ModaPortugal | Sustainability moves and wants to win
Sustainability begins to take Premium positions in education and creativity. It is not a trend, but a reality. The story told by a sustainable fashion designer makes his creative process much more interesting than that of an unsustainable one. That is no longer worth just designing, they have to innovate, and do it in a sustainable way. ModaPortugal knows it well. This year innovated its program with a Panel Talk focused on sustainability and a Contest in which we found some sustainable fashion designers. In the event, we met the great sustainable plans of El Corte Inglés, the biggest department stores in Spain and Portugal, as well as the new fashion consumption habits of the Germans. We also greet the winners of the ModaPortugal Fashion Competition.
On December 5 we woke up in Porto with the news “Sustainable Fashion Goes Vogue: Iconic Magazine announces searches for Global Sustainability Director”. It seems that the topic of sustainable fashion is not an option anymore, but an obligation, also for the media. The concept is becoming established as the “sine qua non” of the next decade.
The day looks interesting. ModaPortugal has invited us to its International Conference “Sustainability Talks”, which promises to open our eyes on the new sustainable habits of fashion consumers, the perspective on a giant in the fashion trade, El Corte Inglés, and some sustainable experiences of Portuguese textile industry companies.
Then we will meet the winners of the ModaPortugal Fashion Competition. We hope to find sustainable proposals in the minds of those who will draw the creativity of fashion in the upcoming years.
Ela Fidalgo Collection
"Earthwork", developed in Mallorca by Ela Fidalgo, is a collection made of recycled materials that the designer has collected on the island thanks to the work of fashion professionals, local fashion design students and women at risk of social exclusion. The collection is made of materials that are considered waste, transforming them into beautiful, meaningful and valuable garments thanks to the artisanal work that has been applied to them.
Fashion designers, wake up!
30 designers from some of the most recognized fashion schools in Europe presented their proposals in the framework of the sixth European Young Designers Contest organized by Cenit. Of these, 10 won awards, two of which, Idaliina Friman (fashion) from AALTO University (Finland), and Paula Elena Pruteanu (footwear) from TUIASI (Romania) were double winners. But how does sustainability erect in the minds of these young fashion designers in Europe? Inclusivity, imperfection, zero waste, no-gender, customization ...
Paula -Elena Pruteanu presented a unisex sports shoe that emphasizes aesthetic and functional characteristics. The main feature of the product is represented by its removable flap, which allows the user to exchange it for others of different colors and textures or use the shoe regardless of it.
Of the winners by country in fashion design we would like to highlight the work of Marcelo Almiscarado of ESAD (Portugal), which speaks of an aesthetic reconstruction; Andrés Zurru of IED Madrid (Spain), who presented a new masculinity in which gender barriers disappear; Rémi Si Larbi of the Institut Français de La Mode (France), which reinterprets the new man through poetry; and the fashion work of Le Manuel de Polimoda (Italy), which destroys taboos regarding sexuality and traditions.
Our favorite? Ela Fidalgo and her collection "Earthwork", developed in Mallorca. A collection made of recycled materials that the designer has collected on the island thanks to the work of fashion professionals, local fashion design students and women at risk of social exclusion. The collection is made of materials that are considered waste, transforming them into beautiful, meaningful and valuable garments thanks to the artisanal work that has been applied to them.
Rémi Si Larbi
Marcelo Almiscarado
Idaliina Friman
Le Manuel
Dan Ren
Andrés Zurru
Learning Moments
What did we learn during this experience?
- 67% of fashion consumers consulted in Germany consider sustainability as a “key player” of their purchasing decisions. Sustainability is in third place, after "how it fits" and the design, according to the Neonyt Consumers Study 2019, conducted by Facit. The three brands that lead the fashion ranking in Germany in terms of sustainability are Hess Nature, Freitag, and Patagonia, in that order.
- There is a program for all those designers who want to see their sustainable brand grow. It's called FCG German Sustain Concept and is part of the Fashion Council Germany’s Education Program.
- El Corte Inglés wants to be more sustainable. It has sustainability in its strategic plan for the coming years. “We are committed to Certified Zero Waste by 2022. We source 100% renewable energy. We work only with suppliers that demonstrate a commitment to the environment and human rights. We strive to incorporate more sustainable raw materials. We promote a circular economy. We reduce our plastic footprint. We provide charging points for electric vehicles. We give a second life to clothes, electrical appliances, toys, and books…”- declared Manuel López Tocci, Sourcing Director of the Department Stores.
- Scoop has launched an Upcycling project that converts the company's stock fabrics into new products, such as kimonos, teddy bears, shorts, etc. The company has also launched a project with Fashion Revolution for which its workers will create their own fashion collection. With this, they want to give it the prominence they deserve.
