Boohoo And Kourtney Kardashian Partner On “Sustainability Journey”

Poosh founder Kourtney Kardashian has been named as a new sustainability ambassador for online fast fashion retailer Boohoo.

The eldest sister of the celebrity family dynasty as teamed up with the U.K.-based apparel brand for a partnership based on her signature runway-style and sustainable, conscious practices.

The announcement of a capsule collection debut at New York Fashion Week on September 13 comes just weeks after the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that Boohoo, along with Asos and Asda, was under investigation over ‘greenwashing’ and whether their previous sustainable fashion claims are misleading customers.

It follows concerns around the way retailers’ products are being marketed to customers as eco-friendly, creating the impression that their products are sustainable by making broad claims about the use of recycled materials with little to no information about the basis for those claims.

There has been a global crackdown in the U.S., Europe and the U.K. over the sustainability claims of businesses across every sector from fashion to finance, with some big fines already dished out.

And since the announcement of the CMA investigation, short sellers have bet that Boohoo and Asos’ share price will fall further, despite their stocks plunging by around three-quarters over the past year.

Kardashian Talks Sustainability Concerns

Kardashian admitted to some trepidation herself on the announcement of the tie-up with Boohoo and said: “When boohoo first approached me with this idea that was all about sustainability and style, I was concerned about the effects of the fast fashion industry on our planet. It’s been an enlightening experience speaking directly with industry experts.”

The first out of two collections will include 46 limited-edition pieces, including two vintage styles custom-sourced by John Hickling of Glass Onion Vintage.

“These biker jackets are your statement vintage piece,” Hickling said in a release on what shoppers can expect from the capsule at New York Fashion Week.

The Boohoo campaign stars Kardashian and gives consumers a preview of what they can expect from the collection: “futuristic silhouettes and sophisticated outwear to timeless dresses, punk-rock ensembles and Barbiecore.”

In terms of sustainability, the collection will feature materials made from recycled fibers, traceable cotton, recycled sequins and recycled polyester for its faux leather pieces. The brand will introduce transparent practices for shoppers who want to learn more about the apparel as well.

Apparel Debut in New York

The U.S. media celebrity, 43, will release two apparel lines supported by social media videos interviewing experts about workers’ rights and sustainability in the industry, with a series of social content capturing the star’s sustainable fashion journey alongside industry experts.

“There’s still lots of work to be done and improvements to be made, but I truly believe that any progress we can make when it comes to sustainability is a step in the right direction and will open up the conversation for future advancements,” said Kardashian.

Boohoo Group co-founder and executive director Carol Kane said: “There are ways the fashion industry can be smarter. Boohoo has taken the bold decision to listen to our customers when they tell us they want to make more sustainable choices, but that the jargon makes it hard to really understand what their options are.

“When we first met with Kourtney, she said exactly the same thing, and we realised we had an opportunity to try and help inform our customers and empower them to make more informed choices. When we spoke to the experts from across the industry, everyone said education was the key, and we could all see this was quite a unique opportunity to speak directly to millions of people across the globe and deliver something we don’t believe has been done before.”