Tuesday 10 September 2013

A Crafty Protest For London Fashion Week


London Fashion Week kicks off in a few days time. As ever, it's all about glamour, sheen, exquisite finishing and that cool British vibe. There are huge banners up and down Oxford Street, that I can't help but notice on my way into work.

Ms. Wanda's Wardrobe has tipped me off to another kind of banner that's being produced in the run-up to London Fashion Week--one that's a heck of a lot more ethical.

In association with War On Want's Love Fashion, Hate Sweatshops campaign, the Craftivist Collective are making a load of Mini-Protest Banners, that highlight the disparity between the pay of the models and designers flocking to London, and the workforce that make the clothes that they're promoting.

They're urging everyone to get involved. There are kits available, and events planned across the country. Make a banner, hang it in a public place, take a photo, and the Collective will collate them all into a huge image gallery that will be on display at the Knitting And Stitching Show this autumn.

The craftivists say:

“Our small, provocative Mini Protest Banners can help us reflect on this issue of sweatshops and what we can do as an individual (consumer, voter etc) to keep the spotlight on this ugly side of fashion we CAN change. Also by hanging your banner in public you can engage others in fighting for a world without sweatshops.”
I'm a complete fumble-knuckle when it comes to anything involving needle and thread, but I applaud the work that the Craftivist Collective are doing, and I admire their skill in knitting together activism, protest and stitchwork. The deadline for entries is October 1st.

For more info, check out the website, where there are already some fine examples of work on display!

No comments:

Post a Comment