Yes the Oscars have a sustainable dress code!
Alongside being a co-host of the 2023 RCGD Global (Red Carpet Green Dress) Pre-Oscars Annual Celebration that took place Thursday March 9th, Samata Pattinson, RCGD Global CEO, is the author of this year’s Oscars sustainable dress code.
As part of its commitment to reducing its environmental impact and building a legacy of sustainability across its operations,the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a partnership with RCGD Global t
In an exclusive interview Samata speaks about the mission and goals of RCGD Global.
Q: Why and when did you launch RCGD Global?
A: Suzy Amis Cameron (actress, environmental advocate, and author) founded Red Carpet Green Dress in 2009 as a design contest when faced with the lack of ethical fashion choices while attending global premieres of husband James Camerons’ ‘Avatar’. Since then, the organizations’ work has developed to include collaborations with global and small independent brands, partnerships delivering sustainable design solutions, educational work with the emerging design community and international design contest initiatives. To fully encompass the multitude of spaces that the organization exists in, it rebranded to RCGD Global in 2022.
Q: How do you evaluate the awareness of stars for sustainable fashion on the red carpet?
A: To decide the talent with which to work with for the Oscars we take into consideration different parameters, this ranges from their interest in the subject, their suitability for the Oscars, including of course their commitment and interest with sustainability. This can cover the passions they have shared publicly but also those they have shared privately with us – from their lifestyle habits to volunteering work. We always look at other factors too, such as inclusivity and representation and we try to work with emerging talent who want to encourage positive change in the world, or who have a perspective and are on a genuine journey – not just established names.
Q: Who are the stars that have promoted sustainable fashion the most actively in the past redcarpets, Oscars or others?
A: For last year’s edition we worked with Tati Gabrielle, Paloma Garcia-Lee and Maggie Baird, who were great ambassadors and not only supported, but truly understood our cause, alongside Billie Eillish. Other stars who have collaborated with us and helped share our message of hope in the sustainability space include Henry Cavill, Marlee Matlin, Léa Seydoux, Kaitlyn Dever, Naomie Harris, LaKeith Stanfield, ElenaAndreicheva, Danielle MacDonald, Emma Roberts, Priyanka Bose and Sophie Turner.
Q: The sustainable style guide touches on so many aspects. Which one do you believe is the”easiest” and most popular for stars to follow?
A: Wearing archive pieces or re-wearing a gown they have worn on another occasion are two of the most common routes when opting for a sustainable look. The easiest solution to dressing more sustainably is always already in your wardrobe. This is more relatable but for me one of the most relatable ones is deciding what you feel passionately about – is it women-led business, independent brands, representation or brands which priorisitise equitable pay, and then follow that. You have to connect with the subject or there is no point.
Q: Do you also approach stylists directly to urge them to use sustainable fashion for the stars?
A: For the launch of our Sustainable Style Guide we partnered with Glamhive, an end-to-end, online platform providing personalized styling services worldwide. With this collaboration, Glamhive’s network of stylists received a copy of the guide to read and share with their clients, encouraging more conscious style choices among celebrities and consumers alike.
Q: How do you feel the growth of sustainable awareness will impact the fashion industry in the long run?
A: Like any industry, the fashion industry is based on demand, so if customers become more aware of the impact of fast fashion and transition to a more sustainable lifestyle, brands will be forced to re-examine their business system in order to survive. I truly think it will become inevitable.
Q: What other partnerships and activities are you planning in the near future?
A: 2023 is a really exciting year for us, starting with the Oscars and the amazing ongoing partnership with Tencel and new partnership with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and VeriSwype. We have a big project we have been working on for months launching after the Oscars, so expect news from us soon.
Us for one, cant wait to see who of Hollywood’s stars will step out in a sustainble manner this coming sunday at the biggest red carpet event of the year!
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