A New-York based journalist and author of two books, Elizabeth Cline, joined the Fashion Design students at IIAD for a virtual masterclass on the importance of being conscious. She spoke about the grave need to be aware of the implications of our actions on the environment.

Ms Cline addressed issues such as the excess use of plastic and the subsequent pollution that the fashion industry generates. With new trends rapidly changing, there is a huge amount of waste that is produced. In light of this, she discussed the carbon impact the fashion industry is having on the planet globally.

Ms Cline stressed on the importance of choosing consciously. Sustainable practices like repurposing and reusing are more important than ever before in order to tackle the consequences of the consumer culture we see today. She also spoke about the impact of social media and fashion influencers on encouraging people to practice sustainable fashion – to recycle, repurpose, and recreating. Another aspect that the discussion dealt with was using organic and eco-friendly fibers and resources which can not only be recycled but are also biodegradable. In charting the way forward for a better world,  Ms Cline provided an insight to the students on the unethical practices behind the glamorous world of fashion and the solutions to tackle these problems.