Finding Unexpected Community in Fashion
Notes from the road from Yoxi Founder, Sharon Chang
Earlier this summer, I was invited to speak at the Omina Summit in Costa Rica, a sustainability gathering that brings together innovators in fashion and environmentalism to exchange research and ideas. This is a topic that I have been passionate and curious about for years, and my conversations with Andrea Somma, the founder of Omina, had been fruitful and encouraging. Yet I had no idea what to expect — and I must confess that I don’t particularly enjoy going to summits, convenings, unconferences or conferences by any other name. Sometimes even the mention of “community” triggers a sense of mild suspicion.
These days “community” is overused, if not abused. It is quickly losing the beauty of its intended meaning — as if any cluster of people in proximity qualifies as a community. So, I worry about attending the ever-expanding set of gatherings and becoming associated with groups for whom words mean more than action and promises outweigh commitment. Often, despite giving in to my own curiosity or a sense of professional obligation, I show up — kicking and screaming — and end up skipping most sessions and avoiding “networking opportunities” at all costs. I am not anti-social, nor do I ever want to say no to fresh ideas and inspirations. I have simply become allergic to over-calculated interactions.
When I began the year pondering the work cut out for us at Yoxi, I recall feeling excited to discover more explorers, “courageous trailblazers, guided by clear vision to create change, not afraid to admit that we don’t know where we are going, until we do.” As always, that requires taking chances by journeying into the unknown. Omina was billed as an intimate and authentic community that supports leaders attempting to drive meaningful change in one of the most wasteful industries. So, I decided to attend after all. I told myself to focus on giving a good talk and using the opportunity to highlight some of the amazing work that our Yoxi explorers have been doing.
What unfolded at the Summit truly surprised me. I fell in love with the Omina team, who worked tirelessly to make all the speakers and participants feel at home. It was clear to me that they weren’t just doing a job. Their pride and excitement came across in every gesture and detail, which made me want to stay present and engaged without any distraction. And I wasn’t the only one feeling this way, as the energy from every person was palpable and uplifting.
There was a beautiful flow of contribution and exchange without ego or pretense. I did not just deliver my speech and leave. I sat through every single session for three days, listened with my heart, challenged my own perspectives, and returned home with optimism and gratitude. I witnessed a real community coming together from around the world in the most modest and loving way. In the spirit of exchange which Omina fostered, I want to highlight some of my observations and learnings from this memorable experience with those following our Yoxi explorations.
Systems for Thinking and Thinking for Systems
The Summit opened with several talks that delved into broadly-applicable frameworks for catalyzing innovation, creating change from the ground up, and approaching impact in new ways — reaching far beyond fashion and environmentalism. My talk introduced the emergent discipline of Future Architecture, which underpins our work at Yoxi. I explored the pillars of imagination, narrative and embodiment, focusing on how maintaining the balance of their dynamic interplay is critical in driving the meaningful disruptions we need in this time of upheaval and rapid change. I found deep resonance in the complement offered by the other two presentations, which outlined new perspectives on the critical importance of systems thinking as we tackle complex problems with seemingly endless interdependencies.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the world’s biggest financial crisis. The signs are almost beyond debate that Capitalism as we know it will only bring further destruction to our environment and society if it continues unchecked. The current power systems have become addicted to GDP growth at all costs, degrading our “life support systems” as we have lost sight of the larger goals we might pursue. To that end, Katherine Trebeck presented the vision behind The Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WE-All).
According to Trebeck, our Capitalist system “needs to be fundamentally transformed into a Wellbeing Economy. Instead of mindlessly chasing GDP growth, we must prioritize achieving sustainable wellbeing with dignity and fairness for humans and the rest of nature. For humanity to thrive, all institutions (including businesses) and society must pivot toward a new purpose: shared wellbeing on a healthy planet.” The WE-All is just starting. And they are open to gathering advice, getting input, and taking a learn-and-adapt approach. They believe that a new paradigm is inevitable, but the question is how proactively we are willing to participate in the shift from the old to the new (or the known to the unknown).
They founded their efforts on the belief that an effective intervention must deal directly with the root of the problem. So, to achieve this wellbeing economy, a major shift of our world view, society and culture is needed. Even in its infancy, the We-All is imagining new possibilities to direct resources for collaborations and developing new narratives to help others join them on their journey. I found it heartening to see a dedicated team undertake this colossal effort, with a few enlightened and courageous nations jumping in to create momentum.
While the WE-All hinges on what is possible if we can change how we define progress, Project Drawdown is founded squarely from what already exists. According to Paul Hawken, “It’s just math.” Their website describes their offering as “…the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. Our organization did not make or devise the plan — we found the plan because it already exists. We gathered a qualified and diverse group of researchers from around the world to identify, research, and model the 100 most substantive, existing solutions to address climate change. What was uncovered is a path forward that can roll back global warming within thirty years. It shows that humanity has the means at hand. Nothing new needs to be invented. The solutions are in place and in action. Our work is to accelerate the knowledge and growth of what is possible. We chose the name Drawdown because if we do not name the goal, we are unlikely to achieve it.”
I was intrigued by Drawdown’s scientific method, a tactical and data-driven approach, as well as the subtle but bold attempt at placing value on the process of synthesizing scattered information. Moreover, their emphasis on using narrative to accelerate the spread of hope is critical in catalyzing change. They insist that, to date, the full range and impact of climate solutions have not been explained in a way that bridges the divide between urgency and agency. Thus, the aspirations of people who want to enact meaningful solutions remain largely untapped. This perspective puts the lens on understanding how to activate the latent potential of all humans who are interested in working together, rather than focusing solely on new innovations or wrestling with the complicated parameters of global trade and industry.
Hawkins’ book has been described as, “a credible, conservative solution-by-solution narrative that we can do it. Reading it is an effective inoculation against the widespread perception of doom that humanity cannot and will not solve the climate crisis. Reported by-effects include increased determination and a sense of grounded hope.” And, in this time when we tend to look at technology as the answer to our prayers, Drawdown reminds us of Margaret Mead’s admonission that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens is all we need to change the world.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Putting Luxury into Social Entrepreneurship
I have always been fascinated by the relationship between luxury and social impact. For me, luxury has more to do with quality than wealth. While this topic warrants a much more nuanced discussion, I fundamentally believe that luxury can and should be redefined through the lens of social impact. Such an orientation explains why Yoxi was an early supporter of companies like Naadam, which focused on re-inventing high-quality, affordable cashmere.
And, a conference on fashion and environmentalism inherently presents tension, as solutions have typically been associated with giving things up in our lifestyle and society to save the planet. On the one hand, we must continue to push the boundary to redefine what luxury means from a cultural perspective. On the other, it’s important to use all existing interpretations of luxury as drivers for behavioral, or even structural social change.
So, I was excited to see three compelling examples of “luxury meets social entrepreneurship,” two of which are part of the Yoxi family: Jasmine Aarons of Voz who participated in Yoxi’s Next Big Brand 2024 a few years ago, and Amy Christiansen Si-Ahmed, whose company Sana Jardin is the most recent addition to our portfolio.
Then there was my new friend Cameron Saul, who cultivated Bottletop from its beginning as a little experiment of turning waste into beauty into a flagship store on London’s Regent Street. With powerful partnerships, the company continues to build a loyal audience who appreciates the intersection of ingenuity and humanity. Voz, Sana Jardin and Bottletop may be very different businesses, but all three examine how luxury can be used as a catalyzing force to create economic opportunities for overlooked or underprivileged populations. Their common thread is empowerment and dignity — finding different answers to the question of how we might take an inclusive approach to co-create what luxury truly means to both the producer and the consumer.
The Connective Tissue between Philanthropy and Activism
We may be familiar with Donna Karan the fashion designer, but what about Donna Karan the philanthropist? There is deep wisdom in her saying that “help is more important than money.” Through her organization Urban Zen, Donna goes beyond design to raise awareness around three issues that are close to her heart: preservation of culture, healthcare, and education. “I call them “past, present, and future,” she said with strong conviction and emotion. Her talk also came after news broke about Anthony Bourdain’s suicide just weeks after Kate Spade’s tragic death.
I was deeply shaken by the news and touched by Donna’s raw reaction, “What is happening to us? We open the newspaper in the morning and this one killed herself and that one killed himself.” We have to take a really hard look at how disconnected we have become — with each other and between our own mind, body and soul. For me, Donna’s work with artisans around the world not only creates new economic opportunities but also re-establishes the much needed human connection that helps to heal society’s wound, one that too many people refuse to acknowledge in the name of relentless progress.
Activism, which plays an important role in driving change across any industry, can be particularly powerful when combined with fashion. I have seen Celine Semaan’s work before but this time it was a treat to hear her talk about her journey. Our global refugee crisis continues to escalate, further exacerbated by media’s addiction to propagating noise in the interest of “getting eyeballs.” In this climate, Celine’s collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union — a jacket with part of the United States Constitution printed in Arabic — was a refreshing display of tolerance and solidarity.
We need more people like Celine to create art that engages people to question their own identity and sense of connection and belonging. A lot of people say that these niche efforts will never be big enough to counteract mass media, but they are missing the point. We may not be able to change the narrative overnight, but we cannot lose our intention and capacity to question.
Journeys of Experimentation
I have been a fan of Osklen ever since I discovered their little shop in Rio about 15 years ago. But I did not realize that Osklen and Yoxi shared something in common: a deep commitment to experimentation in pursuit of “slow innovation.” For 20 years, Oskar Metsavaht has been quietly doing the hard work, using fashion as a platform to create deeper connections between man and nature. He is a true artist, and his art is the result of an inquisitive and experimental process. He has internalized impact which allows him to express beauty in any material he chooses to work with.
Take his Pirarucu Skin Collection as an example, Oskar found an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable way to use the unique material for a special edition of objects and accessories. Starting with the sustainable practices of getting the fish from the Amazon, to the specific and delicate tanning and handmade manufacturing, this collection involved a highly iterative and expensive process. In the early days of research and development, the investment was extremely high and the commercial scale was relatively low. It took serious courage to direct resources into a long-term practice that delivered unique objects of desire with positive impact.
As I watched the video paying tribute to Oskar’s work, I was blown away by the depth of commitment and humility so rarely associated with the fashion industry. In a very casual and understated manner, he said, “I didn’t realize the impact we have created until we put the numbers together. For years I was just doing the work that I thought would make a difference.” I am inspired and encouraged to continue our own work knowing that we will make a difference by putting one foot in front of the other, step by step, to navigate a path that will not only throw us numerous unknown challenges but also reward us with unexpected beauty, helping us appreciate what it means to be human.
Every conference, meeting or gathering invites us to see the world through the eyes of others and bring some of that new perspective into our own work. I hope you will find inspiration in my experience at Omina. While I intend for my “Notes from the Road” to be raw and spontaneous, I do take the learning very seriously. It’s too early to come to any conclusion, but a lot of my observation and reflection echoed the Scaling Small thesis Yoxi has been developing.
Finding allies in journeys into the unknown reaffirms our conviction, it also adds the much appreciated joy to fuel more curiosity. I’m so very glad I decided to venture into what I would call a real community — one that I am delighted to be part of.
