While delegates from 192 nations honed in on Copenhagen to iron out a new climate-change treaty, the fashion industry had a group huddle of its own on Dec. 9 about the state of the planet. Held at the Danish capital’s renowned opera house, the Fashion Summit (the “most important fashion event of the year,” according to organizers), rallied together industry heavyweights from the likes of Barneys New York, EDUN, Levi Strauss, and the PPR Group (Yves St. Laurent, Stella McCartney, Gucci, et. al.) to discuss the new tack it must take to promote sustainability and social responsibility in a changing climate.
But can an industry synonymous with frippery, individualism, and overconsumption evolve to encompass ethics, collectivism, and restraint? Here are some of big ideas that were presented at the conference—ones that could make green the new black and sustainability more than just a passing trend.