Wednesday, April 15, 2020

'I didn't buy new clothes for a year and it was the best thing to happen to my wardrobe'

With consumerism brought to a standstill by the coronavirus, the call to change how we shop is more relevant than ever. One responsible fashion expert shares lessons from his year-long Extinction Rebellion fashion boycott

A few weeks ago, I found myself standing in the apartment of Matthias, a Berlin biker who was selling his leather jacket on a local classifieds website. The jacket wasn’t for me, but I left with stories about when the Cramps played the 90s, and tips for German surf bands.

Almost 12 months ago, I signed up to Extinction Rebellion’s Fashion Boycott, a year-long pledge to buy only secondhand – which is how I ended up chatting rock’n’roll in a stranger’s apartment. The boycott is framed as a protest against a destructive and exploitative industry – which it definitely is – but it is also an amazing opportunity to change your relationship with an inescapable part of modern life. As the coronavirus pandemic brings consumerism to a standstill, the call to change how we shop is even more apt.

I have spent most of my professional life as a fashion editor, plugged into an industry that never stops making new things. The idea of shopping only secondhand seemed scary – even impossible. Some people love nothing better than diving into a pile of pre-owned mystery garments; not me. How am I going to find something I like? Should I just stop buying clothes?

It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to my wardrobe.

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