If you missed the jewels that Abrima Erwiah dropped with Rosario Dawson at the Essence Fashion House New Orleans, there’s no need to fret. The co-owner of the lifestyle brand, Studio One Eighty-Nine and former communication effective stopped by the fashion house yesterday for another informative panel discussion about sustainability in the fashion industry.
This time, Design Director of ABLE, Krista Alexander and the founder of the MelaninASS (Melanin And Sustainable Style), Dominique Drakeford joined Erwiah. The owner and founder of The Bombchel Factory and Mango Rags Boutique, Archel Bernard moderated the educational discussion.
These industry pros discussed everything from ethical fashion best practices to why designers should educate their consumers on sustainability. Erwiah dropped jewels, like encouraging attendees to wash their clothes by hand using cold water. “Continuously washing your clothes in hot water releases toxins into the environment,” she explained. Drakeford recommended finding different ways to use clothing that you no longer wear.
The women ended the powerful discussion by telling the audience to be more conscious of the planet and the people that are designing the clothes that they are purchasing. “If you don’t think about where your things come from, you will never make a change,” Alexander explained.
For more of everything you missed at the first-ever ESSENCE Fashion House NYC, head here.