Over the weekend, millions of protestors in 150 countries took to the streets to demand their leaders do more to fight climate change. In London and Milan, it was not business as usual, as top brands responded to the global calls for more sustainable business practices. Here are the top green launches from the London and Milan Fashion Weeks that are setting the standard for where luxury can take sustainability in 2020.
Gucci Promotes Green Fashion and Self-Expression
Alessandro Michele’s latest show opened with a line of models being sent down a conveyor belt in clinical uniforms and beige strait jackets before giving way to the Gucci antidote to the lack of “self-expression” in fashion. His spring-summer 2020 collection featured 89 looks in a rainbow of materials and fabrics, from black chiffon to chainmail. The bright ‘70s-by-way-of-‘90s-inspired emerald suits and deep purple dresses were accessorized with everything from riding crops to black vinyl chokers.
Gucci recently announced that its production, all the way down to its supply chain, would be carbon-neutral. It put its money where its mouth was in Milan, with the brand planting a tree for every guest of the show. The catwalk’s set was made from 70 percent recycled or reused materials and will further be reused in the new line’s campaign.
Victoria Beckham Elevates Green Beauty to New Heights
It seems like every day another green beauty brand is hitting the market. But with products still boasting ingredients that considered toxic in many countries (i.e. phenoxyethanol), it’s not always easy to separate out the true clean lines from the pack.
Enter Victoria Beckham. If it’s good enough for the queen of the smoky eye, it should be good enough for the rest of us. Beckham’s new cruelty-free beauty line elevates clean beauty standards, featuring ingredients such as gemstone powder or sodium hyaluronate, and absolutely zero bad fillers.
Beckham debuted the line during her spring-summer 2020 London Fashion Week show. Makeup guru Pat McGrath was tasked with creating easy yet sophisticated looks on the models, featuring Victoria Beckham Beauty Smoky Eye Bricks in Royal and Tweed ($54) and Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Bordeaux ($26) to accent the shape of the eyes. The impactful shades in cerulean blue and rust clay red complemented the delicate clothes, but the incredibly rich pigments also showed how far green beauty has come today. “The beauty look was created to complement the lightness, easiness and freedom of the collection. It’s about dynamic women today, women in motion,” said Beckham in a statement.
Victoria Beckham Beauty is exclusively available at VictoriaBeckhamBeauty.com and for a limited time at the brand’s London store. The luxury line uses minimal plastic and 100 percent post-consumer waste secondary packaging, with orders shipped in reusable canvas pouches. The eye collection is available now, with categories for lip and skincare coming soon.
Luxury Vegan Shoes Hit Mainstream
Stella McCartney may be the innovator for luxury vegan “leather” goods, but as more and more high-end brands embrace cruelty-free shoe and accessories lines, she finally has good company. Trendsetters are no longer looking at leather as a measure of quality in an item, but rather at how the whole shoe was put together.
McCartney has created everything from designer Adidas shoes to the infamous Falabella bag in cruelty-free materials. This past week, she launched her latest collaboration with Hunter boots, making some of the chicest rain boots ever to hit the market. They are also the most sustainable rain boots available, made from a plant-based alternative to neoprene and natural rubber made without petrochemicals.
Tommy Hilfiger partnered with British racing legend Lewis Hamilton for an all-new Tommy x Lewis capsule line. The duo debuted the collection during Milan Fashion Week with an all-out bash featuring a performance by Pusha T. Hamilton, who has described his vegan diet as nothing short of life-changing, and made it a priority to create a cruelty-free line. All the footwear, including bold hiking boot styles with cleated striped soles and “LH” graphics, are 100 percent vegan, but could fool even the most diehard boot fan.
Additionally, Hilfiger and Hamilton made the collection as environmentally friendly as possible, with 70 percent composed of sustainable materials. T-shirts and polos are made from 100 percent organic cotton, and reversible metallic down jackets are made from Re:Down (regenerated and rejuvenated down).
