On Tuesday night as part of New York Fashion Week, Kourtney Kardashian Barker launched her controversial collaboration with Boohoo, a UK-based online clothing retailer that promotes selling “the hottest trends from $5” on its website. There were more than 400 business insiders in attendance at the runway presentation, which was held on a portion of Manhattan’s High Line.
Models made their entrance to Beyoncé’s song “Pure/Honey” wearing outfits that perfectly complemented the goth-vamp style that Kourtney has recently embraced. There was also the reality star’s husband, Travis Barker, who was dressed in nothing but a studded leather vest, and a family friend named Foodgod (formerly Jonathan Cheben).
Numerous more young influencers were attentively documenting. The Barkers entered hand in hand, just before the event started, and nearly every smartphone in the room was focused on them. Someone yelled, midway through their voice breaking, “We love you, Kourtney.”
The joyful atmosphere inside stood in stark contrast to the biting criticism that dominated the internet about the collaboration. Many people charged Boohoo and Kourtney with “greenwashing,” which is the practise of a business portraying itself in marketing materials as being ecologically friendly while actually having no such policies. When Kourtney revealed her collaboration with Boohoo, the turmoil began.
Along with launching a line of clothing with Boohoo, she is also assuming the title of “sustainable ambassador.” Boohoo received a score of 28% on the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index, which yearly assesses big companies on how open they are about their processes, goods, policies, and social and environmental actions.
This is a modest improvement from the score of 20% received the year before. H&M scored 66 percent, ASOS 55 percent, and Zara 44 percent among the rivals.
The mockery doesn’t surprise Kourtney. She explains, “I anticipated there would be criticism in doing it. Shortly before the runway presentation, the newlywed, company owner, and mother of three is seated on a white couch backstage. Additionally present were Travis and the couple’s entourage, Carol Kane, cofounder and executive director of Boohoo, and a reality show camera team.
Before the event, The Barkers, who were married this year, had “a non-fashion-related day” that included visiting the vegan Chinese eatery Spicy Moon. According to Kourtney, “We love to explore to vegan restaurants.”
About Kourtney Kardashian collaboration
Going back to the collaboration with Boohoo Kourtney says, “I’ve done a line like this previously,” alluding to a prior partnership with PrettyLittleThing from back in 2017, which Boohoo purchased in 2020. “There was no opposition. Well, there was no connection to sustainability. However, she sees value in the collaboration, asserting that these issues affect “the entire fashion business, not just quick fashion,” and suggesting that effective campaigning is essential.
Kourtney makes it apparent that she thinks the fashion business, in its current form, won’t go suddenly as she speaks. A “unrealistic expectation” that might contribute to problems is expecting fast, radical change.
I inquire whether she has contributed anything especially to Boohoo regarding its impact as she holds the status of sustainability ambassador.
She inquires, “Like inquiries.” Yes, I reply, or suggests a modification.
I did, she answers. “I actually spoke to Stephanie Shepherd, one of my closest friends, who runs the Future Earth Instagram. I asked her what her worries were when I spoke with her. Having those discussions and wanting to find out more. Some of these inquiries may sound rude, I warned in a lengthy email I sent to Boohoo. I don’t want to come across that way, but I do need to know these things. Absolutely, certainly, we did that.
The partnership does attempt to move in a sustainable manner. The oldest Kardashian sister claims that Boohoo and Kourtney personally chosen vintage t-shirts and designs “that I would wear, that I loved” in addition to utilising “recycled cotton and recycled PVC.” And improving the quality so that it is more durable. A press statement for the collection states that “two antique pieces” are included, and that “recycled fibres like recycled cotton” are used in 41 out of the 45 pieces.
These motorcycle jackets are your statement vintage piece, according to John Hickling of the UK-based secondhand store Glass Onion, who is quoted in the press release. We spent months carefully sourcing, hand-selecting, and curating this enormous collection. Each item has been carefully inspected to ensure that it is genuine, distinctive, and perfectly aged.
Kane, a cofounder of Boohoo in 2006, adds his two cents. According to her, “the word sustainability always has a rather aristocratic type of outlook.” “That you can’t do it if you’re at the lower price point, and that it may only languish at the designer end of the market.
Well, there are a variety of approaches to influence the general public to make more sustainable decisions through discourse and education. Whether it’s purchasing vintage, trading, wearing an item several times, or assembling your own look from various pieces that you’ve worn for a decade.
