Fashion with Compassion

As of late I have been noticing a rather impressive trend in the fashion industry, compassion for those less fortunate. Now when I was still going through my immature youthful faze I was not interested in fashion, especially high fashion, I know shocking but what can I say other than I grew up. One of the main reasons that I disliked fashion so much is that it always seemed so shallow in its practices. It seemed to me that big name fashion corporations were only interested in creating overpriced garments for people with more money than they knew what to do with. What made it all the worse was that many of these high end fashion corporations utilized sweatshops for their labor force, both here in America and abroad. The very idea that these companies for all intents and purposes had enslaved impoverished people as young as eight years old turned me off of their products immediately. These poor individuals were often brutalized by their supervisors and by their working conditions while only being paid pennies a day having no other choice either because they were here illegally or because there simply was no other way for them to make money for their family. There was a time in my life where I couldn’t turn on the news without hearing about the evils of sweatshops. Thankfully the new trend of compassion through fashion seems to be catching on over cheap labor. Now since I came to the party late my view of the fashion world was largely based on what I heard in the news or second hand from others. So take my past concepts of the industry with a hefty amount of salt. However what turned me on to fashion, other than the enjoyment of being eye candy, was the work of two extraordinary women with an idealistic dream that they have cultivated into a hugely successful business plan that became People Tree, the world’s fair trade pioneer. Some of you may be asking, what does fair trade mean, well you’re not alone. When I first discovered People Tree and the amazing work that they do around the world I had never heard the term fair trade before. Not too surprising but what was really shocking was that I couldn’t find a single person that had ever heard of the global fair trade movement either. I don’t know if it’s just the communities that I have lived in have disconnected from the rest of the world or if America just hasn’t caught on yet. Fair trade companies pay their laborers a fair wage and give them a safe place to work with full benefits. Replace those images of the hellish sweatshops with a clean work shop filled with elegant looms and smiling faces of people who know they will be going home with enough money to feed their families. That is what fair trade is about and so much more (for more information on fair trade and its supporters visit http://www.wfto.com/). I discovered People Tree quite by accident ironically enough. I had not yet emerged from my drab wardrobe faze yet but I was, and still am, a fan of the fantasy/ sci-fi genera and it just so happened that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince had recently come to theaters. While reading some articles about the film I noticed that Emma Watson (for those of you who have spent the last ten years at the bottom of a very deep hole she is the young sensation who plays Hermione Granger in the films) was designing a line of clothes for a company called People Tree. Thankfully this was one of those times where curiosity did not result in demise but rather showed me a different side of fashion that actually gave a damn about more than its profit margin. This inspirational company was founded by Safia Minney, a woman with an infectious smile and a beautiful soul. Her goal with this company is to help alleviate poverty in developing countries by paying fair wages to the artisans and producers who make their products. Giving them financial independence and stability. Safia is also concerned about the environmental impact that the fashion industry makes with the harsh chemicals and dyes used in textile manufacturing. She only using sustainable natural resources and uses fewer chemicals in manufacturing her company’s brands. Many would say that this business practice is idealistic without comprehension of the real world market, but both Safia and Emma have shown that a fashion establishment can thrive without compromising their moral integrity.

Safia may have pioneered the fair trade fashion movement but her compassion is quickly catching on in the fashion world. The acclaimed designer and dress maker, Alberta Ferretti, has also joined forces with people tree in a collaboration with Emma Watson to create a five piece “Pure Threads” line for this spring season. These pieces are works of casual art. I could see them easily gracing the shoulders of a New York socialite vacationing in the Caribbean or adorning a well to do San Diegan taking a leisurely stroll down the Pacific Beach boardwalk. It is unfortunate that the Pure Threads line is a tad on the pricy side, but the money helps contribute to supporting developing communities through donations to People Tree. Money well spent if you ask me.

Another leading designer is getting into the compassionate swing of things. The eccentric and funky designer/ fashion event coordinator Parris Harris has also shown that clothes can make a positive impact in the world at large. In recent weeks he put together a spectacular show for Orange County fashion week to help raise funds for the OC Children’s Hospital, and will be hosting another fashion show with a heart on the 30^th of April at the Black Door bar and grill. This latest showcase will feature exciting music, art and of course exciting fashion from some the industry’s talented designers. This event is dedicated to the hope of ending violence in our society. Rock on Rockstars!

The world is turning to a new generation with the understanding that corporations have an obligation to the society that they serve, not only with the products they create but with the impact that those products make on the world. Fashion with compassion is only the beginning of this change. Welcome to the NEW REALITY, dress accordingly.