Sustainable Development Is The New Expectation Of The Luxury Industry.

Sustainable development has long been an important topic in the world development process, and involves a wide range of fields. Today, the sustainable development of luxury goods is also on the agenda.

Not long ago, on the 1st anniversary anniversary of the accident at Rana square in Bangladesh, Copenhagen fashion The summit (The Copenhagen Fashion Summit) was held. In 2013, more than 1000 garment workers died in the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory building in Bangladesh. To this end, how to improve clothing The development environment of manufacturing workers has become the primary concern of this conference. At the same time, the participation and action level of luxury brands in sustainable development have been put on the agenda as important issues.

The luxury industry has always been criticized for its ineffectiveness in sustainable development. But as the attention of this issue continues to climb, some luxury brands are starting to take action.

"Nowadays, the competition of high-end design brands is fierce, and good ideas are not enough to become leaders. You must pay attention to ethics and values." Dilys William (Dilys Williams) said. William founded the Centre for Sustainable Fashion in 2008, belonging to the London Fashion Institute (London College of). "5 years ago, sustainable development was seen as a supply chain problem. Now, it's a design opportunity. " William said.

Competing for "green washing"

In the past, talking about environmental protection and sustainability with luxury goods is nothing short of an Arabian tale. It is the luxury brands such as Louis Weedon (LV) who are good at leather goods and fur making that animals such as beavers, mink and crocodiles are becoming scarce. However, with the growing number of environmentalist accusations in the material sector, luxury goods industry is no longer replaced by artificial fur. But this did not satisfy environmentalists. They pointed out that raw materials such as chemicals used in artificial fur, especially artificial fur, pollute the environment immensely. This means that the fake grass grown for environmental protection is not environmentally friendly at all. Later, zoologists came out to speak for luxury goods manufacturers. They believe that the whole world Leather and fur 85% of the fabric of the industry comes from animals raised by humans, and raising animals and obtaining fur is part of human husbandry for thousands of years. Moreover, the luxury industry has also increased its fur to solve the ecological problems: New Zealand has more than 80 million possums, eating 21 tons of vegetation every day, and says that if they are allowed to grow, New Zealand will become Sahara in 15 years.

Thus, for decades, luxury goods and environmentalists have been living in such a "wrangle", and no one can convince anyone. However, the global financial crisis in 2008 changed the situation. This has led to unprecedented challenges for the luxury sector: other countries in the developing world are experiencing Waterloo's performance. In 2009, global sales of luxury goods dropped by 10%, or around $218 billion, the first decline in the luxury goods industry in 15 years, according to Bain survey. Against this background, many luxury brands have slowed the expansion of stores, reduced product prices and reduced advertising spending. At the same time, it also showed more goodwill towards environmental protection.

In March 2009 and May, the luxury goods industry held a sustainable luxury conference and the first sustainable luxury show. This is the two landmark event in the change of conscious consumption. Their focus is on the real meaning of sustainable development for luxury brands.

As Dilys William said, sustainable development is also an opportunity for luxury brands, an opportunity for survival and an important factor in maintaining brand image.

Since then, the luxury industry has been paying more and more attention to green topics.

Brunello Cucinelli, a fashion tycoon and cashmere king, looks for Mongolia yarns that meet the standards of sustainable development and applies them to the manufacture of coats and light cashmere sweaters.

In May 2009, the LV parent company, France LVMH group, announced the acquisition of an environmental protection brand Edun created by U2 band member Bono and wife Ali Hewson.

Bottega Veneta took 7 years to transform a mansion in Montebello, Italy (Montebello) into a design and sample production headquarters in eighteenth Century. The headquarters has a top class ecological standard: 75% of the building materials are regenerated, and rainwater recovery and solar energy systems are installed inside the building. The park at headquarters also carried out ecological transformation to ensure the survival environment of wild animals and plants. The ingenious design headquarters reflects the Bottega Veneta's rigorous brand temperament and implies its respect for artisans. It is reported that the building has obtained the highest level certification of LEED green building.

In terms of the importance of technology, craftsmen are no less than creative directors. Craftsmen make innovations and produce with their hands, and they will produce better works in a working environment where they can be proud and satisfied. The pursuit of perfection is not only an individual strategy, but also a philosophical view that permeates the brand side. We value the value of artisans very much. They are our competitive advantages. " Bottega Veneta chairman Marco Bisali (Marco Bizzarri) said so. With this in mind, Bottega Veneta earned more than 1 billion euros in 2013, an increase of nearly 14% over 2012.

Livia Faith, an eco warrior of Copenhagen fashion summit, is Livia Firth, the creative director of Eco-Age, a brand consultancy company. She launched the Green Carpet Challenge (referred to as GCC). The plan is to turn design works that meet sustainable standards into frequent guests on red carpet. Her first product collaboration is Gucci's plant dyed handbag, which has no deforestation on the source of materials. Last year, she worked with Stella McCartney to create a GCC series of garments by a designer. The main thing was a lightweight luxurious evening dress, and the production of evening dress was mixed with all kinds of renewable silk screen, especially the ecological lace and Patagonia (Patagonia)'s continued use of wool.

The official sustainable development organization has also sniffed the new trend of luxury brands and began to establish contacts with interested designers. Because Vivienne Westwood, a well known designer who resists global warming, is an active collaborator. Her handbag Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) is loved by collectors. EFI is a project launched by the United Nations and the world trade organization. It links the world's developing countries, even the marginalized artisans and the top talents in the fashion industry, to create jobs for the former. In the collaboration between EFI and Vivian, a series of fashion handbags were produced by slum dwellers in Nairobi and Marseilles community women who recovered the handmade printed canvas, leather scrap and scrap metal.

In addition to strengthening the application of environmental protection elements in design, some luxury companies are committed to making positive contributions to society. From environmental protection and philanthropy to human rights and equality between men and women, to health care and disease prevention, and finally to arts and sports initiatives, the luxury industry seems to respond to the need to give back to society, because society has brought productivity and prosperity to it. Gucci group has launched a series of limited edition environmental protection products since 2008. In addition to Alexander McQueen's skeleton head organic cotton scarf, there are YSL brand shopping bags, Gucci designer Frida Giannini and YSL designer Stefano Pilati cooperation environmental T-shirts, Bottega Veneta environmental handbags, Pilati shoes heels, environmental protection materials, high heels and so on. Gucci group said that the proceeds from these products would be donated to the non-profit protection organization Good Planet; LV adopted a series of measures to protect the environment; Loro PIANA (Loro Piana) also invested $1 million in the nature reserve to save endangered wildlife; Cartire set up funds for the promotion of art and the promotion of young artists; PPR also set up funds for the protection of women's rights and dignity recently; Brunero Kuchinelli invested in theatres and sports facilities for villages near Italy's factory, for the use of workers and local villagers. To this end, the local media commented that his behavior would create a world of "harmonious coexistence of offspring and the earth".

Sincere hypocrisy?

However, people may guess how much of these actions are internal, and how much of it is totally irrelevant to the bottom line of creating high incomes and high profits. The core of luxury goods companies is to create attractive and not essential commodities and services. The equality between luxury and responsibility is absurd at any level.

Therefore, attempting to link luxury goods with social responsibility is like crossing two irrelevant parallel lines, and the parties are also beginning to question the luxury industry's response to the social consciousness in the current consumer market. There is debate about how consumers' attitudes towards protecting the survival and dignity of the earth are gradually showing up in the luxury industry.

In the eyes of Pierre Taipie, Dean of ESSEC business school in France, luxury brands are now doing environmental protection, including the two purposes of currying favor with the public, expanding customer base and protecting the earth and reducing pollution. "Perhaps the current proportion of the purpose of expanding the customer base accounted for 80% of the total, the real purpose of protecting the environment accounted for only 20% of the total, but this is a good start. Over time, I believe that the proportion of interests and environmental goals will be adjusted. "

In fact, there are already established luxury goods companies to set an example in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development. Take LV as an example, as a representative of the old luxury brands, the company created carbon inventories, making it possible to calculate the impact of corporate behavior on the environment. One of the effects of LV's approach is the reduction of air transportation and the great popularity of shipping. stay