Fashion as a Matter of Values. On How a Transformative Educating Process Can Initiate a Positive Change

Abstract

The consumer is a modern day Frakenstein, an invention of a revolutionary economic model for wealth, that has become uncontrollable, compulsively devouring goods and services. Reaching the paroxysm of «consuming» with the Fast Fashion industry, we are now wondering: «who’s fault?». Since the collapse of the Rana Plaza in April 2013, Fashion activist movements, governmental associations as well as largest corporations willing to be part of the «sustainable fashion trend», have stood as the hero who would master the beast by following Nelson Mandela’s credo: Education as «the most powerful weapon to change the world». But, actors for a positive change are often biased by a prosperous and vicious model, thus educating sounds more like a new soft marketing strategy or a way to moralize rather than a truthful driver. Actually, time has come to redefine the core essence of «education». A shared responsibility that involves a critical thinking learner, a challenged teacher, a meaningful message and a relevant medium, factorized by a time factor. The Y and Z generations, consumers of tomorrow, need to question themselves and initiate a transformative educating process in order to become consum’actors. Among all, through this journey, they will tend to re-balance the supply and demand law and finally become satisfied with a caring, long-lasting and circular consumption.