Sustainability is on course to be the biggest fashion buzzword of 2020, and Dubai-based digital platform ATTUALE is a great example of why.
Named after the Italian word for contemporary, ATTUALE has a firm focus on sustainable brands that have been curated to ensure each collection and its team behind it are in line with its environmental approach.
Featuring Paris Georgia, the elevated essentials label from New Zealand; Aeydē, the Berlin-based footwear line; and Trine Tuxen, the modern minimalist jewellery brand from Copenhagen to name just a few out of its 54 brands, the complete list of featured fashion and beauty brands echo Founder Giuditta Spezzapria’s vision for the future of fashion.
Here she shares her insights with Grazia.
Have you always been interested in sustainability?
Sustainability is a belief that has grown within me over time, and today, it continues to grow stronger. I constantly challenge myself to think how I can make more conscious decisions. And mainly – I believe in reducing. In even the most banal decisions, I question myself – am I really going to use it? Do I need it? Will I be using it again? Am I willing to take care of it?
How do you source the brands you want to work with? Do you have certain environmental standards they have to meet?
We try to meet with and get to know all of the founders behind the brands we collaborate with; this lets us understand if we share the same beliefs and if we are driven by the same motives. Them being the foundations, really, the rest naturally flows.
Do you think the fashion industry needs to do more to reduce its carbon footprint?
Although I surely think it should, I believe there are more ways that we can all contribute in order to support and reduce. I see it as a two-way street, the industry should encourage conscious purchases and hence consumers should be ready to listen and respond.
Do you think more brands are becoming more environmentally aware?
After working on the ATTUALE project, I was amazed to see many of my generation standing up for their beliefs. It is refreshing to meet people who care, inspire and fight daily in order to create new opportunities.
What eco-initiatives do you have within the company?
I strongly believe that starting with the small things matters the most, and at ATTUALE, we continue to reconsider even the most ordinary of decisions. For example, in terms of packaging, we kept it as minimal as possible. We are printing our thank you cards only with the first purchase, reducing paper and unnecessary waste. Additionally, we send packages in our reusable bags and pouches made of recycled materials.
Do you think trends are becoming less important as shoppers look to more timeless pieces?
I think trends is a trend itself. And like many trends, they come and go. I believe that us as consumers are now looking to find safer places, to feel comfortable and confident within our own clothes.
Photos: Supplied
