C H A R I T Y I S T H E N E W B L A C K

For years, the fashion industry has placed itself at the forefront of ‘events for a good cause,’ from Sass & Bide’s charity launch at last week’s Rosemount Australian Fashion Week to the Fashion & Arts United charity event held at Brisbane’s City Hall last month. It is no wonder though, that ‘outsiders’ might be inclined to believe that said charity events are just another excuse for a party and a good networking opportunity. Yes, that woman donated $200 to charity just by being present at the event, but how much did she spend on her shoes? Is it time for a less elitist approach to fashion meets charity?

While you might still cringe at the thought of wearing a rubber wristband or a bandana, those simple body adornments in fact, set a new precedent in fashion for charity. All of a sudden, charitable fashion became less satirically vulnerable and ridden with superficiality. It is no longer regarded as being solely for the social elite and their invite-only charity parties and benefits. In fact, those minor gestures of financial aid from the public meant charitable fashion became accessible to everyone.

A few years down the track and big names like Target and the Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival have taken the notion of dressing the body for a charitable cause to a very welcome extreme. Their response to fashion for charity was more than just a reformed approach to elitism, and a lot less disposable than a wristband. Instead, they made high fashion available to the wider public through inexpensive garments and inspirational runway shows, while proceeds are forwarded to their elected charities.

It was the inaugural Fashion Palette held at the Sydney Convention Centre last weekend however, that shared the invariable message between its guest speakers, of using fashion for a good cause. Fashion Palette was a two-day long conference with the intention of making fashion more accessible to the public. The seminar showcased a handful of prominent fashion insiders, from Katherine Green, the fashion director of InStyle magazine, to Spanish illustrator Arturo Elena and iconic Australian fashion designer Peter Morrissey.

Morrissey stole the show, closing the weekend with a motivational presentation that drew tears to the eyes of those in the audience who could appreciate how much hard work it takes to build a successful career in fashion. “I want to fashion people’s lives, not just their wardrobes,” Morrissey said about extracting the best from the industry.

In fact, it appears there are more than a few designers who no longer appreciate the connotations of exclusivity that are often associated with the fashion industry. The young and enthusiastic Paul Fields of men’s street label Stand, rejected the idea of designing fashion for money and fame, but instead encouraged the audience to do it for the love of creating, inspiring and to help others.

When asked what he had planned for the future of Stand, he responded by relaying his intentions to use fashion to help those in need. The charity work he has done over recent years has inspired him to continue giving, and he plans to send box loads of Stand garments to third world communities around the globe.


Published on News Unlimited  May 12, 2009