One of the biggest sustainable fashion efforts in Hollywood, Suzy Amis Cameron’s RCGD Global initiative, is getting a makeover.
As celebrity glam squads work their magic for the stars headed to tomorrow’s Academy Awards, there will be a noticeable absence this year: the Red Carpet Green Dress (RCGD Global) initiative launched by Suzy Amis Cameron in 2009. Since its launch, the campaign has seen some of the biggest celebrities partner with designers to bring sustainable fashion to the red carpet. But in a recent post shared to her Instagram page, Cameron announced a shift that sees the end of the RCGD Global initiative and a transformation into a broader effort called Inside Out Sustainable Fashion, Textiles, and Home.
“My commitment to caring for our wild, living Earth was translated into a movement that brought eco-consciousness to the forefront of the fashion world and demonstrated that elegance and ethics could coexist,” she wrote. “RCGD Global was not content with adhering to existing standards; it sought to redefine them. And so, the time has come to evolve from Red Carpet Green Dress into Inside Out Sustainable Fashion, Textiles, and Home.”
Cameron wrote that the shift came as a realization that “the principles and values that fueled RCGD Global can be applied not only to fashion but to every aspect of our lives. Inside Out represents the next chapter in our journey, a chapter that promises to be even more transformative, impactful, and inspiring.” The RCGD website shows the same message posted to the home page. The founder says she will continue to lead the effort, “supported by a dedicated global team of changemakers.”
The RCGD Global campaign hit its stride last year when it partnered with the Oscars on a sustainable style guide. The Academy adopted the campaign’s tenets on sustainable style and distributed a guide to all attendees ahead of the event to encourage wearing sustainable fashion to Hollywood’s biggest night. The guide encouraged guests to re-wear items already in their closets or to explore vintage options and new items made from sustainable materials. It also called for supporting independent craftspeople and brands owned by people of color, as well as ditching animal products such as leather and fur. Cameron and her husband, “Avatar” director James Cameron, are both vegan.
“While the Academy remains consistent in our commitment to operating as a socially responsible organization with sustainability at our core, we acknowledge that there is always more we can do,” Jeanell English, Academy executive VP of impact and inclusion, said in a statement at the time. “We are proud to partner with RCGD Global. Its thought leadership and expertise, along with the active engagement of Academy members, will continue to support our forward and necessary momentum.”
The campaign featured notable materials partnerships and design contests, all aimed at elevating sustainable fashion. Celebrities that have worn RCGD efforts have included Nikki Reed, Bailey Bass, Tati Gabrielle, Laura Harrier, and Danielle Macdonald, among others.
RCGD Global was not the only eco effort aimed at highlighting sustainable fashion on the red carpets, however. Livia Firth launched the Green Carpet Challenge initiative in 2010. That has evolved into the Green Carpet Fashion Awards, which just held its second A-list event with guests including Zendaya, Jennifer Coolidge, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigen. The event widens the circle to include equity and human rights issues. Honorees included designer Donatella Versace and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
Cameron says more information about the new Inside Out effort will be released this spring. “Together, we will work tirelessly to bring innovative, sustainable solutions to the forefront of our daily choices,” Cameron wrote. “This evolution is not just a change in name; it’s a change in perspective, a shift towards a future where ‘inside out’ living is the norm, where every decision we make is an act of love for ourselves, others, and our planet.”
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