An obvious question to start with: why another award? After all, there are lots of awards out there acknowledging innovation. What went through your mind when conceptualising this award?
Technologies, innovations, materials and responsibility efforts have increased exponentially in the latest years, but there has been a wide gap in terms of corporate communication related to these pivotal steps ahead of the curve. Challenges in innovation and sustainability have been accepted and tackled, but often they have not been communicated in an authentic or attractive way. Now more than ever there is a strong need for new, young talents to be able to transmit the values of responsibility and technology in fashion. This is the reason behind the birth of this trailblazing award.
The Imagining Sustainable Fashion award is about communication. Why communication? What, according to you, is the importance of communication in fashion sustainability today?
Because communication is one of the four dimensions of CLASS, among design, responsibility and innovation. According to our vision, if you create interesting and beautiful products, but you are not able to convey them to the market, then there is no point in crafting them in the first place. What sustainable fashion brands should work on is to highlight the values they have been reaching through research and development. In fact, if you cannot tap communication you cannot access an economic return on the efforts you have made on the path to sustainability. This is the reason why our visionary partners Roica, Ecosensor, Bemberg and Varvaressos have decided to support and follow the award.
What do you feel about brand communication today? Do you think far too many brands are overplaying their "sustainability" bit though every form of communication: be it press releases or ads or other forms of communication?
Clearly there have been tons of examples of greenwashing, which happens when storymaking and storytelling are not aligned. Sustainable brands need to be aware not just to research and develop, but also to communicate. It is not easy to communicate responsibility values, at all. To do so we need knowledge not only on the product itself, but in the way of creating a story around the product while keeping sustainability and attractivity in mind.
How do you see the subject of fashion communication evolving in the coming years? Do you think there are enough courses in the subject at fashion institutes? Do you think the fashion communication courses stay updated with the mood of the times?
Fashion communication has been taking a digital form. For example, sustainability and innovation hangtags are becoming digital passports relying on blockchain systems. Fortunately, fashion schools are starting to understand the pivotal role of digital and traditional communication in sustainable fashion, thus creating and opening more courses and masters dedicated to the subject. On top of that, I believe that these courses are so new that they are always up to date, especially through the live presentations of groundbreaking fashion and textile managers. For example, I have been called to several institutions such as IED and FTI to talk about innovative and responsible textiles, and the students were really interested in the matter.
There is a lot of greenwashing today, and that is an example of fashion communication gone totally wrong. Your comments, please.
This is one of the biggest problems in the fashion industry. Consumers are now having difficulties in recognising what is really sustainable from what is not really sustainable due to the high number of greenwashing cases. Brands need to act now: communication must be clear, precise, transparent, authentic, based on data and third-party tests, but at the same time attractive and inspiring, as we are part of the fashion business.
In which specific area within fashion communication do you see the most prospects: editorial projects, fashion events, photography and advertising, and new digital and phygital projects, from social media campaigns to gaming and even immersive and virtual experiences.
Communication always needs to be integrated and implemented at a 360 degree. At the same time, CLASS strongly believes in the power of new digital tools which can transmit information in a disrupting way. Digital passports, for example, can become an easy vehicle of sustainable values for contemporary consumers, but they must be made fun and engaging.
