Fashions favored by celebrities and actresses around the world are now available in Athens. The clothes are all part of a recent push in the fashion industry to embrace sustainability.
Supermodel Lily Cole participated in the Red Carpet Green Dress campaign at the 2016 Oscars to promote environmental and socially responsible fabrics by wearing a dress from one of the winning designers.
The dress of Sophie Turner, popular Game of Thrones character, was an eco-friendly Galvan dress shown on the right. It was a winner of the contest as well.
Some stars have gone beyond just wearing the dresses on the red carpet, and have developed it into a lifestyle challenge.
The Press Tour is an instagram account where Emma Watson, the lead actress in the new live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast and most know for her role in the Harry Potter movie franchise, documented her stages through the challenge she issued upon herself to wear the most sustainable fashion possible while on the press tour for Beauty and the Beast.
Watson and her team contacted different designers from all price points to discover the way they create their products and conduct business.
She then partnered with Eco-Age to verify every product and to give feedback to brands that weren’t selected on how they could improve.
There are eight values important to Watson that helped narrow down the brands she would wear: fair, sustainable, transparent, recycled, artisanal, organic, charitable, and cruelty free.
Just because celebrities like Watson wear sustainable fashion doesn’t mean it’s extremely expensive or not attainable.
In Athens, Georgia there are two shops in particular that promote sustainable fashion.
Community is located on north Jackson Street where they use Georgia designers with handmade items all coming from local goods. The store also features vintage and redesigned clothing.
As their website states:
“In addition to our in-house line of redesigned vintage and handmade clothing, COMMUNITY SERVICE, we carry clothing, jewelry, home decor, natural body products, paper goods, food and gift items from over 40 local designers and makers.”
Sewing and fashion design classes promoting sustainability are other activities they offer the Athens community to educate and engage.
Another local sustainable fashion source is the Athens Fashion Collective. They are “a platform for the cultivation and development of the local fashion/regional garment industry in Athens, Georgia and surrounding area.”
They host fashion shows twice a year to showcase local artists work.
The push towards sustainability in fashion is evident in the increasing interest from the public about how and where to find it, as well as celebrities using their platform to promote its importance.
Lead photo from Lily Cole’s public Instagram page
