Chanel has been highly criticized for cutting down dozens of trees in order to recreate a forest in Le Grand Palais. The fashion show occurred on the last day of the Fashion week, tuesday 6th March. Dead leaves, moss, logs and a forest of oaks and poplars : the scene is magnificent but it has cost a lot. For these few hours of show, Chanel didn't hesitate to knock down a whole forest in Le Perche, not far away from Paris.
The famous brand said this happened "within an authorized logging block".
France Nature Environnement (FNE), which gathers environmental associations, has denounced an "heresy" and, most generally, "the fashion industry's lack of consideration for the environment ». « Promotion of French forests' diversity, call to get back to nature, endeavor to appear as an eco-responsible brand... Whatever Chanel's motivations were, it failed, said FNE in a statement. Nature has nothing to do with cut trees, brought over in a truck for a mise en scène, and then threw away in a dumpster. ». Instead of moving the forest to Paris, FNE is wondering why Chanel didn't think of moving the show itself in the forest which would have been much more original and authentic...
Chanel replied in a statement : « When the brand bought the trees, it committed itself to plant 100 new oaks within the forest." Not sure that this argument which looks a little bit too much like green washing will win over those who believe that fashion industry needs to change its practices.
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