{"id":21510,"date":"2026-07-08T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/?p=21510"},"modified":"2026-06-30T11:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T10:17:28","slug":"the-devil-wears-prada-and-who-designs-responsibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/the-devil-wears-prada-and-who-designs-responsibility\/","title":{"rendered":"The Devil Wears Prada,\u00a0And Who Designs Responsibility\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few weeks ago, I went to London to see the musical adaptation of&nbsp;<em>The Devil Wears Prada<\/em>. It was visually stunning.&nbsp;One scene stayed with me long after the show ended: the stage filled entirely with clothes,&nbsp;layers&nbsp;and layers of them,&nbsp;and one line cutting through it&nbsp;all:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201cDon\u2019t&nbsp;be ridiculous.&nbsp;Everyone wants to be us<\/strong>.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I started to&nbsp;wonder, how did \u201cus\u201d become what everyone wants?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the top of the fashion hierarchy sits Miranda Priestly:&nbsp;precise, controlled, and quietly decisive. She does not&nbsp;follow&nbsp;trends; she decides them.&nbsp;Today, that power has not disappeared. It has&nbsp;multiplied.&nbsp;Figures like Kim Kardashian and the rise of influencer culture have transformed fashion from a closed system into an always-on performance. Platforms turn everyday life into a stage, where style is no longer seasonal, but constant.&nbsp;Events like Coachella illustrate this shift perfectly. Outfits are curated for visibility, worn for a moment, and replaced instantly. Not because they are worn out,&nbsp;but because attention has moved on.&nbsp;The structure of power has changed.&nbsp;But the pressure to consume has not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We often frame sustainability as a problem of&nbsp;<em>fast fashion<\/em>:&nbsp;overproduction, waste, unsustainable consumption. But that explanation is too easy.&nbsp;<em>The Devil Wears Prada<\/em>&nbsp;reminds us that the problem begins much earlier in the system.&nbsp;By the time fashion becomes mass-produced, the desire for it has already been designed,&nbsp;filtered through runway shows, editorial decisions, and cultural authority.&nbsp;Luxury fashion sits at the&nbsp;centre&nbsp;of this process, presenting itself through a story of exclusivity, craftsmanship, and timeless value.&nbsp;Yet behind this narrative are materials and practices that raise uncomfortable questions. For example,&nbsp;exotic leathers like crocodile skin require resource-intensive farming and raise ethical concerns that are rarely part of&nbsp;the aesthetic&nbsp;conversation.&nbsp;Sustainability, then,&nbsp;often arrives too late: trying to regulate production without questioning the logic that made the product desirable in the first place.&nbsp;Responsibility cannot start at the factory.&nbsp;It&nbsp;has to&nbsp;start with&nbsp;<strong>influence<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where luxury fashion becomes critical, not as the problem, but as a potential leverage point. Research on luxury supply chains suggests that responsible fashion is not achieved through isolated \u201cgreen\u201d materials, but through a systemic shift built on three principles:&nbsp;<strong>innovation, exclusivity, and consciousness&nbsp;<\/strong>(Karaosman, Marshall and Brun, 2020). That means:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>innovating materials\u00a0<em>and<\/em>\u00a0processes\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>producing less, not just producing differently\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>embedding ethics into decision-making, not marketing\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luxury fashion has a structural advantage: it does not depend on volume. It has the capacity to slow down, to prioritise quality, and to set standards that others follow.&nbsp;If it defines desire, it can also redefine it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"901\" height=\"592\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/669\/2026\/06\/image-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21522\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/669\/2026\/06\/image-4.png 901w, https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/669\/2026\/06\/image-4-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/669\/2026\/06\/image-4-768x505.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 901px) 100vw, 901px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image Description: <em>Responsible Luxury Radar diagram\u00a0(Karaosman, Marshall and Brun, 2020, p.105)<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But sustainability is only one part of the equation. If&nbsp;<em>The Devil Wears Prada<\/em>&nbsp;were written today, it would not only address what clothes are made of, but also&nbsp;(Black&nbsp;Pearl, 2023):&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>who gets to wear them\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>who produces them\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>whose cultures are being referenced\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fashion system cannot claim responsibility if it changes materials but leaves power structures untouched.&nbsp;Responsible fashion&nbsp;should&nbsp;extend beyond carbon footprints to include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>fair labour and transparent supply chains<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>inclusive representation across the industry<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>respect for cultural context, not appropriation<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because fashion does not only produce garments.&nbsp;It produces visibility, hierarchy, and meaning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If influence is the starting point, then responsibility requires a shift in what fashion chooses to make desirable.&nbsp;Not louder trends,&nbsp;but better ones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Design for longevity<\/strong>, not turnover\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reduce frequency<\/strong>, not just impact\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Make transparency visible<\/strong>, not hidden\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Redefine luxury<\/strong>\u00a0as\u00a0craftsmanship\u00a0<em>and<\/em>\u00a0accountability\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is not to remove aspiration from fashion,&nbsp;but to&nbsp;<strong>rebuild it<\/strong>.&nbsp;It is easy to ask whether fashion can become sustainable.&nbsp;It is harder to ask:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Can the system that taught us what to want\u2026 teach us to want differently?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because the problem is not only what we buy.&nbsp;It is why we want it,&nbsp;so quickly, so easily, and often without question.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walking out of the theatre, the image of those endless clothes stayed with me. Not because of their beauty, but because of what they&nbsp;represented: a system that works precisely because it feels natural.&nbsp;And that is where responsibility becomes most urgent.&nbsp;Not at the point of consumption.&nbsp;Not even at the point of production.&nbsp;But at the point where desire is designed.&nbsp;If Miranda Priestly can make the world want something, then the future of fashion depends on a different question:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What happens when what we want is no longer just beautiful,<\/strong> <strong>but\u00a0also\u00a0accountable?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>By Huiwen Wang, SGO Projects Officer<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>References\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BLACK PEARL (2023)&nbsp;<em>The Devil Wears Prada Prepares for a Return: A Chance to Address Sustainable Fashion and Representation<\/em>. Available at:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/withblackpearl.com\/article\/the-devil-wears-prada-prepares-for-a-return-a-chance-to-address-sustainable-fashion-and-representation\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/withblackpearl.com\/article\/the-devil-wears-prada-prepares-for-a-return-a-chance-to-address-sustainable-fashion-and-representation\/<\/a>&nbsp;(Accessed: 25 April 2026).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Karaosman, H., Marshall,&nbsp;D.&nbsp;and Brun, A. (2020)&nbsp;<em>Does the Devil Wear Prada? Lessons in Supply Chain Sustainability from Luxury Fashion<\/em>. Available at:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/re.public.polimi.it\/retrieve\/handle\/11311\/1165627\/598943\/TEBR%20NovDec_Does%20the%20Devil%20wear%20Prada.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/re.public.polimi.it\/retrieve\/handle\/11311\/1165627\/598943\/TEBR%20NovDec_Does%20the%20Devil%20wear%20Prada.pdf<\/a>&nbsp;(Accessed: 25 April 2026).&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few weeks ago, I went to London to see the musical adaptation of&nbsp;The Devil Wears Prada. It was visually stunning.&nbsp;One scene stayed with me long after the show ended: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":331329,"featured_media":21514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[334,366,3786,1822,1942,1954,2014],"class_list":["post-21510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability-engagement","tag-canterbury-christ-church-university","tag-cccusustainability","tag-fashion","tag-sgo","tag-student-blogger","tag-student-green-office","tag-sustainability"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"authorName":"Bethany Climpson","featuredImage":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/669\/2026\/06\/generated.png","postExcerpt":"A few weeks ago, I went to London to see the musical adaptation of&nbsp;The Devil Wears Prada. It was visually stunning.&nbsp;One scene stayed with me long after the show ended: [&hellip;]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/331329"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21510"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21526,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21510\/revisions\/21526"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}