Fashion shows are the highlight of the year for many celebrities and influencers. With this is mind, the PLT London fashion show was tipped to be a success. With one of the UK’s biggest influencers running the show, what could possibly go wrong? However, Molly-Mae Hague has received quite the backlash recently, after the Creative Director of PrettyLittleThing suggested that everyone has the same ’24 hours’ in the day to reach her level of success, with this being just the tip of the iceberg.
Protests took place outside the PLT fashion show, on Wednesday, as a stand against the company’s fast fashion clothing. Protesters could be seen holding signs reading ‘Pretty Little Thieves (Pay Your Workers)’ and ‘There’s Nothing Pretty About Wage Theft.’ With PLT’s catwalk showing the glamour of the fashion industry, protesters attempted to make guests aware of the underlying issues created by the popularity of fast fashion.
The protests were based on a popular campaign that has seen many people boycott fast fashion and move towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Fast fashion has been viewed as something that prioritises the latest ‘fads’ and ever-changing trends over those who work tirelessly to make the clothing. Those in factories get paid pennies and are often forced to work in inhumane conditions to create cheap pieces of clothing. Protesters scream for justice for these workers, highlighting the not-so-glamorous reality behind many big name brands, with PLT being one of many clothing brands that has come under fire in recent years.
Campaigner Venetia La Manna and friend Mayisha set up the protest in response to learning about the low wages workers were earning for their hard efforts while those running such companies were earning millions. While PLT have claimed that any suggestions of this kind are ‘grossly inaccurate’ it did not stop protesters from voicing their frustration.
In an article written by La Manna herself, she explains that she felt like the need to ‘hold the brand to account’ for the alleged treatment of their workers, also recognising the negative impact that fast-fashion has on the environment. Now more than ever, with the devastating effects of climate change apparent, people are looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions. Yet buying into fast fashion does not have the planet at its heart.
‘The garment industry is responsible for 10 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of global wastewater.’ Considering younger generations are more woke about the impact of their actions on climate change, their actions of buying from PLT and other fast-fashion companies are rather contradictory.
The PLT fashion show itself has also come under fire for allegedly only using plus-size models on the runway as a ‘PR stunt’, with guests noting that these models would not be able to wear the majority of the clothing on the PLT website that mainly goes up to a Size 16. It is clear that people are calling out the fast-fashion industry for more than one reason, no longer afraid to voice their views on what they deem the negative side of fashion.