Opinion | For sustainable fashion weeks, ditch the limo, take the subway, and lower your carbon footprint by giving some a miss

The climate crisis was to the fore at Paris Fashion Week, from Dior and Stella McCartney’s climate-conscious collections to Kering going carbon neutral

But there’s more that guests and editors can do – use public transport, and consider whether you need to be in Paris, Milan, London and New York twice a year

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Models wear creations from the Valentino spring-summer 2020 collection during fashion week in Paris, France. Photo: AP

Published: 12:39pm, 2 Oct 2019Updated: 1:42pm, 4 Oct 2019

The weather did not cooperate during Paris Fashion Week, which ended on Tuesday, but the almost daily rain did not dampen the spirits of show-goers, who can always count on the French capital to deliver fashion with a capital F.

Fittingly, climate change was at the front of designers’ and luxury groups’ thoughts. The day after Dior staged a show that featured an Arcadian set of real trees that would later be replanted around Paris, parent company LVMH hosted Future Life Paris, a conference detailing its plans on how to deal with the climate crisis.

LVMH’s event came on the heels of rival Kering’s announcement that it will go carbon neutral and offset its greenhouse gas emissions starting this year.

Perhaps taking their cue from this belated focus on the environment, some designers felt the need to become part of the conversation or just celebrate nature in all shapes and forms, from Dior’s chic gardener vibe to Loewe’s lovely prairie dresses.

Christian Dior spring-summer 2020 collection. Photo: The Washington Post

Louis Vuitton women’s spring-summer range 2020. Photo: AFP