Press-Release-“We’re not in fashion anymore, we’re in waste management!” proclaims responsible fashion activist Evelyn sharma

Press-Release-“We’re not in fashion anymore, we’re in waste management!” proclaims responsible fashion activist Evelyn sharma

We’re not in fashion anymore, we’re in waste management!” proclaims responsible fashion activist Evelyn sharma

Bollywood actress and responsible fashion activist Evelyn Sharma was invited as the keynote speaker at the “Responsible Fashion Summit” in Sri Lanka earlier this month. The Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani actress, who happens to hold the ideals of sustainable fashion very close to her heart, wants people to change the way they shop and how they see their own wardrobes. 

Sustainable fashion has more recently created a huge ripple in the fashion industry with many Bollywood celebrities pledging their allegiance to this movement of fashion for a cause. However, the definitions of “sustainable fashion” vary a lot. When asked what this term means to her, Evelyn’s answer was clear: “I believe giving your clothes a long life is what creates sustainability. It starts with conscious decisions while shopping and ends with giving your clothes away to someone else. Buy clothes that will outlive you and don’t let them spoil in your own closet when you’re done with them.”

As a trailblazer of the sustainable fashion movement in India and with strong convictions about creating awareness for second hand clothing, Evelyn started her very own charity foundation called Seams For Dreams in 2015, an organization that accepts clothing donations and after segregating the items, distributes them to the less resourced communities across India.

It was because of her work with Seams For Dreams that the lovely actress was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Colombo event, where similar thought leaders in the areas of fashion and sustainability from all around the world like Patrick Duffy founder of GFX, Dr Amanda Parkes Chief Innovation Officer at the Future Tech Lab, Alfredo Orobio founder of Away To Mars, and Camilla Fitz-Patrick of VOGUE Arabia were gathered to discuss tangible solutions to one of the world’s most pertinent environmental issues: the immense accumulation of fabric waste - and how to reduce it! “We’re not in fashion anymore, we’re in waste management!” proclaimed Evelyn Sharma in an interview at the summit.

Evelyn took the stage to speak about her personal awareness efforts as a public influencer towards sustainability in India, and also to highlight the importance of Sri Lanka’s role in the global fashion industry. She says her fashion mantra is “timeless over trendy, quality over quantity” and adds: “Why not use what we already have to create new things? Reuse, recycle, upcycle! Fast fashion as we know it is dead. I really believe we are at the cusp of a fashion revolution and this is just the beginning of a more responsible approach to our planet. I’m excited to be a part of this new wave in fashion!”

Many were glad to see our Bollywood fashion philanthropist represent India in Sri Lanka. This platform of the “Responsible Fashion Summit” at Colombo Fashion Week is meant to empower nations on a final scale to create more responsible supply chains. And while many actors support the cause publicly, their private lives look very different. Evelyn is known for shopping second hand and for having a minimalist wardrobe of her own. She was also recently announced as the face of the Slow Fashion Season by the Dutch initiative to create a movement to shop less.

And once again she will be seen supporting the cause of sustainability at Lakme Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2019, taking the ramp for upcycle label I Was A Saree. On the Bollywood front, we will see her next in Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor starrer “Saaho”, which is all set to release on the 30th of August.