WE’RE AN ACTIVIST GROUP CALLING FOR DEFASHION
Fashion Act Now is the originator of defashion, a provocative term that describes the role that Fashion must play in degrowth. Whilst Fashion Act Now focuses on our clothing systems, our mission is to challenge and transform the values behind this, which are leading us towards ecological breakdown.
Fashion Act Now is on a mission to bring the concepts of defashion and post-fashion, which encompass commoning and degrowth, into the mainstream discourse. Fashion Act Now wants them to become the dominant clothing systems over the growth based Fashion model. We aim to create a hub for defashion that aggregates, profiles, catalyses and nurtures defashion initiatives.
Core to Fashion Act Now’s perspective is Sandra Niessen’s thinking on Fashion’s sacrifice zones. Sandra claims that fashion creates, depends on and normalises sacrifice zones. The sacrificed are not just ecosystems, but people and culture. What is sacrificed is intergenerational.
Core too, is Sandra Niessen’s perspective on supply chains - these chains enable extraction and exploitation in the global south for the benefit of the global north. Fashion Act Now believes supply chains must be greatly shortened and eradicated when possible.
Our affiliation with Extinction Rebellion
Fashion Act Now is an independent campaign group which has evolved out of Extinction Rebellion, specifically its Boycott Fashion campaign. Fashion Act Now continues to support and collaborate with Extinction Rebellion, particularly its Fashion Action groups.
Whilst Fashion Act Now firmly supports Extinction Rebellion’s demands and tactics, it is guided by its own aims, tactics and principles specific to tackling climate justice issues in the fashion industry. With this initiative, we centre the use of dialogue, research and campaigning. We hope that this groundwork can strengthen and inspire the work of activists around the world that are using non-violent methods of bringing about the change we need.
We recognise that non-violent direct action and civil disobedience have been successful throughout history in achieving social and political change. We are unwavering in our belief that using these tactics can be effective, necessary and justified. We believe that non-violent direct action and civil disobedience is a vital component to holding the fashion industry to account and calling for climate justice.
Fashion Act Now has evolved out of
Extinction Rebellion:
February 2019
At London Fashion Week, Extinction Rebellion’s first action targeting the fashion industry
June 2019
The launch of Extinction Rebellion's #BoycottFashion campaign asking people to not buy new clothing or textiles for one year
September 2019
Extinction Rebellion's XR Fashion Action group call for a cancellation of Fashion Weeks and held a funeral for London Fashion Week
February 2020
Extinction Rebellion's XR Fashion Action group gave The British Fashion Council an ultimatum to change the fashion week format
September 2020
Following the Covid-19 crisis, Alice Wilby, Bel Jacobs, and Sara Arnold, previously from Extinction Rebellion's XR Fashion Action group, launch Fashion Act Now
December 2021
Fashion Act Now raise £11,000 through a crowdfunding campaign
November 2021
Fashion Act Now launch the term defashion and a new theory of change
Coming soon...
Defashion Symposium
We're planning a symposium to bring diverse perspectives on defashion