The mega-fast-fashion brand Boohoo is set to release a “sustainable” two capsule collection with none other than the reality tv star Kourtney Kardashian. Boohoo promoted the collaboration with the Kardashian to start conversations about sustainability through celebrity power.
“She’s going to be able to share with hundreds of millions of followers the fact that there are no silly questions in this space, everybody’s finding it confusing, and what we’re trying to do is raise awareness to the issues of the fashion industry.”
Fans have labelled the collaboration as an “obvious” attempt at “greenwashing”, a tactic fashion brands are known to use to look environment conscious in order to make consumers believe that they are doing their part in helping protect the planet.
Boohoo’s business model is associated with unfair labour practices. Paying its workers as low as $4 an hour. In 2020, the company was mired in a public scandal with allegations of the mistreatment of workers in suppliers’ factories in the UK. It’s also presently under investigation for greenwashing by UK’s ASA (Advertising Standards Authority).
The fast-fashion industry is destructive and problematic. Centred around low prices, high turnover, and increasing consumer demand leading to overconsumption. It is said to operate “at the expense of people and planet.” Other brands that have collaborated with high-profile figures for sustainability roles have engaged with celebrities who had an existing record of working and speaking about climate change.
The private-jetting Kardashian has accepted the ambassador role to address the fashion industry’s impact on climate change. With her 200 million Instagram followers, there is no denying that the Kardashian has a reach that even the most well-known sustainability proponents don’t. But whether the huge audience knows or cares about sustainable fashion or not is another thing.
Fueling and promoting the latest trends and developing a mainstream culture of “throwaway fashion”, the Kardashian brand is the epitome of overconsumption. In August, a shocking report conveyed a list of several celebrities who exceeded their home water limit by thousands of gallons amid the California drought. Exposing Kourtney Kardashian for going over 101,000 gallons over the limit within her 2-acre Calabasas home this summer.
While Kourtney Kardashian has an extravagant lifestyle, she was seen preaching about protecting the environment to her huge following. In February, she reposted a “CO2 tracker” on her story, captioned “Time to get our shit together” and several months later, two of her sisters were listed in the top 10 celebrities with the worst carbon dioxide emissions via their private jets.
Kourtney’s latest collection constitutes everything from casual wear and athleisure to accessories. All items are made with recycled polyester and cotton, pricing between $6-$10. The collection is “futuristic silhouettes and sophisticated outwear to timeless dresses, punkrock ensembles, and Barbiecore.”
Promoting sustainability through a collection of 41 styles that are “trendy” is nothing but feeding over-consumption even further. Alongside the two capsule collections, Kourtney Kardashian will be hosting a short-video series with Boohoo where she will be speaking with industry experts about worker welfare, sustainability, and textile waste. The first set of the collection is set to launch on the 13th of September during New York Fashion Week.
People took over this issue on social media when they found Kourtney Kardashian as the face of sustainability.
“A private-jetting Kardashian worth $65 million is now ‘sustainability ambassador’ for fossil fuel fashion brand boohoo, where she’ll chat ‘with sustainability experts to better understand challenges and opportunities in the fashion industry.’ We absolutely KANNOT,” fair fashion campaigner Venetia La Manna tweeted.
https://twitter.com/venetialamanna/status/1567132494612283392?s=20&t=M9axUxNVlLTKsI5bdQ0nhQ
“Not Kourtney Kardashian releasing a ‘sustainable’ line with boohoo, girl you have money you can turn down an offer from them and work with a brand that genuinely promotes slow fashion,” another wrote.
https://twitter.com/MelissaToplis/status/1567447655944429569?s=20&t=ECF1Ly-4Sv4TiYFsVxWfHA
“Kourtney Kardashian being Boohoo’s Sustainability Ambassador for its limited venture of two collections while the brand adds over 100 new items to the site every day is #greenwashing at its finest,” another wrote.
https://twitter.com/SydneyGBarlow/status/1567369704125202434?s=20&t=FEoLpABSmQ-VJMG0P5ZjuQ
“Kourtney Kardashian is @boohoo ’s new “Sustainability Ambassador” and will release her first collection during #NYFW. You know what’s sustainable? NOT MAKING A NEW COLLECTION WHICH FURTHER DEPLETES THE EARTH’S RESOURCES & EXPLOITS GARMENT WORKERS”
https://twitter.com/reenarai_/status/1567426291405561856?s=20&t=-U-pge7rub1ZuOjyPjyRAw
“You know what would be super cool would be if NOBODY bought Kourtney Kardashian’s sustainable 48 piece collection of plastic garms for Boohoo. Industry experts suspect that Boohoo is desperately trying to rally its share price. Don’t do Boohoo’s dirty work.”
“Kourtney Kardashian collaborating with Boohoo for a sustainable range means we have reached peak green washing. There is nothing sustainable about fast fashion.”
