Designers of the world take note; the Vivienne Westwood Ethical Fashion Africa is redefining the way fashion gets done from the manufacturing all the way down to the campaign. Forget the runways and the pages of Vogue, Westwood gets real with her newest AW collection, crossing cultural borders and changing the world one garment at a time.
While she is not the first designer to be inspired by the diverse tribal fashions Africa has to offer, she took it ten steps further by employing 7000 Kenyans to handcraft her Fashion Africa collection, paying them proper manufacturing wages and using many of them as the models for the campaign! Lensed by Juergen Teller, the shoot has Westwood posing amongst the people of Nairobi in her fresh designs as well as with the eco-friendly bags and shoes she created.
Implications - Across a variety of industries, philanthropic efforts are publicly executed to benefit both causes and need and a corporation’s image, as it downplays the stereotype of the capitalist tycoon.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Ethical Fashion
- The rise of ethical fashion presents disruptive innovation opportunities for designers to redefine the way fashion gets done by adopting sustainable and socially responsible practices.
- Philanthropic Partnerships
- Collaborations between corporations and charitable organizations present disruptive innovation opportunities for businesses to benefit both causes and improve their public image.
- Local Manufacturing
- The use of local craftsmen and artisans in the manufacturing process creates disruptive innovation opportunities for designers to support local economies and preserve traditional craftsmanship.
Sectors Adopting This
- Fashion
- The fashion industry has an opportunity to embrace ethical practices and revolutionize the way garments are manufactured, marketed, and promoted.
- Photography
- Photographers can explore collaborations with designers and brands to capture socially conscious and impactful campaigns that challenge traditional fashion photography norms.
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Companies across various industries can leverage philanthropic partnerships to actively contribute to meaningful causes and enhance their brand image.
