London championing the future for sustainable fashion

Headed by Colin McDowell and the London College of Fashion's Centre for Sustainability the proceedings begin on Monday with a catwalk show entitled, Fashioning the Future.

Designers from around the globe will showcase pieces that in their words, 'articulate beauty, style beyond fashion, a new definition of luxury, considered design and a revolutionary and hence more sustainable approach to fashion.' BFC Chairman Harold Tillman, fashion writer and broadcaster Caryn Franklin, Colin McDowell and Creative Director of ethical fashion label Adili, Sim Scavazza, will attend the show and judge the best designs on the night.

Rock royalty Jo and Leah Wood (pictured), both Ambassadors for the Centre for Sustainable Fashion will also be at the show, and rumour has it fellow ambassadors Claudia Schiffer and Vivienne Westwood will also put in appearances.

So just what is Sustainable Fashion? The Centre for Sustainable Fashion works to encourage designers to create pieces made to last, to consider more than just cost and quality when creating a piece, in an effort to produce beautiful clothes that are also ethically sound.

Following the catwalk event, on Tuesday these same industry insiders will gather for a summit on how to make further changes in the fashion industry. They'll be discussing how to improve production and how the industry can encourage us the consumer to be more responsible in our shopping choices.

It looks like on and off the catwalk, London is leading the world in the new fashion revolution.

By Laurelle Gilbert

Posted: 23 October 2008