Girl crush: Miley Cyrus
Apart from having a badass voice, Miley Cyrus is an ambassador for veganism and sustainable fashion to no less than her 75 million instagram followers as starters. Thus, there is something about Miley that I relate to very very strongly. Maybe is has to do with my newfound commitment to a vegan lifestyle, maybe with her commitment for spreading the message that making clothes does not need to cause suffering in order for you to look stunning, or maybe with the fact she had to break it off with her finance Liam Hemsworth in order for them both to grow as individuals and truly find themselves. Any similarities with people and events not intended. They got back together by the way.
I must have first followed Miley in 2013 around the time Wrecking Ball came out to see what the fuss is all about, after she was proclaimed one of the most followed people on Instagram. I didn't take me long to unfollow though because shortly after I had enough of all the tongue sticking out going on. The truth of the matter is, seems at the time Miley was trying by all means to get away from the Disney character image she became poplilar for, looking to find her own voice, and meanwhile heavily smoking weed in her own words. She has gone a long way since though.
Miley has now undergone a massive transformation to come to a place where she is more real than ever and more than ever herself and "solid as her own being", which she couldn't have done growing up and being attached to another person. I find it amazing that she uses her reach on social media and any chance she gets to talk about the problems in the fashion industry, sustainable fashion and being kind to animals and the planet by leading a vegan lifestyle. Last year she also tied the knot with veganism by getting the V for vegan-shaped tattoo pictured below.
461.8k Likes, 4,860 Comments - Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Instagram: "Vegan for life! 💚"
Sustainable fashion still has a rather low popularity on the red carpet, but with people using their voices to spread the message that you can be stylish and sustainable all at the same time, like Miley Cyrus and fashion designer Stella McCartney, whose stunning dress (pictured below) Miley wore at the 2018 MET Gala, we are getting there. Thank you Miley!
2m Likes, 8,716 Comments - Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Instagram
And don't even get me started on her love for animals and the bunch of pups she has at home, her promoting the #adoptdontshop initiative and organisations such as @beaglefreedom, that save animals from inhumane animal testing labs.
890.2k Likes, 4,146 Comments - Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Instagram: "🌺🌸🌹🌸🌺🌹"
681k Likes, 2,021 Comments - Liam Hemsworth (@liamhemsworth) on Instagram: "My dog posse and I (not all pictured here) are supporting young Aussies living with cancer by..."
473.9k Likes, 2,242 Comments - Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Instagram: "dora so cute 💜💜💜💜"
667.3k Likes, 2,677 Comments - Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Instagram: "Thankful for @beaglefreedom and their mission to free captive pups from inhumane animal testing..."
351.6k Likes, 1,366 Comments - Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Instagram
And to finish with, here is one of my favourite Miley Cyrus performances (song by Miley's aunt Dolly Parton). I don't know about you but as for me, don't need any more reasons to be heavily girl-crushing here.
Fashion Revolution Week: what it is and five ways to get involved
“Fast fashion isn’t free. Somewhere someone is paying the price.”
Exactly five years ago, the question who makes the clothes we wear became from a matter of curiosity to a very urgent issue. On April 24th 2013, in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed, killing more than 1100 people that were making clothes for major western brands, leaving thousands more injured. The heart-breaking disaster has since become a sign of global inequality and has sparked demands for greater transparency and safety in the fashion industry supply chain. This tragedy is also what motivated Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro, co-founders of Fashion Revolution, to take instant action. Their movement has grown into the largest initiative for ethical and sustainable fashion, with more than two-and-a-half million people having taken part in Fashion Revolution week last year. In more than 100 countries people asked the question “Who made my clothes?” on social media and followed or took part in talks, film screenings and events on the subject.
The campaign is simple. It urges fashion brands to take responsibility for their production and show greater transparency in their supply chain. The lack of ownership of the factories producing the clothing is one of the main issues that has led to the current state of unfair and unsafe working conditions in the fashion industry. When brands do not own the production and often do not keep track of their long and complicated value chain, it is very hard to keep them accountable for the safety and well-being of their garment workers. Therefore, practices such as mistreatment and suppressing of workers, adapting residential buildings with lack of protective equipment and outdated wiring into factories are common in the largest clothing-producing countries in the world. Thus, Fashion Revolution is asking one simple question: "Who made my clothes?"
This Fashion Revolution week, here are five simple ways how you can get involved and contribute to greater transparency in the fashion industry:
1. Ask "Who made my clothes?"
It is as simple as that. It has never been easier for your voice to be heard by using social media. Take a picture of your favourite piece, tag the brand and ask #whomademyclothes. The more we ask, the more the industry will listen.
2. Take an alternative
There are so many fun ways to update your wardrobe without actually shopping for new clothes. For example, checking your local vintage store. One of my favourites in Vienna and currently conveniently located just across the street is Bootik 54, which is full of pretty reworked vintage Levi's jeans, shorts and skirts. Extra points: at the next brunch, organise a swapping party. The rules are simple - everybody brings three pieces of clothing and is not allowed to go home with the same pieces they brought.
3. Buy less, choose well, make it last
The last few decades have been marked by a rise in consumer culture that has had an immense impact on the way we live. This culture of frequent trendy and cheap, mostly emotional purchases comes at an environmental and human cost - fashion is as of today the second most polluting industry in the world after oil. This scary statistic can be changed, and each small step counts. Here is a beginning - when you see an item you'd like to buy, leave it, give it 24 hours and come back if you still think you need it. Extra points: love your clothes. When you lose a button, sew it back. When it breaks, mend it. Also if you haven't, you can check out the movie The True Cost, showing the reality of the fashion industry supply chain. This movie pretty much changed my life forever. Also, this 3-minute-short movie Loved Clothes Last, directed by Balthazar Klarwein, who has worked with Mario Testino.
4. Shop for ethics and sustainability
In recent years so many fashion startups have emerged, that approach the business of fashion in an ethical and sustainable way, ensuring fare wages and safe working conditions for their markers while also minimising the environmental impact of their business. Nevertheless, gone are the times when sustainable and ethical fashion was basic and boring. Seek out brands that create beautiful clothing while being dedicated to ethical and sustainable practices. Here is a list to help you.
5. Sign the Fashion Revolution Manifesto
The Fashion Revolution manifesto is a statement by designers, producers, makers, workers and consumers that believe that fashion does not need to exploit workers and destroy the planet and therefore demand a radical, revolutionary change of the industry. By signing the Manifesto on their website you can declare your wish to support this vision for a better industry, make it even stronger and share it with others.