Angelina Jolie On Why She Is Backing Legislation For A More Sustainable Fashion Industry BY EMILY CHAN 4 April 2024 (Source: BRITISH VOGUE)

Angelina Jolie On Why She Is Backing Legislation For A More Sustainable Fashion Industry BY EMILY CHAN 4 April 2024 (Source: BRITISH VOGUE)

SUSTAINABILITY

When Angelina Jolie launched her eponymous fashion label Atelier Jolie last year, the actor and activist described how she wanted to “start conversations about workforce exploitation, pollution and waste” via her purpose-driven brand. Now, staying true to her word, Jolie is backing the Fashion Act, a piece of legislation being put forward in New York that’s designed to make the fashion industry more sustainable.

“Everyone is aware, I think, of the waste of natural resources, overconsumption and overproduction, and labour rights violations that currently take place in the industry and society as a whole,” Jolie tells Vogue. “These are some of the ills many of us want to see corrected, and without legislation and the momentum of a movement to rein in these practices, progress won’t be possible.”

Under the proposed bill, brands with a global revenue of $100 million or more will have to map out their entire supply chain, undertake mandatory due diligence, and commit to Science-Based Targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These requirements would not only affect companies based in New York, but also those selling in the fashion capital, meaning that every major global brand would be affected.

People within the fashion industry who are working to try to do things the right way – being transparent about supply chains and paying workers a fair wage – are up against companies that often do the opposite,” Jolie says of the bill’s importance. “This piece of legislation would require transparency. [Brands should] be transparent about supply chains so consumers can be empowered to decide where to direct their resources and support.”

So far, more than 80 brands have backed the Fashion Act, including the likes of Stella McCartney, Reformation, Patagonia and Ganni. For Jolie, it’s promising to see this cross-industry collaboration. “I’m proud to join many others who have signed onto the Fashion Act, and hope it’s a first step that is taken quickly,” she continues. “New York is the centre of American fashion, so it would be quite something for it to be the origin of change.”
In recent months, the Fashion Act has gained the support of a number of high-profile supporters, including Jane Fonda, Leonardo DiCaprio, and now Jolie. “We are immensely grateful that Angelina Jolie has chosen to support the New York Fashion Act,” Maxine Bédat, executive director of the New Standard Institute and one of the key proponents of the bill, says. “Her endorsement is a demonstration of the great need for and global importance of the bill.”
It makes sense that Jolie would join the coalition backing the Fashion Act, given that collaboration has been at the heart of Atelier Jolie’s ethos from the start. Its first collection was designed in partnership with Chloé, while the brand is also working with designers and artists such as Mimi Plange, Suleika Jaouad and Swoon. Meanwhile, Jolie has just joined the advisory board of New York-based brand Another Tomorrow, another supporter of the Fashion Act. “We’re committed to carrying and working with designers who are operating in ways that are not only in line with the Fashion Act, but go above and beyond,” Jolie explains of these partnerships.

Beyond supporting legislation for a more sustainable fashion industry, Jolie is keenly focused on bringing craftsmanship back to the fore. “For us at the Atelier, it is also about a return to honouring the artistry of those who create garments,” she says.

Back to blog