6.30pm tomorrow, 12 April: Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Fashion: Circus of Excess’ catwalk to bring Oxford Circus to a standstill highlighting wrongs of fast fashion
April 12, 2019 by Extinction Rebellion
- Extinction Rebellion activists to block roads and hold symbolic “catwalk” at Oxford Circus to highlight the disposable nature of the fashion industry in the epicentre of London’s shopping district
- Models will parade across the iconic crossing, accompanied by a choir and musicians including opera singers
- Participants in the action include some of the cutting edge designers of London sustainable fashion scene which is supported by pioneers such as Fair Trade’s Safia Minney MBE FARS, Traid’s Maria Chenoweth, Katharine Hamnett CBE and Dame Vivienne Westwood
- Part of a series of creative protest events in the run up Extinction Rebellion’s International Rebellion which begins Monday 15 April.
Tomorrow 12 April at 6.30pm, the Extinction Rebellion ‘Fashion Action’ group will bring Oxford Circus to a standstill by staging a creative and symbolic ‘catwalk’ titled “Fashion: Circus of Excess”. The objective is to raise the alarm about the role fashion consumption plays in fueling the Climate and Ecological emergency. The fashion industry is set to consume a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050 in clothing production. [1]
The ‘Fashion: Circus of Excess’ catwalk is intended to disrupt the language and symbols of the fashion industry. Models and performers will parade across the Tokyo-style ‘X’ crossing outside Oxford Circus station – which will be covered in shocking pink carpet – while wearing pollution masks and carrying bags of single-use plastic to highlight the wasteful and disposable nature of the industry. Musicians of all disciplines will provide the soundtrack, culminating with a rendition of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.
Ramon Salgado-Touzon, one of the organisers said, “There are enough clothes already on this planet to dress us all, we need to stop consuming that which we don’t need. We are being manipulated everyday into buying more and more, so we want to shift the public consciousness to urge people to realise that we have enough and that this continual consumption is unsustainable and unhealthy. We must heal our minds in order to heal the planet.”
Participating in the action will be some of the leading cutting edge designers of London’s sustainable fashion scene. The action is supported by Fair Trade’s Safia Minney MBE FARS, Traid’s Maria Chenoweth, Katharine Hamnett CBE and Dame Vivienne Westwood.
In February this year, representatives of Extinction Rebellion met with the British Fashion Council after disrupting London Fashion Week with swarming roadblocks. The disruptions were held after the British Fashion Council failed to respond to Extinction Rebellion’s letter calling on them to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency. [2]
Today’s action comes during the run-up to Extinction Rebellion’s International Rebellion starting Monday 15th April, when thousands of people are expected to bring London to a standstill during a week of nonviolent, direct action. [3]
Apologies for the disruption
Extinction Rebellion would like to extend our sincere apologies to members of the public who are affected, and remind them that this relatively minor inconvenience could save us all from catastrophic consequences in years to come. We have informed the police, and will, of course, allow emergency vehicles to pass.
There are no better words than those of Greta Thunberg – the 16 year old Swedish climate activist who created the School Strike for Climate movement that’s rapidly expanding around the world – to tell the story of this moment: “I don’t want your hope. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear that I feel every day, and then I want you to act. I want you to act as if the house is on fire. Because it is.”
Coming up:
- 14 April – Earth March: the Last Leg – Hyde Park, London. Members of Extinction Rebellion are walking from as far away as Land’s End to join International Rebellion UK – Shut Down London! which begins on 15th April. They’ve braved hard weather and hard roads to join us. Let’s give them the welcome they deserve by joining in the last leg of the journey, and coming together in Hyde Park for a celebration on the eve of our Rebellion.
- 15 April – International Rebellion – Global. Extinction Rebellion activists in the UK and around the world are calling for a full-scale international rebellion: to demand decisive action on the climate and ecological collapse from governments around the world. Come to stay and book time off work.
Notes to editors
[3] About International Rebellion
[4] About Extinction Rebellion
Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction and abrupt, runaway climate change. Societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices, with human extinction also a possibility, if rapid action is not taken.
Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inactivity by its Government.
Extinction Rebellion’s topline demands:
- The Government must admit the truth about the ecological emergency, reverse all policies inconsistent with addressing climate change, and work alongside the media to communicate with citizens
- The Government must enact policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and to reduce consumption levels
- A national Citizen’s Assembly must be created, to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose.
Declaration of Rebellion: https://rebellion.earth/declaration/
The Extinction Rebellion Climate Factsheet for Rebels
Get involved in Extinction Rebellion’s other events
- In the UK, come to one of our events, join the Rebellion Network and let us know how you can help out
- Start a group where you are – locally in the UK or in your country around the world
- Find your local group: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=11jUqqjTHMThksd4KbvGGzb3I3Cr3PkBl&usp=sharing
- Check out the International XR website, with links to the French, German, Italian and UK websites
- We are holding Collaborative Leadership Calls to help coach people to improve their leadership skills and capacities
- And while your time and energy are the most important things, if you are financially able to donate money, see our Fundrazr crowdfunder.