S02 Episode 73 | SLOW FACTORY, FASHION + POLITICS
In episode 73, Kestrel welcomes Céline Semaan Vernon, the CEO of Slow Factory to the show. Slow Factory is a mission-driven independent fashion label & lab that creates beautiful accessories, clothes and jewelry while directly supporting environmental and humanitarian causes. All of their work is fair-trade and manufactured with eco-friendly ink and fabrics.
"Fashion activism is the practice of using fashion as a means of social change. It merges popular styles of dress, from clothing and shoes, to headwear and accessories, with efforts to implement social and political change. Fashion activism can be used as a form of protest, whether expressing dissent or support." -"Fashion Activism" by Céline, Wikipedia
Throughout this chat, Céline shares insight into what fashion activism means to her, and why buzz words aren't enough in pushing for change in the fashion industry. She also shares her thoughts on the open web - unfiltered/unorganized information - and how she is an open web advocate.
Kestrel asks Céline about her creative process and what inspires her collections. Céline explains that leaving her annual collections somewhat open-ended allows for more of an ability to react in a creative way to political or cultural situations that arise.
"You can't be creative in a vacuum ... well, you can but then you're completely disconnected from what's happening."
Below are a list of other ideas, blog posts or organizations that were discussed throughout this chat:
Creative Commons: "the global community that breaks down the walls that keep people from sharing their knowledge" (where Céline worked before launching Slow Factory)
Overview effect: "a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight"
Fashion Activism (Céline's Wikipedia entry)
Read "Fair Trade Is Not Enough" on Slow Factory
Read "Open Data & Fashion Is Beauty" on Slow Factory
ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid), collab with Slow Factory for Dignity Key Necklace
Watch the #WeAreHome Documentary ->
The Garment Worker Center "addresses the systemic problems of wage theft, unhealthy and unsafe working conditions, and the abusive and inhumane treatment faced by workers on-the-job." For more on what they are up to, and to read their past reports, head over to their website: http://garmentworkercenter.org/