Fashion Revolution Week (FRW) is the annual campaign bringing together the world’s largest fashion activism movement for seven days of action surrounding the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse.
This year, the campaign will run from Monday 18th-Sunday 24th April, with the aim to collectively reimagine a just and equitable fashion system for people and the planet.
The theme for Fashion Revolution Week 2022 is MONEY FASHION POWER. Inspired by the archival fanzine of the same name, this theme builds on the knowledge that the mainstream fashion industry relies upon the exploitation of labour and natural resources.
Wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of a few, and growth and profit are rewarded above all else. Big brands and retailers produce too much too fast, and manipulate us into a toxic cycle of overconsumption.
Meanwhile, the majority of people that make our clothes are not paid enough to meet their basic needs, and already feel the impacts of the climate crisis – which the fashion industry fuels.
“As we enter our 9th year, we will go back to our core, exposing the profound inequities and social and environmental abuses in the fashion supply chains. From the uneven distribution of profits, to overproduced, easily discarded fashion, to the imbalances of power that negate inclusion. On the other hand, inspiring new designers, thinkers and professionals all over the world are challenging the system with solutions and alternative models. Fashion Revolution Week is all of this, scrutinising and celebrating fashion, globally and locally, wherever you are.” Says, Orsola de Castro, co-founder and global creative director for Fashion Revolution.
This year, Fashion Revolution is calling on global citizens to rise up together for a regenerative, restorative and revolutionary new fashion system.
Throughout Fashion Revolution Week, the groundwork will be laid down for new laws on living wages for the people that make our clothes, brands will be encouraged to shift their focus away from endless growth, and consumers will be inspired to scrutinise the real value of what we buy.
To get involved, Fashion Revolution will provide the tools for people to write to their local policy maker about these issues, demand greater transparency in the fashion supply chain, support trailblazing small businesses and create their own fashion love stories to reconnect with the clothes they wear every day.
FRW DIGITAL PROGRAMME
The Fashion Revolution New Zealand team is thrilled to announce an exciting series of digital events for Fashion Revolution Week 2022. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic we have chosen to approach FRW 2022 as a digital campaign and will be focusing on online events and content.
In line with this year’s theme “MONEY, FASHION, POWER”, we asked ourselves ‘How do we embolden and encourage citizens and brands to become agents of their own change?’. This year’s digital campaign will aim to:
- Increase education and enable New Zealanders to gain a greater understanding of the value of clothing as well as its societal and environmental cost;
- Equip New Zealanders with the tools to ask their favourite brands questions around production, environmental degradation and requesting transparency;
- Educate New Zealanders on the connection between our country being an island nation and the environmental cost of imports;
- Enable New Zealand brands to recognise and work to improve the environmental impact of their business models
Amanda Butterworth and Natalia Bertolo continue to head up the national team of fashion activists from different sectors of the industry and are excited about this year’s return to the roots of why Fashion Revolution began: to create a fairer fashion system for all.
In addition to attending ticketed online education sessions and live industry interviews, people can get involved via social media by asking “Who Made My Clothes”, “Loved Clothes Last” digital storytelling opportunities and more.
For the full list of what’s happening around the country, or to get involved, please follow our social media channels or visit Fashion Revolution New Zealand’s page.
