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Read about our fantastic Alternative Fashion Show which took place yesterday (21st October 2009) at Durham Town Hall!
ALTERNATIVE FASHION SHOW DURHAM 21.10.09
Yesterday, Durham City experienced its first-ever Alternative Fashion Show, a joint venture between Durham City Fair Trade Partnership and Climate Durham. The Town Hall was packed to the rafters, as the models (Sixth Formers from Durham Johnston, Framwellgate Moor, St. Leonard's Comprehensive schools, and the University Ethical and Vintage Fashion Society) strutted their stuff to a selection of world music.
The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of the wide selection of "fashion with a conscience" - ie garments made from cotton certified with the FAIRTRADE Mark (pictured below), organic clothing, sweatshop-free, and fairly-traded garments.
Choose Fairtrade cotton products with this Mark. The FAIRTRADE Mark ensures small-scale cotton farmers in developing countries a fair and stable price plus the additional Fairtrade premium which enables them to invest in their farm businesses and communities www.fairtrade.org.uk
Kathryn Sygrove, Chair of Durham City Fair Trade Partnership, summed it up:
"Many people seem hooked on quick, cheap, disposable fashion. We wanted the audience to reflect on the hidden price often placed upon garment workers and the climate, and inspire them to move towards purchasing fairer, more sustainable clothing."
To this end, clothing from Bishopston Trading Company, Traidcraft, Gossypium, Oxfam Re-invented, Namaste, People Tree and Nomads Clothing were showcased. Paul Chandler, CEO of Traidcraft, and Doug Miller, Professor in Ethical fashion at Northumbria University, relayed messages about the benefits of supporting Fairtrade fashion, and some eye-opening facts about fatalities in garment workers' factories in developing countries due to "cutting corners" with safety measures.
All the above Fashion companies had stalls at the end, where clothing could be bought or ordered, alongside Ecover, Shared Interest (Ethical Finance), Little Green Radicals (Fairtrade fashion for 0-6 years), Pimpfish Clothing (funky sweatshop-free tees), Gateway World Shop, and All About Eve (fairly-traded gifts for women).
RELEVANT WEBSITES FOR THE ALTERNATIVE FASHION SHOW: