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Paris aims to combat environmental crisis with new initiative

January 29, 2019

Paris focuses on sustainability. Image credit: Shangri-La Hotel, Paris

 

Paris has launched a move to be the capital of sustainable fashion before it hosts the 2024 Olympics.

A group of Parisian officials and fashion experts gathered at the Institut Français de la Mode to announce what the city is calling “Paris Good Fashion” to focus on sustainability. Known as the fashion capital of the world, Paris is working to help combat the environmental crisis of today by pushing the fashion industry towards a more sustainable strategy.

Sustainable fashion
The initiative is comprised of three tiers such as making a circular economy, improving supply chains, sourcing and traceability and making processes such as distribution, energy and communication more sustainable.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, deputy mayor Frédéric Hocquard, deputy of social economy and solidarity Antoinette Guhl and fashion journalist Isabelle Lefort gathered together on Jan. 28 to launch the initiative.

“Paris Good Fashion is an open community regrouping fashion professionals, brands, entrepreneurs, designers and experts who will be working together to establish a roadmap of the steps that can be taken to make Paris the sustainable capital of fashion,” Ms. Lefort said in a statement.

Galaries Lafayette in Paris. Image credit: Galaries Lafayette

LVMH and Galeries Lafayette have also supported the mission. The IFM, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, creative platform Eyes on Talent, the Ellen McArthur Foundation and fashion coalition Les Ateliers de Paris are all also involved.

A program for 2019 is in the process of planning, to be announced in June, according to Women’s Wear Daily.

As more consumers become concerned with the health of the planet and additional scientific discoveries about environmental risks are made, sustainability in luxury and business as a whole is no longer optional.

During two panel sessions during Positive Week produced by Positive Luxury moderated by WWD London bureau chief Samantha Conti, the panelists stressed the importance of meeting consumers’ demands in luxury, which means sustainability (see story).