Extinction Rebellion activists on Saturday
blocked traffic outside London Fashion Week to protest against the fashion
industry’s “exploitation” of the environment.
Dozens of demonstrators blocked the road near the main building hosting
catwalk shows, which began on Friday and continue until Tuesday.
“We started by blocking the road, four people were wearing barbed wire
dresses and attached themselves to the ground,” XR spokeswoman Sara Arnold,
33, told AFP.
“The system is based on obsolescence, exploitation and overproduction. This
affects the planet, the people, the animals. It needs systemic change.”
It is not the first time “XR” activists have targeted fashion week, having
covered themselves in fake blood and tied themselves to the entrance at last
September’s event.
The movement sent a letter on Monday to the industry lobby group British
Fashion Council asking them to cancel London’s fashion week in September.
Conscious of the accusations, the industry is this week showcasing its
efforts in an exhibition dedicated to “positive fashion”.
Many designers concerned about the impact of fashion on the environment are
choosing to use renewable or recycled materials and support local
craftsmanship.
But environmental activists believe this is not enough and that urgent
action is needed.
The protest took place on the second day of Fashion Week, which saw the
first London show of Petar Petrov, who presented his women’s autumn/winter
2020/21 collection.
The designer, whose brand has just celebrated its tenth anniversary,
unveiled the elegant and sober collection in the surroundings of the Royal
Institute of British Architects (RIBA) listed headquarters located near
Regent’s Park.
The collection was marked by extra long flared sleeves and wide trouser
suits held in place by thin belts.
Versatility was key, with coats worn as dresses and scarf necks and draped
jackets that can be tied in different ways.
“I grew up without elegance, I grew up in a socialistic town and everyone
had the same,” said the designer, who grew up in Bulgaria and the Ukraine with
his tailor mother.
He inherited her love of fabrics, a legacy that has become central to the
company’s ethos.
Other shows on Saturday include Britain’s Molly Goddard, known for her
voluminous and colourful tulle dresses, and Richard Quinn, who was honoured
two years ago by the queen with the “Queen Elizabeth II Award for British
Design”.(AFP)
