Seeing images from WASTE Paris [IG] on Models.com just now, Anne said “This brand with the terrific name better be sustainable.”

Paris-based, Ukrainian female photographer/videographer Julia Romanovskay [IG] is behind the lens, capturing model Jildou Lisa.

The Instagram message only says “We empower women.” But arriving on the WASTE Paris website, the stated mission is “to fight against waste in the textile industry.”

As stated, WASTE Paris “sublimates the fabrics and leathers of major luxury houses — intended to be thrown away — through its desirable, durable and timeless micro-collections.

WASTE Paris co-founder Valentine Hotton launched the brand in 2022, defined by her experience as founder of COLLECTIF CHIFFON, a consulting agency in 2019.

As a ‘Little Engine That Could’ brand, WASTE.Paris has taken on a big voice in the sustainability sector.

The world-famous, childhood story about perseverance to get to the top of the hill would struggle today to make sustainability gains in America and parts of Europe. Shein and now Temu flood the US market with cheap, throwaway clothes and brands must respond.

This reality is only accentuated by America’s growing income gap between the haves and the have nots. From the perspective of many people, who do we elite liberals think we are telling people working at entry-level incomes to stop buying from companies that are actually threatening Amazon, they are so cheap. Do they have no rights to dress in style?

In Need of Patrons

What WASTE Paris needs is luxury house backing — specifically LVMH via L Catterton. Why? Because WASTE Paris is already tied to the luxury market. LVMH is already tied to waste fabrics with Nona Source.

Kering certainly has no resources to stop and think about nurturing a young business, as Gucci continues to falter and the rest of its brands aren’t doing so hot either.

Chanel should get a massive headache, after this week’s unexpected release of Valentino’s first images under Alessandro Michelle. They are sublime to the max and could make Chanel look like its country cousin, if the iconic luxury house falters in its next creative director choice.

We’ll post the new Valentino images later, but my first inner response was these words looking at them: that I’d order a triple martini, if I was at Chanel.

LVMH is hardly on cruise control, but they have made genuine inroads in sustainability initiatives and a track record of unbroken focus. It never makes the headlines and media like AOC needs to do a better job of noting their progress.

Most important, only a range of super-minds on this challenge can figure it out — if you believe there is a solution. LVMH has brains to spare, and Stella McCartney on speed dial. Some of Stella’s best projects have also failed to get traction due to economics.

In summary, AOC loves WASTE.Paris. We want this little engine to make it up the big hill and TEACH its expertise to the fashion industry. Because the fashion industry is spinning its wheels on the topic of sustainability; and the reason isn’t solely corporate greed.

This challenge will not be solved by climate activists hoping to throw red paint on Bernard Arnault or the Mona Lisa. Frankly, it makes the situation worse by amping up the right-wing, who hopes to put them all in jail.

Also Palestinians have co-opted their strategy, so now we don’t even know why revered paintings are meeting up with exacto knives. These are great media events, but substance?

AOC says “little”. Are we wrong?

WASTE Paris co-founder Valentine Hotton has every right to create a niche business that works for her and WASTE clients. But in an industry desperate for an affordable roadmap, little good news is on the horizon.

Frogs In a Pot on the Stove

How does Hotton become part of a larger incubator movement led by the premier-level minds in our business?

And how in the world do we face this glut of cheap products flooding the world made by Shein and Temu. And why can’t we even successfully bring innovations like mycelium-fabrics to market? One minute it’s all the rage; the next moment the founders are in bankruptcy.

The sustainable-fashion clock is ticking to a grinding stop and never-experienced, scorching heat waves, hurricanes and tornados are sweeping across America, as the global migration challenges also intensify. It’s a mess out there.

I heard a metaphor used yesterday regarding people dealing with the once-again incessant drone of Donald Trump’s destructive, divisive voice and harsh vocabularly on every media network.

We are frogs in a pot on the stove and he turns up the temp just a bit each day.

Frankly, that metaphor is even more apt to describe the topic of sustainability in the fashion industry — and that includes consumers. They care, but not enough to change their shopping patterns to make successful liberals feel not like frogs in a big pot of hot water headed towards boiling on Planet Earth. ~ Anne