Photo: Alvaro Beamud Cortés
The environmental and social cost of the fast fashion industry has multiplied over the last few decades, parching water sources and leaving marine and land ecosystems traumatized by all its carcinogenic chemicals. Counterpointing speedy consumerist shopping behaviors that account for direct and indirect involvement with the negative impacts on the environment, GFX’s famed clothing swap activation is being hosted by Fashion Commission in Riyadh for the first time, as one Fashion Futures Activations.
Setting up at the Personage concept store in Riyadh from December 11-12, the event will act as an incubator for sustainability enthusiasts in the country, offering them all the means required to contribute to the cause. Featuring 45 minute one-on-one workshops, creator stations, and educational installations, the event aims to create a well-rounded dynamic that touches base on the foundations of everyday sustainability. “The Fashion Commission is honored to host the Global Fashion Exchange (GFX), which will be taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time. The GFX Fashion Swap aims to shift the mindset of not only brands but also consumers towards sustainable consumption and encourages a more sustainable perception in the future,” said Noura Bint Faisal Al Saud, Ecosystem Integration & Program Delivery General Manager.
Photo: Instagram.com/globalfashionexchange
The in-store recycling and uplifting experience requires participants to pre-purchase their tickets and book their 2-hour time slots through TicketMix. The swap functions on the currency of tokens given upon donating a fashion item that ticks all quality boxes. The swap encourages the exchange of high-end, sustainable brands like Zimmermann, Sandro, The Kooples, Maje, Zadig & Voltaire, Isabel Marant, and All Saints to ensure the long-lasting lifespan of those items. “We are engaging Saudi consumers with sustainable consumption models for fashion. We want to show that fashion is not just about buying, and there are many other ways to satisfy customer interest to be fashionable in fun ways. Swapping in a fun environment with entertainment and putting a key focus on styling with secondhand and vintage products, builds new habits for the people. Keep products longer in use. Reduce need to produce more products,” Burak Cakmak, the CEO of Fashion Commission, says.
