Stop toxic fashion and beauty brands -Victoria Michaels
GHANAIAN international model and passionate environmental advocate, Victoria Michaels, is urgently calling on beauty brands and fashion entrepreneurs to abandon harmful practices and embrace environmentally responsible alternatives.
The time for change is now, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Victoria warned that climate change was not a distant threat; it is an escalating crisis that is already impacting our livelihoods, health and future.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Monday, June 30, Victoria explained that the fashion and beauty industries, often seen as glamorous, were unwittingly fuelling this catastrophe with non-recyclable products, excessive waste and reckless overproduction.
“We cannot afford to wait. As stakeholders, we must lead by example, innovate boldly, and align beauty with purpose. Let’s move from silence to strategy, from trend to transformation. The world is watching, and Ghana has every opportunity to lead”, she declared. (Read There’s too much exploitation in GH modelling industry: –Victoria Michaels)
Victoria is not just raising awareness; she is advocating actionable solutions that can redefine the industry. She proposes a series of practical initiatives to green the fashion and beauty sectors, including “the introduction of green production guidelines such as reusing set materials, eliminating single-use plastics and repurposing wardrobe pieces.
“Designers can also be encouraged to produce timeless capsule collections instead of seasonal overproduction, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.”
“Also, fashion shows can integrate eco-awareness segments to sustainability, part of the runway narrative. Collaboration is key, we need to build a coalition of event organisers, stylists and creatives committed to a greener standard,” she added.
Discussing how Ghana’s modelling and beauty industries can reduce their environmental footprint, particularly regarding fast fashion, synthetic beauty products and plastic packaging, Victoria highlighted the critical role of education and awareness.
“The first step is education. Many industry players are unaware of the environmental costs associated with fast fashion and synthetic products. Once informed, we must prioritise locally sourced, sustainable materials and partner ethical brands.”
“For beauty, this means choosing organic products and embracing refillable or biodegradable packaging. Agencies, stylists and production teams to adopt sustainability charters that guide their choices in fashion selections, set design and product use.”
Victoria also calls for government support, urging policymakers to implement incentives that will empower eco-conscious brands.
“We need tax relief for sustainable products, grants for green entrepreneurs, and regulations that favour sustainable materials. Most importantly, the government should support creative climate education campaigns that use fashion, music and film to embed climate awareness into our culture.”
