The Ecological Fashion

What is fashion and why is it important?

By Doriana Dogic

Fashion is a phenomenon that emerged between the 13th and 14th centuries in the West and was born out of the imposition of the new on the old, and its changes were only possible when people noticed the innovation it brought.

 

It is very important because it becomes personal taste, imposes itself on our habits and ways of dressing, and becomes an integral part of our lives.

When fashion was born it was a luxury of the court, today fashion is accessible to everyone, obviously according to their own tastes and possibilities. Clothes are not just something we use to cover our bodies, they are much more than that; they have to do with the subjectivity of each of us within our social life.

This is why fashion turns towards two conflicting sides:

• individuality, as it allows us to be unique and unrepeatable in our style;
• sociality, because it allows us to come into contact with the society in which we live.

So we can see that fashion is not only a way of dressing, but also a way of being. Just think how exciting it can be to express one’s principles and lifestyle through the way one dresses. In this respect, we can take as an example several designers who have made their philosophy of life a way of expressing themselves through their clothes.

Let’s see some of them!

GREEN STYLISTS: how fashion can save the planet

Ecological and sustainable fashion has become very important, especially nowadays. Our planet is currently exhausted, damaged and on the verge of collapse, and unfortunately this is all dictated by our often unconscious and irresponsible choices.

As a society where fashion products have very short life cycles, leading to the accumulation of waste, it is important to hurry up and do something about it before it is too late, and a number of designers have long since decided to adopt sustainable fashions.

VALENTINO GARAVANI

Known as Valentino and described as the last emperor of fashion, he has made his lifestyle a fashion statement. His company has committed to zero deforestation purchasing and production policies for both leather and packaging. They have also taken care to eliminate all those toxic substances in the clothes which, if they end up in water, could have a harmful effect on fauna by poisoning water resources.

His is a ethical fashion,which aims to protect the environment and animals. In this regard, after seeing a video by Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) showing the suffering of these animals due to the shearing of their hair, Valentino took a drastic but extremely conscious decision: to stop producing garments in which the hammock is present by 2021.

“Elegance is the balance between proportion, emotion and surprise”.  Valentino

FLAVIA LA ROCCA

Known as the fashion designer who proposes a vision of clothing that is totally sustainable and reduces waste. She creates clothes with interchangeable pieces, allowing for more combinations, reducing the use of raw materials and energy.

We can therefore consider his fashion, intelligent, attentive to every single and small wasteful injustice that our planet is constantly suffering. The materials she uses are eco-sustainable, trying to reduce the environmental impact as much as possible. Another element is fundamental: its ethical production entirely made in Italy reduces CO2 emissions.

“The goal is to make sure that my clothes can be purchased in a conscious way and that together with them the message of responsible and ethical fashion travels.”. Flavia La Rocca

LAURA STRAMBI

Her collections are produced in Italy and aim to protect the planet. Her brand uses:

• sustainable fabrics
• Recycled wool
• Organic cotton
• Biodegradable fabrics

The prints are produced with natural pigments from fruit.

“It’s our duty to teach young people that even buying a t-shirt can have an impact on pollution. Laura Strambi

TIZIANO GUARDINI

Known as one of the most famous eco-designers in Italy, he fights and denounces the violence to which the nature of our planet is subjected due to the constant and fast production of ever newer fabrics and clothes. In his fashion:

• natural elements become the protagonists of her clothes;

• abandoned materials become useful elements to produce clothes

For Titian, nature is both a point of departure and a point of arrival. He uses non-violent silk, in which, unlike classical silk processing, one waits for the silkworm to reach the last stage and become a butterfly before harvesting the abandoned silk.

“Eco-sustainability is the ability to perceive the sacredness of life”.  Tiziano Guardini

It is therefore important to try in every possible way and form to support and help our planet not to die slowly because of our wrong choices!

“I believe that having the land and not spoiling it is the most beautiful art form one could wish for.” Andy Warhol