Sustainability is chic. It is currently rising in awareness. Climate change has become a staple topic in mainstream media. While there is less media talk about it during the pandemic, in everyday life, it has become more present. Due to Covid-19, we all became suddenly aware of how important it is to have the necessary goods available and to have transparency of transport and production lines. As a result hashtags like #supportyourlocal are trending on social media.
But what about luxury? Is it ok to contemplate over anything luxurious while we are dealing with issues like a worldwide recession and growing numbers of unemployment? I think absolutely! Because the luxury segment is growing year over year. At the same time, luxury goods consumers are demanding a more sustainable approach. Moreover, luxury brands are opinion leaders, they set standards and create trends. The fashion industry shows best how luxury brands set new trends. The effects on the fashion industry by the worldwide pandemic have inspired a few designers like Dries van Noten and Altuzarra to draft an open letter to their industry demanding a more sustainable approach to producing fashion. So this might be a step towards redefining luxury.
Sustainable luxury is in strong demand. Luxury brands need to take social responsibility.
Sustainability should never be a luxury trait, but luxury should be sustainable – that’s my claim. However, sustainability can be luxurious. It’s part of a LOHA, a Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability. Consumers, for example, are asking luxury brands to take on social responsibility. You can find innovative concepts in every lifestyle industry. If I have the choice between highly effective natural skincare or cosmetics of which I can barely read the ingredients correctly, the choice is easy: why would I buy the one with toxic non-understandable chemicals? Another example: why should I stay in a hotel that uses plastic packaging throughout, if I can find a luxurious option without plastic? I guess the answer is easy.
In that regard, for me, sustainable luxury also means conscious consumerism. It is important. I believe that we should consume if we can. Because conscious consumerism fuels our economy and thus helps to keep jobs. This is why I am solely writing about sustainable products, brands, and innovation. I find this video by The Luxury Channel pretty inspiring.
Here is a list of what parameters brands need to fulfill to be featured.
Inspiring sustainability concepts are everywhere.
I have been writing about organic skincare since 2013. Hence the strong focus on skincare. I’ve conceived the idea of creating this guide during my abroad travels. I remember a moment in a hammock in a Moroccan desert camp that was operating entirely without electricity or plastic. It was a place of pure bliss and relaxation. Such moments are precious and rare and they make me happy.
Two years ago I was on a Southeast Asia trip. When we arrived on the South-Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, I’ve immediately changed into my bikini to jump into the ocean. I didn’t make it into the water, though. Instead of white sand and turquoise water, I discovered a wide stretch of plastic garbage on the beach while the current would constantly bring in more trash. The following days, I spent my beach time helping the local beach cleaners by piling up the trash so the waves couldn’t take it back into the water and so the cleaners could take it all and not leave parts behind. It was horrible to experience firsthand how we destroy our beautiful environment.
This made me think about how we could combine a passion to travel with a sustainable lifestyle How we can experience our stunning nature without destroying it. This is how I came up with the idea to create a guide in which I write about my discoveries all over the world, whether it be organic skincare, fair fashion, beautiful eco-hotels, regional restaurants, technical innovations, or the people behind all that.
Luckily, we don’t have to travel far to experience sustainable design. In my hometown, Munich are plenty of exciting organic and fair fashion brands, chic boutiques, spas, and even a Michelin star vegan restaurant. Innovations are happening all over the world.
I will start the journey in Munich. Please leave me a note in the comments to let me know which topics would interest you.
Happy Reading! Isabelle
If you’d like some further reading, here are two reports and the beforementioned open letter:
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