It happened and here's how.
WHY
Fashion Revolution was first born to honor the lives lost with the collapse of the building in Bangladesh and really all the ones related to the same issues: landfills at capacity, scarce or inexistent hygiene conditions, labor law disregarded, fair wages, carbon footprint, waste of water in production chain, copyrights infringement and violation of intellectual property.
Like the UN 17 Goals for a Sustainable Life, they are many, and, to my advise, as long as everyone takes one or two at heart and does anything in their hands to raise awareness it's a batch of battles that will help win the war. There are big words like circular economy, zero waste, greenwashing, an entire Glossary that can be learned if you are a bit nerdy. I am attending the Fashion and Sustainability course (online and available for free) organized by Kering, the industry compound of the most luxurious brands in the world, and London College of Fashion's Centre for Sustainable Fashion. So there's that: you can document yourself, investigate, read, ask, watch documentaries, participate.
SIGN THE MANIFESTO
There's a Manifesto available to sign that explains why we are Fashion Revolutionaries. I bet that everyone, even the skeptics and the naysayers, will find some agreement on, because it wouldn't make any sense their living on this planet and not wanting to leave the planet to the generations to come. Everyone is an active citizen, everyone has some sort of power, skill, ability to bring this big mess generally called "fast fashion" to a screeching halt. The same way we all have contributed for it to become what it is.
My personal take? "I am a fashion lover and I commit to do something, one act every day, to bring fashion back to when fashion was Fashion".
While I was writing the book, I wasn't as involved as I am now, but by attending last year's MDC panel for sustainability in fashion with Orsola de Castro and my own icon, fashion hero Barbara Hulanicki (the 9th chapter of the book is dedicated to her interview, BTW) I have realized that I have a shortcut, that my book could serve as a guide, an ironic and fact-filled one, to start taking actions. The way we are born and raised approaching fashion and style could be a remedy to start distancing yourself from fast fashion. I understand now things have changed in Italy too, because the reality of fast fashion, street style, influencers, see now buy now is a worldwide epidemic, my book talks about the true Italian way, made of many individuals, professionals, professors, designers, creatives that keep contributing to the Made in Italy. This is why I want to bring fashion to when fashion was Fashion, with the big F.
PANEL, WORKSHOPS
There was a panel discussion on circular economy with local entrepreneurs that gave examples of how they have built a sustainable business. Circular economy had a good dose of sexy.
FIRST, SHOP IN YOUR CLOSET
There are stories, many lives, travels, jobs. It takes time to learn to love your wardrobe, changing the seasons, learn about fabrics, details, finish, stitching, staples. It can be overwhelming at first, but the way we dress, what we put on is our first unspoken language, before shaking hands to whom could be your future employer or partner. More on this on the chapter.
RECYCLE, MEND, UPCYCLE, REPURPOSE, THRIFT, SWAP.
How did we do that? With a huge clothes swap in partnership with Global Fashion Exchange (if you don't know about it, check it out). The idea of a clothes swap in most people has a veil of mothball, dirty and not clean. Just think of it as giving a new life to an item that doesn't fit you anymore, it still has tags on and or you just don't wear any longer. That item with the same characteristics in somebody else's closet could be your next favorite.
We collected 125 lbs in one afternoon. If they hadn't been swapped, just the fact they were saved from the landfills it's just a relief.
DONATE
To close the circle and make our afternoon even more purposeful, Nathalia from "Maria loves Green" and I collected about 15 to 18 lbs and with extra 25 lbs contributed by the Nomad Tribe, we donated them to the Lotus House, a women shelter in Miami. And while we were at it, we did some thrifting at their Lotus Thrift Boutique, run by alumni of the shelter and whose 100% of the proceeds go to fund the activities of the shelter.
EMPOWER
The real closure of the circle will happen when I'll visit the shelter and provide a job readiness workshop to the "guests" who are ready for their first job interview, because empowered women empower women. Many of the guests have children and finding a job that will sustain their family nucleus will give them a future and will be of example for the new generation.