Defashion: Dismantling the Fashion Industry with Sandra Niessen at Kairos, London

Join us for a talk and discussion with Sandra Niessen, anthropologist and member of Fashion Act Now, about the challenge of both meeting our clothing needs and restoring the ‘collateral damage’ caused by Industrial Fashion. How can we construct a clear pathway toward regenerative fashion?

It is time to re-think the relationship between our clothing and the Fashion Industry. Clearly the latter no longer serves our needs. But coming to a better alternative means getting to the heart of what we want and need from our clothing. Activists, researchers, NGOs and others, are avidly trying to construct sustainable fashion systems, but indigenous cultural systems continue to be largely ignored. It’s time to shine a light on what they can offer to us — and why they need to be cherished — as we try to shape new alternatives.

Sandra, who was first to use the word ‘sacrifice zones’ in relation to the workings of the Fashion Industry, will share how her thinking has been shaped by many years working as an anthropologist in North Sumatra, Indonesia. In particular, it was the clothing system of the Batak people that revealed to her how the Fashion Industry makes us blind to many of its workings.

During this evening, we will tear off our Fashion-inspired blinkers and re-imagine a clothing culture that is fair and meets our needs, whilst staying within ecological boundaries.

Kairos is a new London venue and alternative members’ club focused on the social and cultural dimensions of the climate and nature crises.

At Kairos, all discussion begins with the understanding that humanity is entering a period of radical transformation whether we’re ready or not.

All our events are in-person. We are currently occupying a store-front on Essex Street, WC2.