Moda / Fashion
Verica Rakočević and Igor Todorović Sustainability as a lifestyle and a fashion style Whichever topic we discuss, we can’t avoid the story of ecology, sustainability and our relationship towards the planet. And that’s even the case when we talk about fashion, and perhaps most of all when we talk about it – consider these celebrated representatives of Serbian fashion T he Belgrade City Assem- bly recently provided the setting for the first show of sustainable fashion in Serbia, at which pieces created by designers Verica Rakočević and Igor Todorović were presented. These two greats of our fashion scene have joined the public struggle to pro- mote sustainable fashion, but also the understanding that this doesn’t imply only recycling, but rather piec- es that are created with the idea of being durable, costing enough to en- sure that every worker involved in the process can be adequately renu- merated, and which can be repaired when worn out and represent some- thing that can be passed on to future generations. The second part of the story is, of course, recycled, biodegradable and recyclable materials that are under development, but not yet to an ex- tent sufficient for them to replace natural ones. “The fact is that the modern age and the rapid flow of information brings fast fashion. Brands have
emerged that have experienced great expansion with hyper production, thus endangering the environment drastically,” says Verica, before con- tinuing, “sustainable fashion is fash- ion which, apart from natural ma- terials, supports sensible purchases, small serial production and hand- made items. I’ve implemented sus- tainability in my collections from the beginning; I’ve been working in fash- ion for 38 years and my fashion has been sustainable since the very first day. I work exclusively with natu- ral materials, small collections, with working conditions that every work- er would like to have.” Igor Todorović continues in the same vein, emphasising that, for him, this is a more meaningful term than one that would be couched in the context of merely recycling fabrics. “Sustainable fashion is primar- ily responsible; it understands and respects the planet and the ecosys- tem, is ethical in the steps that are part of the fashion system and pro- duction chain and, last but by no means least, aesthetically. I think it’s essential to be aware that fash- ion is one of the planet’s major pol- luters,” says Igor. He considers that the year ahead suggests many new trends that won’t have a determining factor that could define them in a couple of descrip- tions of colour, cut or pattern, be- cause fashion is liberal and open to new challenges and research findings. “In that sense, 2022 will be marked by the re-examining of cer- tain forms or patterns in the con- text of an altered lifestyle and the need to set new guidelines, and even attitudes. Hence the emergence of what is today a new term in fash- ion – sustainability. Not only in the sense of what can be categorised un- der the eco fashion system, but al- so under the overall system of fash- ion as a whole. I think that 2022 is the year of reintegrating some fash- ion rules and views on those rules,” considers Igor. What’s trendy has never been the subject of Verica’s interest, which is why she considers that every col- lection of hers is sustainable, while
52 | Održivost » Sustainability
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