The creative talents and fashionable designs of such brands still seem to fall on deaf ears. Granted, the importance of ethical fashion has risen in the last two or three years, but there still seems to be a struggle to convince the general public that ethics can be beautiful. In fact, the items of ethical clothing most commonly purchased tend to be organic t-shirts and small items, which don't necessarily fall into the category of high fashion. Clothes are a luxury and, unfortunately, become an exception to our ethical standards. Less than 50% of people believe that ethical clothing can be fashionable. This doesn't seem extensive but is never-the-less an improvement on previous years. The Ethical Fashion Show in Paris, and other such events, give ethical labels the chance to showcase the best of their collections and work to establish a place within the 'fashion' category. In response to the question; Where is ethical fashion going? With the help of shows such as Paris and with the increased use of electronic media, ethical fashion can only move forward and place its stamp on the fashion world. Ethical fashion is breaking into universities, such as the London College of Fashion, with the development of ethical studies. The key appears to lie with the next generation who have grown up with, and been educated within the rising tide of ethical awareness.
At least one thing is for certain, the social impact of ethical fashion is gaining momentum as today's suppliers and buyers realise that ethics and sustainability encompass more than the use of organic materials. Organic t-shirts are great, but we need to remain mindful of the conditions of the people who are producing the clothing, and of the environmental impact of their production.
As the presence of ethical fashion grows on the catwalk, on the high-street and on-line, the current majority of people, who haven’t yet discovered that our clothes can be beautiful, ethical and fashionable will doubtless become the minority.
High-end ethical fashion from Noir
High-street ethical fashion from Goodone
