Vietnamese and Dutch prime ministers join Fair Wear brands fashion show in Hanoi
09 April, 2019
During a sparkling Sustainable Fashion show in
Hanoi on Tuesday, the Dutch and Vietnamese prime-ministers joined FWF director
Alexander Kohnstamm on stage. ‘I’m very proud
that we co-organise tonight’s fair fashion show with the Fair Wear brands’,
said Dutch prime-minister Mark Rutte. ‘These brands are at the forefront of
fair fashion.’
The group of models wearing Fair Wear brands took
to the runway in the middle of the city of Hanoi. The Sustainable Fashion Show
was part of the Dutch trade mission in Vietnam this week. The show was organised
by the Dutch embassy in Vietnam, Fair Wear Foundation and FWF partner in
Vietnam, CNV Internationaal. Both FWF fashion, outdoor and workwear brands walked the
catwalk. They were joined by responsible fashion brands from Vietnam.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in his
opening speech that ‘we need to make sure that all women and men who produce
our clothes have a safe workplace and get wages that cover the actual cost of
living.’ Rutte also spoke about a ‘clear business case for investments in
social and environmental sustainability’. ‘A happy workforce results in higher
productivity’, he said. ‘For Dutch brands that source in Vietnam there is a
clear stimulus to take action. Bottom line is to be aware of what happens in
the entire supply chain: from the factory in Ho Chi Minh City to the store in
Amsterdam or The Hague.’
Finally, he applauded the attending Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc for his contribution to making the industry more sustainable as well.