Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder Part II
Perhaps the most important thing we can do to mitigate the endless overproduction and consumption of clothing is to educate people about the impact of the apparel business on the planet and what it means for the consumer. Part I of Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder explored the fashion industry through the lens of manufacturing and the supply chain.
Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder Part II, addressed the designers who are changing the culture of fashion by creating clothing that is not only beautiful but sustainable.
Watch it here!
Learn more about EARTHDAY.ORG's Fashion for the Earth Campaign!
Check it out here!PANELISTS INCLUDE:
Anyango Mpinga
Founder and Creative Director, Anyango Mpinga
Anyango Mpinga is a cultural innovator championing intersectionality as a guiding principle in circular fashion. She founded her eponymous Contemporary Sustainable brand in 2015, now renowned for its reimagined white shirts; bold prints that pay homage to her multi-cultural heritage and size inclusive silhouettes. As a forward-thinking designer, Anyango is exploring the use of emerging technologies to create biodegradable textiles.
Having created a social enterprise, her initiative Free As A Human addresses the humanitarian and environmental crisis within the fashion industry, while supporting education programs for women affected by modern slavery. Anyango also serves as an Advocate and Mentor for the Swarovski Foundation Creatives for Our Future program, designed with the United Nations Office for Partnerships.
She is one of 10 Global Honorees of The Conscious Fashion Campaign 2021/2022 - New York, an initiative of the Fashion Impact Fund in collaboration with the PVBLIC Foundation and the United Nations Office for Partnerships, which spotlights women entrepreneurs in the fashion industry driving social and environmental impact in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Jordan Nordase
Founder and Creative Director, Boyish Jeans
Jordan Nodarse, a California native with a deep passion for sustainable practices in fashion, launched Boyish Jeans after more than a decade spent learning the ins and outs of the denim industry. Building his skills from the ground up, Jordan got his start by working hands-on with factories that manufactured the kinds of garments he was interested in creating. It was this highly technical training that allowed him to truly understand the process and the art of functional, high quality design.
After working with several global brands such as Lovers + Friends, Tularosa and Majorelle on their denim collections, Jordan was approached by Revolve to launch GRLFRND, which he developed from concept to a globally recognized denim brand. Following the successful debut of GRLFRND and several years spent perfecting the line, Jordan joined the Reformation team as Director of Denim & Special Projects, where he executed another successful launch for the first ever Reformation denim collection – one that was sustainable and in line with his core design mission.
Sustainable practices in design and manufacturing remain central to Jordan’s vision when creating Boyish Jeans. Having seen firsthand just how polluting the fashion industry can be and how much water is required to create a single pair of jeans, he vowed to give the consumer a sustainable choice. Today, thanks to years of research and manufacturing study, Boyish Jeans offer shoppers a product that is not only less harmful to the environment but one that doesn’t compromise on design, quality, fit and price point.
Jordan has ensured that Boyish Jeans’ efforts in sustainable design include working with ethical factories, using less harmful chemicals during the dyeing process, utilizing one-third of the amount of water typically needed to produce a pair of jeans, and working exclusively with recycled fabrics and materials for everything put out by the brand. From hangtags and hardware to the polybags they are shipped in, everything put forth by Boyish Jeans is thought through to ensure there is minimal impact on our environment.
Doing his part to reduce waste in the second most polluting industry in the world – fashion, Jordan aims to set the standard for production practices with Boyish Jeans and encourage others to join in the movement.
Dana Davis
Vice President of Sustainability, Product and Business Strategy, Mara Hoffman
Davis joined Mara Hoffman in 2010 where she centralized and grew the company’s Production Department and secured partnerships with facilities across the world. In 2012, Davis became the Director of Design and Production and was integral in the company’s transformation into the recognizable and widely distributed brand that it is today. In 2015, Founder and President Mara Hoffman appointed Davis to spearhead the company’s transition towards sustainability.
Dana also acts as an advisor for The New Fashion Initiative, Thr3fold, New York WorkForce Development Coalition and is engaged with industry organizations, and educators. Dana is a keen enthusiast of regenerative farming and spends her personal time gardening and landscaping with her husband George and their two children Penelope and Phoenix.
Shona Quinn
Director, Social Consciousness, Eileen Fisher
Shona Quinn, Eileen Fisher’s Sustainability Leader, works globally on product life cycle impacts -- from raw materials to recycled products, influencing business partners and industry stakeholders to create long-term sustainable solutions for Eileen Fisher and the broader apparel sector.
Shona’s work also extends beyond the product to the customer, researching the psychology of the consumer/citizen and the role mindfulness plays in creating a shift to sustainable consumption.
Shona holds a master’s degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. She speaks regularly and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Inc Magazine, and Women’s Wear Daily.
Kerry Bannigan (Moderator)
Executive Director, Fashion Impact Fund and Co-Founder, Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network
Kerry Bannigan is a British social entrepreneur pioneering global fashion and media initiatives to advance the creative economy as a driving force for sustainable development. As the Executive Director of the Fashion Impact Fund, Kerry spearheads high-level programs with business, Governments, and United Nations agencies to accelerate industry action and support women social entrepreneurs transforming fashion for people and the planet. Current programs include the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the PVBLIC Foundation as well as the Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network jointly managed by the Division for Sustainable Development Goals - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
