About
Freedom and Fashion (FnF) is dedicated to educating society about the global social issues of modern-day slavery, sex trafficking, child labor, and human rights violations. FnF addresses these injustices through the purchasing power of conscious consumerism, by increasing the demand for socially responsible and ethically produced goods and ensuring they are readily available to consumers.
The thorough version for the curious:
Too often, fashion shows focus on the art of fashion design without deeper, substantial understanding of the impact the art form may or may not have on society. On one side of the fashion industry is art and culture, wealth and privilege, and style and grace — society’s representation of what it means to be beautiful. The flip side, however — the hidden side of the fashion industry — is the exploitation of factory workers, cotton harvesters, and enslaved children. Freedom and Fashion (FnF) is an organization whose mission is dedicated to educating society about the global social issues of modern-day slavery, sex trafficking, child labor, and human rights violations. FnF addresses these injustices through the purchasing power of conscious consumerism by increasing the demand for socially responsible and ethically produced goods and ensuring they are readily available to consumers.
All merchandise featured and sold in our Freedom and Fashion Designer Showcase and Trade Show are from non-profit organizations and companies that practice fair trade and/or provide critical job-sustainability in various areas of the world.
FnF draws the social injustices of the fashion industry from the background of consumer awareness to the foreground, and transforms shoppers into conscious consumers with our Call to Action!
FnF’s work is grounded in our three organizational goals:
Advocacy: FnF advocates for fair trade labor practices in the production of consumer goods. FnF also serves to educate the public about human rights violations through FnF or partner collaborative events.
Promotion: FnF provides a market platform for non-profit organizations / companies that sell merchandise created through ethical and fair trade means through our signature event, The Freedom and Fashion Designer Showcase and Trade Show, as well as other events and publications.
Love: At the core of FnF is the value of God’s love. By reconciling the existing perversion of injustice and oppression in the supply chain through several channels: educating our community, providing alternative purchasing means, and calling individuals to participate in the solution, FnF is living God’s word and call to serve our neighbors.
How we execute these goals -
Advocacy
FNF believes in educating the public about what social injustice looks like. A child dying due to a lack of clean water, women and children in brothels to earn a living, human beings enslaved for someone else’s gain – these are the types of issues we address. For instance, there are more slaves today than in the Trans Atlantic slave trade. Trafficking made over 32 billion dollars alone last year. Controversial issues such as prostitution, and pornography can relate to trafficking. These topics are often discussed and researched in order to communicate to people how what we buy, watch, and participate in affects those who are in the various oppressive industries or groups. At the fashion show, FNF wants to educate guests about such issues. We will have organizations present to help with answering questions and a short film screening about trafficking available during the event. People can also read our magazine that will go into detail about certain peoples’ experiences associated with exploitation.
Promotion
During these economic times, Non-Profit Organizations are also struggling. These organizations that promote the betterment of the those in needs should not be overlooked. Having this fashion show is a step to bringing more exposure to groups that are already doing the front line work of educating, providing health care, creating jobs, and empowering. Freedom and Fashion provides free advertisement for the lines by: showcasing on the runway, through a Freedom and Fashion magazine catalog, over the web, through film biographies and more. In addition, people can purchase the merchandise on the day of the event in the various booths. We want to use our talents and love for art and production for good!
Love
If Love was missing, it would be another social cause event leaving people feeling half passionate and half discouraged. We want to create an atmosphere that empowers guests to act, not out of hatred for those who do the “oppressing” but out of an understanding that we as humans all fall from perfection. We are not making light of the intense perversion apparent with trafficking, exploitation or poverty; we only want to address that power in the wrong hands produces such injustices. In this way, we want all attendees to become educated about their own purchasing power and how it can be used for even greater purposes. Attendees will hopefully leave the event also thinking about how they can use their talents and resources to help those who are enslaved to a dark industry.
Who are the people at Freedom and Fashion?
We are a unique organization comprised of students, working professionals, artists, networkers, fashionita/os all willing to volunteer our time to see this fashion show become an instrument for positive change. We believe that no matter what age and background anyone make a difference if there is passion and determination. If you would like to reach us, please use the contact form provided under the Contact tab. Thank you.