The (Un)Ethical Consumer: Recent Episodes
Zoë Goetzmann
The (Un)Ethical Consumer Podcast strives to answer the question: ‘what does it mean to be sustainable?’ hosted by Zoë Goetzmann. During interviews with artists, designers, creatives and industry professionals working in both art and fashion, Zoë seeks to create a space to break-down the technical processes behind design. Raising questions like: ‘What is ethical, what is not ethical?,’ ‘What is sustainable, what is unsustainable?,’ Through experience working in both the art and fashion, Zoë has come to realise that the best way to do this is this is sharing the stories that artists have to tell
In this episode, we speak to Megan Shears (Fashion Journalist & PR) who has launched her own blog & platform, “Dollhouse Diaries” - consisting of features and articles about “fashion and beyond.” Recorded on May 6, 2024 ("The First Monday in May"), we delve into all things Met Gala 2024 related: covering topics including the event’s history and its background, this year’s theme and dress code, our outfit predictions, favourite previous Met Gala themes, the future of menswear as well as sustainable (and circular fashion).
Megan Shears (Links):
Instagram: @megannrosiex
Read “Dollhouse Diaries” Here: https://dollhousediaries.com/
Also, make sure to read all her Met Gala 2024 coverage here (written and edited by Megan):
“Sleeping Beauties: Something I won’t be on Monday night:” https://dollhousediaries.com/2024/05/04/sleeping-beauties-something-i-wont-be-on-monday-night/
“IT’S TIME: My Favourite Designers at the Met Gala 2024:”https://dollhousediaries.com/2024/05/07/its-time-my-favourite-designers-at-the-met-gala-2024
“The Mess of the Met Gala 2024:” https://dollhousediaries.com/2024/05/08/the-mess-of-the-met-gala-2024/
Related Links:
Met Costume Institute (Instagram): @metcostumeinstitute
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Instagram): @metmuseum
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In this episode, we speak to Sarah Wasilak, writer, Associate Director of Commerce at PopSugar and, most importantly, host of the podcast “Dinner for Shoes” (covering all things fashion + style mixed with a food/dinner party vibe). We talk about all sorts of things: accessibility, Gen Z shoppers, Mean Girls: The Musical (Fast Fashion vs. Vintage), the dangers of TikTok shopping, how to style clothes that are both trendy AND affordable, best plays to buy vintage, recycling and of course SHOES! 👠
Sarah Wasilak (Links):
Instagram: @slwasz, @dinnerforshoes
Watch Her Podcast (on YouTube): "Dinner For Shoes"
Some vintage/thrift platforms we talk about in this episode: The RealReal, Resee, Rebag, Vivrelle, Farfetch Pre-Owned (lots of people don’t know about this!), Vestiaire Collective, Tulerie, ASOS Marketplace, Shrimpton Couture, Depop
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This week on the show we interview Audrey Long, founder of the platform ‘xoxoposhipgirl’ - a place where you can find and purchase the most iconic wardrobe pieces from shows like Gossip Girl (obviously!), The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. With 65.9K followers on Instagram, 110,715 Postmark followers and 22.8K followers on TikTok, Audrey has defined herself (at 17 years old!) as a leading authority / seller in the Gossip Girl Fashion community (truly the ‘Deux Moi’ of GG Fashion). We talk about everything in this episode: how she started her platform, our mutual love for Gossip Girl, the show’s fashion (Audrey pulls a few pieces including Serena’s iconic Vera Wang bridesmaid’s dress #iykyk), ‘Nostalgia Dressing,’ Met Gala Fashion, how Audrey runs her platform and creates her content and why archival fashion is truly a sustainable/Art form (Audrey also spills some secrets on Jennifer Aniston/Rachel from Friends' Wardrobe as well) ☕
Follow Audrey and her shop/platform: https://xoxoposhipgirl.com
Instagram (@xoxoposhipgirl): https://www.instagram.com/p/CzpgM6GNy-l/
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This week on The (Un)Ethical Consumer Podcast (#TUC), we welcome Ariana Rebello (IG: @itsarirebello), fashion and media professional as well as host of her own show, Essenza [now streaming on Koko Connect]. We talk about it all on this episode: sustainable fashion, pop culture, celebrity, South Asian fashion, why inclusivity matters when it comes to sustainability, fashion & media landscapes. We also talk about her recent coverage of NFW and Milan Fashion Week (you can catch her episode on MFW October 16!)
As always make sure to rate our podcast (5 stars!) and leave us a lovely comment on Apple Podcasts.
Follow the lovely Ariana: @itsarirebello
Instagram: @essenzashow
Now on kokoconnect.tv
Our Insta: @theunethicalconsumerpodcast
Website: theunethicalconsumerpodcast.com
My Insta (Host!): @byzoesera
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In this episode of the show we're dedicating a mini-sode to the passing of designer and activist Vivienne Westwood. Our guest on the show is designer Abi Guest (@abiguest_). We talk about it all: Vivienne Westwood's design career, her iconic looks, why she inspires us, her 'punk queen' status, her activism, her positive and (often rebellious) affects on the sustainable and sustainable fashion landscape, Hulu's Pistols and Pam & Tommy, and if sustainability and sustainable fashion can be considered as 'punk.'
RIP to the iconic Dame Vivienne Isobel Westwood DBE RDI 💫
"Buy Less, Choose Well, Make It Last" - Vivienne Westwood
@viviennewestwood
www.viviennewestwood.com
And as always, if you liked this episode, please feel free to leave us a kind review and five stars to help us climb the pod charts!
Follow us at:
@theunethicalconsumerpodcast
Host: Zoë Goetzmann (@byzoesera)
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This week on the podcast, we speak to Carlota Cotarelo, a designer from Spain now living in the U.K. She recently graduated in the U.K. at University for the Creative Arts - Rochester and showed her designs this past Spring In London. At the moment, she is working on building her own brand. On this episode, we speak all about artisanship, the art of dressmaking, tailoring, the quality of luxury vs fast fashion, the issues with overproduction, how to ‘survive’ fashion school (and the pressures, anxieties that come with it) … how to stay true to yourself and your personal design/aesthetic and style.
Follow Carlota, her designs, and design making process here:
@carlotacotarelo_cc
@carlotacotarelo
CarlotaCotarelo (Etsy)
In this episode, we speak to the founder of the Boavista Club (based in Lisbon, Portugal). Their designs are made of 100% Tencel - a biodegradable fabric making a significant impact on sustainable fashion. Boavista also partners with the Lisbon-based women collective "Bandim" - an NGO that empowers local women to turn their skills into their own sources of income. Their zero-waste accessories are created by the women of Bandim and 10% of Boavista's revenues are donated directly to this NGO.
As an added bonus and gift to any of you listeners, you can check out and shop Boavista and any of their clothing using the code UNETHICALCONSUMER15 for a 15% discount. So perfect for anyone’s upcoming summer holiday! :)
Resources and sustainable fashion brands mentioned:
- @mudjeans
- @goat.organic.apparel
- @basicrights
So excited to introduce you to our next podcast guest @abi.guest_ ✨
We talk about it all in this episode: pop culture, musical theatre, the artistry of @alexandermcqueen as well as how sustainability plays a part in both the art & fashion worlds.
Sustainable/size inclusive shops, influencers and resources mentioned in this episode:
• @molbythelabel
• @housedeville
• @saturday_bymeganellaby
• the tea towel shirt is from @herbiemensahvintage and @thehippieshake trousers
Mollie Dunn (@responsibleregalia) is a slow fashion influencer // instagrammer // YouTuber who creates content focused on sustainability, sustainable fashion and environmentalism.
In this episode we talk all about the idea of ‘authenticity,’ how sustainable fashion influencers function in their community, our mutual love of classic fashion shows like “What not to wear” (throwback to anyone who was a fan) and loads more.
As always, feel free to listen to the episode and please rate us + leave a kind review on Apple Podcasts so we can get on the charts and keep making more episodes.
Some sources to look into + follow:
@slowfactory — online classes mentioning about fashion sustainability + where you can learn more about sustainability
@ellenmacarthurfoundation
@projectdrawdown — for all facts related landfills, greenhouse gases, impact of items going to landfill
Here are the online classes about fashion sustainability: https://slowfactory.earth/. They used to offer their courses for free for all BIPOC attendees and then pay what you want donation-based for anyone else. Not sure if that is still the case.
Here are some additional resources I have compiled over the years about honestly just a lot of different things:
On how fashion "seasons" have increased over the years
https://www.zayahworld.com/seasons-in-fashion-industry-year/
https://carlin-creative.com/the-evolution-and-development-of-mi-season-collections-resort-and-pre-fall-their-roles-and-their-relevance-today/
On the complicated issue of textile recycling:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/clothes-recycling-marketplace-1.4493490
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/whats-in-your-landfill-lots-of-textiles/2020/01/27/7d43830c-364c-11ea-bb7b-265f4554af6d_story.html
On how fast fashion has trained consumer habits for the worse:
https://fee.org/articles/fast-fashion-has-changed-the-industry-and-the-economy/
https://www.brandingmag.com/2019/12/12/hms-greenwashing-short-sighted-and-unethical/
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22573682/shein-future-of-fast-fashion-explained
https://www.npr.org/2013/03/11/174013774/in-trendy-world-of-fast-fashion-styles-arent-made-to-last
On landfills, greenhouse gases, impact of items going to landfill:
https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/landfill-methane-capture
On how to fix it:
UK Parliament Environmental Audit Committee's Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/full-report.html#heading-7
We are super excited to welcome Kristina Ang @kristinamichelleang, the host of one of our other favourite podcasts @lifeofafashionstudentpodcast ✨🤗 Kristina is also an education & sustainable strategies intern at The Council of Fashion Designers in America (CFDA).
Some sustainability/sustainable fashion resources mentioned in this episode:
The Council of Fashion Designers in America (@cfda): have a look at their sustainability glossary + reports, The Re:Generation Innovation Scholar Award (established by Swarovski), ‘Upcycling Artist-Designer’ Nicole McLaughlin (@nicolemclaughlin), Sustainable Outwear Brand/Company, Arc’teryx (@arcteryx) — have a look at their design workshops! Also be sure to read Kristina’s piece in ‘Hyergoods’ on ‘Debunking Common Sustainability Myths’
Some other sustainable resources to share 🤗:
Fashion Innovation: https://fashinnovation.nyc/
Fashion Revolution (@fashion_rev): https://www.fashionrevolution.org/
Vogue Business (@voguebusiness): https://www.voguebusiness.com/
Good on You (@goodonyou_app); https://goodonyou.eco/
Vashion Blog - https://www.thevashionblogg.com/
and some other ‘slow fashion’ influencers: @thevashionblogg, @theresaaxostyle, @sarafrii
We are so pleased to welcome our second guest, Dilayla Kopuz, Co-Founder, Creative Director and Designer of the brand @imperfectionists_official - a sustainable, unisex clothing brand based in Copenhagen (as well as ethically made in Turkey). We cover so much in this episode: from how to source materials, how to run a brand, what is sustainability? The ethics of NFTs and NFT fashion, the benefits of human connection and the importance of fair wage ✨between genders 👏
Welcome to the first episode of ‘The (Un)Ethical Consumer Podcast,’ a podcast that strives to answer the question: ‘what does it mean to be sustainable?’ as hosted by Zoë Goetzmann. Through a series of interviews with artists, designers, creatives and industry professionals working in both art and fashion, the podcast seeks to create a place and space to break-down the technical processes behind design: ‘how things are made’ etc. Raising questions like: ‘What is ethical, what is not ethical?,’ ‘What is sustainable, what is unsustainable?,’ Through experience working in both the art and fashion, Zoë has come to realise that the best way to do this is sharing the stories that artists and designers have to tell.
Woo Jin Joo (@woojinstudio) is a celebrated emerging artist based in London, UK. She is a graduate of Central Saint Martins and Royal Academy of Arts. She is a material storyteller who’s work is inspired by sustainability as well as the ordinary objects in our daily lives. She is the recipient of the Janome Fine Art Textiles Prize, an Ellen MacArthur Foundation Pioneer, an RA 2021 Summer Exhibition Finalist as well as curator of @creating.in.crisis - a collaborative art project found via Instagram.
Hosted by: Zoë Goetzmann
Edited and Produced by: Marlon Percy
Written and (Co-Produced) by: Zoë Goetzmann