H&M Red Carpet Conscious Collection

Following on from the Bafta Awards 2012 and ethical fashion post (13/02/12), H&M launched its red carpet conscious collection today.  The fast fashion retailer has produced clothing, which is made from organic cotton, hemp and recycled polyester. The prices range from £7.99 to £199.99, however, the majority of clothes are £19.99 or under.

The retailer has utilised celebrities to endorse the range by wearing the garments on the red carpet, thereby increasing awareness and encouraging consumers to purchase ethical fashion.

Michelle Williams, Oscars 2012

  

Amanda Seyfried, In Time London premiere

Kristin Davis, Vanity Fair event

Viola Davis, Santa Barbara Film Festival

Consumers tend to purchase non-ethical fashion over ethical fashion for several reasons, including it being viewed as unfashionable and expensive.  Joergens (2006) found that "price is the most decisive factor" (p.363) and found that participants "did not perceive the [ethical] garments illustrated as stylish or fashionable" (p.364). 

However, the conscious collection is both fashionable and affordable in addition to being ethical.  The collection is ethical glamour on a budget bringing ethical fashion to the mass market. 

By a well known retailer offering ethical collections, it raises consumer awareness of the ethics behind clothing.  As the diagram below shows ethical personal products (which also included cosmetics) only accounted for 4.1% of ethical consumerism in 2011 but this could increase significantly if other retailers follow in H&M's footsteps.  

Ethical Consumerism in the UK by sector by value (%), 2011 (Key Notes)

  

However, Black (2008) stated that a Cambridge university survey found that consumers in 2008 purchased one third more clothes than in 2004 (p.14). Such clothing is discarded after just a few wears perhaps even after one wear and heads to landfill.  Fast fashion also relies on cheap labour.  Therefore it could be argued that ethical fast fashion is an oxymoron.