Extinction Rebellion Crashed the Louis Vuitton Runway

At this year’s Paris Fashion Week, a climate activist from the Extinction Rebellion rushed the Louis Vuitton catwalk. The young activist condemns the impact of excessive consumption, protesting the fashion industry’s environmental impact.

Credit: Hypebeast

One year ago, an Extinction Rebellion activist gatecrashed the runway at Dior’s SS21 show in Paris, calling out fashion’s culture of overindulgence and obsolescence with a sign which reads: “We are all fashion victims.”

Now, another XR protester has popped up in Paris for SS22, this time targeting the Louis Vuitton catwalk amidst the climate crisis.

Activist Marie Cohuet carries a banner that reads, ‘OVERCONSUMPTION = EXTINCTION.’ Her banner also features the logos of Extinction Rebellion France and other climate activist organisations.

Cohuet walked past guests including Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and the billionaire boss of Dior parent LVMH Bernard Arnault. The audience watched on, unaffected by the demonstration until she was taken down by security.

She was able to safely leave the scene outside without any further action being taken against her or the group.

Decentralised Structure

Credit: Time Magazine

Extinction Rebellion is a global movement. Their primary objective is to cause widespread disruption in city centres through nonviolent civil disobedience. Their goal is to bring about political change whilst acting in full public view to ensure accountability.

ER’s strategy is one of a decentralised organisational structure, with no apparent hierarchy. This means that Cohuet may have acted independently of Extinction Rebellion’s official media liaisons or social media operators on the day of her demonstration.

Cohuet took to Twitter the day after her demonstration to explain her actions.

She explains,

“Last night, we took action as the textiles industry is one of the biggest polluters which emits the most today. Furthermore, this industry has more than questionable practices in terms of human and social rights. What we want, is for fashion to understand that fat fashion and changing collections every two weeks is out-of-date. We need to stop this race towards new collections. This industry must rethink its ways and start transitioning.”

A message at the closure of the clip reads,

“Louis Vuitton was also targeted to send a message to Emmanuel Macron, who is very close to its CEO, Bernard Arnault. The government can and must act to force the sector to reduce its pollution.”

Calling for Closure

Credit: 7news

Over the last several seasons, the Extinction Rebellion has appeared at fashion week events around the world. Its members are calling for the closure of London Fashion Week, asking for fashion to pay more consideration to climate catastrophe.

Their message is clear: climate change is a destructive force and the fashion industry needs to treat it as an emergency.

A manifesto on the group’s site (designated to fashion issues) outlines a list of goals:

First off, that fashion “use its platform to help save all life on earth”. Next, that the “exploitative and oppressive fashion system” comes to an end. Furthermore, that the industry “directly addresses overproduction and obsolescence” and finally that the industry comes to “embody a regenerative culture” and that the fashion industry’s influence be leveraged in support of Extinction Rebellion’s broader objectives.

This Paris Fashion Week, XR is pointing the finger at President Emmanuel Macron’s government, which has refused to regulate the sector or to conform to the Paris Agreement – despite the greenwashed and industry-celebrated “Fashion Pact.”

The group shares in a Twitter post,

“there are ethical ways to love textiles, design, detail, fashion house history and celebrate the work. We know you know. Please kindle the urgency in the studio and office. Bravery is chic.”

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