Episode 159 | POSITIVE LUXURY + THE BUTTERFLY MARK
In episode 159, Kestrel welcomes Diana Verde Nieto, the cofounder + CEO of Positive Luxury, to the show. Positive Luxury connects consumers that care with brands that care through their Butterfly Mark, which provides transparency of a brand's commitments to sustainability. Brands part of the Positive Luxury community include Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Gabriela Hearst, LVMH, and more.
“Sustainability for a long time has been something that runs vertically on the business, so like the CSR Department or the Sustainability Department. Really, it should ride diagonally across the business, so every part of the business should incorporate the principles of sustainable development, in terms of how it operates.”
-Diana Verde Nieto , Cofounder of Positive Luxury
POSITIVE LUXURY
On this week’s show, Diana shares more on what led her to want to build Positive Luxury. She also provides insight into the power of the “trickle-down-effect” and how luxury fashion can be a driving force to shift the industry at large.
Additionally, Diana shares more on what the assessment process looks like for brands to receive the Butterfly Mark, and the reality that they turn down 30-40% of the brands that apply.
The below thoughts, ideas + organizations were brought up in this chat:
Karen Hanton: the founder of toptable.com, Diana’s mentor + the cofounder of Positive Luxury
Harlem Brundtland, who served as the Prime Minister of Norway, defined the term sustainable development back in the 1980s, as “meeting the needs of today, without compromising the needs of future generations.”
The Butterfly Mark — Positive Luxury assesses companies based on 5 principles: governance, social and environmental frameworks, community investment, and innovation. Brands are asked to be reassessed every 2 years.
“We turn down probably about 30-40% of brands that come to us.”
“I think it’s the aspiration. Because as a consumer, as a person, you want to buy better. You want to buy things that represent your values. You want to buy things that make you feel sexy. You want to buy things that make you feel good. But also, you want to be able to tell a story over and above a product. It’s like what’s the story? Another handbag? Well, really? Another pair of shoes? It’s like — why is it special, why is it different? I think the world is changing into really having sustainability as a selling point and a USP of the brand.”
“Companies cannot afford to not think about the effects of climate within their brands.”
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