Eco-Conscious Designers Dominate Fashion Month
Of all the trends that emerged during fashion month, sustainability and eco-consciousness were among the largest. Big fashion faced off in an effort to outdo themselves. In New York, Gabriela Hearst staged a completely carbon-neutral show. In London, Burberry did the same by offsetting the emissions generated by models and guests who traveled to the event. Extinction Rebellion protests in London made global headlines as more people began to question the need for fashion week in the first place.
We analyze the number of posts on Instagram mentioning sustainable, sustainability, and/or carbon-neutral during the span of fashion month to surface the designers at the forefront of this movement.
Stella McCartney dominated the space with a total of 22 posts. Known for her sustainability initiatives and leadership, the designer hosted a roundtable with environmental activists the night before showing her most sustainable collection to date. Prada, Phoebe English, and Felder Felder followed close behind, with 13 posts, 10 posts, and 7 posts about the topic, respectively.
The move to commit to more sustainable business practices reflects broader shifts in the industry. This past year, the fashion industry has come under scrutiny for its disastrous environmental impact. Consumers have access to more information than ever before and brands must make significant progress on the sustainability front in order to stay in their favor. Talk is no longer enough. In a market obsessed with transparency, brands must rise to the challenge or risk falling behind.
