The Wardrobe Crisis
July 2020
IT’S A BIG WEEK FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IN FRANCE.
This week, luxury conglomerate Kering committed to a new set of climate initiatives centred around achieving a “net positive” impact on biodiversity by 2025. To this end, they announced the launch of the Kering for Nature Fund to fund 1 million hectares of regenerative agriculture.
The group, which counts Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen in its brand stable, will also protect an additional 1 million hectares outside of its supply chain to conserve precious wildlife.
The initiatives aim to quell biodiversity loss in Kering’s supply chains, as well as create a net positive impact on conservation. The luxury group also seems to be willing to share its insights into biodiversity with other fashion companies, saying it will develop a “primer with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and the consultancy Biodiversify on how fashion companies can build a biodiversity strategy and transform their relationship with nature.”
Too often in fashion, brands make vague statements in support of the environment without committing to real change. In that context, these read like bold, concrete initiatives show that the luxury powerhouse is committed to taking real action on climate change.
Wardrobe Crisis recently had the chance to speak with Helen Crowley, Kering's head of sustainable sourcing and innovation, on biodiversity, which she calls “the living skin on the bones of the earth.” It’s Episode 118 - LISTEN HERE.
The Kering initiative comes as environmental issues are dominating the conversation in Paris (where Kering is head quartered) this week. This week in France, local elections granted big wins to the green party, Europe Écologie Les Verts, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to make further promises to tackle climate change. He’s announced an additional 15 billion Euros in French government spending to combat climate change. Meanwhile, a task force he’d convened - called The Citizens’ Commission for the Climate - brought together 150 average French citizens to come up with proposals for how the country can better meet its environmental goals. The task force worked for nine months and also delivered its results this week.
