Nowadays, there are varying perspectives on the methods for generating rigorous knowledge. In the past 15 years, for example, the landscape of fashion reporting has undergone significant changes. While fashion has never prioritized excessive objectivity, there used to be dependable fashion critics who were occasionally excluded from runway shows due to their objective viewpoints.
The emergence of bloggers brought a new but short-lived perspective: as fashion houses recognized their ability to wield influence and started co-opting them, and many early fashion bloggers transitioned into becoming influencers, this fresh perspective was indeed discarded. Invitations to shows, complimentary travel and accommodations, and the receipt of gifts greased the wheels so effectively that it is rare to find influencers who criticize fashion houses, collections, or shows.
However, this strategy of co-opting people is not exclusive to luxury brands; other companies are also adopting it.
Chinese fast-fashion company Shein, for instance, recently invited a group of influencers to tour one of their modern factories in China.
This practice follows a prevalent trend where luxury brands have started showcasing their artisanal credentials by inviting journalists and influencers, to visit their factories or attend events and shows held at these locations. The most recent example was Fendi during Pitti Uomo.
This practice has gained popularity as it allows fashion houses to demonstrate their dedication to craftsmanship, present a positive image of their workforce, and highlight their advanced facilities equipped with modern technology and environmentally friendly practices.
The problem with these visits, however, lies in the fact that, even in the best facilities, organisers only offer a carefully curated glimpse of what the brands want the public to see.
Shein, a company known for its questionable ethical practices, joined the trend of inviting influencers to tour their factories as a means to enhance its image.
Previously, Shein has faced criticism for a variety of unethical practices, these include poor working conditions, the presence of high levels of toxic chemicals in their clothing, plagiarism of designs from independent creators (from fashion and graphic designers to photographers), and mishandling of customer data.
The company organized a sponsored trip for a group of American influencers to visit their warehouses in China, perhaps assuming that these influencers and their followers would easily believe their deceptive tactics. This strategy partially succeeded, as the influencers indeed fell for it.
However, the posts made by Dani Carbonari and other influencers such as Destene Sudduth, Aujené, Fernanda Stephany Campuzano, Kenya Freeman, and Marina Saavedra triggered doubts and outrage among followers who seemed more knowledgeable about Shein's history and less gullible than the influencers.
Most of the influencers' posts expressed a similar sentiment, emphasizing how they were misled with false information about the company and expressing astonishment at the state-of-the-art, pristine facilities they visited, including the so-called "Shein Innovation Center." In reality, this factory is just one out of approximately 6,000 factories utilized by Shein, as reported by Time magazine.
Beauty influencer, plus-size model and self-described "confidence activist", Dani Carbonari (Dani DMC) was under fire after posting an enthusiastic video, showing people sewing and ironing garments, and packages being sorted in a fully-automated facility.
Commenting the images, the influencer stated: "I was able to interview a woman that worked in the fabric cutting department. You guys know me, [I'm] an investigative journalist' I asked her all of our questions she answered them honestly and authentically." According to the influencer the woman was "very surprised at all the rumours that have been spread in the US". The influencer also added, "She told me about her family, her lifestyle, her commute, her hours".
"I think my biggest takeaway from this trip was to be an independent thinker, get the facts, and see it with your own two eyes," Carbonari concludes in her video. "There's a narrative fed to us in the US and I'm one that always likes to be open-minded and seek the truth. So, I'm grateful for that about myself, and I hope the same for you guys."
The influencers' feedback regarding Shein raised concerns due to its overly positive and defensive nature towards the company, especially when compared to investigations and reports about Shein made in different countries and not just in the US.
A Swiss watchdog group called Public Eye conducted an investigation in 2021 focusing on 17 factories that supply products to Shein. The findings revealed that employees often worked in unsafe environments. Workers interviewed during the investigation disclosed that they worked up to 75 hours per week with only one day off per month. Additionally, the factories lacked emergency exits, and windows were barred, posing significant risks in case of a fire. Moreover, the workers reported not having employment contracts, which is a violation of labor laws in China.
In a documentary titled "Inside the Shein Machine," aired by Channel 4 in the UK last year, investigative journalist Imani Amrani uncovered further details about Shein's business practices.
An undercover worker filmed inside two factories in Guangzhou, a city located about 80 miles northwest of Hong Kong, which supplies clothing to Shein. In one factory, workers received a monthly base salary of 4,000 yuan (approximately $556) but were required to produce 500 clothing pieces per day. Their first month's pay was withheld, while in another factory, workers earned as little as four cents per item. These employees worked exhausting 18-hour shifts and were granted only one day off per month. The documentary also revealed instances where workers were penalized by losing two-thirds of their daily wage for making mistakes on clothing items. These reported working hours and conditions are again in violation of labor laws in China.
There is actually another problem with Shein as it may be using cotton from Xianjiang: in November 2022, Bloomberg published a report revealing that Shein's garments contained cotton sourced from Xinjiang, a region in China that has been a subject of controversy.
The Chinese government has consistently denied accusations of human rights organizations, activists, and United Nations rights experts saying that China operates mass detention camps, engaging in forced labor practices, and implementing sterilization measures against Uyghur women in Xinjiang. The Chinese government always asserted that these camps serve as education and training centers aimed at combating extremism. However, reports indicate that since 2017, Chinese authorities have detained approximately one million Uyghurs, subjecting them to forced labor.
In 2021, companies like H&M and Nike made public statements on their websites acknowledging the use of forced labor in cotton production within China's Xinjiang province.
The United States State Department banned cotton imports from Xinjiang in 2021 with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), that was approved by the Senate and Congress in 2021 and signed into law by US President Joe Biden a year ago, in June 2022.
Yet, to uncover the problems with Shein, you probably don't even need to watch a documentary or do an in-depth research on forced labour. Two simple factors speak indeed volumes: the incredibly low prices and the sheer quantity of items available on Shein's website.
Shein doesn't promote just fast fashion, it promotes ultra-fast fashion. Its environmental track record is deeply concerning. Due to the lack of transparency regarding its production practices, it's impossible to accurately measure its environmental impact. Shein adds a staggering 6,000 items to its catalog every week. Just as Louis Vuitton can orchestrate grand spectacles instead of traditional runway shows, Shein possesses the power and capability to dominate the fast fashion market even more than H&M and Zara combined. Recently, Remake, a nonprofit organization advocating for improved labor and environmental practices, rated Shein a score of zero out of 150 points on its evaluation rubric.
In the face of all these controversies surrounding this company, the most disheartening aspect of Shein's influencer facility trip is the fact that there are still individuals willing to praise such retailers, despite the well-known detrimental effects of fast fashion on the planet. Every day, we witness stories of increasing pollution and progressing climate change. Yet, every day, we also see small companies striving for eco-friendly solutions, ongoing research on sustainable and recycled fashion collections, and efforts to develop emotional connections with our clothing. There are countless ways to repurpose various fabrics, including home linen, to create unique and meaningful items with sentimental value. However, breaking the fast fashion habit remains incredibly challenging and the posts about the trip organised by Shein prove that many of us may have to be re-educated from scratch.
In Shein's case, their practices are even more pervasive as they maintain tight connections with influencers who receive free clothes for their "#sheinhaul" videos. Shein stands out in the industry for the massive number of influencers it supplies with complimentary clothing. The influencers share discount codes with their followers and also earn commissions on sales.
There is actually something else that adds to the frustration in this story: the influencer's self-proclaimed label of "investigative journalist."
Having a journalism degree is not necessary to understand that an investigation involves collecting, reading, and analyzing documents to develop a well-supported research to prove a theory. It certainly does not entail accepting a fully paid trip from the very entity that should be under investigation and being influenced by what they want you to see, nor does it entail interviewing workers inside a factory (how do we know that the interview happened; in which language did they interact? was there an interpreter and in case did the interpreter censor or alter any part of the feedback?). Unfortunately, some investigative journalists have lost their lives in the process, at the hands of the very people they were trying to expose.
There is a project at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition currently on in Venice (until 26th November) that may prompt us to ponder a bit on these issues, from human exploitation in China to investigative journalism. Titled "Investigating Xinjiang's Network of Detention Camps," the project is a collaborative effort between journalist Megha Rajagopalan, architect Alison Killing, and software developer Christo Buschek.
Alison Killing's studio has innovatively combined architecture and investigative journalism in this project: recognizing the challenges journalists face in effectively traveling and conducting investigations in Xinjiang to uncover the network of detention camps where the Chinese government detains Muslims, the studio devised a new investigative approach.
Due to limited access, the studio resorted to visual and spatial methods such as satellite imagery, 3D modeling, and analysis of Chinese prison building regulations. These approaches raised questions about whether the gathered information met journalistic standards. To address this concern, the studio verified the satellite imagery by cross-referencing it with other sources, aiming to establish a higher level of certainty regarding the identification of each site as a detention camp.
The investigation highlighted the need for innovative approaches in situations where eyewitnesses are not readily available, emphasizing the potential of architecture to provide visual and material evidence that carries substantial weight.
The installation showcased at the Venice Biennale features a wall-mounted map displaying a detention camp. The information regarding this particular camp was obtained through interviews with three former detainees, satellite imagery, Chinese prison building regulations, reports from the UN and Amnesty International, as well as leaked documents reported on by the International Committee for Investigative Journalists and Adrian Zenz.
The research unveiled that the Chinese government's crackdown extends beyond the Uyghur population to include Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Hui, Mongols and Xibe. People have been detained, sometimes for years, for practicing their religion or exhibiting behavior considered disloyal, such as using WhatsApp, sporting a beard, or having studied abroad. Detainees have described being forcefully taken away in the middle of the night, often hooded and in restraints, to unfamiliar and frightening prison facilities.
When the investigation commenced in 2018, it was estimated that one million people were detained across approximately 1,200 camps, with only a few dozen having been located. Limited information was available about the camp network and the whereabouts of those who had disappeared.
Accompanying the installation there is a photo essay portraying former detainees and their families, taken in Almaty, Kazakhstan in January 2020.
Among them is Dina Nurdybai, portrayed next to her sewing machine. A former successful clothing manufacturer, Nurdybai was detained on October 14, 2017. In the summer of 2018, she was assigned to work in one of the camp's factories. Upon realizing her previous experience in the garment industry, she was instructed to teach other women how to sew clothing, specifically school uniforms. Currently residing in Almaty, Kazakhstan, she is working towards rebuilding her garment business.
In 2021, Megha Rajagopalan, Alison Killing, and Christo Buschek were honored with the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. No fashion influencer has instead received the Pulitzer for an investigative report to date.
So, rather than playing at being investigative reporters, fashion and style influencers seeking intriguing travel destinations, should maybe opt for the Atacama Desert in Chile where there is a pile of discarded clothes, the result of our collective addiction to the fast fashion industry. The pile has actually become so large that it can now be seen from space, according to satellite imagery app SkyFi. The pile is estimated to increase by 39,000 tons annually.
Another educational destination for influencers may be Kantamanto Market, the world's largest secondhand clothing market, located in Accra, Ghana. Global North's dirty laundry ends up here and, when the clothes can't be sold in the market, they are discarded in Accra's landfill sites, that are currently overfilled. Sometimes the overflow also spills in nearby waterways, polluting rivers, ending up in the ocean and washing up on the shores.
Both these places exemplify therefore the consequences of our collective desire for clothes and accessories.
Not everything is bleak, though, as many of us are breaking free from our fast fashion addiction. For the numerous influencers still entangled in the clutches of ultra-fast fashion like the ones who went on the Shein trip, there may be a detox opportunity around the corner: Remake launched at the beginning of June the 90-day #NoNewClothes Challenge, to encourage people to press pause on the purchase of new clothing. The challenge started on 1st June, but you can participate at any time because there's never a wrong moment to hit the pause button and tackle overconsumption in the fashion industry.
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