What I Learned at Brown Fashion Week 2021
Fashion@Brown has been hosting a fashion week speaker series that started at the beginning of March, and I had the unique opportunity to Zoom in on a conversation featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Stella McCartney, and Gwenyth Paltrow! I learned so much and left the meeting feeling very inspired.
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SJP is not only a successful actress, but also an entrepreneur and civic activist. She talked about the importance of curiosity and how it spurred her on to many amazing opportunities and collaborations that she is proud of today. My favorite part of the evening was when she spoke about her SJP collection. It was amazing to see how passionate and dedicated she was to her brand. She explained the joys of customer service while being on the sales floor with her team and hearing stories of people in the city. I loved how she said her brand was a living business and that they did not look specifically at trends for new ideas. She described how the pandemic has created a new market for people wanting to dress up for home and that the perfect shoe is like the period of a sentence that finishes everything off; “a party on your foot”, she said. All in all, I was in awe of this woman! She has done amazing work across so many platforms and industries. I can only dream that one day I will have done as much for the world as she has with her work and humble presence.
Image provided by Kate Blackburn
Image provided by Kate Blackburn
https://fashionatbrown.com/
Secondly, the talented Stella McCartney spoke about how crucial sustainability was in her fashion house and lifestyle. She emphasized how the fashion industry is one of the most harmful and least regulated industries in regards to sustainability. She proposed that more regulations and policies be put in place; consumers should not have to compromise sustainability for style. She admitted how the process to move to cleaner production requires major problem solving skills; her brand has never been perfect, but they are trying to represent a better method of apparel production. Another powerful thing I found to be true about her brand was how transparent they were about their progress with sustainability, which tends to be lacking in other fashion houses. She advised the audience to question brands, get informed, and give clothes a second life. I left feeling compelled to find sustainable fashion and learn how I could contribute.
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Lastly, I got to hear from the amazing Gwenyth Paltrow, or as I know her, Pepper Potts! She discussed her groundbreaking lifestyle brand Goop. She mentioned how she wanted to eliminate the shame in asking questions so that consumers can drive the conversation around wellness. She was thrilled that people were moving towards active participation in wellness and that consumers’ interest in mental health has substantially increased. My favorite thing she spoke on was her clothing line called G-Line. I especially loved that she expressed her intention for the line with the saying “buy now, wear now, keep forever”, an approach towards realistic consumption and sustainability. She also spoke about how she thought the end of COVID-19 would result in a present-day version of the Roaring Twenties, and I could definitely see that happening. She ended with great advice: as individuals, we should always challenge our way of thinking, be brave to seek advice and opportunity, and dress like ourselves.
I am beyond thankful to Fashion@Brown for hosting this event where I learned so much from these leading ladies. There is true power in taking the time to listen and appreciate the work that others have accomplished in this world, and I cannot wait to attend again next year!
