The panel discussion was held on the first day of the biannual parade’s special exhibition on fashion and sustainability at the official venue. The Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFWO) has been promoting ‘SDGs that fashion can do’ through a variety of projects since the 22 S/S season, the organisation said in a press release.

“I truly think fashion has the power to get people’s attention, and SDGs need that,” Konishi said in an interview following the event. “I’m a fashion designer (and) at the same time an activist for sustainability. If sustainability helps other people, I would love to keep working towards it.”

Konishi was wearing an oversized suit made of sustainable material called Zero-Tex, which is produced using a technology for lowering CO2 emissions.

Akihide Nishikawa, CEO of textile maker Yamagin Inc, which has developed Zero-Tex, said at the event that the fashion industry is often criticised for being environmentally unfriendly.

“We want to stop (the criticism). Fashion is not evil. Fashion is something to have fun with. Fashion should last forever. We will continue taking action for that,” Nishikawa said.

Clothes made of Zero-Tex and designed by Chieko Ikegami, Yuri Ikegaya, and Risa Fugetsu, fashion design students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, were displayed in the exhibition room until March 18.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)