The Conscious Fashion Campaign, an initiative of the Fashion Impact Fund in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the PVBLIC Foundation, named the women social entrepreneurs working in fashion that will appear in the organization’s billboard campaign during New York Fashion Week in February 2022.
The recipients of the first annual Conscious Fashion Campaign are: Abhilasha Bahuguna, cofounder, Looms of Ladakh; Ayesha Barenblat, founder and chief executive officer, Remake; Stephanie Benedetto, cofounder and CEO, Queen of Raw; Mariama Camara, founder and CEO, Mariama Fashion Production; Hilary Jochmans, founder, PoliticallyInFashion; Anyango Mpinga, founder, Free As A Human Foundation; Ngozi Okaro, executive director, Custom Collaborative; Cyndi Rhoades, founder, Worn Again Technologies; Jessica Schreiber, founder and CEO, Fabscrap; and Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro, cofounders, Fashion Revolution.
The Conscious Fashion Campaign “spotlights women entrepreneurs in the fashion industry driving social and environmental impact by showcasing their work in billboards and digital campaigns,” the organization said. “With women receiving only 25 percent of news features globally (6th Global Media Monitoring Project, 2021), the campaign aims to increase media representation of women social entrepreneurs transforming fashion to scale their impact in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. Given its global reach, the fashion industry is uniquely positioned to be a driving force in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals; particularly in relation to climate action, gender equality, and responsible consumption and production.”
The Conscious Fashion Campaign aims to amplify the visibility of fashion-focused women social entrepreneurs as well as to “educate, inform and inspire as they lead the industry toward an inclusive and responsible future.”
The organization described the entrepreneurs as agents of change who are advocating for vulnerable and marginalized populations “harmed by the unsustainable practices of the fashion sector. It is imperative to champion their leadership and create a diverse media landscape as they shape the industry and communities with innovative solutions. Conscious Fashion Campaign: New York is the first edition of the program and received over 100 applications from 25 countries.”
Kerry Bannigan, executive director of the Fashion Impact Fund, said the Conscious Fashion Campaign: New York honorees “show us that the solutions, systems and strategies are available to transition the fashion industry to an equitable, inclusive and regenerative sector. It is critical to amplify the visibility of women social entrepreneurs transforming fashion as they represent collective insight into what is possible for transformational sector change.”
Sergio Fernández de Córdova, executive chairman of the PVBLIC Foundation, said, “We are honored to support the showcase of these trailblazing women who are changing the face of fashion. Our Conscious Fashion Campaign: New York partnership illustrates the important role of media in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and its ability to empower the diverse voices of women social entrepreneurs transforming fashion.”
The campaign is a key initiative of the Fashion Impact Fund “which supports women entrepreneurs leading educational initiatives to accelerate the fashion industry’s transition to an equitable, inclusive and regenerative sector; with a focus on knowledge, media and skill-based learning programs,” the organization said, adding that through visibility in media advertisements on some of the most highly trafficked locations in New York City including Times Square, the Conscious Fashion Campaign will provide exposure for these select entrepreneurs to amplify their sustainable solutions during fashion week.
The women and their respective organizations were selected by the advisory committee based on factors including supporting the advancement of at least one Sustainable Development Goal, the innovations, solutions, or sustainable business practices they have implemented to support social, environmental, and/or economic impact within the industry and their contribution as a driving force for sustainable development in the fashion ecosystem.
“We are proud to join the Conscious Fashion Campaign in amplifying the work of these inspiring women social entrepreneurs. They challenge the status quo, bring about positive change and carry out the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals”, said Lucie Brigham, chief of office, U.N. Office for Partnerships.
