SUSTAINABLE FASHION WEEK DEBUTS A BRISTOL RUNWAY SHOW REPRESENTING THE FUTURE OF FASHION

2022 sees Sustainable Fashion Week’s (SFW) first runway show to be held in Bristol. The dynamic take on the standard fashion week catwalk will be the quintessence of sustainability, modelled in a myriad of ways.

Hosted in the heart of Bristol, The Mount Without venue is the historic site in which upcycled, vintage and sustainable clothing will travel down an ambient space touched with a pre-loved, repurposed and sustainable edge. Hosted by drag artist Astro Zenica, SFW becomes the ultimate spectacle to explore creative garments to transform pre-existing attitudes towards buying new.

The show on September 21st will see the merging of SFW’s overarching themes; rewear, repurpose, regenerate and reconnect. The notion’s call to action encourages attendees to review their wardrobes from an organic perspective, to break the chain.

As founder of SFW, Amelia Twine says “Just by switching up your perspective on what you already have, or swapping for something “new”, you’re already disrupting the fast-fashion cycle.”

Community Collaborations

Collaboration with four community partners will breathe life into the shows stand-out themes. Garments are produced, styled, and modelled by brands, designers, makers and individuals from the community

SFW’s ‘reconnect’ theme is embodied by leading partners, Bristol Community College. With its career-driven fashion courses informing a creative and impassioned advocacy for the environment, fashion students for the SFW show will make “Something from Nothing.”

Bristol-based rental service, Wear My Wardrobe Out involves a sustainable-conscious process of curation, renting, repairing, reinventing, recycling, upcycling and tailoring of fashion items. Epitomising the notion of ‘rewear’ for the runway, founder Maria Loria’s made to order service manifests the imminent need for sustainable fashion at every stage of the fashion lifecycle.

Environmental conservation organisation, Black2Nature fosters environmentally-focused discourse via an ethnically diverse lens. With an objective to increase equitable access to nature for all, including Visible Minority Ethnic (VME) communities, Black2Nature’s theme of ‘repurpose’ will see to a runway of diversity.

Positive Social Impact

Future Leap also joins the list, the environmental service affording individuals and organisations the space, knowledge, contacts and tools to accelerate their sustainability journey. For the SFW 22 show, Future Leap will work in partnership with independent clothing brand, Lucy & Yak. Committed to sustaining a positive environmental social impact, Lucy & Yak on the SFW runway will reveal how business can be done differently via the theme of ‘regenerate’. 

“Collaboration is key to tackling the issues within the fashion industry, and focusing on themes like repurposing and rewearing are exactly what we as a brand are trying to do as well. The chance to share the progress we’ve made while also being inspired by a community of like-minded brands, students, makers and designers was a no brainer!” Lucy & Yak Co-Founder, Lucy Greenwood said.

Re-Fresh Your Style

With the rhetoric of sustainability widely adopted in the fashion domain, Sustainable Fashion Week 2022 signals a big step in behaviour and participation. Alongside the runway debut on the 16th, the week also welcomes a sustainable shopping day for Bristol students, panel discussions, film screenings, eco-conscious activations, workshops, augmented reality experiences and photo exhibitions.

Additionally, local Bristol businesses will offer their love for eco-friendly fashion throughout the week. Offerings of second-hand clothing, recyclable stationary, tech and cutlery will ultimately contribute to a wider environmental awareness. 

Occurring across Bristol and online, these community-led events are accessible to all. Sustainable Fashion Week’s first catwalk is a must-see, tickets are on sale and can be found here.