Fashion Critical with Lucy Siegle and Livia Firth

The theme of this episode is 'Wake Up and Act Now' as we coincide with the seventh anniversary of the world's largest 'industrial accident' the collapse of the Rana Plaza complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

This podcast zeroes in on critical issues that must be acted on now. On the anniversary of the Rana Plaza catastrophe the lives of garment workers again rest in the palm of the hands of fast fashion brands. On this show, we will hear from Christie Miedema, campaigns director for the Clean Clothes Campaign leading efforts to get brands to pay up. We learn how we can support and how best to use our energies. We also hear a direct appeal from Labour Behind the Label (the NGO that works closely with CCCampaign) to our listeners.

Finally Kate Hills from Make It British, an expert in British capacity, spills the beans on the missteps and misunderstandings that have characterised the UK government's attempts to plug the PPE crisis with homegrown production. Kate Hills makes an impassioned plea for us to reform now and build resilience. It is time to stop being reliant on just-in-time supplies from low wage economies. People are more important than profit.

Talking to Kalpona Akter in Bangladesh, Tansy Hoskins in the UK and Rosalind Studd from Repair What Your Wear.com this podcast delivers a wake up call to our complacency about fashion.

As major brands cut and run on their orders, what is the reality for two million garment workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, how can we support as we lockdown at home? Should we be sewing masks, how can we re-skill quickly and effectively and what does a hopeful future look like? Join Lucy and Livia as they investigate the true cost of fashion in a time of crisis, and keep your inner activist alive and effective in a time of lockdown. We bring the fight to you.