Last night at Somerset House’s Forest For Change exhibition, we were lucky enough to be at the launch of a new campaign to help accelerate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and in particular, Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. 

Dynamically named Fashion Avengers, the movement brings together fashion industry leaders the British Fashion Council and the Council of Fashion Designer of America, as well as brands including PANGAIA, Burberry and our very own BOTTLETOP, and high profile names (and #TOGETHERBAND Ambassadors) Arizona Muse, Noëlla Coursaris-Musunka, Tigerlily Taylor and Eric Underwood amongst others.

So what does it take to be a Fashion Avenger, and can anyone do it? The answer is yes, because the aim is to get us ALL thinking about the changes we can make to the way we shop, dress and consume our fashion. Could you reinvent your wardrobe by adapting items you already own? Could you arrange a clothes swapping party with friends and family? Or can you make a pledge to only buy responsibly produced or second-hand fashion from now on?

If you’re in need of a little inspiration, here are some bona fide Fashion Avengers with some brilliant top tips of their own. All photographs shot by Rankin.

‘A Fashion Avenger is someone who borrows clothes, reuses and upcycles, and buys from brands who are doing things responsibly.’

‘Sustainable fashion isn’t hard, it’s fun. If you want to become a fashion avenger, buy less, rent clothes, and look where the clothes are being made.’

‘Vintage pieces are always the best pieces, they’re always one-of-a-kind, no-one else has them. This is my dad’s suit; this is my mum’s top from the Nineties.’

‘Find your style first off, because I think we get so influenced by fashion that we forget about our own style, and once you’ve connected with your own style, embrace that by borrowing instead of buying, by doing swap parties, by buying vintage or by looking online for sustainable brands.’

‘Sustainable fashion isn’t difficult. I’d say you have to tap into your creativity but it isn’t hard to look great either because you can grab something old, something new, and mix it up.’

‘This dress must be about 100 years old. It was my great-grandmother’s dress and I just love the fact that there are so many stories in it. She’s wafted around parties and never did she think that maybe it would get to go to the pub’

‘Evaluate your wardrobe. You might have an old pair of jeans in your wardrobe that you want to throw out but take another look at them. Would they make a good bra?!’

‘I want you to go into your wardrobe and dig out that piece of clothing you haven’t worn for ages, take a sickening selfie, post it, and show the whole world.’

‘A Fashion Avenger is someone who’s mindful and thinks about the impact that fashion can have on our beautiful, magical planet.’

‘All trends come back around so you can find old stuff, reimagine it, get creative. This is my Fashion Avengers outfit: my dad’s jeans and jacket.’

‘Borrow. It’s not always about spending the paycheck, honey. Sometimes save that for the rent. And don’t over-consume. You don’t need a million white T-shirts, girl.’

‘My outfit is vintage Chanel, it’s from a pre-loved store called Officially Worn.’