A junction of passion & concern brought me to the conception of Walking Protest. It was evident through my fashion studies & working in the industry that it was due for some radical intervention. It didn’t dawn on me however just how hard it would be to go against something deeply etched in the fabric of our society.
Fashion has a grip hold on all of us, even those who claim logos & flattering silhouettes have no weight towards their self worth. It captures us all.
It has the ability to change our perception of ourselves & people’s perceptions of us. That’s what the industry wanted & that’s what it got. Sadly, at the cost of people & planet in most cases.
It preys on vulnerability and beckons people to neglect their values in the hope of becoming someone more desirable with each new thread.
1. Why I started Walking Protest
I guess it’s in the name. I wanted to protest an industry that held elements in which I still loved, but also had elements in which I deeply disagreed with. I was angry, overwhelmed & honestly tired of all talk and no action. I wanted the name to be a little abrupt, not like the majority of brands which have names akin to sunsets, warmth & joy. I wanted Walking Protest to make people a little bit uncomfortable, because we should be a little bit uncomfortable. I felt like the way our world has been built & the way we have been subconsciously trained to follow suit needed a little ‘protest’ to encourage people to wake up.
What better way than clothes?
Fashion is so influential, it makes us remember moments, feel things, gather a perspective on moments - the clothes on our backs hold so much weight within society & equally so much power. I thought, why not use our clothing as a way to protest? By embellishing each piece with a key taking for the particular collection at the time. Something we could try & implement into the industry & society for a more sustainable future.
I’m by no means an expert, but I am here to learn, try, fail (emphasis on the fail ) & try again - all the while taking you with me as we evolve into a better tomorrow.
That’s why Walking Protest is here.
2. The general consensus
Interestingly, my brain has processed initial observations by compartmentalising my current ( very shallow ) findings into 3 categories of people within consumerism:
One: People who really care about our collective impact & subsequently compliment these values with action.
Two: People who really care about our collective impact, but when it comes to putting these beliefs into action, enter a freeze like state of overwhelm & gravitate to whatever proves less difficult at the time.
Three: People who really just don’t care.
Unfortunately, groups two & three seem to currently have the highest attendance rates and that’s because being in groups two and three is easier, cheaper & provides far more instant gratification… I mean can we blame them? We have been trained well.
3. But really… can we blame them?
I have a-lot of compassion for the human race. I truly don’t believe majority of us agree with where we are heading & do genuinely want change. We are constantly bombarded with things to be worried about & it’s easier to just ignore them - accept defeat & continue pursuing meaningless things until our Earth inevitably collapses.
Developing a purpose led brand which aims to disrupt this way of being & thinking, has highlighted to me just how hard this path really is & at the end of the day, humans aren’t now & will never be perfect. We will always make some sort of impact & there’s always a better way to be doing things, so perfectionism can’t be the goal.
4. Why I have chosen the hard road
Because choosing the easy road never felt right. Choosing the easy road never fuelled me in the same way that following a deep conviction does. Choosing the easy road meant accepting defeat & I think we sometimes need to give the human race some more credit. We got ourselves into this mess, so we can get ourselves out of it.
I have chosen the hard road because our Earth needs us to.
Eradicating fashion or consumer goods isn’t where I am going with this, I think there’s a place for the things we have created & continue to create and I truly believe it’s just about reimagining them, selling them & consuming them differently. Mirroring & learning off Earth’s innate ecosystems and applying these principles to our business models may just start a revolution of a new way forward, one which is in deep need.
5. I have hope
Walking Protest was conceptualised to create a bright, lively & welcoming space for everybody to learn, grow, question & reimagine the systems of fashion with us. We want to be a vessel of education for you & equally a vessel for you to educate us through. Thank you for Walking.