Fashion Revolution: What Does It All Mean in the Time of a Pandemic?

Today marks the seventh year anniversary of the collapse of Rana Plaza and the birth of a not-for-profit global movement to try to hold fashion brands accountable while putting a spotlight on the devastation caused by fast fashion. Fast fashion and the fashion industry in general have been producing an enormous amount of clothing of increasingly man-made materials that harm the environment.

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Nothing could have changed consumer behaviour greater than a State of Emergency and lockdown of all non-essential business as retailers tried to shift to expanded on-line business models. I found myself ordering what was advertised as Dr. Scholl's diabetic cotton socks via Amazon only to be disappointed that they were polyester crap that was manufactured in India. Why even bother asking questions about the supply chain when we're just fed a bunch of lies.

Why are the fashion brands lying about the fibre content in their products?

I only wish that I read the reviews hidden below the advertisement that revealed the untruth portrayed in the ad. Instead, I had a misplaced trust that Dr. Scholl's was a good brand. I should have known better to do my research to prevent being ripped off with a polyester sock. That was not what I was shopping for and I certainly learned my lesson about ordering items untouched from an online retailer. Never again.

This is an opportunity to reimagine what could be as the world's global and economic activities has slowed down. A cleaner world has emerged with the slow down. But I have little hope this year that things will continue towards a cleaner world.

And there was a re-imagination of home sewing activities as people dug through their sewing supplies to create and donate face masks and protective gear as politicians call us to help out in this humanity crisis.  And shortly after, as these random acts of kindness emerged, word came that there was an elastic shortage as pleas for elastic donations emerged from online communities. Many again answering that call and offering alternative solutions.

Traditionally held Fashion Revolution week activities such as clothing swaps and film screenings had to be reconsidered in an age of social distancing. This week shows that a fashion revolution doesn't need to be an organized crowded event. A fashion revolution starts with the individual, a change (tragedy or pandemic) that ignites a shift in thinking and re-evaluation of what is really important in a time of need.  

There has been a lot of that happening around the globe this month. Giorgio Armani wrote a reaction piece to the April 2, 2020 article, "Tipping Point:  Will the Flood of Collections Yield to Slower Fashion?"  In Armani's reaction published on April 4, 2020, he highlighted, 

This crisis is an opportunity to slow down and realign everything; to define a more meaningful landscape. I have been working with my teams for three weeks so that, after the lockdown, the summer collections will remain in the boutiques at least until the beginning of September, as it is natural. And so we will do from now on.

This crisis is also an opportunity to restore value to authenticity: Enough with fashion as pure communication, enough with cruise shows around the world to present mild ideas and entertain with grandiose shows that today seem a bit inappropriate, and even a tad vulgar — enormous but ultimately meaningless wastes of money. Special events should happen for special occasions, not as a routine.

The moment we are going through is turbulent, but it also offers us the unique opportunity to fix what is wrong, to regain a more human dimension. It’s nice to see that in this sense we are all united.

Will the pandemic redefine the fashion landscape in a way that Rana Plaza could not? Time will tell if the conversation falls on deaf ears or finally emerges as a call to action that results in a significant industry and consumer change in behaviour.   

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!