Fashioned for Freedom - raising awareness of human trafficking and ethical fashion

In a world of fast fashion, that’s becoming ever faster by the day, it’s only natural that we can sometimes become immune to the products that we are consuming. Fashioned for Freedom was an event held in St Mary’s Church in Wyndam designed to raise awareness of ethical fashion and the effects of the human trafficking industry by showcasing designers that are ethically sourced and promote fair trade. The night included designers such as, People Tree, Zoe Boomer, House of Beth, Beluah Nancy Dee, Mayamiko, Betty & Betts, Fikay, Brothers We Stand and many more, showcasing their gorgeous and ethical collections.

The stunning designs on display indicated that you can be both fashionable and ethical. The show did an amazing job of using one of the most influential industries in the world to emphasise the seriousness of human trafficking and modern day slavery. Hosting the event were fashion writer Angela Buttolph and actor David Gyasi and we heard speeches from the founder of People Tree, Safia Minney showing her support for the cause and educating the guests about the Fairtrade cotton industry. As well as this as this we heard from the director of IOM Accra, (International Organisation for Migration) who explained how the proceeds of this event would go to 20 specific Ghanaian children directly affected by human trafficking. One of the acts that resonated with us (and the other guests in attendance) was The Natasha project, a group of interpretative dancers displaying the effects of sexual trafficking on young girls which was incredibly moving and powerful; it was an extremely hard act to follow.

Inside, the church was lit up with purple lights and decorated with stalls of ethical designers and charities that were there again to help spread the message of the severity of human trafficking. We even got a chance to chat to House of Beth and we were both agreed that when it comes to style it should always be quality over quantity. There was also a photo booth in which guests could take photos and sugar free protein ice cream to snack on after, which surprisingly tasted very good!

Let’s finish this piece considering this: there are more slaves now then there was when slavery was legal. Of course in tough economic times we can sometimes think as consumers that we have no responsibility, or it won’t matter if we buy a suspiciously cheap garment with no thought to where it came from. However, it’s these sort of figures that should really resonate with you and inspire you to be a little more conscious of what type of products you’re consuming. Fashion is fast, but style is eternal.

Sophie Dyer

Click here to visit the Fashioned for Freedom Facebook page.