UK designer labels unite to drive positive climate action at COP26

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 9, 2021

A group of major UK luxury brands are coming together on Tuesday to take part in a special event linked to the COP26 conference. The UK’s flagship international marketing campaign, known as GREAT, is bringing together some key names to focus attention on climate change action and what the UK fashion sector is doing.

The British Fashion Council is hosting the GREAT Fashion for Climate Action event in Glasgow and brands like Burberry, Mulberry and Stella McCartney are taking part in what’s described as “a showcase of UK innovation”.

As well as those brands, other participating labels include Phoebe English, Priya Ahluwalia, and Mother of Pearl, all of them well known for their commitment to fighting climate change.

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British-American model Arizona Muse will also be speaking at the event and will be wearing Mother of Pearl.

In a statement, the BFC said: “With estimates suggesting the clothing and footwear industries are responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, British fashion brands lead the way in innovation to address the industry’s climate challenge”.  

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also added: “It’s brilliant to see these British fashion brands innovating and leading the industry towards a greener future. I know many more businesses will work hard to make fashion more sustainable in the years to come and I commend the industry’s resolve to play their part in this.”

The event takes place at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow and will feature thought leadership, as well as highlighting innovations that drive towards a circular fashion economy in the UK. It will be chaired by the BFC’s CEO, Caroline Rush.

The BFC said that during the event, several designers will “demonstrate the UK’s commitment to tackling climate change through their collections. These brands are weaving their message of climate action into their products to encourage behaviour change in consumers”.

Mother of Pearl, Creative Director, Amy Powney, said:  “Sustainability has been a life-long passion of mine and I’ve been on a mission for Mother of Pearl to reduce its impact on the planet. However it's no longer about one brand, the fashion industry requires an entire system reset and a shift in consumer behaviour. 

“We need to get back to valuing clothes as beautifully crafted pieces, not throwaway objects.The system needs to slow down, we need to invest in brands with the right values and consider closed loop systems which encourage us to rent, repair, recycle and resell, replacing impulse purchases and fast fashion methodology.”