The True Cost of Fashion
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
Most recently on May 29th, 2015, a most candid documentary was released for worldwide viewing with a dual purpose. Not only would this film be entertaining and intriguing, but it was also a means of building awareness on a very crucial topic. The documentary is The True Cost. Fashion has always held that glamorous appeal to the public and the clothing industry becomes ever so competitive as the years go by. There is more to the world of fashion than models parading down the runway or gorgeous clothing hanging gloriously on the rack.
The whole world is watching. The question is, what will we do next? www.truecostmovie.com – The True Cost Movie Facebook Page
The film’s trailer was released to coincide with Fashion Revolution Day , the day of April 24, 2013, unforgettable in a despicable way as 1133 garment industry workers died in the Rana Plaza catastrophe in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Another 2500 people were injured and all had one thing in common, they worked for some of the most familiar fashion brands that we buy on a regular basis with no thought as to how they got there. It is a day that is remembered annually for all those that worked so hard, and, as we go forward, it is a day to show that we have the power to change. Fashion Revolution is a global coalition of designers, academics, writers, business leaders and parliamentarians calling for systemic reform of the fashion supply chain.
For this very reason, Director Andrew Morgan and Producer Michael Ross want their viewers to understand exactly what a key role the fashion industry plays in our world today.
“Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” – Bill Cunningham #TrueCostMovie#WhoPaysThePrice – The True Cost Movie Facebook Page
The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing? In order to fundamentally understand the larger picture, the scene must be set, not only in the land of luxury with lovely scenery, but in the darkness of lands that we are only vaguely familiar with.
Fashion is also about the designers who are the catapults to the entire process. Interviews take place with some of the most influential designers and leaders in the fashion industry today as a means to give us some insight into a world that is far more complex than we could ever imagine. Stella McCartney, Livia Firth and Vandana Shiva are all questioned for their viewpoint and a look at the unprecedented project that invites us on an eye opening journey around the world and into the lives of the many people and places behind our clothes.
Director Andrew Morgan with designer Stella McCartney – The True Cost Facebook Page
The staggering statistics will absolutely blow your mind. We have seen a 500% increase in clothing consumption in the past two decades, Morgan examines how we got here (including how the U.S. went from producing over 90% of its clothing in the 1960s to just 3% today), and how we can create a better future moving forward.
Filmmaker Andrew Morgan introduces audiences to the surprising human and environmental impacts of the global fashion industry – including the trend of “fast fashion” from leading companies like H&M, Zara, Gap and other global clothing retailers – and simultaneously shows us what some remarkable individuals are doing across the globe to offer an alternative in the form of designers like Stella McCartney, fashion executives, activists and journalists who are pushing for an ethical and sustainable future for global fashion.
Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry attended the premieres of the new documentary. The London premiere was supported by Colin and Livia Firth, Annie Lennox, Jeremy Irvine, Elizabeth McGovern, Bianca Jagger, Tom Ford and top fashion designers in Britain. Recently the film was supported at Cannes by Julianne Moore, Salma Hayek, Francois-Henri Pinault and Isabella Rossellini.
Tom Ford & Colin Firth (The True Cost Movie Facebook Page)
The New York premiere of the film, The True Cost, saw Red Carpet attendees of Aimee Mullins, Rupert Friend, Harvey Weinstein, Peggy Siegal, Eileen Fisher, Linda Greer, Julie Gilhart, Andrew Morgan, Mara Hoffman, Maria Cornejo, Amanda Hearst, and Zosia Mamet. Additionally, at the showing in New York City, the premiere was followed by a panel conversation and Q&A session with fashion designer, Eileen Fisher and Andrew Morgan. The moderator was Julie Gilhart, Fashion Consultant.
Courtesy of The True Cost Movie Facebook Page
Here is some pertinent information about the filmmakers:
Andrew Morgan (Director) is an internationally recognized director focused on telling stories for a better tomorrow. His experience includes a broad range of work that spans narrative and documentary storytelling for both commercial and film projects. After studying cinematography at the Los Angeles Film School he went on to co-found Untold Creative, a hybrid filmmaking studio where he currently serves as the creative director. He is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post and speaks regularly on the power of storytelling as a tool in the ongoing fight for human rights around the world. Andrew lives in LA with his wife Emily and their four children.
Michael Ross (Producer) has worked as a creative producer and project coordinator in film and advertising. Beginning his career in journalism at local stations in Florida, before going on to Mirada Studios where he worked on award winning advertising for clients including Disney, Expedia, IBM, and AT&T. He has a passion for leading others in producing films that will make a difference in the world. Michael is a graduate of Florida State University where he majored in media production and business.
Executive Producers: Lucy Siegle, Livia Firth, Vincent Vittorio, Christopher L. Harvey
Associate Producer: Laura Piety
See for yourself this emotionally stimulating documentary that the New York Observer calls ‘Powerful‘ and film producer, Harvey Weinstein calls “a stunning and illuminating film.”
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