To coincide with Refugee Week (18-24 June), social enterprise and charity, The Social Outfit is on a mission to help refugees build skills in a supportive environment and provide jobs in Australia’s fashion industry with only one in five (20%) women from refugee backgrounds engaged in the workforce.
From June 19 to 23, The Social Outfit is hosting its Wear The Change fundraiser and ethical fashion styling challenge. Australians can get involved by either signing up or donating now. #WearTheChange2023 encourages Aussies to wear one garment five different ways over five days from June 19 to 23.
Recent research commissioned by Afterpay during Fashion Week identified that nearly half of Australians buy at least one item of clothing a month, but six in 10 struggle to shop sustainably.
The campaign raises funds for The Social Outfit to help support women from refugee and new migrant backgrounds with training and employment pathways in the fashion industry.
Bianca Spender founder and creative director, Bianca Spender said, “Refugee women are at the heart of the Australian fashion industry. Every sewer I have ever worked with throughout my career has been a refugee. There is an incredible power that they have in their hands and an ability to show their skill without words. It is amazing to see this grow through The Social Outfits organisation that is about giving that first job to refugees in Australia.
The Wear the Change styling challenge is a great initiative from The Social Outfit. It connects us on multiple levels through stories, shows the value and versatility of clothing and encourages us to think about how precious the resources are that go into making every piece. It is a very active way of supporting refugee women that I am proud to support.”