Is it possible to create a sustainable Fashion Week?

As we find ourselves in the middle of a climate crisis, it seems that fashion needs to rethink the runway show. But can the industry’s tradition transform into a greener alternative?

Fashion Week, or Fashion Month rather, is unsustainable by nature. Think about it, the industry's most important people fly to multiple cities all over the world, leaving a sizeable carbon footprint. Countless cars drive influencers, journalists, stylists and buyers from event to event to help manage busy show schedules. There's the environmental impact of show production; the sets and props that are created then thrown away, the invitations and show notes that are discarded, as well as the huge amount of electricity used for lighting. All this for a show that lasts just a matter of minutes.

As expected, the sheer volume and scale of Fashion Month has a big impact on our planet. According to a report by Zero to Market, around 241,000 tons of CO2 (enough to power Times Square for 58 years), is emitted during the four weeks of the international shows. New York Fashion Week accounts for 37 per cent of that alone. These scary statistics raise the question - why are we still doing this?


By Jessica Davis.
Full story at Bazaar.