In an age of fake news and aggressive political manoeuvring, it can be incredibly challenging to find the truth. Even the most renowned media cannot be entirely trusted, so my advice is to rely on a few sources (just as news agencies do), preferably with different political viewpoints.
But I have to admit I was particularly impressed by the relentless journalistic investigation on the documentary "Behind fashion's shiny facade" published by DW, a German state-owned public international broadcaster.
The impressive documentary by Zoé de Bussière follows the suppliers network of some of the most well-known luxury brands to show an horrifying side of fashion which is in stark contrast with the way we usually perceive them.
It's not for the faint-hearted, particularly the rabbit slaughter house towards the end is quite heartbreaking to watch. Nonetheless, the most shocking is the attitude of those who could make a difference, both in Italy and especially in Brussels, choosing instead to turn a blind eye to what's happening.
The fashion houses identified on this documentary shamefully refuse to comment. Why didn't they acknowledge the appalling situation and devise a strategy towards a sustainable future?
This is undoubtedly an eye-opener and if you love fashion as much as I do, it's important to know the industry as a whole. In my previous posts about fashion sustainability, I already defended transparency - brands should clearly display a list of all suppliers (and sub-suppliers) - the consumer should know all the interdependencies of a brand before spending money on it.
We cannot be unknowingly contributing to the abuse of people, animals and the planet that is now so deep-seated on the fashion industry. It's clear I have been favouring luxury brands on my Styling Gallery.
I didn't want to promote fast fashion in any way, and generally speaking, luxury is made to last so there is a strong emphasis on quality and design.
But after watching this documentary, there's no doubt that there's not much difference between fast fashion and most luxury brands, despite savvy "green washing" marketing initiatives. Stella McCartney, a fearless pioneer driving fashion sustainability forward, should perhaps question her association with the group LVMH.
Other people are already clearing the way to a brighter and sustainable future, with interesting propositions of rental and resale businesses or simply raising awareness about our power to change the way fashion operates.
Businesses respond to figures so that's the only way consumers can communicate with CEOs. Ethical brands are also gaining momentum but very few have a style I can actually connect with.
It's not possible to end this post with an answer, at the moment I'm simply questioning everything, reassessing my relationship with fashion and considering the best way to move forward.
"Where there is light, there must be shadow, where there is shadow there must be light. There is no shadow without light and no light without shadow...." Haruki Murakami
"Behind fashion's shiny facade" by Zoé de Bussière published by DW
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