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66 | SUPPORTING INNOVATION

IN VOGUE
Ocean-positive

fashion

On 22 March 2024, the
first panel discussion on

sustainable fashion organised
by the Prince Albert II

of Monaco Foundation
provided an overview of the

changes needed and already
underway in a sector that has TAKING A STEP TOWARDS

a strong impact on the ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Indian environmentalist and fashion designer
The panel event held at Monaco Yacht Club brought Runa Ray champions circularity and Indigenous
together three experts in front of a public audience techniques through her organisation Fashioning
to dive into the creative, yet problematic, world of for Social Environmental Justice, her own nature-
fashion. The discussion began by addressing the inspired fashion designs and her involvement with
sensitive topic of the environmental footprint of the international bodies (she is an Educational Member
fashion industry, the second most polluting sector of the International Union for Conservation of Nature
in the world. In the era of fast fashion, how can we and the United Nations Ocean Decade).
significantly reduce its impact? The all-women panel
explored several avenues, including reducing clothing “From the people who grow the textile fibres to the
consumption, using AI to regulate production and wearer, the garment production and supply chain is
creating sectors based on social and environmental vast and interconnected: from farmers to garment
justice. manufacturers, via dyers and natural fibre producers,
to the consumer. Understanding where garments
Moderated by Nadège Massé, Director of come from is essential if we are to respect them more.
Communications at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Fashion is also slowly standing up for environmental
Foundation, the panel then considered some of the justice and we hope to see more collaboration between
emerging solutions for a more sustainable and ethical local communities, fashion houses and schools to
industry, including slow fashion, which is based on fair create a responsible textile sector and move towards a
practices and minimal impact, and new storytelling. more transparent, zero-waste system. I would also like
Monaco Ocean Week participants left the event to see designers take ownership of the textile sourcing
feeling inspired, and hopeful that our relationship with process, work with local communities and workers in
the ocean can be painstakingly repaired. fragile areas, invest in locally-led adaptation initiatives
and in so doing drive new economic growth at the
same time as maintaining human dignity.”

© Runa Ray