A lover and a fighter: Georgi Annenberg

We are captivated and inspired by this thoughtful future leader. Allow her to introduce herself.

Hello, I’m Georgi!

I hail from Cape Town, South Africa but have been living in NY for over 5 years. I completed my undergrad at FIT where I majored in Fashion Business Management with a specialization in Product Development. My love for this earth and desire to protect it led me to undertake a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Environmental Systems at Pratt Institute, which began in the Fall of 2018. It has been an honor to blend my fashion production skills with environmentalism. Through my work, I would like to promote a reductionist lifestyle by encouraging people to take care of their clothes, share more and consume mindfully. When I’m not geeking out on all things sustainable, you can find me dancing (preferably outside :)), creating sneaky DJ sets, yoga-ing, loving my fiancé, Adam, making eyes at every dog that walks past me, and drinking copious amounts of tea.

How did you get into fashion? Describe how you discovered it.

I was lucky to have a mom who worked in the fashion industry. She exposed me to different brands, styles, fabrics and design periods. Also, from a young age, I remember going to my grandparents’ house and digging through my gran’s and mom’s closets. I was captivated by the vintage pieces and would often take an item (or three) home with me to incorporate into my wardrobe. Today, I almost exclusively wear vintage or secondhand. There’s something about the individuality and exclusivity of the pieces that I love (not to mention the superior quality). Additionally, I was a dancer from age 6-19 and was always very inspired by the the theatrical pieces I got to wear. There was a time when I was convinced I would be costume designer.

Now go further. Explain why sustainable fashion is important to you specifically. How did you discover it? What about it resonates so deeply? How does it impact your everyday life? Or does it?

I’ve always thought of myself as an earth protector. I was the kid picking up people’s trash at the end of break times and turning off taps that were running too long (my mom taught my sister and me well). At age 22, during my time at FIT where I was studying Fashion Business Management, I decided to go vegan after learning about the impact that animal agriculture has on the planet. Soon after adopting this lifestyle I realized there was a big disconnect between the way I lived my life and the industry I was poised to enter. The film, The True Cost was a major trigger for me and opened my eyes to the wasteful and destructive nature of the fast fashion world. That kind of stuff, you can’t ‘un-know’ and of course my inner “eco-warrior” voice spoke louder to me than ever before. I knew there was no way I could authentically be in the fashion industry without spreading the sustainability message and making the industry less environmentally harmful. Nature provides so many important and even sacred ecological benefits that are often ignored or forgotten by humans. I feel it is my duty to contribute to cleaning up the fashion industry so that these beautiful natural resources can be preserved and intuitive animals can live unrestricted.

What is the scene in New York like for sustainable fashion? Do you think this differs from other cities? Why or why not?

I think that there is definitely a sustainable fashion scene in NY but it is still very niched at this stage. Of course, there is Mara Hoffman and Eileen Fisher who are inspiring fellow “big brands” to produce more conscious clothing. There are also some smaller sustainable brands fighting the good fight like SIIZU, NAADAM, Brave Gentleman, Grammar, VETTA, Zero Waste Daniel and ADAY. However, I wouldn’t say NYC is known for its sustainable fashion per-se. Most people shop the “high street” and will often buy the cheaper, unsustainable alternatives, even if they do care about the environment (a sad reality). However, what makes NY special in my opinion is its wide variety of vintage stores and renting options. The more wears we can get out of a single item without buying new, the better! I have not been to LA but have noticed that some of the trendiest sustainable brands come out of there, so I imagine there is more of a demand/scene. I also saw LA hosted the first vegan fashion week - super cool!

Who are your favorite sustainability activists? Why?

— Renee Elizabeth Peters of Model for Green Living: She keeps it real on so many levels and highlights many important aspects of sustainability: from fashion, to environmental conservation and diversity. She is also really personable and is not afraid to speak her truth.

— Jennifer Nini of Eco Warrior Princess: She makes sustainability mega trendy and goes deeply into so many fashion, beauty and lifestyle-related trends. She also makes this information extremely accessible which inspires more viewers to become more conscious consumers.

— Joshua Katcher of Discerning Brute: He is a true vegan activist who fights for animal rights in the fashion industry. He eloquently educates people about animal exploitation in fashion and has an incredible blog (The Discerning Brute) and fashion line (Brave Gentleman) to spread the message even further.

Have you ever attended a fashion sustainability conference like REMODE or the Copenhagen Fashion Summit? If so, what did you think? If not, why not?

I haven’t attended a conference because I haven’t been able to afford to go to any yet (most of my time in NY has been spent being a student). However, I would love to attend the Copenhagen Fashion Conference and Remode some day! I am sure there are some great, enlightening discussions being had or taking place. I have attended many panel-style events and talks in the city and often find that they tend to brush the surface. This is understandable since people are coming from different knowledge-bases and there are also time constraints, but I sometimes wish the talks delved deeper, beyond the knowledge of a sustainable fashion nerd like myself.

What do you think about the current state of sustainable fashion? Is it impactful? Do you feel it differs from the traditional fashion industry? Why or why not?

Right now, it is trendy to be sustainable. I’m not complaining! However, I do think there is a lot of greenwashing and withholding of information. H&M and Zara’s recycling initiatives are prime examples of this. Right now, only 1% of fast fashion items can be recycled in the truest sense of the word. Many fibers cannot effectively be recycled and most of our used clothes in the developed world gets dumped in landfills in 3rd world countries (with East Africa being a prime recipient). So when consumers take their old clothes to be recycled at H&M and Zara, they are not necessarily doing the environment any good. On another note, the sustainable fashion industry differs from the traditional fashion industry in that it is linked with the health of the planet. This is certainly a more conscious and holistic view, so even if a brand is greenwashing, at least it is encouraging consumers to think beyond their purchases - whether it be exploring where their clothes are produced, or learning about the sustainability of their item’s fiber content.

Where do you think the biggest impact for fashion sustainability will take place? Small businesses or gargantuan brands changing their ethics and labor policies?

I think most new small business fashion brands are incorporating sustainability in some shape or form from the get-go and this has had a marked impact on the big brands, who feel they might fall behind on the trend and lose valuable clientele. So I think we will see the biggest changes from the conglomerates who will be creating sustainability departments and opening up their own ethical/sustainable factories (some, like H&M and PVH have already done this). These companies also have more resources and power to make greater impacts in the industry.

Do you think large fashion houses are interested in this movement? Why or why not? Do you think if they were to become interested that the rest will follow? Why or why not?

I think some large fashion houses are interested for sure. For example, brands like Gucci, Armani and Tom Ford have all recently banned fur. There is still a lot more that could be done, however. Stella McCartney and Mara Hoffman are great examples of big fashion houses that have transformed their businesses into sustainable fashion establishments. As more brands make mindful changes, more will surely follow. As the same time, some of the most luxurious brands may not change for the time being since they have top clientele who are still stuck in the old ideas of what is glamorous (which does not involve mushroom leather, ocean plastic, or beet dye). As global warming becomes more of a threat, brands, no matter how big or small, may all be forced by law to make sustainable changes. It will be interesting to see how this all progresses.

What are your favorite sustainable fashion brands? Why?

— Reformation: They have made sustainable fashion cool, accessible and sexy. I love that they share their sustainability reports with their customers, too.

— Patagonia: They honor quality over quantity and are true environmental activists. It brings me joy to know that my Patagonia purchases are going to a company that is aligned with my values and loves the planet as much as I do.

— Edun: They have made ethical fashion absolutely beautiful and trendy AF. I love that they empower local African businesses and that they are extremely mindful across the entire supply chain. More luxe brands should follow this model.

— Rombaut: How can you not love their dope vegan shoes? Rombaut’s sneakers are super high quality and use innovative materials like bark and coconut.

No brand, no matter how sustainable can ever be 100% sustainable. What are the largest problems/barriers you see with sustainable brands today?

When a brand wants to be sustainable, it often means their fabric and production will cost more. Cheap and usually inhumanely-produced fast fashion has made it really hard for sustainable brands to compete. Consumers have become accustomed to low prices and many are not used to budgeting higher for clothing purchases. So that is a huge barrier for sustainable brands who usually have to cut some corners in order to attempt to compete with traditional fast fashion. On another note, I believe that if you are producing anything, you are still going to leave some environmental impact. An example can be seen in brands which create the majority of their clothes from of ocean plastic. This of course sounds a like a great initiative, but it also means that when consumers wash their clothes, microplastics will still find their way back into our waterways and cause problems for aquatic life and potentially humans. That is why a reductionist approach is key. We need to buy less and share more and my hope is that more consumers will buy into this trend.