Are millennials the secret ingredient when it comes to fashion and our future? On Friday 01 June 2018, the dynamic duo that form ‘2Worlds’ Raphael and Latisha came to London to host their first #CircularVibes event at London Metropolitan University. I was invited to share my thoughts on the impact millennials can have when it comes to fashion and a more circular economy.
Before I talk through the event, I just want to quickly introduce you to the organisers.
2Worlds
Raphael & Latisha believe in the importance and urgency of broadening the understanding of a circular economy. They created 2Worlds to help empower and build a new generation of ecopreneurs. Raphael and Latisha appear as regular event organisers and speakers across different UK Universities to promote a more conscious way of doing business.
Find out more at: http://2worlds.co
The speakers
The line-up was diverse and interesting, something that attracted me to the #circularvibes concept was how it wasn’t restrictive – yet the Fashion industry was definitely the topic of choice for all of the speakers.
My signature talk on why ‘knowing your personal style can save the planet’
I spoke about the role of millennials and how our actions and decisions regarding clothes can contribute towards a more circular economy. Interestingly enough I previously delivered my signature talk on how knowing your personal style can save the planet at the Going Green 2018 event in April for Fashion Revolution week (hosted by Ethical Brand Directory ) so the topic was still very much fresh on my mind.
Fusing together my background in marketing and opting for a more interactive approach, I began by asking the audience:
- How many of them were born in 1980 or thereafter – approximately 90% of the hands went up in the room. The demographic of my audience was nicely captured.
- The split of men to women was 20/80 – not an usual one for this kind of event.
I continued to quiz the audience by asking questions about their shopping habits and wardrobe hoarding behaviour. Whilst not a shock for me, many people in the room were quite taken back by their own actions and the fact they could relate to the typical scenarios I presented. The questions helped everyone identify with their own shopping habits that are essentially part of the problem and in turn damaging the environment. It’s easy to forget the role of fashion and having a responsibly sourced and sustainable selection of clothes in your wardrobe, that you wear and don’t waste – can save the planet.
Once we know our why, are certain of our values – our true personal style can shine, by simply knowing ourselves better from the inside out – we can wear clothes that are kinder to the earth, compliment our body shape and colours and that mirror our values!
Whilst millennials support and believe in doing better, research has shown there is a gap between what we say believe in and what we actually do. If millennials are they key to the future, then we must live (and wear) our values and incorporate a circular attitude to everyday life and our wardrobes are no exception.
**I will be adding a selection of the stats here soon**
Compare Ethics
Also talking at the event and offering an alternative view on how technology can lend itself to more transparency and a circular economy were the duo from Compare Ethics Abbie Morris & James Omisakin.
CompareEthics a is new Fashion comparison platform that’s using technology and complex algorithms to score brands on their Ethical credentials so shoppers can see who and how the brands they want to buy from score. Whilst technically a competitor directory for my beloved Ethical Brand Directory, I see the rise in directories giving more people more options a good thing. After all, our objectives are all the same – a world where people, planet and animals are treated fairly and not negatively impacted by our desire to have new things! A responsible, ethical and sustainable system, where businesses are recognised and rewarded for doing the right thing above profit – the triple bottom line is so important and we need it to protect our future. I’m excited to see CompareEthics.com grow into a useful resource for us all.
Find out more about Compare Ethics here: www.Compareethics.com
Serena Moglia -French Textile and Knitwear Designer
Having met Serena online before at the Going Green in 2018 event, it was nice to meet in person and share the evening with her as a speaker. Serena shared a few great case studies of designers and brands being incredibly resourceful with textile waste. Some memorable one-liners that I remember her saying were:
“Stop looking as waste as waste” and “Waste is a resource not something to throw away”
I was particularly impressed by Serena’s handmade plastic jewellery , up-cycled from plastic bags salvaged from the streets of Hackney.
Find out more about Serena Moglia here – serenamoglia.wixsite.com/maille
The collective vision
It was clear that everyone took something positive away from the #CircularVibes experience. I made some new friends and business connections, and a renewed sense of confidence in our collective mission to do ‘good business’.
Big thanks to Raphael and Latisha for all their hard work, and an extra big thank you to their adorable kids who presented each of the speakers with a small potted plant.
Make sure you check out all the great work of each speaker and the event organisers!
Connect & Collaborate
If you’d like to discover your why, explore your values and develop your true personal style – get in touch
I offer group sessions / team building workshops, one-to-one style analysis sessions, colour analysis, wardrobe editing, and styling for events for women in London.
If you’re a responsible fashion brand and are looking to collaborate with a stylist, get in touch with me. I am also seeking new brands for the Ethical Brand Directory, particularly menswear and classic wardrobe staples for women.
Until next time.
Roberta x
