From Paris to Saïgon, Linda has been designing clothes that respect the planet and people since 2010. A pioneer of ethical fashion, her creations remind us that fashion is an art that rhymes with eco-responsibility. In the face of soulless and destructive (ultra)fast fashion, how does eco-responsible fashion finally emerge? What are the levers to make it desirable? How to accelerate this change in our collective imagination? Linda invites us to this fashion revolution with the beautiful promise to revive our emotional attachment to our clothes.

"The new generations of designers are much more concerned about ethical fashion today" says Linda. From the east of Paris where she settled after returning from Saïgon, she observes this change through her CSR consulting activities with fashion brands and her eco-design courses taught to future designers. Twenty years earlier, Linda began studying fashion design at Duperré Paris. At the time, she was already aware of the environmental and societal impacts of fashion. Linda still remembers a documentary, from her younger years, where children were making Nike balls in sweatshops in India, a real shock that triggered her commitment to sustainable fashion and a better world.

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Since then, scandals have followed one another, from the luxury catwalks to the big fast fashion brands (H&M, Zara, Uniqlo...) of which the deadly incident of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013 is the saddest symbol of them all. "Fashion certainly comes and goes” but does not shine by its societal and environmental impact. Although these events have contributed to a better awareness of consumers, figures remain staggering, a real "Don't Look Up" effect. Enough to make us all blush in front of our dressing room.

 

Our addiction to (ultra) fast fashion is damaging the planet and humanity

In 20 years, according to ADEME, world production of clothing has doubled. To dress is a vital need but we overconsume. This frenzy leads to an overproduction of clothes, too energy-consuming, moreover with fossil fuels. With 2 to 4% of greenhouse gas emissions, fashion contributes as much as air transport to global warming. The impact on biodiversity is even more consequent because the textile industry is water greedy and uses mainly polluting materials: synthetic, cotton under pesticides and especially waste. Following the rhythm of outdated seasons, the promise of recycling, in good conscience but in the name of greenwashing of big brands, will send our unwanted clothes straight to the ocean on a beach in Ghana, or to an open-air dump in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Furthermore, the societal impact remains indecent: low-cost production in countries where workers' rights are violated, as shown in the issue of the Uyghurs in China; not to mention the problem of cultural appropriation to supply Western collections.

 

This phenomenon, based on low prices and mediocre quality, is accelerating with the aggressive marketing of ultra-fast fashion like the Chinese brand Shein. "Fast fashion is addictive, especially for young people, like Coca-Cola or cigarettes" explains Linda. A paradox for the younger generations, more engaged on the climate issue than their elders. Faced with this unfair competition that kills quality and creativity, slow fashion resists by proposing a more virtuous and sober model, but also more desirable for our society.

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Imagining an eco-responsible fashion, a tribute to Vietnamese ethnic groups

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"It's not just about designing environmentally friendly products, it's about changing the entire fashion system" insists Linda, who has been helping to change things for 15 years now. Born in 1984 in Paris to Vietnamese parents who were exiled at the end of the Vietnam war, Linda claims this bicultural identity. Since 1992, her travels as a child to Vietnam with her parents reconnected her to her culture. Linda was fascinated by the local textile know-how and more particularly by the creations of the 54 ethnic groups of the country.
 

Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, the Vietnam War was not really taught in school and being the only Asian family in her small town made her feel stigmatized for being "Bruce Lee's kid". "I really wanted to fight these clichés and racism by highlighting the best of my parents' country, which is much more than the war or Pho noodle soup". During this period, Linda also saw the birth of her passion and talent for drawing. "It was the only way for me to express myself and I became aware of social injustice at a young age. So, I wanted to combine those two worlds by trying to foster change with my creativity" says Linda. Creativity, with an homage to Vietnamese culture, and a desire to positively impact the world, pillars for the identity of the future eco-responsible fashion brand Linda Mai Phung that was being born.

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An original collection with a positive impact on the planet and people
 

In 2007, at the end of her studies, the pioneers of sustainable fashion could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Linda realizes that she needs to "create her own sustainable fashion brand to align with her values" while dreaming of moving to Vietnam to reconnect with her heritage. Lady luck smiled upon her with the opportunity to work for a French company from a tailor shop based in Saïgon aka Ho Chi Minh City, the economic heart of the country. This experience allowed her to work closely with local workshops and to build unique relationships with Vietnamese artisans, from sourcing to manufacturing. In 2010, she embarked on an entrepreneurial adventure by creating her women's ready-made clothing brand Linda Mai Phung, quickly joined by her associate Florence Bacin.

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For the past six years, the two passionate women have been developing an original brand that ethically combines authenticity and elegance with modern Western style and the cultural heritage of Vietnamese textiles. They have a total of 15 collections with an average of 30 designs, original pieces made with silks from local cooperatives, organic cotton, linens, and exceptional Asian textiles as well as dormant stocks from local textile mills, more especially from Hmong Flower, Hmong Bleu, Dao and Thai ethnic groups.

 

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             1/ Linda Mai Phung collections (2010-2016)
                  2/ New Territories, FW14-15 - Aym Perfecto Shantung of silk & details of traditional embroidery of the Hmong Flowers ethnic groups (bestseller of the collection)

 

The eco-responsible approach and the creative success of the Linda Mai Phung brand have been rewarded by several prizes (for example: Ethical Fashion Show Paris, Creativity Prize in 2011) and have been the subject of prestigious media coverage (The New York Times, Vogue, ELLE...). Beyond this recognition, it is the highlighting of the textile know-how of Vietnamese ethnic groups and especially its impact that makes Linda proud.

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In 2017, during the development of the urban cyclist fashion brand Super Vision, with the founder of the Evolution3 garment factory (Marian Von Rappard) in Vietnam, she participated in a project to define a living wage for workers, a counter-proposal to the minimum wage enacted by governments which is often not enough to provide for all the basic needs of a textile worker. "A cooperative recalculation to revalue wages: a fair and equitable wage to contribute to the establishment of a more virtuous and sustainable system" explains Linda.

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« The most sustainable garment is already in our wardrobe »

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Back in Paris, Linda is now accompanying new eco-responsible brands that want to get started and contribute to this revolution. "I feel like the public is ready, more aware of why sustainable fashion should be the norm" says Linda. Despite this trend, ethical fashion may seem to be reserved for a certain audience due to price. "I don't think it's expensive if you choose the right clothes that you can keep forever" says Linda.

What are the levers of change for fashion? Linda reminds us of the ways to take action step by step, to deconstruct ourselves at our own pace, to pass on the message and thus be able to wean ourselves from fast fashion.

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Favor sobriety by questioning our buying impulses and fighting against the emotional obsoleteness of our dressing room with the BISOU method invented by Marie Duboin Lefèvre and Herveline Verdeken - B for need in French (besoin), do I need this garment? I for immediate, right now? - S for similar, do I already have this garment? - O for origin, where was it produced? and U for useful, indispensable? Linda likes to quote that "the most sustainable garment is already in our wardrobe" (Orsola de Castro, Co-Founfer of Fashion Revolution). Sometimes all you need to do is add a little imagination to it to see it differently and find that feeling of joy.

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Get informed to buy ethically if you can, or second hand, favoring non-synthetic materials such as organic cotton, linen, wool; "Made in France" or Europe ideally; via platforms such as WeDressFair, brands such as the emblematic Patagonia or Hopaal for example. Certifications (Oeko-Tex, GOTs...) also exist to better choose and avoid the trap of greenwashing set by unscrupulous brands. More recently, companies like FairlyMade and Clear Fashion want to bring more transparency on the impact of our clothes.
 

Think about alternatives through a more circular textile economy: repairing/tweaking; upcycling (textile reuse); buying second hand (platforms like Label Emmaüs in France); bartering; renting clothes or borrowing from a relative. "Buy less, but better" as summarized by the philosophy of the eco-responsible brand Loom.

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Engage in educating, raising awareness and influencing citizens and family members on change for a more sustainable fashion. Linda made this choice by joining the Fashion Revolution association whose mission is to challenge the industry and policy makers around the world through citizen activism. Influencers and social networks can play a key role. Linda is also part of the En Mode Climat movement, a French collective of more than 600 textile structures chaired by Julia Faure, co-founder of Loom, which rallies against fast fashion and encourages the relocation of the textile industry in France.

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"The change will also come from governments" Linda acknowledges, illustrating this with the AGEC law (anti-waste for a circular economy), which came into effect in January 2022 and prohibits the destruction of unsold stocks. The challenge is to create a level playing field between the traditional textile industry and ethical actors, in terms of transparency and environmental and societal impact. The urgency is to remove this "vice incentive" according to Julia Faure's expression, where the old world’s industry takes advantage of producing countries that are not respectful of the environment and human beings (e.g.: Bangladesh, China), explained the president of En Mode Climat in a recent interview on Blast.

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A more creative, better-connected world

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Fashion is also political and testifies to a true cultural revolution that we are experiencing through this ecological and social transition. Between denial or eco-anxiety, what will be the collective narrative for this new sober but desirable world? "We live in a society where happiness and success are defined by the possession of material goods, says Linda. This lifestyle is synonymous of illness for the planet and us. "Reconnecting with others and nature, sharing and collaborating with other cultures, and reengaging with creativity” are powerful remedies for Linda to better "deconstruct what we have learned and redefine what is a healthy society for us". Linda remains confident about change, noting that "more and more people are becoming aware of the climate crisis" ."Humans have always been resilient. Now we are living in a time of crisis to rebuild something new, and we will get there positively, provided we use our collective intelligence" concludes Linda.

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In 2023, Linda will relaunch the best-sellers of her collection created ten years ago. "I want to show that slow fashion is a viable business model without multiplying collections” Her customers have also asked her to bring back her creations, showing a real "emotional attachment". One of her customers confided to her that she always wears one of her sweaters from the first collection, a great victory for Linda who has made it her mission to create sustainable and timeless clothing. After surveying her community and traveling to Northern Vietnam, a selection of 10 pieces will be available at a frequency of one piece per month, the time to slowly tell each of these textile stories and endow them with authenticity. A true slow fashion story, 100% indie.

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KEY FIGURES

Textile industry: 2 to 4% of greenhouse gas emissions (source: ADEME)

150 billion garments produced in 2020 (Zero Waste France)

65% of our clothing is made of petroleum (source: Fashion - Fake or Not)

Each individual wears only 30% of his clothes (source: Fashion Revolution)

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REFERENCES
 

Sites
-Studio Linda Mai Phung - https://www.lindamaiphung.com/
-Super Vision - https://supervisionlab.co/
-Fashion Revolution - https://www.fashionrevolution.org/
-En Mode Climat (FR) - https://www.enmodeclimat.fr/

Podcasts & Interviews
-"Comment s’habiller sans détuire la planète ?" Interview Blast de Julia Faure par Paloma Moritz (FR) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NstTFKrZFMU
-"Why we need a Fashion Revolution?” TEDx de Orsola Castro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geLZiTkFzvo
-Podcast Chaleur Humaine - LeMonde.fr - https://www.lemonde.fr/podcasts/article/2022/10/04/comment-s-habiller-sans-detruire-le-climat-et-la-biodiversite_6144295_5463015.html (FR)
-"La mode maintient-telle des dynamiques coloniales ?" - Podcast Couture Apparente -  https://podcast.ausha.co/couture-apparente/la-mode-maintient-elle-des-dynamiques-coloniales (FR)
-"Qu’est-ce que le greenwashing ?" - Podcast France Inter - Qu'est-ce que le greenwashing ? (radiofrance.fr) (FR)

Documentaries & Books
-"Fin de la fast fashion, place aux habits durables" - Documentary ARTE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wzRAcb5YrU

-"Où finissent nos vêtements ?" - Documentary FRANCE 5 - Sur le Front with Hugo Clément and Julia Faure -  https://www.france.tv/france-5/sur-le-front/2956729-ou-finissent-nos-vetements.html (FR)
-« Fashion – Fake or Not » - Catherine Dauriac - Book (FR)
 

Articles & Other
. La mode sans dessus-dessous, infographie ADEME: https://multimedia.ademe.fr/infographies/infographie-mode-qqf/ (FR)
. The State of Fashion (2022) - https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/retail/our insights/state of fashion/2022/the-state-of-fashion-2022.pdf

 

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