Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
One such group of people is the team at Red Carpet Green Dress, who has been busy over the last weeks and months creating a beautiful gown for the Oscars, which was worn by “Skyfall” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” actress Naomie Harris at last night's award ceremony.
But this wasn’t just any old dress. This was a dress with a difference.
Aside from being breathtakingly beautiful, the dress – which was created by the exciting young designer Michael Badger with the help of Vivienne Westwood and her haute couture team – was also made to have the smallest possible impact on our equally beautiful planet. The team at Red Carpet Green Dress, founded by Suzy Amis Cameron four years ago for the premiere of her husband James Cameron’s film “Avatar”, have engaged with a number of external experts and consultants including Cradle-to-Cradle and Greenpeace to try and make the dress to the highest environmental standards possible.
The dress is not perfect – and this further underlines how broken the current system is and emphasises the need for big brands and suppliers to take urgent action to clean up the fashion industry and meet the growing demand for fashion that adds value to our environment and society: not take it away.
That said, everything from the organic and GOTs certified fabric, to the reclaimed buttons and zips (coming from vintage Vivienne Westwood pieces), to the natural dying processes selected (using chamomile and golden rod to help achieve the dress’ majestic colour) was chosen to ensure minimal environmental damage and to help publicise and pioneer sustainable alternatives.
The dress also plays an important role because of the people who will see it, and the seeds it will hopefully plant in many of these people’s minds. The Oscars are watched the world over, the gowns worn by the stars as they walk down the red carpet are admired, discussed and debated with passion by fashionistas, media commentators and movie fans alike. The story behind this dress will help take the message about the urgent need to address the way our clothes are made to a huge audience, many of whom have the power to change the system from the inside.
Join the movement
Around the world, more and more people are demanding fashion with a story that they can be proud of. The dress created for this year’s “Red Carpet Green Dress” Challenge proves that even the most intricate design, subject to the highest levels of scrutiny, can be as sustainable as it is beautiful.
Suzy Amis Cameron and Samata Angel (Global Campaign Director for Red Carpet Green Dress) have already signed our people powered Detox Fashion Manifesto joining hundreds of thousands of people who have added their voice to the call for fashion that doesn’t cost the earth.
