First up, welcome to my Substack: the home of sustainable fashion news, resources and insights. Before we dive in, I’d like to introduce you to your author — my name is Hannah, aka ‘The Citizen Storyteller’.
A bit about me: over the past eight years, I’ve gone from Journalism & Communications Intern to Editorial Assistant to Copywriter, experiencing the glossy world of fashion through the lens of the brand, the magazine and the retailer. So far, I’ve worked almost exclusively in luxury, which has been an incredible privilege, but like anything, not without its teachings. I’m lucky to have collaborated with some of fashion’s most pioneering labels — on some truly game-changing projects — but in doing so, I’ve also discovered the continued need for progress across the industry.
Inspired by Jon Alexander’s ground-breaking book Citizens, which comes highly recommended, The Citizen Storyteller is the name I am giving myself as I commit to positively changing the fashion industry. Towards the end of 2024, I began to reflect on what I’ve learned so far in my career and what more I could be doing to contribute to society. My answers to these questions have led me to create this blog: a personal project and the first step in my manifesto for change.
In The Citizen Storyteller, I will champion the industry innovations worth celebrating and highlight opportunities for sustainable development, sharing my experiences in corporate along the way. As I pen this note, I consider the designers, brands and organisations accelerating positive change (I’m proud of my contribution to Selfridges’ sustainability strategy, which leads the charge for sustainability in luxury retail). I also consider the issues of materials traceability, supply-chain transparency, and overproduction/consumption — and the destructive effects of climate change that underpin them.
global citizen (noun): A person who feels loyalty and support for the world as a whole as much as for the particular country in which they live.
In a bid to fulfil my responsibility as a global citizen and drive the industry’s sustainability efforts (because let’s face it, the onus invariably falls on us), I will share my industry teachings with anyone who wants to engage — from thought pieces and resources to interviews with key players across my network. In doing so, I hope to build and support a community of aspiring change-makers and inspire positive progress across the fashion industry. If this sounds like you, drop me a comment or a message!
Thank you for showing great determination in getting this far (I hope you like what you read, and if you have any feedback, I’m all ears).
