Environmental activist and former model Suzy Amis Cameron is on a mission to transform the fashion industry, starting with the Oscars red carpet. Through her initiative Red Carpet Green Dress, launched in 2009, she promotes sustainable designs at high-profile events. Now, she is expanding into affordable everyday clothing, partnering with companies to create a line of eco-friendly dresses and vegan shoes.
Amis Cameron, married to Avatar director James Cameron, draws on the metaphor of 'bingo fuel' used by fighter pilots to illustrate the urgency of the climate crisis. 'We're going Mach 10 over the ocean and we're already at bingo fuel,' she warns, stressing that immediate action is needed to secure a liveable planet for future generations.
Her sustainable fashion ventures include a collaboration with Beyond Skin for stylish, Peta-approved vegan shoes, and an online range of affordable clothes. Profits will support her environmentally-focused MUSE school, which already benefits from Red Carpet Green Dress scholarships. Amis Cameron plans to open more such schools in the US and internationally.
Despite slow progress in getting celebrities and major fashion houses to embrace sustainability, Amis Cameron notes improvements in fabric availability and a shift among some designer names. She believes the public wants to live less toxically but is paralysed by lack of education and marketing of harmful products. 'People don't even know the first step to take,' she says.
The Camerons use their platform to advocate for change, driven by a shared awareness of environmental destruction. 'We need to make a difference,' Amis Cameron asserts, as she continues to push for a more sustainable fashion industry.
