Opening Address

At GFA, we are all for making it happen and for shaping the agendas of all stakeholders. In fact, the aspiration to shape the course of change in the fashion industry is the reason GFA and this report exist. Imagine a fashion industry that is not only exciting and bountiful, but sustainable and inclusive as well. Imagine fair pay and secure work environments for everybody who works in fashion. Imagine a substantial reduction of resource consumption and emissions. Imagine innovative new business models that decouple growth from production and allow for self-expression outside of garment ownership. In short, imagine a fashion industry that has a positive impact on everyone and everything it touches.

Just imagination? On the contrary, we believe that the imagination is only the beginning of a possible reality if we dare to make new pathways and bear the challenges along the way. The fashion industry has the power to inspire top talent, engage fashion lovers, attract potent investors, and win the support of communities worldwide. It is a net-positive fashion industry that will continue to prosper despite disruptive forces that range from digitisation and automation to the coronavirus pandemic and geopolitical tensions.

The fashion industry is already advancing towards a more sustainable, more inclusive, and more resilient future, but the current efforts will not suffice to align the industry with the target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals laid out by the United Nations. But it’s not too late. It’s time for bold commitments, decisive actions, and rigorous follow-through.

As fashion leaders, you have the power to shape the course of change. You have the power to bring about a net-positive fashion industry that puts back more into society, the environment, and the global economy than it takes out. This report features the progress the industry has made so far. Many of the solutions and tools that fashion needs to improve already exist. It’s time to use them ambitiously. Now, as policies to promote a sustainable fashion industry emerge, it’s more essential than ever to take bold and urgent action. Think of this report as your companion on your journey. Dear fashion leaders, please join forces with your peers to create a meaningful change for a prosperous fashion industry. Indeed, if you do, everyone wins.

Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda