A representative from The Root, black culture magazine commented on the ad that it portrays the message that black people are undervalued and seen like props for white people to look better. There were different points of views on this issue, some saying that people are being too sensitive, and some getting offended. Regardless of various views and thoughts, GAP replaced the ad to different image and apologized to critics. Sienna has a background in research, during her Masters in Conservation Science and Policy, she focused on sustainable development and policy, leading focus groups with Maasai pastoralists in Kenya and modelling the impacts of climate change. Previously, she was a youth reporter for the Department for International Development, where she interviewed MPs and NGO representatives about environmental and social justice issues, with a focus on the fashion industry. Since then, Sienna has also been a Sustainability Consultant, helping small businesses integrate sustainability.
She also organised and chaired a Sustainability Symposium at UCL in October 2019. Fashion Revolution believes that the pursuit of endless growth is in itself unsustainable and the model which big multinational brands and retailers included in this Index rely upon. Greater transparency shines a light on the impacts of this fundamental problem. We review the world’s largest and most profitable brands and retailers because they have the largest negative impacts on people and the planet, and therefore have the moral imperative, as well as resources, to take action. Each year we update the methodology in consultation with more than 20 pro-bono industry experts, including workers’ rights and environmental groups, trade union representatives, academics and investors. The Fashion Transparency Index is not a shopping guide – it is a tool to push for more transparency from major brands and to inform people’s activism.
Many fashion brands have published ads that were too provocative and sexy to attract customers’ attention. British high fashion brand, Jimmy Choo, was blamed for having sexism in its ad which featured a female British model wearing the brand’s boots. In this two-minute ad, men whistle at a model, walking on the street with red, sleeveless mini dress. This ad gained much backlash and criticism by the viewers since sexual harassment and misconduct were a huge issue during this time and even till now. Many people showed their dismay through social media posts, leading Jimmy Choo to pull down the ad from social media platforms.
Though different textile colors and patterns changed from year to year, the cut of a gentleman’s coat and the length of his waistcoat, or the pattern to which a lady’s dress was cut, changed more slowly. Her choices, such as this 1783 white muslin dress called a chemise a la Reine, were highly influential and widely worn. The term fashion is plagued by its different uses, and by the unclear application of the concept. It signifies the latest distinction and trend, as well as the return of the old. While it may be defined by an insular and esteemed aesthetic elite, who make a look exclusive, this look is often using references from those excluded from making the distinction.
It became apparent to her that we cannot fight for human—particularly women’s—rights without also fighting for environmental justice, and vice versa. Since then, she has undertaken lifestyle changes to align with the ecofeminist value of living conscientiously with the human and the nonhuman. Only 14% of major brands disclose the overall quantity of products made annually, making it difficult to understand the scale of overproduction globally. Fewer than 10% of brands publish a policy to pay suppliers within 60 days, meaning that clothes are often worn by consumers before brands have paid the factories that made them. We urge readers to use these findings to speak up and challenge the big profitable brands and retailers on their claims, urging them to be more accountable and prove that they’re making changes in reality and not just on paper.
No, brands and retailers don’t pay and cannot choose to be included in the Fashion Transparency Index. Being ranked highly in the Index means a major brand is comparatively more transparent than other big brands. We are not making any statement about whether a brand is ethical or sustainable. We are one voice of many spanning across civil society, including NGOs and trade unions representing supply chain workers. The Fashion Transparency Index is one tool that Fashion Revolution has developed to help bring about systemic change in the industry.
The global fashion industry remains rife with human rights abuses and environmental degradation. Social media is changing the way practitioners deliver messages, as they are concerned with the media, and also customer relationship building. PR practitioners must provide effective communication among all platforms, in order to engage the fashion public in an industry socially connected via online shopping. A fashion trend signifies a specific look or expression that is spread across a population at a specific time and place. A trend is considered a more ephemeral look, not defined by the seasons when collections are released by the fashion industry. A trend can thus emerge from street style, across cultures, from influencers and celebrities.