Galeries Lafayette once again places the back-to-school season under the banner of responsible fashion #43

2020/14/08

Solidarity, a sense of community, sustainable development: the lexicon used in the new press release announcing the news of the return to Paris of Galeries Lafayette will surely set the tone for the coming year: fashion will either be militant or not. This militancy will be expressed above all by responsibility – a generic term referring to a desire for fashion that causes less environmental damage and support for labels that use local production or contribute to social development.

This vast program – already highlighted in 2018 as part of the launch of the Go for Good label – will be highlighted once again in the autumn with the “Today and Tomorrow Let’s Change Fashion” event, which will take place from 2 September to 11 October in the department store on Boulevard Haussmann and in all stores in France.

The Parisian event will revolve around workshops allowing customers and visitors to learn about the responsible know-how of partner brands (among others Clarins, Matière Brute, Keur Paris, Coralie Marabelle, Casa 93, Etudes, We are Kniffers), spaces, of guest brands (Patagonia, Waterdrop, La Bien Hecha) and pop-ups (notably Weston Vintage), sometimes surprising collaborations (such as that of the Casa 93 association and Louis Vuitton) but also talks with fashion designers, industrial designers, chefs, and beauty entrepreneurs. A flurry of initiatives that vividly exalt the concept of responsibility, even if the notion of accessibility does not shine through: responsible fashion costs 12 euros for a jar of organic jam or 1600 euros for a raincoat made of recycled nylon.

Launch of rounding at the cash desk to benefit Emmaus Defi

Alongside these fairly standard events, two more unexpected launches will be developed: the first concerns the introduction of “rounding at the checkout”, which will benefit the Emmaüs Defi association (an association with which Galeries Lafayette has also been working for six years to deal with unsold items). The second will be the launch, on Thursday 3 September, at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann during a dedicated press conference, of a national consultation on the future of fashion and retail.

Launch of a national citizens’ consultation

Supported by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Paris City Council, this consultation will draw on Make.org’s notable expertise to ensure a rigorous and exemplary methodology. Initiated by the Paris Good Fashion Association (an association initiated by the Paris City  with the aim of implementing practices that will benefit the entire sector between now and 2024, when the capital will host the Olympic Games), its partners include Galeries Lafayette, the Etam group, Vestiaire Collective, the Eram Group, Petit Bateau, La Redoute and Who’s Next. The aim of the consultation, the press release stresses, is to give the general public and professionals a voice to encourage the deployment of concrete actions. The results of the consultation will be communicated at the end of the year.

Fashion United