Amy Hall, vp at Eileen Fisher, joined Glossy+ members for a Slack Chat on Nov.14. The 25-year Eileen Fisher veteran, in charge of increasing human, environmental and economic sustainability, discussed why the company opens its production playbook to young designers, whether fast fashion and sustainability can coexist, and what drives women’s purchases today.
The full conversation is available exclusively to Glossy+ members, but lightly edited excerpts appear below. Click here to join Glossy+.
How do collaborations fit into your overall strategy? Did the Public School collab have any effect on Eileen Fisher, or vice versa?
First of all, collaborations are definitively part of our strategy. We are too small to have any sort of meaningful impact on our own. It’s through our work with other brands and influencers that we can have any hope of making a difference to the planet. And, yes, we always learn from our partners, including the edge and creativity of Public School. And, apparently, Public School is now committed to a sustainability agenda as a result of working with us.
Are fast fashion and sustainability mutually exclusive?
I do think fashion needs to slow down, if only to lighten our dependency on clothing. If consumers aren’t going to do it on their own, then we (brands) do need to take action in whatever way we can. So, in that regard, fast fashion and sustainability are oxymoronic.
What’s your next undertaking? Is something specific keeping you awake now?
Making clothes in a more responsible way feels like a tiny drop in the bucket. Getting policy to support “good business” and considering our whole economic system and how it supports money over values keeps me up at night.
