If a brand tries to make things right in the field of sustainability, and also has the means to do it (which is not secondary, unfortunately), not only the production processes of the garments and the materials used but also its stores should respect certain values, including design and the elements that compose it.
An example or perhaps the example in this sense is the new London boutique of Stella McCartney which is located at 23 Old Bond Street, the Via Montenapoleone of the English capital, to be clear. In its 700 square meters are celebrated not only the aesthetics and products of the brand, but precisely those values that have made the brand the most eco-sustainable in the world among those of high end.
Therefore the boutique uses very special mannequins, which, in addition to being made in Italy, are also completely biodegradable. These are the Bonaveri mannequins, about which we had already talked in the post dedicated to the exhibition ‘The Commonwealth Fashion Exchange’.
The Bonaveri company, based in the heart of Emilia Romagna, in Renazzo di Cento, in the province of Ferrara, is leader in the production of high-end mannequins; these of Stella McCartney‘s flagship store are in B Plast®, a natural plastic composed by 72% sugarcane derivatives, painted in B Paint®, the first natural paint exclusively made out of organic and renewable elements with a color range made from 100% natural plant based resins and oils, phosphorous-free surfactants and solvents from orange peel and desiccant-free cobalt salts and naphtha.
In this way Bonaveri offers not only a biodegradable product but also the immediate possibility to reduce fashion brands’ overall CO2 emission by 24%, compared by petrol-based mannequins.
Even the choice of materials that build the space in which the mannequins are exposed prefers handmade, organic and sustainable elements, rather than the usual characteristic elements of luxury boutiques such as precious metals, stones and marble.
For example, the walls of the first floor of the store, then there are three others, are covered with a handmade papier-mâché, recycled from the paper waste of the English brand’s offices, and reinvented into decorative panels. Then there are foam furniture, always made of recycled materials, recycled wooden bases and selected vintage furniture, in short all elements that reflect the brand’s philosophy for recovery, reuse and recycling.
Artistic, graphic and sound installations immerse the space in an enveloping and multi-sensory atmosphere, while information on sustainability is spread in the whole boutique.
Of course, as I said at the beginning, being able to dispose of the most advanced technologies and materials to build a 100% sustainable commercial space is not for everyone, it is no coincidence that Stella McCartney is a luxury brand, but it is important that these brands, international and beloved by the stars, set a virtuous example, so that they are imitated and that the growing demand for these technologies will make them more accessible and democratic.
Then, for those with fewer resources, the possibilities of setting up spaces with recycling and reuse solutions are many. Sometimes, a little creativity is enough (except for the mega ventilation and / or heating system of the latest generation 😅😅😅).
