When creating the poster for the event I wanted to ensure that it was eye catching and colourful with interesting typography. I decided to use images from the brands that will be presented at the event and also placing them in sharp, geometric shapes as many of the brands are using science to create these innovative materials. I also wanted to incorporate a little touch nature therefore I added the delicate flower sketch into the poster. The reason for the rectangle shape in the poster was to reflect the Fashion Revolution logo into the design.

 

 

An event for Fashion Revolution promoting sustainable fashion brands and new innovative materials to encourage consumers to source sustainably and educate them in the future of fashion. The event will include a range of sustainable brands that will be presenting their collections on the catwalk and also answering any questions and selling items during the event. There will be guest speakers including fashion environmental activist giving their opinions and sharing their knowledge on the current fashion global situation. This is aiming to raise awareness of fast fashion and over consumption, hearing the truth about the current situation in the fashion industry from experts will hopefully encourage change.

One of the main communications for the event will be a poster that will be presented through London in store windows, billboards and tube stations which ensures plenty of footfall. There will also be a press release that will be sent to many editors to certify press coverage of the event.

As Facebook is Fashion Revolution’s most followed social media platform we will be using Facebook as our main platform along with Instagram and Twitter. Updating on any new guests/brands that are joining the event. These platforms will also be used to upload live videos of the guest speakers, catwalks etc.

 

Instagram

Apart from H&M’s website, Instagram will be the main platform of advertisement for the campaign. Out of all the main social media platforms, Instagram is mostly known for looking at photographs and visuals. With this campaign I wanted to reach out to the target audience through visuals, using the story and live feed to broadcast the swap event and information on how to host your own swap party. Instagram will also be the main platform to use the hashtag, uploading images of their swapped clothing to create recognition for the campaign.

Facebook

Twitter

H&M’s website will be used as main platform of communication for the Swap Campaign. The H&M group website features a sustainability page where the ‘Swap Your Clothes’ Campaign can be accessed. It will include images and information on how to host your own swap party. For the layout of the website I decided to stick with H&M’s design style in order to align with their branding.

 

    

A Campaign for  H&M, encouraging people to take part in re-using clothes and host swap parties to help reduce waste within the fashion industry.

The campaign will include a swap page on the brands website with information regarding the benefits of swapping clothing instead of engaging in constant consumption of cheap, unethically sourced clothing. It will encourage, in particular, the younger demographic to host their own swap parties with friends and a quick guide on how to do so. The campaign will also have a launch event that will consist of a large swap party located in London with music, drinks and socialising. This event aims to show individuals that a swapping clothing can be a fun, sociable event that brings people together. Before the launch of the event there will be a press release sent to numerous editors to ensure the press coverage of the campaign. The campaign’s visuals will be colourful with a modern aesthetic. Portraying the beautiful colours of nature instead of the ‘unfashionable’ colours associated with eco fashion and recycling, attracting people with its bright visuals, in particularly young millennials (18-25).

The swap campaign will be advertised on all the main social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook with Instagram used as the main source of advertisement.

How to host your own Swap Party

How to host your own swap party? A clothing swap party is a great reason to gather your friends together for an evening of drinks, music, nibbles and plenty of socialising. At a swap party, each of your attendees bring an agreed upon amount of clothing/accessories to the event where they can be swapped. While you might be tired of your spotty blouse it may just be what your friend has been looking for.

 

Step One

– Deciding where you’re going to host your party?

– Who are you going to invite?

– Setting some ground rules! Make sure your guests are aware they can only  as many clothing as they brought to the event.

 

Step Two

Setting everything up.

– Make sure you have something to hang the clothing such as a clothing rail. You don’t want your guests having to look through a pile of clothing on the sofa. Don’t be afraid to move furniture around to make it more accessible.

– Suppling drinks and snacks

– If you can, provide and area for people to try on the clothes.

 

Step Three

HAVE FUN!

A swap party is about bringing people together and having fun whilst also helping to reduce the waste caused by over consumption and throw away fashion culture.

Apart from the devastating reality of the fashion supply chain, one major aspect of un sustainability within the fashion industry is down to consumerism. Habits we have picked up over the years, through the amount we shop. where we buy, how we value our clothes and what we do when we no longer need/want them.

Sustainability to me isn’t a way of manufacturing and sourcing their products that fashion retailers should inspire to, it should be a necessity. If a brand does not work sustainably then it should be labelled an unsustainable brand with unfair working conditions. These are factors that us as consumers should be aware of, not hidden from us. Whether a brand says they have started to use sustainable materials, does not certify them sustainable. Regarding from Stacey Dooley’s documentary, brands such as Primark attending a sustainable conference to talk about sustainability was not willing to enclose their source, why is that? If they were fully sustainable this wouldn’t have been an issue. Retailers tell us what we want to hear whether it’s true or false. Unfortunately, there is little we can do in terms of the supply chain but one large aspect that we can control is consumerism. Fast fashion is a retailers dream, we buy countless amounts of cheap fabric clothing every year to ensue we keep up with the latest ‘52’ trends of the year, and due to the low prices we think nothing of it and if it breaks we just buy another. But what if we knew where our clothing was made and who made them, would we think differently before we buy? We need to value our clothing and pay just that little extra for sustainable clothing that are durable therefore we do not have to keep on buying more.

 

Fashion & Sustainability – Design For A Change written by Kate Fletcher and Lynda Grose

This book taught me about all the new ways within the fashion industry that can be changed to be eco friendly and sustainable.

Part 1 includes the transformation of fashion products from materials and processes to distribution and disposal. Using, for example, low water fibres to reduce water waste instead of water-intensive fabrics. Colouring fabrics without the use of harsh chemicals and dyes and educating readers on predator friendly fibers. In Part 2 the book talks about transforming fashion systems – “However much we innovate and act to improve the sustainability credentials of a piece of clothing, the benefits brought by these changes are always restricted by the production systems and business models that market and sell the garment and by the behaviour of the person who buys it”. This statement stood out to me, not only does the businesses who are in charge of the supply chain and the fabrics and processes used to make the clothing are the sole cause for the need of change within the industry but the consumer habits and wants that have developed.

Part 3 then talks about how the designer is a big influence in regards to the material world. Designers applying their skills to develop a sustainable design practice. I found this book very interesting, learning about the new practise and processes of sustainability that will hopefully become the ‘norm’ within the fashion industry.

Fashioned by Nature is an exhibition in the V&A, London. It presents fashionable clothing alongside natural history, new innovative fabrics and the dyeing processes of the materials and fabrics.  The exhibition is inviting people to see and think about the sources and the manufacturing aspects of their clothing.

I was particularly interested in the effects caused by the dyeing of the fabrics and the new solution to reduce the environmental effects. ‘Colorifix aims to create a low-water, pollution-free method of dyeing. Their solution relies on modifying microorganisms using synthetic biology such that they can produce, develop and fix dyes to the fabric’”.

It was also very interesting to see the new innovative and sustainable fabrics that have been invented in the last couple of years. Nike launched their Flyknit Racer trainers back in 2012. Using computer technology to ensure the most minimal waste. The Flyleather uses 90% less water used to create the trainers and reduced carbon footprint by 80% in comparison to traditional leather.

The exhibition portrayed the eight issues in the fashion industry. The contemporary issues caused by the production and waste of clothing. These elements need to be addressed before it is too late. Every aspect needs to be re-thought and changed by using manufacturing methods that limit waste, use less hazardous chemicals and follow the fair trade movement.