New York, Sept 15: In a daring act of protest at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), four Extinction Rebellion activists took to the runway to deliver a potent message: “No Fashion on a Dead Planet.”
They draped themselves in banners bearing the slogan “Tell the naked truth about the climate crisis” and demanded an immediate end to the use of fossil fuels.
Mun Chong, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, encapsulated the sentiment: “The naked truth is: Nature is the main fashion victim in 2023. If we do not want to abandon humanity and the natural world, we must end fossil fuels now. After all, there is no fashion on a dead planet.”
Shayok Mukhopadhyay, an activist with Extinction Rebellion, drew attention to the global impact of fashion and climate change, stating, “India, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, and many other countries where child labor in clothing and textile production is reported are already among the most affected by the climate emergency.
While flexing in unnecessary clothes, we are accelerating the process that will result in one billion climate refugees by 2050.”
Jack Baldwin, another spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, explained the necessity of their provocative protest: “We’re doing this because we are desperate. We are on course for a 2.7°C increase in global temperatures. Non-disruptive protests have been attempted for the past 50 years since climate change became scientific fact, and they have proven ineffective. So we are left with no choice but to resort to more provocative methods. Our goal is to get people talking again and again until action is taken.”
Laura Cole, an activist with Extinction Rebellion, challenged NYFW to pivot towards addressing the intersection of climate and fashion, saying, “NYFW has long grappled with matching the prominence of its European counterparts, falling short each year. Why not pivot to spotlighting the intersection of climate and fashion? By doing so, it could rise as the most forward-thinking event globally. It’s high time designers and executives reflect deeply on their roles within the environmental and human supply chain, striving to minimize harm.”
This daring protest by Extinction Rebellion serves as a stark reminder that fashion, like the planet, is at risk unless immediate action is taken to combat climate change.
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