Protest staged to speak out against unsustainable fashion culture

Demonstrators staged a ‘naked’ protest ahead of London Fashion Week to highlight the role it has in promoting overconsumption and needless waste.

A group of men and women gathered outside Somerset House wearing only placards and skin-coloured undies to protect their modesty.

Raising awareness of the negative environmental impact of cyclical and seasonal fashion trends, they are calling on the industry to give second-hand items a bigger space on the catwalk at this year’s event.

It was staged by Gumtree, which hoped to encourage fashion houses to stop perpetuating a ‘wear it once’ culture and to feature more sustainable styles.

Hannah Rouch, from the preloved ecommerce brand, said: “We’re calling on the world’s leading fashion houses to lead the charge and ensure that what’s trending is sustainable.

“We simply can’t turn a blind eye to billions of pounds worth of fashion waste ending up in landfill each year.

“We have a collective responsibility to put an end to ‘wear it once’ culture once and for all.

“Millions are waking up to the benefits of discovering beautiful pre-loved pieces, but we need ‘second hand first’ to be the new norm.

“For this to happen we need the world’s leading fashion brands – those that are showcasing at London Fashion Week – to fire imaginations and showcase the style credentials of pre-loved pieces.

“Together designers and all those who love fashion can start a consumption rebellion and demonstrate that style doesn’t have to cost the earth.”