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Is the dress green or red? Planet-friendly couture won’t be for everyone but it can lead the way

Hollywood legend Jane Fonda hit the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony stage this week in a beaded red dress by Elie Saab – a gown she had previously worn at Cannes in 2014.

Rising star Kaitlyn Dever walked the Oscars red carpet in a deep scarlet Louis Vuitton dress she told reporters was “completely sustainable” thanks to fibre technology.

Two very different fashion approaches towards saving the planet – but how effective are they at mitigating the environmental impact of fashion? The first comes from an activist trying to be more sustainable, the second from a designer label making production changes.

Size of the problem

The fashion industry creates in excess of 80 billion pieces of clothing a year and is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions.

Chemical dyes in fashion create 20% of global waste water and crops such as cotton use 24% of global insecticides.

Microfibers and micro plastics from laundered garments have contaminated our beaches, bottled drinking water, and aquatic food chain.

Fast fashion promotes the reckless over-production and over-consumption of cheaply made clothing, and is reliant on exploiting inexpensive labour.

Less than 1% of fabrics can be recycled and fibre-to-fibre recycling technology is still in its infancy, without the infrastructure to address the vast amount of garments produced.

Adidas and Ikea lead 2020 sustainable cotton ranking

Adidas has surged ahead to become a global leader in sourcing sustainable cotton. From 6th place in the last ranking, the apparel company now sources 100% of its cotton from sustainable sources…

3 days ago

A ‘completely sustainable’ dress?

Dever’s dress was made from a material called “Tencel Luxe”, with lyocell fibre created from sustainably-grown trees. The wood is cut into tiny pieces, dissolved in a solvent and extruded into a soft cellulose fibre.

This process was first developed in 1972 to create a cheap cotton substitute, often blended into cotton and polyester in inexpensive fabrics. Over time, lyocell improved to make a fabric more appropriate for luxury products.

The sustainability of the fabric has also improved significantly. Today, 99% of the solvent used in the manufacturing process is recyclable. The fabric itself has the same challenges as cotton when it comes to recycling. The length of the fibres break down and shortens over time, lowering the quality when recycled into new fabrics – unless virgin material is added.

Indeed, lyocell fabric is far from perfect, and requires a large amount of energy in its production. Just substituting one material for another does not solve sustainability problems.

Dever’s dress was made over 1,900 hours by a team of artisans with 14,400 Swarovski crystals and glass beads. A gown this opulent uses so much material, energy and labour that its carbon footprint becomes excessive.

The sustainability measure of a garment must include how it is recycled after its life. At present, some cutting edge fibre-to-fibre recycling technologies exist but Louis Vuitton is yet to offer recycling services.

The Louis Vuitton group hosts the Viva Tech Conference for exhibitors working on sustainable concepts to showcase their developments. It is encouraging that the company’s chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault believes “sustainable, globalised growth is possible” and a priority for the company.

#BizTrends2020: Fashion won’t be sustainable until consumers are educated

If you’re wondering if sustainable fashion really does exist in South Africa, the answer is yes, but only on a small scale…

By Emma Longden 15 Jan 2020

A second outing

With her commitment to climate change activism, Fonda has said she will no longer buy new clothing.

In a world that demands novelty, Fonda’s bold act of choosing an old gown that tastefully fits into today’s trends truly brings “vintage” clothing to the red carpet.

Fonda used her celebrity influence to turn a dress on the red carpet into a political symbol.

Her vow not to buy new clothing was inspired by teenage activist Greta Thunberg, who Fonda said showed that we can’t just “go about our business” in the face of a climate emergency.

No stranger to being arrested, Fonda’s real world activism is the type needed to change government policies in ways that reign in the fashion industry.

Activists can petition governments, watch over corporations and form grassroots community groups to organise change. Celebrities who straddle the red carpet and the picket line such as Jane Fonda (or Emma Thompson for Extinction Rebellion) are key to a sustainable fashion industry.

Think before you shop

It is inspiring to see these two stars’ dresses become talking points.

It shows the public’s growing awareness of climate change and their willingness to change their behaviour to make a difference. The fashion industry will determine significant aspects of the future of our environment and the lives of over 40 million workers around the world.

From developing new green technology to changing consumer consumption behaviour and outlawing exploitative labour practices that make fast fashion possible, we are still a long way from a “completely sustainable” industry.

Corporations will need to evolve and adapt to customers who demand sustainability. They will have to offer services that recycle garments after they have been used, and embrace recycled materials. Celebrities bring these issues to the public and give them steps they can take right now.

When asked by a reporter about what people could do right now to be more sustainable, Dever said, “it’s just a matter of letting it be a part of your lifestyle”.

With fashion, I think you can think a little before you buy something brand new, and I think can also support vintage – I think that’s really, really important. And also look into the brands you’re supporting.

This is a great starting point which hopefully continues into a deeper conversation about how far we yet have to go.

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Fashion quote of the Day

Designer fashion, nostalgia magnet – what’s behind the rise and rise of the sneaker?

By: Emily Brayshaw

In June last year, hundreds of Australian shoppers queued – some overnight – to buy a pair of Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Black Static Adidas sneakers the moment they went on sale. Before lining up, customers had to register and go into a draw to determine whether they could buy a pair. The shoes sold for a few hundred dollars but are now being traded for up to A$3000.

Designer fashion, nostalgia magnet - what's behind the rise and rise of the sneaker?

This quest to obtain limited edition sneakers designed by rapper Kanye West is not an isolated phenomenon. People have long gone to extreme lengths to get their hands on the latest kicks. There have been reports of sneaker violence since the 1980s.

For those wishing to form a more orderly queue, the internet has responded with news services and dedicated message boards to help people get the latest kicks. Other sites treat sneakers like stock market commodities.

But how does society’s sneaker love tally with our awareness of the environmental and human cost of consumerism?

Prized sneaker specimens on display.
www.shutterstock.com

A brief history

The first sneakers appeared in 1830s England, when Liverpool Rubber bonded a canvas outer onto a vulcanised rubber sole, creating the original sand shoe for the Victorian middle classes to wear on the beach.

Different styles of the shoe were developed in the UK and the US throughout the 19th century to respond to athletic pursuits like running, tennis, jumping and sailing. The term “sneaker” was coined in the US in the 1870 to describe the shoe because it was noiseless. Athletes in Paris wore sneakers at the first modern Olympic Games in 1900.

The American pro-basketball player Charles H. Taylor, passionately promoted the sneakers designed by Marquis M. Converse in 1917. By 1923, Taylor’s improvements had been incorporated into the shoe, his signature added to their design, and Converse “Chucks” have remained unchanged since.

Classic and well-loved ‘Chucks’ Converse.
www.shutterstock.com

Adidas was founded by the Dassler brothers in Germany in 1926, and Puma was founded in 1948 when the Dassler brothers split. Onitsuka Tiger (ASICS) were founded in Japan in 1949 and Reebok started making sneakers in 1958.

New Balance started creating their “Trackster” sneakers in 1961, and Nike was founded in 1972. At every point, sneakers were created to support athletes, but also to promote lifestyles that connected leisure with physical activity.

#YouthMonth: Zaid Osman on his sneaker hustle turned roaring success

Entrepreneur and social innovator Zaid Osman is one of the driving forces behind South Africa’s vibrant sneaker culture…

By Lauren Hartzenberg 29 Jun 2018

Since the 1970s, sneakers have been linked to skateboarding and hip-hop culture, including break dancing; urban pursuits that require a high degree of comfort and ease of movement. The explosion of hip-hop from the mid-1980s and its global dominance in the 1990s meant that sneakers quickly became a visual symbol of hip-hop and a symbol of its separation from the mainstream.

Run DMC’s 1986 track, My Adidas was as much about the band’s love for sneakers as it was about how quickly people judged black youth who wore sneakers to be troublemakers.

Likewise, when rave culture blossomed in the 1980s and 1990s, sneakers became the footwear of choice for the 24-hour party people who dressed to sweat.

Sneakers today

The current nostalgia in sneakers extends to design imagery, styles, and colour combinations. In April this year, Adidas issued a limited edition version of the My Adidas Superstar 1986 sneaker.

Luxury brands have also taken note, capitalising on historical references, status concerns and a relaxation in social dress codes.

Leading high-fashion brands, including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga now consider sneakers a must-have fashion item in their collections.

Balenciaga’s recent Triple S sneakers (priced at around A$1300) echo the platform sneaker trends of the 1990s, with the company’s CEO Cédric Charbit, noting “sneakers … blend nicely with the way we live”.

Where once 1980s women swapped their commuter sneakers for power heels at the office, people now wear their sneakers all day. Charbit believes the sneaker has become, “very versatile, it goes from day to night, it goes for the weekend, it goes for work”.

#adidasxIvyPark launch gets SA social media abuzz

18 January saw the relaunch of Beyoncé’s athleisure brand Ivy Park, in collaboration with Adidas, to the delight of the singer’s loyal fanbase commonly referred to as the ‘Beyhive’…

20 Jan 2020

Sustainability and ethical production

While many sneaker fans continue to prioritise style over environmental concerns, others are demanding transparency around the ethics and impact of production, leading to the rise of the sustainable sneaker.

Meghan, the [former] Duchess of Sussex, favours Veja sneakers made from wild Amazonian rainforest rubber.

Adidas has been making sneakers using recycled ocean plastic since 2015, but says it wants to go further. It launched the Futurecraft Loop in April, a sneaker made exclusively from 100% reusable Thermoplastic polyurethane that can be recycled again and again.

The reality of sneaker production is less glamorous – but shopping guides can inform ethical choices.www.shutterstock.com

Adidas, Brooks, Reebok, and Salomon showed positive working conditions at their factories in a 2018 survey, but there was still a problem with low wages.

Sites like the Good Shopping Guide can help customers can make more informed choices. But sustainable fashion expert Mark Liu notes, “Sneakers are still extremely problematic because of all their toxic petrochemical components, glues and the amount of greenwash in the industry”.

Sneakerium from Monsieur Plant on Vimeo.

Supply and demand

One key to enduring sneaker love is scarcity. Adidas only released 1986 of their limited-edition My Adidas Superstar 1986 shoes. West also generates exclusivity with low production numbers – only 40,000 pairs of Yeezys are made worldwide for each drop and shops in Australia may only have 25 pairs of each incarnation.

The combination of rarity, and the myriad cultural meanings embedded in sneakers creates an emotional pull for collectors like DJ Jerome Salele’a that ties them to sneaker, hip-hop, skater and rave communities around the globe.

The ultimate sneaker is a comfortable vehicle for the body to move through the world that expresses the wearer’s desires, dreams and aspirations and crosses social, geographic and language boundaries.

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Fashion Quote of the Day

Mango’s standalone fashion stores have returned to SA

Global fashion brand Mango has opened a 205m² retail space in Sandton City, Johannesburg. The opening marks the reintroduction of free-standing Mango stores into the country since the House of Busby, who owned the brand licence locally, closed all local Mango and Nine West standalone stores in 2017.

Since then, Mango products have been available online through Superbalist.com and Mango.com, and in-store at selects Edgars branches.

The new Sandton store offers shoppers the full Mango women’s line. The retail space features the new Mango interior design concept, which aims to create a larger and more dynamic space to improve customer experience. Integral to the design is the use of materials such as marble, concrete, wood and natural stone.

The company says in a statement that it plans to expand its retail offering in South Africa in 2020.

African expansion

With the Sandton opening, Mango says it’s consolidating its presence in Africa, where the brand is now present in 13 countries, including Kenya, Angola, Egypt and South Africa.

The African store count totals 52 retail outlets, including four Mango megastores, a retail concept that the company introduced in late 2013. Compared to the traditional average store format of 300m², megastores have surface areas of between 800m² and 1,500m², while flagship stores could be as large as 3,000m².

Mango was one of the first European fashion brands to expand in Africa when it opened its first store on the continent 18 years ago.

The company was founded in 1984 and is based in its city of origin, Barcelona. Its extensive store network extends across 111 countries.

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Fashion Quot of the Day

H&M to launch collaboration with Indian label Sabyasachi

Pic: H&M

H&M recently announced its first global collaboration with Indian label Sabyasachi, owned by Sabyasachi Mukherjee. To be launched on April 16, the collaboration themed ‘Wanderlust’ will present hand-crafted, eclectic travel pieces for modern global nomads. The collection mixes modern and traditional silhouettes with a nod towards athleisure and glamping.

“I am happy to announce the collaboration with H&M, as it gives us the opportunity to spread the Sabyasachi aesthetic to a wider audience in India and worldwide. Having done couture for the majority of my career, it is very exciting to bring that finesse of craft to ‘ready-to-wear’ and create whimsical and fluid silhouettes that bring relaxed sophistication to everyday life,” said Mukherjee in a statement.

Sabyasachi, launched in 1999, offers couture, ready to wear, fine jewellery and accessories. The designer has five flagship stores across India and has also founded Sabyasachi Art Foundation, a tribute to his artist mother.

A key highlight of this collection will be Indian textile and print traditions brought to life by the Sabyasachi Art Foundation, meticulously crafted, embroidery and multicultural silhouettes, H&M said in a press release.

The collection will offer a complete fashion wardrobe for both ladies and men, including accessories. It will be available in all H&M stores in India and selected H&M flagship stores around the world and online on HM.com and Myntra.

Fashion Quote of the Day

BizTrends 2020: Using e-commerce tools to build disruptive consumer brands

By: Paul Cook

Consumer supply chains traditionally divided into “brands”, the FMCG and similar companies that created products, and “retailers”, that stocked those brands and reached end consumers.

Brands were built, typically, by mass media marketing campaigns featuring clever taglines and one-size-fits-all messaging. In this world, e-commerce is largely a tool for retailers to reach customers more conveniently.

In recent years, this structure is changing, with the emergence of playbooks for creating “disruptive consumer brands”, brands built using non-traditional marketing approaches, and often using e-commerce tools to reach consumers directly. This threatens retailers, if they are disintermediated by brands reaching consumers directly.

But we see also an opportunity, especially in South Africa: many disruptive consumer brands eventually expand into retailers in order to reach broader scale, and fast-moving retailers can accelerate this process and so excite their customers as well as enjoy a more fragmented supplier base.

We see two broad (and often overlapping) approaches to disruptive brand building:

Direct to consumer (D2C)

The D2C recipe has three ingredients:

Product innovation, focusing on better quality or better price, often through simple material or process innovations. By selling direct to consumers and avoiding the retailer margin, young brands can achieve good margins, quality and price. Casper, for example, pioneered online mattress buying using modern foams to produce products that rival traditional spring mattresses, but that could also fit in a box.

User experience that is simple and direct. This means back-to-basics, replacing a bewildering set of features with simplicity, and a single product or very simple range. E-commerce tools allow convenient purchasing and re-purchasing, and omnichannel approaches allow stores to be showrooms rather than stockrooms. For example, Dollar Shave Club and Harrys, D2C men’s shaving brands, disrupted the arms race of ever-more complicated razor blades with a simple, timeless razor provided on a convenient monthly subscription.

A message that grabs attention unconventionally. This can be an origin story, emphasising an artisanal or craft history. Often it’s ethical: better for you, better for society and suppliers, or better for the planet. Lastly, it can be celebrity, when influencers are not just marketing partners but attached to the identity of the brand, as seen recently with Kylie Jenner’s sale of part of cosmetic company Kylie Cosmetics for $600m.

#BizTrends2020: Deepen SA’s online retail growth trend

Now for the good news. There’s a huge opportunity for growth in online retail, but the path to profits is through dramatically improving customer experience…

By Kirsten Dewar 8 Jan 2020

Subscriptions

The market for subscription products has exploded in recent years, with thousands of options available now in leading markets. The customer value proposition is typically some combination of convenience and easy replenishment, especially for personal and home products; curation of a constantly-changing range of products for sampling or experience, particularly for cosmetics, food and beverages; or access to member-only discounts, commonly in the apparel or food categories.

Commercially, subscription boxes typically enjoy good margins, through predictable purchasing for a well-defined audience, and the ability to modify curation to optimise margins. Lifetime customer value is excellent due to the lock-in effect. Customer engagement is typically high, especially for subscriptions with well-designed “unboxing” experiences.

Conversely, though, the total addressable market is limited to customers willing to subscribe to a very specific product offering. This makes subscription boxes especially well-suited to creating and building high-engagement brands, either for the brand of the subscription itself, or for the brands of the products included in curated boxes. This can be followed by a retail or omnichannel roll-out to reach scale.

What about South Africa?

Consumers are similar globally, and we are starting to see disruptive consumer brands emerging in South Africa. However, we expect some differences locally:

• Launching disruptiv

e brands online, but moving quickly to omnichannel/retailer sales early in a brand’s life. Disruptive approaches build fantastic brands, but to reach many South African consumers, a physical presence in retail is often unavoidable.

• Trust as the obstacle (and opportunity) for mid-market offerings. Currently, most local disruptive consumer brands focus on high-end customers. To reach other income segments needs the right value proposition, but also the right trust proposition, especially for recurring online payments. So

cial netw

orks, rather than traditional e-commerce sites, are likely key.

#BizTrends2020: Africa’s double-edged consumer demand

Africa’s consumer landscape is fragmented and polarised, characterised by the double-edged demand of a diverse base of consumers…

By Ailsa Wingfield 6 Jan 2020

Lastly, some opportunities we see:

• Africa-homed brands. Most D2C innovation still imports or copies global leader markets. This leaves a huge gap for African-originated brands, in categories like clothing, cosmetics and hair products, especially driven by celebrities and/or identity-based messages. Done well, these have real export potential.

• Local ingredients in food and drink. Natural and organic products are growing rapidly, and the example of rooibos tea shows the potential for building global products using local ingredients.

• Affordable medical products. For many medical products and services, e.g. prescription glasses, there is a huge market gap between customised traditional branded products at the high end, and generic mass-market items. This is an opportunity – though the total local market size is a challenge.