Sustainability in fashion comes with its own share of challenges and doubts. Where do you buy responsibly sourced clothes from? With a surge in fast-fashion brands, how do you adapt to a purchasing behaviour that’s rather slow? How do you know that a brand is truly sustainable? There are also umpteenth myths surrounding sustainable fashion. The most erroneous one being—sustainable fashion equals making purchases that are ethical and environmentally friendly. But the concept transcends way beyond that.
Ever thought about upcycling? Kate Middleton certainly has. Despite her access to the best designers globally, she is fairly thrifty when it comes to her wardrobe options. To attend the BAFTA’s awards back in 2017, the Duchess made an appearance in a dazzling floor-length, black floral gown by Alexander McQueen. But this wasn’t the first and last time that she wore the silhouette. For the National Portrait Gallery gala in London in March 2019, she re-wore the gown but opted to tailor sleeves on it for a fresh look on the red carpet.
Repeating outfits and upgrading them for something new in the future has its own positive impact on the environment. Think less wastage, conscious purchase patterns and being effortlessly sustainable. But what goes beyond this act is the sheer craftsmanship that comes out of it. Meghan Markle also believes in the same trend. In January 2018, she donned a striking purple number from Aritzia and colour blocked it with a bright red coat and pumps in a similar hue. In October 2019, she chose to ditch the extra elements and wore the dress as it is with navy heels.
Moving over from the Royals’ opulent yet normal lives, celebrities from Hollywood and closer home have partaken in this notion of sustainable fashion. Kiera Knightley of Pride & Prejudice fame has repurposed her own wedding dress for making appearances on the red carpet. The actor had worn her dreamy Chanel gown with sleeves, without sleeves and thrown it under a blazer for days when edginess was the norm. Knightley can be seen here at the Pre-BAFTA party in 2008 and Serious Fun’s London Gala in 2013, in the same dress (only elevated).
Cate Blanchett is no stranger to recycling clothes and has notably been the queen of sustainable fashion. The Australian actor certainly lives by the less is more rule when it comes to her closet. From the Golden Globe Awards, Cannes Film Festival to multiple dinner parties, Blanchett has rocked the same outfit twice. Swipe through:
Invalid slider id. Master Slider ID must be a valid number.Sustainable fashion doesn’t always have to be about scouring the market place for a fabric that comes from nature. Sometimes, the easiest way to make a difference is pretty simple and out there—recycle your purchases. And if you thought that repeating outfits multiple times or upcycling them for a newer, fuller look isn’t cool, then let these high-profile names be a reminder for change. Swipe through for a look at some of the upcycled looks that caught our attention:
Invalid slider id. Master Slider ID must be a valid number.Photographs: Instagram
