Toxic Fashion

I shot this video in a scrap yard and the intention is to shock and to bring to your attention how destructive the fashion world is to people and the planet. Each model illustrates a theme, e.g. the cotton industry, ghost fishing , over use of plastic, pollution of our rivers by chemical discharges. To achieve the looks I incorporated waste materials including daubing the hair with paint, melting plastic into the hair and plaiting the hair with wire.
For example:
Cotton
The image of the model with her face wrapped in black tape shows her being consumed by an excess of cotton, like the cotton producers who suffer illnesses and death in it’s production. Another model is observing and lamenting this tragedy.
Denim
This image shows the hands of the modern slave. The hair is blue to mimic the highly toxic Indigo dye used to produce the colour of your jeans.
Textile dyeing
The model is lying on a pile of clothes symbolising the waste of our society. She is also wearing a mask, as she is suffocating from the over use of chemicals needed to dye textiles. Then she passes out due to breathing too many strong chemicals.
Ghost Fishing
The model is trapped, caught in her the net of her own hair, dying, suffocating like millions of birds and fish.
I couldn't have done this without the involvement of these wonderful people...
Hair assistant Cassie Jennings
Make-up Morgan Defre
Photography Magic Owen
Styling Sue Fyfe-Williams
Designers Amber Hards Knitwear, Karol Cygan, Mercurioargento, Karen Millen
and especially Norbert Pietraszek the videographer.