A day of debates on eco-ethical fashion

There is a lot of talk these days about fashion, ethics and ecology. With increasing frequency, apparel and accessories are associated with ethical and ecological themes in the same way as child labor, health, safety, safeguarding local talents, developing countries, protecting the environment and animals and reducing power consumption. Although not new, for years these issues have been marginal but they are now the focus of research at various levels by fashion companies and designers.

To take an in-depth look at these subjects and evaluate new opportunities for the development of Italian fashion, a day of meetings and debates entitled 'Eco-Ethical fashion: is it just a fashion?' will take place at Stazione Leopolda, 5 Viale Fratelli Rosselli, Florence, on April 15.

A day that will have two perspectives. One is global and brings together the most recent facts about the economy, sociology, marketing and communication, and the other is local and uses the same analysis tools at the service of ‘in the field’ political and administrative experiences to observe in what way the problems of corporate social responsibility are a reality in some of Italy’s most important fashion districts.

Starting at 10 am, the program begins with 'Is fashion eco-ethical?' with papers by Giuseppe De Rita (Fashion as a measurement of the times), Marco Ricchetti (Fashion and its paradoxes), Francesco Morace (The ethical consumer, beyond anti-consumerism). Brunello Cucinelli, Riccardo Grassi, Michele Norsa, Andrea Panconesi and Pierluigi Loro Piana will discuss eco-ethics and business, a concrete response to companies and the market. At 2.30pm, Giampiero Maracchi, Ermete Realacci and Carlo Sorrentino will talk about Globalization and environmental impact: the role of fashion. It will then be the turn of Riccardo Marini and Edoardo Nesi (Prato and its ecological footprint), Michele Norsa and Andrea Calistri (Florence and luxury products), Luciano Donatelli (Biella and the environment as a competitive factor), Ambrogio Brenna and Michele Tronconi (the role of institutes and local and national policies). The moderator will be Bruno Vespa.