With more curvy models and models of color on the runway, there’s no doubt that the fashion industry is changing. But there’s a movement happening behind the scenes when it comes to vegan, sustainable and ethical fashion. For years, celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Alicia Silverstone and Emma Watson have been calling for the fashion industry to go ethical — and their voices have never been louder.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up 10 influential celebrities who are changing the fashion industry from the inside out, from the materials that customers wear to how these fabrics are sourced and manufactured. There is still a lot of progress to be made, but with the help and influence of these stars, an ethical future in fashion seems right on track.
Originally posted on StyleCaster.
Miley Cyrus
At the 2018 Met Gala, Cyrus chose to wear Stella McCartney, one of the pioneers in vegan and sustainable fashion. In an interview with Vogue, Cyrus called for the fashion industry to make the change, as fabulous fashion doesn't have to mean torture.
“I’m here so excited to be a part of this because I think this moment can be about so many different things, and for me I want to bring a message which is veganism and that there doesn’t have to be torture in fabulous fashion,” Cyrus said.
“You can be stylish and sustainable all at the same time,” McCartney added.
Alicia Silverstone
Silverstone has been a vegan activist for years, from her beauty products to her diet. But the actor isn't slacking when it comes to sustainability either. In an interview with Vogue, Silverstone explained the guidelines she uses when she buys clothes, which includes purchasing used items and items made out of eco-friendly material.
“I have some guidelines when it comes to clothes, or anything really,” Silverstone said. “First, I try to find it used so I’m not creating more waste. If I can’t find it used, I’ll make sure it’s made with an eco material. If I can’t find it in either of those categories, I’ll buy something regular. But I rarely have to do that.”
Anne Hathaway
In 2017, Hathaway announced that she would be wearing only eco-friendly clothes for the press tour for her film, Colossal. Hathaway's stylist, Penny Lovell, revealed the news on Instagram. "All of her choices for this tour are sustainable and will be either vintage pieces or archival runway looks," Lovell wrote.
Among Hathaway's press-tour clothes were a 2016 Armani Privé gown and a $20 dress she bought at a flea market. Though it's unclear if she continued the practice for other press tours, the decision sent a big message to the fashion industry.
Emma Watson
Watson is one of Hollywood's biggest pioneers when it comes to sustainable fashion. In 2015, she signed up for the Green Carpet Challenge, where she agreed that every single piece she wore on the red carpet would be sustainable. The challenge led to the creation of her Instagram account, The Press Tour, where Watson documents her sustainable looks. Some of her most iconic outfits include her 2016 Calvin Klein Met Gala dress made out of recycled water bottles and her 2017 Emilia Wickstead Beauty and the Beast gown, which was created from end-of-line fabric.
“[My interest in sustainable fashion] started when I was in school. I became obsessed with fair trade and couldn’t understand why it wasn’t standard business practice to pay people fairly for their work," Watson told The Coveteur.
Kate Mara
Like her sister, Rooney, Mara is a big proponent of vegan fashion. Her vegan journey began after Mara went vegan in her diet and decided to change her lifestyle as well. Though her closet isn't 100 percent vegan, it's steadily getting there.
“I am slowly trying to get rid of and not buy leather products anymore. I’ve never worn fur, and I’m very much against it, but I also know that leather is probably just as bad. It’s in a lot more clothing, shoes and bags than fur is,” she told Parade. “So it’s more difficult for people to stay away from it. I’m definitely more aware of it now than I ever have been, and one of my goals is to eventually not wear it at all.”
Olivia Wilde
To promote conscious clothing, Wilde partnered with H&M 2016 to launch its Conscious Exclusive collection. In an interview with Mashable, Wilde explained what "conscious clothing" means to her and how viewing fashion in sustainable terms changed her outlook on the industry.
"For me conscious just means 'with awareness,'" Wilde said. "It's having some knowledge of whatever it is you’re dealing with. Now we are eating more consciously because we’re wondering where things are coming from. In terms of fashion, it's wondering how something was made, what was used to make it, who made it and what can I do to be less wasteful when I get rid of it. Consciousness is just living with a little bit more awareness."
Paris Jackson
Like Cyrus, Jackson also attended the 2018 Met Gala in a vegan and sustainable gown by Stella McCartney. After reports came out that Jackson "stormed out" of a Dior fashion show because of videos showing horses whipped and branded for entertainment, the model took to her Twitter to clear the rumors. Though she didn't "storm out," Jackson confirmed that she did leave the show. She also expressed her hope in the fashion industry eventually going completely vegan.
"to be clear, i did not 'storm out' of the show. i quietly got up and walked out trying my hardest to not cause a scene, because i do not support animals being branded and whipped. not trying to become enemies in the fashion world in any way, but i will always be myself," Jackson tweeted. "furthermore, i was not ‘enraged,’ just taken by surprise and a little heartbroken. and i have no doubt that all high end fashion brands will soon switch over to no-fur and anti animal cruelty, as that seems to be the pattern here. and we should all be very excited about that! :)"
Rooney Mara
Both Mara sisters are huge vegan fashion activists. In 2018, Mara launched her vegan fashion label, Hiraeth, with her best friend, Sara Schloat. It was inspired by Mara's love of high-quality clothes but disapproval of the high-fashion industry's animal abuse. “I realized there aren’t many [faux-leather] options available for someone like me who is interested in design and wants high-quality pieces,” Mara told Vogue.
Likewise, Mara pointed out that many fast-fashion outlets are questionably ethical, which is why she stays away from those as well and decided to create her own semi-affordable line. “In fast fashion, you can find faux-leather boots that are really cheap, but while it’s cruelty-free in the animal sense, I didn’t necessarily know where those things were made, or if they were cruel toward humans,” Mara said. “I didn’t want to compromise on either thing, and I wanted pieces that were made to last. So it really came out of my own need.”
Serena Williams
Willams made her voice heard in 2018 when she launched her first independent clothing line, Serena. The line, which Williams said is "for all the ladies out there being awesome," is 100 percent vegan, from its sweatshirts to its joggers.
SZA
In 2018, SZA launched a streetwear line with Champion with sustainability in mind. The entire line is branded with sustainability, such as a hoodie with the words "Sustainability Gang" in rainbow letters and T-shirts with the words, "Puck Flastic" next to pictures of seahorses and whales.
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