“This is not about the environmental record of those quoted in our letter but their massive cultural influence,” says Clare Farrell, one of the activists behind the Fashion Act Now campaign. “The fashion and luxury sectors promote resource and carbon heavy lifestyles, elitism and exclusion. Creative directors of luxury brands have influence over the wealthiest people in the world. The 10% wealthiest, those earning $35,000 a year, are responsible for more than 52% of our global carbon footprint; and the wealthiest 1%, those earning $100,000 a year, contribute double the footprint of the 50% least wealthiest.
“We are in a crisis of the environment but also of culture, politics and economics. It’s beyond time for change and our industry knows it.”
The letter quotes Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council; Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s Menswear; Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain; Stella McCartney; Marc Jacobs; Paul Dillinger, vice president, head of global product innovation at Levi Strauss & Co; Alessandro Michele, creative director of Gucci; and Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Saint Laurent.
Extinction Rebellion says that while Stella McCartney has been a pioneer in sustainable fashion, actively driving change across the industry, the quotes in this letter demonstrate that lockdown has been a turning point for many other brands to get on board or review pledges.