by Libby Fleming
In recent years, the fashion industry has witnessed a striking shift. Despite the ongoing mass appeal of cheap, fast fashion - favoured for its affordability and convenience - there has been a growing demand for secondhand options and sustainable brands, offering a guilt-free and more ethical way to shop.
While fashion education as a whole is difficult to access, kept mainly for the wealthy, the need for greater access is incredibly prevalent - actually shaping Darling Magazine’s mission.
An embodiment of this shift in environmental consciousness and widening education is The Good Clothes Show, a new circular fashion event that was held at the NEC Birmingham at the end of September.
A celebration of secondhand, vintage, and repurposed clothes, this three-day event showcased what the new era of fashion could look like.
Opening the event, The Good Clothes Catwalk, courtesy of haute couture fashion house Atelier Tammam, made a bold opening statement: “Do not underestimate the power of human innovation and our ability to adapt.”
This sentiment resonated throughout not just the runway but the entire event, with a strong emphasis on redefining second-hand clothing as a luxury choice. Moving away from the stereotypes that secondhand means cheap and damaged.
Alongside the runway, the event also offered insightful discussions, including a panel focused on unravelling fast fashion. Hosted by Clare Press, host of The Wardrobe Crisis podcast, the panel discussed “fast thrifting” and how (despite the less environmentally damaging impact of shopping pre-worn) we still need to remain mindful about our use and abuse of fashion.
A key takeaway was whether the desire for thrifted and secondhand garments actually represents a change in our behaviour towards fashion, or simply is just us shifting our greed towards these clothes as a guilt-free option.
Perhaps it is the psychology of shopping that needs to be cured as well as the fashion industry itself.
In contrast to the greed of “fast thrifting,” Give Your Best also showcased at the event. They are a charity focused on tackling fashion poverty in the UK. By understanding the ties between fashion and self-worth, Give Your Best offers their support to women and children who struggle with having very little or nothing to wear on a day-to-day basis, such as refugees, victims of trafficking, and those seeking asylum or escaping domestic abuse.
This nonprofit organisation has also established the first pay-it-forward clothing store to addresses clothing poverty, allowing those in need to shop without shame and in a safe environment. Their store, which launched during September in Islington Square, puts unsold
stock from brands and retailers as well as pre-loved garments back into circulation at low prices for the public, and free for those who are in the Give Your Best community.
In the UK, we send around 300 thousand tonnes of garments to landfill every year while 5.5million adults continue to experience clothing deprivation - a statistic that has only got worse since the pandemic and worsening cost of living crisis.
By turning necessity into a shopping experience, Give Your Best works to break the stigma surrounding the need to wear donated clothing whilst giving a home to clothes that would be otherwise discarded.
The Good Clothes Show also showcased luxury ethical brands and designers, such as Stuart Trevor, the new eponymous brand from the founder of All Saints. Sourced from military surplus, their tagline explains that “The last thing the world needs is another clothing company, what about a clothing company that doesn’t produce any clothing?”
Trevor’s designs embody a sense of rebellion, as he rejects the industry he was once part of. Selling All Saints in 2007, with Trevor’s partners’ wanting to shift production out of the UK and Europe and over to China, Stuart Trevor demonstrates that prioritising ethical production over fast, cheap clothing is the direction that the fashion industry must embrace.
Whilst having a respectable aim, Trevor’s clothing line also creates completely unique designs as he uses embroidery to craft avant-garde pieces out of the vintage military clothing, reflecting his innovative style.
As the largest sustainable fashion event in the UK, The Good Clothes Show was both a celebration and education on the ever-changing fashion industry.
Through introducing new eco-conscious and ethical designers, as well as highlighting the flaws in the secondhand fashion world, this innovative experience offered an engaging insight into the necessary changes required to transform the way we approach fashion consumption.
We long for more events like this, and can’t wait for The Good Clothes Show 2025.
Edited by Emily Duff