Consumers are demanding ethics and sustainability say industry’s big names
The British Fashion Council’s inaugural (and virtual) Institute of Positive fashion Forum late last week made a big plea for more sustainable and inclusive behaviour from the industry at large and came up with both ideas to put that into action and warnings. One point that emerged clearly from speakers coming from widely different vantage points in the fashion sector was that the consumer really wants to see change happening. “Sustainability is at the top of mind of young people,” said Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti. And they want to see authentic commitment. “There’s more than business, there’s more than clear goals. It’s about a designer brand’s role in the community. We need to rethink the ‘profit first’ mentality so that workers in the supply chain don’t have to choose between lives and livelihoods”.