are also responsible for a panoply of human rights violations, from COVID-19 outbreaks in factories to relying on slave labor. You have an opportunity to take on this deeply problematic sector by creating a new White House position: It’s time to appoint a Fashion Czar. advertisement advertisement The fashion industry is a $2.5 trillion beast with tentacles in every corner of the world, and yet it operates with little oversight or regulation. It employs more than 75 million people, the majority of whom are poorly paid women, who are vulnerable to abuse. This vast global supply chain means that no single country has been forced to take ownership of the terrible damage it … [Read more...] about President Biden, appoint a fashion czar!

advertisement advertisement advertisement If you think the idea of a “fashion czar” sounds like a joke, you may soon be in the minority. It’s an idea that’s gaining steam—and isn’t nearly as farfetched as it sounds. advertisement advertisement Two weeks ago, I wrote a story asking President Biden to appoint a “fashion czar” to support the fashion industry’s efforts to become more sustainable and humane. Hilary Jochmans, a political consultant who has spent 15 years in politics and specializes in sustainable fashion, read the story and decided to turn it into an official letter . The letter, which will be delivered to the White House and members of Congress this week, was cosigned by more than 70 experts, organizations, and fashion brands, including ThredUp, Eileen Fisher, Everlane, and Allbirds. Others are continuing to add their names to the list. Related: President Biden, appoint a fashion czar! Jochmans, who’s the … [Read more...] about Pressure mounts on President Biden to appoint a fashion czar

advertisement advertisement advertisement If you’re a fast fashion lover, there’s a good chance that many of the clothes in your closet are made in Bangladesh. For decades, the country has been a hub of low-wage garment manufacturing. But soon, it may be known for something else as well: recycling. advertisement advertisement Last week, fast-fashion brands that manufacture in Bangladesh—including H&M and Target—joined forces to create an ambitious clothing recycling system in the country. The initiative was spearheaded by the Global Fashion Agenda, a Swedish sustainability nonprofit, and what sets it apart from other recycling efforts is that it brings together many players in the fashion industry, from brands to enormous factories to companies building cutting-edge recycling technology. Collectively, these organizations want to make Bangladesh a leader in apparel recycling. And it makes sense: The country is the … [Read more...] about ‘Made in Bangladesh’ may soon mean your clothing is much more sustainable

advertisement advertisement advertisement According to Page Six, Brad Pitt has a new friend–and maybe something more? She’s Neri Oxman, an associate professor at the MIT Media Lab and a superstar in her own right. What Pitt is to Hollywood, Oxman is to organic architecture and manufacturing. advertisement Page Six‘s source puts it: “Their friendship has not turned into romance … as both are cautious and this is, again, more of a professional friendship, but Brad is very interested in spending more time with Neri, she is fascinating.” I don’t claim to know exactly what that means. But you can’t blame Pitt for wanting to spend “more time with Neri.” Oxman is one of the most intriguing researchers working today. A Fast Company Most Creative Person of 2009, she’s part architect, part biologist, part fashion designer, and her work is almost impossible to pigeonhole into a single field or aesthetic. … [Read more...] about Who Is Neri Oxman?

advertisement advertisement advertisement I’ve spent hours marveling at the secret love letter pocket in Chanel’s iconic flap bag and the eccentric tiger head on the clasp of Gucci’s Dionysus bag—and spent more money than I care to admit on the purses in my closet. I’m slightly embarrassed about my fixation with these objects, which ultimately amount to receptacles for keys and lip balm. That’s why I was so intrigued by an exhibit at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum that explores the history of humans’ obsession with bags. advertisement advertisement Bags: Inside Out features handbags going back to the 16th century, from traveling trunks to carriers for wartime gas masks to the first-ever Hermès Birkin. It’s eye candy for bag lovers such as me, but it also tells the story of how people have ventured further and further from their homes over the centuries, requiring containers to hold their … [Read more...] about When men carried handbags: The history of an iconic accessory