Ethical fashionistas eye Africa

Published Nov 14, 2013

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Milan - Brands waving the flag of “ethical fashion” – fashion-conscious environmental protectors and social contributors – are attracting attention in Milan.

As the clothes are well-designed, ethical fashion seems to spreading in its worldwide appeal, including exports to Japan, as was seen in exhibitions during Milan fashion week in September.

Biffi, a select shop in Milan popular among young people, held its first exhibition and sale on September 17 under the banner of ethical fashion.

What attracted particular attention were products by Italian designer Stella Jean. Her colourful bracelets made from cotton cloth woven in Burkina Faso, West Africa, priced at about $50 (R512), soon sold out. Also eye-catching were a red coat with geometric patterns in gold and a blue flared skirt.

Jean is a talented young designer who participated in the Milan exhibition for the first time with the support of famed Italian brand Armani. She tries to help African women become financially independent by buying clothes produced in Africa and ensuring fair trade.

“It is not only to make a social contribution. Powerful African designs light a creative fire inside me,” she said.

At the store, pants, sandals and other products made by young designers with materials from African countries, such as Ghana, were also on display.

Store manager Rosy Biffi said: “People carefully select things they buy nowadays. A sense of wanting to buy things that could help someone is growing from about three years ago, particularly among young people, and has resulted in ethical fashion becoming more popular.”

Italian bag brand Carmina Campus held an exhibition in September and last month in Milan, releasing artistic bags made from such materials as empty cans and pieces of leather from used leather products. They were priced at about $400.

The brand’s designer, Ilaria Venturini Fendi, is the granddaughter of the founder of Italian luxury brand Fendi.

“By using waste materials, we want to underline our environmental friendliness and culture to carefully use things,” she said. The bags were admired outside Italy, too, she added.

People in Japan have also begun to take an interest in ethical fashion. In April, a select shop, United Arrows, sold canvas bags handmade by women living in slums and other areas in Kenya.

A three-day ethical clothing exhibition named “rooms” was held in September, with about 30 firms participating from Japan, Britain and other countries.

Ethical fashion includes dresses and ornaments produced and sold with an emphasis on environmental protection and social contribution.

It includes, for example, clothing made from organic materials that are less of an environmental burden to produce, and accessories made in developing nations with consideration for fair labour environments.

“Italian ethical fashion brands provide high-quality and well-designed products that consumers want to have and buy,” said Simone Cipriani, an official in charge of ethical fashion promotion at the International Trade Centre, a UN subsidiary organisation that has its headquarters in Geneva.

“Thanks to those approaches in Italy, a country with a thriving fashion industry, the movement will spread faster around the world.” – Washington Post

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