`Fashion Revolution’ hits Dundee
Published On Wed 11 Nov 2015 by Roddy Isles
The global Fashion Revolution design movement arrives at the University of Dundee on Thursday November 12th on its only Scottish stop of a UK tour.
The Fashion Revolution movement was borne out of the response to the 2013 Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, which tragically killed over a 1000 factory workers. A group of committed citizens joined together aiming to ensure that such a disaster could never happen again.
Fashion Revolution believes that by bringing together people throughout the length of the fashion chain, from farmers to factory works, brands to buyers, consumers to campaigners, to ask questions and challenge how fashion is made and by whom, that long-term, industry-wide change can be achieved.
The University of Dundee event on Thursday November 12th is part of the Fashion Revolution `Arts and Speakers Tour 2015’ and will be centred on a theme of `Waste’.
It is estimated that the global fashion industry makes 400 billion square metres of textiles annually, but that 60 billion square metres of that ends up as waste on the cutting room floor.
Dr Louise Valentine, of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, part of the University, has helped bring the enterprising event to Dundee. She said, “The fashion industry does not exist in a vacuum, it has to take account of societal issues including inequality, human rights and climate change.
“Fashion Revolution is challenging all of us to think more about how we as consumers can rethink our buying patterns, and how fashion and design education can respond to these issues in a responsible way, producing a more sustainable and ethical industry.”
The event will feature a screening of the film `True Cost’, a provocative documentary examining how the price of clothing has been constantly decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have been rising.
There will also be a panel discussion including contributions from Orsolo de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution; Dr Jen Ballie, Research Fellow at Glasgow School of Art; Annalisa Simonella, founder of the Allenomis label and design studio; and Dr Valentine.
The programme will include an overview of the European Year of Development’s 2015 programme, which will inform the panel discussions, ideas about how to get involved in Fashion Revolution, and ways to inspire new designers to become part of the solution. A photographic exhibition on the subject of sustainability and development cooperation in the textile and fashion supply chain will also be shown.
The panel event takes place in the Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee, from 2pm to 4.30pm on Thursday November 12th. The photo exhibition is open from 11am to 4pm. And you can join and follow the conversation on Twitter and Instagram live using Social media handles:
@Fash_Rev
@DJCAD
Alongside the film screening and Q&A there will be a branded Fashion Revolution backdrop for selfies. Following on the huge success #whomademyclothes campaign earlier this year, attendees will be encouraged to take selfies showing their label.
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head of Corporate Communications
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384910
Mobile: 07800 581902
Email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk