I have a confession to make. I've done a very bad thing, but I'm not alone in this unfortunately...

Photo via Unsplash

The fashion industry is being shipwrecked. Brands and Retailers are on the edge of going bankrupt, factories are not getting paid for the orders they have fulfilled. People are facing an increase in poverty. This is serious and thus, fashion is serious business.

As a teenager and in my early twenties (I'm 29 now), I loved dressing up and going shopping with friends. If you imagine a Dutch Isla Fisher in Confession of a Shopaholic, I would say you could detect similarities. I have spent serious cash on clothes of which I had the slightest idea where they would come from; apart from the store or online shop I bought them from.

British fashion designer Katherine Hamnett is inter alia known for her iconic statement T-Shirts, such as the one with the quote: NO MORE FASHION VICTIMS. Well, this consumer is here to push the narrative one step further and says this:

NO MORE FASHION CULPRITS

That's right, no more culprits rather than no more victims. You see, I believe that I have been actively feeding the monster that is the fast fashion industry. Actions lead to reactions. So every time I made a purchase from a bad brand, I helped that brand to grow. That brand continued to grow their market share thanks to consumers, I mean Fashion Culprits, like me, and this has given them strong positions in negotiations with manufacturers.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

What if, we take responsibility for our purchases, and thus only buy products of which we know their entire story? Fashion production can be highly complex and involves various elements and steps before a design becomes that jacket you love to wear and show off on your Instagram feed. (Hey, been there, done that).

There is no point in being angry at yourself for having taken those decisions in the past. It would, however, be harmful if you continue "shopping as usual" and thus keep feeding the monster. I say, we as consumers take back our power and demand the industry to adopt transparent and ethical practices only, or else we will not buy their products.

No consumption = No production.

Simple theory, right?

Follow KATHARINE HAMNETT on IG: https://www.instagram.com/katharinehamnett/

Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/circularfashiondetective/