07 May Cross Platform Journalism Advanced CW1_50 – Izabel Rose
Extinction Rebellion’s XR clothing “Fashion Circus of Excess”
The Extinction Rebellion global emergency group have held a silent catwalk protest titled “Fashion Circus of Excess” ran by XR fashion action in Oxford Circus, highlighting the damaging impact of the fashion industry on our planet.
On April 12th 2019 at 6.30pm, a large group of Extinction Rebellion supporters blocked off the crossroad at Oxford Circus tube station, with large pink flags and colourful leaflets promoting Extinction Rebellion. Everyone was talking about the fast fashion industry and how damaging it can be, justifying ways in order to bypass these problems.
The objective of the event was to cause alarm over how the fashion industry is fuelling the climate and ecological emergency as the industry is set to consume one quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050. The motives of the friendly protest group included awareness from the UK government to acknowledge the how dangerous the countries current living techniques are around the fast fashion industry.
They claim it being the second most damaging industry in the world, using such a large quantity of water and natural supplies to keep afloat the fashion industry is a leading contributor to the planet’s carbon footprint.
Models started walking along a pink crossroad catwalk in modern, iconic and recycled fashion statements. Cutting edge designers had been supporting the event such as Safia Minney from Fair Trade, Traid’s Maria Chenoweth and Dame Vivenne Westwood.
Pollution masks alongside single-use plastic bags pained in pink with the Extinction Rebellion symbol plastered all over them covered the catwalk, emphasising the significance of the climate emergency.
The designs throughout the collection demonstrated a modern twist on up-cycling and reusing clothes, every model there was wearing a charity shop brought or waste-tip garment, yet, dramatising it in a way that projected uniqueness and authenticity and challenged the typical fast fashion designs.
The designer of the “Fashion Circus of Excess” Voilet Vega, was an independent fashion brand owner making custom made pieces while being ethical with up-cycling. The whole collection was made waste free.
Voilet says in her workshop nothing goes to waste, “Even the straggly bits that usually get left behind I managed to make necklaces and various of other items out of them”.
While the protesters were making an important point, many in the fashion industry would point to the progress firms are already making in improving their green credentials. And it shouldn’t be forgotten that the fashion industry brings great benefits too.
Although it’s claimed to bethe second largest polluter in the world, the industry brings people new job opportunities and opens up international trading and world profit with the global market value of the industry being at 3,000 billion dollars and a global unemployment rate of 5.8 percent.
Extinction Rebellion’s determination to get the government to listen to their theories around climate change has just begun, and they warn that this XR catwalk was only the beginning to their protest many supporters had weeks of protest plans set ahead.
After the event everyone felt a sense of determination and interest into Extinction Rebellion’s stand against the climate crisis. The mixture of creative up-cycled designs that match high fashion brands seen in the windows really displayed the planet’s way to change.
#FashionAction #ExtinctionRebellion #VioletVega #Streetwear #FastFashion #Catwalk #Runway #London #LondonFashion #OxfordCircus #Design #Designer
