Start Somewhere!
Earlier this month I was invited into a zoom call with Genevieve, Georgia, and Sarah a group of fashion students from Le Jardin. Their teacher, Mrs. Everest reached out to see if I would be interested in meeting with them to discuss fashion and owning a business in Kailua. These young women are interested in a future in the Fashion Industry and I was happy to take a moment to share some of my thoughts with the group.
Let’s Change Together
Below are some of the questions they asked as a group and my abbreviated and edited answers for the sake of this blog. I didn’t include all the questions they asked - just a sampling.
What got you interested in fashion?
I loved the whole process of dreaming up an idea and then creating it. My best friend Noe and I would sketch ideas then create them and show them off at school. I didn’t really know how to make button holes or insert a zipper - I had never taken a sewing lesson. One of those early memories I had was spending so much time making a top and then having to destroy it to get it off.
What are some problems in fashion you are aware of?
Fast Fashion - cheaply made knock offs of the most trendy fashions
Man made fibers that are polluting our waterways over time
Exploitation of labor in third world countries
Manufacturing processes that are harming the environment
The list goes on…
What kinds of fashion do you think are the most important?
Customers are shopping differently. They are moved by brands giving back, they love hearing the story behind the artist, they appreciate slow fashion and classic capsules that last longer and have higher quality. And they get excited discovering hard to find items that are not in every shop. They approve eco-friendly options and they want to know what local vendors you feature. They are impressed when you share the causes that the brands support.
What do you think designers can do to help these problems?
Create diversity in their collections to address the market calling for change.
Can Fashion Change the World?
I’ve included a snippet of our video chat and my answer to this question. I will do a better job with my video clarity next time! I’m learning!
Click here to view!
Obviously we don’t have it all figured out at this time but we have to start somewhere. Hope you enjoyed exploring this interview.
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