Fair Trade Fashion Show
Erin Murphy
About two weeks ago, a close friend of mine sent me a text asking if she should purchase two tickets to a fair trade fashion show. A few thoughts raced through my head before responding. First, I thought, "Wow! Really? Here in LA?" That was followed by, "I want to be supportive, but I really hope this thing won't epitomize all of the "fair trade fashion" stereotypes." But then I thought, "I need to be there. How can we at Dignity Collective expect support if we do not give it to others who are pioneering ethical fashion?"
So on July 16, my friend and I decided to make an evening of the show. After meeting at 7th Street, we hopped over to the Arts District for some window shopping and grabbed a delicious, vegan dinner accompanied by prosecco mojitos at Cafe Gratitude. After dinner, we made our way to the Second Annual Fair Trade Fashion Show, hosted by Bead and Reel, an ethical boutique, and The Peace Exchange, a non-profit women's empowerment and fair trade garment manufacturing organization.
When we stepped off the elevator, we exchanged equally satisfied smiles. We were delighted to hear subtle, runway-esque music, to see striking photos of smiling Masai tribeswomen, and most of all, to feel that overwhelmingly positive vibe you feel when in a room full of people who are committed to standing up to unjust or inequitable norms.
Congolese supermodel and women’s rights activist Lisette Mibo MCed the event, peppering her segments with a lively combination of humorous comments, encouraging words, and invitations for attendees to increase their understanding of the role of fashion in human exploitation. We had the privilege of hearing from a panel of experts ranging from innovative female entrepreneurs to a documentary film maker to a humanitarian physician. Event hosts Sica Schmitz and Katie Bond then spoke to a captivated audience about their own journeys into the world of ethical fashion.
One thing I found particularly interesting was a point Sica made about the fact that women are overwhelmingly the leading fashion consumers, yet women are massively under-represented in corporate leadership positions at mainstream fashion companies. In fact, of the 15 mass-market apparel companies, exactly zero have female CEOs. Additionally, according to the Clean Clothes Campaign, of today’s 65-70 million garment workers worldwide, an estimated 75% are women. So, that means not only are women the largest consumers in an industry that is largely controlled by male decision-makers, but that same industry, notorious for its abuse, endangerment and exploitation of workers, is largely impacting (negatively) women’s lives.
In response to this twisted reality, Sica decided to a curate a show that was not only 100% fair trade, vegan and environmentally-friendly, but it was also a show featuring the pieces of 15 female-owned clothing lines.
The lights dimmed and the runway music picked up. Models of beautiful shapes and sizes entered the loft. From cotton basics, to breezy culottes, to specialty harem fits, herring bone and wax prints, the pieces continually proved the theory behind our entire approach at Dignity Collective—ethical fashion does not have to be hemp-ish, hokey or exclusively Boho chic. It can be elegant, comfy, dressy, casual, well-crafted, unique AND accessibly priced. The best part: The customer can shop guilt-free, knowing she/he chose to empower a life instead of exploiting one.
The evening could not have been more enjoyable. I left downtown feeling inspired by the work of so many brave women and men to challenge the garment industry’s abysmal status quo. With a sense of renewed commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, I feel recharged and excited about Dignity Collective’s upcoming products and, of course, potential to create positive impact in people’s lives.
Thanks for reading!
Xoxo,
Erin