VISUAL CULTURE PORTFOLIO ​

The Earth is in trouble and we,

as a society need to help it!

Karina Goldberg
L4099410
Cohort (Fashion, Group 01,Weekday, OCT 2023)
Ethical consumerism means that when any goods
are purchased and used, they are then disposed of,
not only out of personal interest but also out of
concern for the environment. ​People more
often began to ask questions related to
the conditions of production of goods and about the
manufacturing companies, methods of recycling
waste from these companies, and what harm
the production of certain goods can cause to
people, animals, and the environment. ​
Since childhood I was told that we are not rich enough
to buy cheap things. Back then I did not understand
what was hidden behind these words...
I chose the topic of Ethical Consumerism in the
Fashion Industry because it is a limitless topic of
research and debate. Fashion is closely intertwined
with visual culture, the images conveyed to us through
advertising are imprinted in our minds and reflected in
our tastes and choices. Visual culture helps us
perceive the world through vision - vision environment
the sum of total visual objects that surrounding us and
the ways in which those can shape our identities,
influence our beliefs. Thanks to visual culture,
ideology and beliefs, we wear the clothes of those
brands that have stuck in our heads, thanks to
excellent advertising and interesting logos or slogans
with which we have come to identify ourselves.
ETHICAL CONSUMERISM
Each of us, going to the store, faces a dilemma: we are constantly faced with
a choice - to pay more or less. Today, this applies to almost everything from
food, household appliances, cosmetics and, of course, clothing. Most people
will choose the second option without hesitation, but the rest, realising how
difficult the situation with the environment is asking, whether one purchase will
make a difference to the problem? Our system operates on the principle of a
free market and we, as buyers, are given a choice and today it is simply
enormous. Fashion industry produces far too many clothes. According to
Chan (2023), an estimated 150 billion garments are produced every single
year. In my opinion, fast fashion industry, which produces a lot more clothes
than slow fashion, has taken over everything. A mountain of fast fashion in the
Chilean desert can be seen from space (Lee, 2023).
I have a reasonable question as to whether our society has been adequately
notified of this silent catastrophe? How often does the question arise about
where clothes that were never sold from stores and warehouses disappear?
Which followers and activists of slow fashion are actively trying to help
eliminate or reverse the trend of buying more and faster.
Karina Goldberg
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Slow Fashion Movement​
What is slow fashion, how did it come about, and why do we need it?
The Slow Fashion Movement emerged as a counterpoint to fast fashion.
Fast Fashion is the mass production of stylish goods at a low cost, and fast
delivery to retailers while there is maximum demand for the product in the
market. Companies copy products, reproduce fashion trends from higher-end
brands and offer consumers their own collections at lower prices, changing the
assortment several times a season. Fast fashion pioneer Spanish brand Zara
releases 24 new collections a year - essentially every two weeks, made up of
almost 20,000 individual designs, according to a 2022 analysis from Wear Next
(Murphy, 2022).
Fast fashion can be defined as trendy- cheap, accessible clothing. The impact
of fast fashion on the planet is immense. Due to reduced cost, over-
consumption of fossil fuels, and toxic textile dyes (loaded with harmful
chemicals). The affects a global warming and polluting our planet, harming
animals, exploiting workers for low wages and dangerous environments, even
violating human rights (Rauturier, 2023).
Unlike fast fashion, slow fashion is not a temporary trend, but a sustainable
movement. Slow fashion advocates reducing the number of trends and
collections, producing quality pieces, and giving clothes back more value
(Simons, 2023). We understand that slow fashion concerns the clothing itself,
there is also a more modern term - sustainable fashion, which is used to
describe the slow fashion movement.
However, sustainable fashion brings the fashion industry into
another level by focusing on creating high-quality pieces made
from organic cotton, animal cruelty free fabrics and no
sweatshops (Hillman, 2021). Slow fashion is the oldest
traditional form of fashion. It produces a higher quality fabric,
mostly handcrafted or semi-crafted, and only two collections
per year (Nature®, 2024). As a result, the environmental impact
of Slow Fashion is minimal.
I focused my attention on one of the first luxury designers -
Stella McCartney, who began the fight for the environment
and vegetarian- friendly materials. She never used natural
leather and fur, which was an innovation in the fashion
industry. McCartney is also trying to make her collections less
harmful to the environment, and the latest ones are already
made from 80% environmentally friendly materials.
Stella McCartney uses leftover fabrics from past collections
and recycled materials. She collaborated with many well-
known brands, but the most famous were environmentally
friendly collaborations. Stella McCartney's advertising
campaigns touch on the most pressing issues of the day. For
example, the shooting of the fall-winter 2017/2018 collection
took place in a city landfill among mountains of garbage. The
designer decided in this way to draw attention to the problem
of reasonable consumption. In addition, at the end of 2019,
the Stella McCartney brand was recognised by Greenpeace
as the most environmentally friendly (stellamccartney.com,
Karina Goldberg
2024) L4099410
Stella McCartney Launches the Women Spring 2020 and Men SS20 Collections in a Zero Waste Event
Description
The image has a thin and thick lines, they are in parallel rectangular shapes, organic oval shapes,
they are asymmetrical, pattern textures and the colours are teal green, yellow, red, white colours.

Analysis
The placards, all purporting to be handmade, make a variety of statements
Ie “THE WEATHER – WE ARE THE WEATHER”, “HOPEFUL, HOPEFUL”
& a CND symbol (nowadays meaning is peace and unity, but original
Meaning of this sign is (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) in the background and the raised fist
(used as a symbol to fight oppression). All standard ‘protest’ movement material. Text on the
clothing, but unclear statements. Facial expressions pleasure, support and interest. A mock
demonstration supporting a fashion launch promoting zero waste. Placards - mostly none of which
you can fully read, but supporting concern for our environment. Stella McCartney setting up a selfie,
Fists raised and clenched - universal sign of protest. Imagery moving to the right. Stella McCartney
Fig.1: Image of Stella used on website to highlight cause (Prestige, 2019)
in black - in charge. One visible person of colour. Predominantly female. Within the background,
there are many colourful placards rectangular shapes, a simplistic design with a handwritten letters
Judgement on it.
Interpretation
A fashion designer icon’s manufactured assurance that McCartney dominating. Four front figures arranged in descending order.
she understands the environmental issues facing the Mixture of typographical statements – both on placards and on clothes. A moment of jubilation. All
world and the desire she has to achieve notice of her looking to the right. Stella McCartney holding a mobile phone with her left hand outstretched for a
considerations. Remember this is a ‘set up’ situation to group photo or video. Stella McCartney is a known icon of fashion protest – anti fur etc., she is eco-
bring home a message not a spontaneous conscious and a longtime sustainability activist. This image is relevant to the topic as it is
demonstration. I think that this message of zero waste is campaigning for zero waste and to raise awareness about climate change, it is encouraging disposal
being portrayed well during this protest as everyone has of products correctly without harm to the environment. The purpose of the image is highlighting the
the same idea and wants others to be aware and viewers about social responsibility. The message from this image gives a sense of unity as it is a
consider it. Everybody involved seems to be in good group of people protesting, however there is no violence, and they are all calm. This shows us that
spirits also, Stella McCartney also donated fabrics and there does not need to be any aggression when trying to send a message.
decorations to a local design school to ensure there was
zero waste. Karina Goldberg
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Stella McCartney with CSM student Peter Nasielski, winner of the internship at Stella McCartney HQ, part of
the Lenovo x Stella McCartney sustainable design competition, on November 02, 2022 in London, England.
Fig. 2: Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Stella
McCartney)
Description
There is a tall man and young woman stood in the middle of the photo. They are contrasting with the white
background since they are both wearing dark clothes, there's also an element of red within the main part of
the photo. Within the background, there are many shapes which include thin, curvy lines and some which are
zigzag. The main man has a red shirt on which is covered in small patterns. The woman is looking up at him
while holding a dark red object.
Analysis
The main point of focus in this photo is the man, he is heavily contrasting the rest of the photo with his black
attire, and dark red shirt. There are other small elements of red, such as the object the woman is holding, the
small sprinkles of red within the photo bring it all together. The image is fairly balanced as there is not much
going on, all of the elements seem to be equally spaced out and the main two people equal each other out.
There is a balance between left and right side of the picture..
Interpretation
The photographer captured Stella McCartney looking at a young man and showing him/examining eco-friendly
products. Even though he is the point of focus within the photo, Stella McCartney is more dominant within her
stance and expression. He seems to be nervous while she is calm and confident within herself. The way he is
smiling seems tense and his body language looks as if he is pulling away from her while she is stood
confidently and keeping to herself and holding one of the products.
Judgement
A successful event image recorded by a photographer that shows different expressions. Both of these are
positive emotions, even if the man seems nervous, it is a good nervous. Stella McCartney looks eager to
show him the products and he looks excited to examine them. I believe that this picture captures the beauty
of humans learning something new and sharing it with others, the energy in this picture is very happy and
positive, there is no negativity in it.
Karina Goldberg
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 Description
According to Panofsky's iconological method we can see a book cover with a simplistic design. The
background is white/gray, meaning that the main part of the book cover is mainly visible. There is a
cursive script font giving the idea that the contents of the book are old fashioned aka vintage. The main
colors included are black and pink (with pink being one of the main focuses). Black evokes a classic
and sophisticated look while the pink is eye-catching and gives the idea of femininity. The woman's
silhouette looks water-colored ink, also giving the viewer a vintage vibe.
Analysis
Two of the main items are pink, the title of the book and the shirt, these come together well as the
books title is about vintage clothing and sustainable style, meaning clothing will be the main aspect
within the book, and the silhouettes shirt is the same colour, as the title. The silhouette being a woman
also shows that this book will be aimed towards women's fashion (if the title hasn't been read, a quick
glance will be able to give the viewer the same idea). The font being that specific style also gives the
idea that this book is about vintage items, since this style of writing was mainly used in the past. The
way that the cover is laid out, very minimalistic, could suggest that it will help live a similar life.

Interpretation
The woman has powerful stance giving the idea that she is confident in what she is wearing. This is
good for a potential reader since it suggests that they can also be confident in their vintage clothes.
The font change in the bottom is to show that this is about multiple things involving clothing, including
helping the reader. The way that this cover is presented gives a powerful aura to the book, it
Fig.3. Book cover , photo taken by Karina Goldberg,
(2024). is straight to the point in the title and it is very clear to whoever is buying it, what they will receive.
Judgement
This book teaches us how to up-cycle and love our unwearable garments or teaches us how to use the ones we love but do not
wear. It helps the reader not throw away items which could have different uses, meaning that there will be less landfill if every
reader does this, therefore meaning we will have a better environment, this lessens the waste of resources and money, and allows
the reader to find more sustainable clothing. It also helps with fashion advice and ideas on how to wear things which may be
hanging in the back of the wardrobe. Overall, this cover sends a powerful message with a deep meaning behind it and is a very Karina Goldberg
influential . L4099410
 Conclusion
Achieving “true ethical consumerism” is
unrealistic, as there will always be consumers
who do not care about ethics, due to the fact, that
most buyers care about fast consumption, and
producers care about profit.
Visual culture is a necessary condition for
entering the sociocultural space – this is our
everyday life. I have come to conclusion that
visual culture includes art history, ethics, politics,
sociology, knowledge of technology, and
mediation between producers and viewers.
I was shocked to learn about the gargantuan pit in
the middle of a Chilean desert were tonnes of
discarded garments are dumped, and worse still
this can be seen from space-hardly a “wonder of
the world”! And not everyone is aware of this, they
have no idea of about the slow fashion
movement, its benefits for society, and the effects
on the planet.
The impact of fast fashion on environment is very
negative and significant.
It is Estimate 150 billon garments made each year
and around 60 billion garment are never sold
(Chan, 2023).
I strongly believe that over the recent years, fast fashion has taken the world by storm. Nowadays,
people would rather have low quality clothing for cheap than high quality clothing which would last for
more money. Due to many things happening in the world, such as inflation, epidemics and even
pandemics, people have no time to think about zero waste or how to make the environment they live in
better since they have so much on their minds.
However, as fast fashion is rising, so is the
awareness for ethical consumerism.
Recently, many people have actually started
paying attention to the things that they buy
and how they get rid of those products.
It is a trend now to go and “thrift” clothing
items. This is an example of society
becoming more aware of clothing waste and
actually doing something about it rather than
just a few posts on a story.
Companies and highly influential people
have also been jumping on the bandwagon
and impacting their followers and fans. For
example, as I mentioned previously, Stella
McCartney is one of the many people who
take action and do something about it.
I’m very passionate about this topic as it can create a lot of discussion. There are many points from
different views which can be used to talk about this, such as the positives of fast fashion or negatives of
slow fashion. It is a large debate.
Overall, I believe the best thing would be to keep our planet happy, we should be trying to find
sustainable ways to discard of our unwanted items rather than throwing them away. Our society should
be made more aware of problems that are caused by unethical brands and cheap quality clothing, it may
be cheaper, but in the end, it will not be worth it. Karina Goldberg
L4099410
LOVE ME LONGER

Karina Goldberg
L4099410
 Bibliography
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https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/zara-shein-second-hand-clothes-b2207995.html. (Accessed: 4 February 2024).
2. Chan, E. (2023). Why Are Billions Of Clothes Never Even Sold? [online] British Vogue. Available at:
https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/overproduction-fashion. (Accessed: 6 February 2024).
3. Symons, F. (2023) Oxfam GB | What is slow fashion?, Oxfam GB. Available at:
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/oxfam-blog/what-is-slow-fashion/#:~:text=Slow%20fashion%20is%20the%20opposite (Accessed 5:
February
4. 2024). Fashion Consultancy. (2021). Sustainable Fashion vs Slow Fashion: What’s the Difference? Available at:
James Hillman
https://www.jameshillman.co.uk/blog/2021/11/17/sustainable-fashion-vs-slow-fashion-whats-the-difference. (Accessed: 4 February 2024).
5. Prestige,(2019). Stella McCartney Launches the Women Spring 2020 and Men SS20 Collections in a Zero Waste Event. Available at: https://
www.prestigeonline.com/hk/style/fashion/stellamccartney-milan-spring2020/, (Accessed: 4 February 2024).

6. www.stellamccartney.com. (2024). Stella McCartney × Lenovo Central Saint Martins’ Eco Design Competition. Available at:
https://www.stellamccartney.com/be/en/stellas-world/stella-mccartney-lenovo-central-saint-martins-eco-design-competition.html (Accessed: 19 February
2024).
7. www.stellamccartney.com. (2024). Our Sustainable Market at COP28 | Stella McCartney. Available at: https://www.stellamccartney.com
/gb/en/COP28-UN-climate-conference-stellas-sustainable-market.html#:~:text=Stella%20has%20been%20a%20trailblazer (Accessed: 5 March 2024).

8. Fig3. Book cover, picture taken by photographer Karina Goldberg

9. Rauturier, S. (2023). What is fast fashion and why is it so bad? [online] Good on You. Available at: https://
goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/. (Accessed: 7 March 2024).

10. Nature®, S. (2024). Slow Fashion, What is it and What are the Advantages? Slow Nature®. Available at: https://www.slownature.com
/blogs/sustainable-fashion/slow-fashion (Accessed: 7 March 2024).
11. published, Lee, R. (2023). High fashion! Mountain of discarded clothes in Chilean desert is visible from space (satellite photo).
Space.com. Available at: https://www.space.com/mountain-discarded-clothes-chile-satellite-photo# (Accessed: 12 March 2024). Karina Goldberg
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