shop, while several models of jackets are produced from recycled waste clothes. And if you hadn‘t heard that from Gabriela herself, you wouldn‘t even have noticed by look- ing at the collection. So, it can be done. Both Stella McCartney and fashion company Kenzo are also emphasising sustainability. McCartney is known for her ethical approach to design. She doesn‘t use arti- ficial materials and utilises non-toxic adhesives to make shoes, while, as a vegan, she‘s never even considered us- ing leather. In her latest collection she offered overalls in the spirit of David Bowie, with psychedelic patterns, robes with T-shirts in a bright cyclamen colour, with se- quins and fluttering trapezoidal cut mini dresses. Of course, Stella‘s work always reflects her British heritage, and this time that can be seen in the form of an over- sized coat and a jacket with a classic houndstooth pat- tern and wide plaid trousers. Kenzo is also among the advocates of ethical opera- tions and is promoting sustainable fashion. Its Autumn/ Winter 2021 collection, which is the first to be shown since creator Kenzo Takada died last October, represents a combination of designs from the archives and new de- signs, and what they have in common is richness of form, strong colours and floral prints. The designs simply seem to dance, and as you observe them you find yourself over- whelmed by the emotion of pure joy. Creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista explains that this is about “pos- sibilities of a new world“, without prejudice, boundaries and stereotypes. He also reminded us that Kenzo has al- ways advocated for freedom, joy, diversity, love for nature and the creating of harmony as opposed to contrasts. But what interests us the most is what we will be wearing next autumn. At the fashion week events we saw oversized designs contrasted boldly by tight ones that fi- nally emphasise the silhouette after a year spent loung- ing in tracksuits. Prints again dominate, in the form of a mix of the classic and the graphic, mostly floral. Flutter- ing dresses, skirts with ruffles and wide-legged trousers. The source of inspiration is a story for itself, from a walk through history in the collection of Louis Vuitton to the playful nature in Kenzo‘s collection, with the stage cos- tumes of Ziggy Stardust seen through the eyes of Stel- la McCartney. They could be described in three words: feminine, striking and distinctive. Comfort is no longer mentioned, as it has become the standard. Miuccia Prada, Louis Vuitton? Yes, everyone is on the road to sustainability and ethics! And Chanel? Well, it is sustainable in and of itself, and has always been so. Have you ever heard of anyone setting aside or dis- carding its famous tweed jacket or cult quilted hand- bag? If you‘re not certain, these are pieces that are made to last, to be given by mothers to their daugh- ters, to be worn or carried until they are worn out, as designs that don‘t acknowledge changing trends. All that‘s left for us to do is to hope that both consum- ers and designers will unify towards the same goal – and that we can freely forget about the idea of buying clothes just for one occasion.
SUSTAINABILITY ON THE CATWALK
New fashion era of proper values
Recycling, sustainability, design, redesign, fashion as green & clean, creation, aesthetics. You probably never thought you'd read all those words in the same sentence, yet in the cradle of style itself, Paris, it is being said that fashion and sustainability are the perfect combination
E ver more brands, from large luxury ones to those small brands, are placing an emphasis on sustain- ability and an ethical approach to their produc- tion, whether that be using recycled components, recyclable materials, or completely eliminating unsustainable materials, such as leather. This theme has already been relevant for several years, and it‘s delightful that this story is including ever more big fashion names, who presented their designs for the Au- tumn/Winter 21/22 season. The question that arises is whether luxury fashion brands that are known for offer- ing ever-changing seasonal trends, and handbags that are “mandatory for this season”, can even function according to the principle of sustainability. Designer Gabriela Hearst, creative director of fashion house Chloé, believes they can. Speaking about her new collection, she said that she start- ed with the material and not the silhouette. She first dis- carded all fabrics made of synthetics and artificial cellu- lose, then based her designs on materials that are mostly made of cashmere, which is up to 80 per cent recyclable. This fashion house‘s used handbags are enhanced with accessories made from knitted textile waste from the work-
Sustainability » Održivost | 63
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