Pro PLanet www.ceotodaymagazine.com 35 Profits Perhaps one of the reasons companies are so reluctant to embrace sustainability is uncertainty. Sustainability connotes that other big, scary word: change. There are some camps in the business world who believe that adopting more sustainable processes will increase efficiency and reduce cost (in the long term at the very least!). There are other camps, however, that remain stoutly sceptical. The luxury fashion industry is no different, and there is no doubt that unpicking and restitching a business model – to incorporate sustainable practices – is quite an undertaking. The tone of empirical studies and other literature coming out from the business world is becoming increasingly urgent with its message: transition to a green business model or become a dinosaur. Conclusion If the first two decades of the twenty-first century have borne witness to the golden age of tech, the coming ones seem likely to herald the era of sustainability. COP26 showed that governments and big businesses are incapable of acting decisively to tackle critical climate issues, so the baton falls to brave, innovative businesses to lead the way in sustainable luxury fashion. For decades, luxury fashion has cultivated and thrived on its image of detachment and nonchalance. To remain relevant, the industry must change with the times. Failing to do so would be so terribly… unchic. Many of these innovative material companies hint in their communications that they are working with leading fashion brands. Heavily NDA-d however, they shy away from revealing further details. It is therefore very likely that we will see more ecofriendly materials incorporated into luxury fashion collections in the near future. On the flip side, more controversial materials are increasingly falling out of favour. Influential vegan singer Billie Eilish dangled a carrot in front of couture maison Oscar de la Renta. In 2021, she agreed to wear their gown to the party of the year - the Met Gala - on the condition that the brand drop fur… forever. In a tumble thereafter, brands including Versace, Gucci and Michael Kors pledged to abandon fur, joining Tommy Hilfiger, Stella McCartney and Giorgio Armani and retailer Nieman Marcus – all of whom shun the controversial pelts. Some heritage houses, who have built their reputations on furs and exotic skins (Fendi and Hermes respectively, for example) will find it harder to untangle themselves from these increasingly divisive materials. November 2021, for example, saw renewed social media activism against Hermès to #dropthecroc, and abandon its bestselling “I’ve made it” status symbol: crocodile handbags. It seems unlikely however that some of these brands will drop their iconic products anytime in the near future, but the pressure will no doubt continue to mount. About Jessica Kruger Founder of LUXTRA Jessica Kruger’s barefooted outdoor upbringing in Sydney, Australia fostered her love and respect for nature. Moving to Europe in 2009 she completed her MBA in Paris and lived between Geneva and Berlin before settling in London where she created the award-winning vegetarian restaurant Ethos. Prior to COVID, it was one of London’s most popular vegetarian restaurants, was awarded 5* by Time Out magazine, turned over £1.5 million/year and employed 25 staff with Jessica named in the “35 under 35” top UK businesswomen by Management Today. Jessica sold Ethos and has now launched LUXTRA - a sustainable fashion brand that uses plant-based vegan leathers to make timeless accessories. LUXTRA’s range of handbags and accessories are crafted from vegan-friendly materials including pineapple leaf, apple skin, cactus leaf, corn and mango leathers. The range includes belt bags, totes, crossbody and clutch styles for both men and women. Hand-finished in Italy, each bag can also be hand customised and painted with intricate patterns for a truly bespoke offering.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk3Mzkz