The 100 square metre banner hanging from the gallery ceiling features world-class model Eugenia Volodina and a young ‘King’ who is taking a stand against toxic fashion. The banner reads: “Beautiful fashion, ugly lies? #TheKingisNaked”. Meanwhile below, Greenpeace volunteers opened a second banner with the message “Versace Detox now!”
Chiara Campione, Fashion Duel Project Leader at Greenpeace Italy, said:
“We are here today to reveal the naked truth and join this little King in demanding toxic-free fashion for children everywhere. It is time to strip away the illusion and reveal fashion’s dirty little secret. Versace needs to live up to its reputation as a trendsetter and commit to making clothes we can all be proud of. If Burberry and Valentino can do it, why can’t Versace?”
On Monday Greenpeace International revealed [1] that the same hazardous chemicals used in the manufacturing of fast fashion are used by ‘exclusive’ luxury brands - including Versace, Louis Vuitton and Dolce&Gabbana - to produce children’s clothing [2].
The highest total concentration of polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) was found in a Versace jacket [3]. Once released into rivers or lakes from factories or the clothes themselves, some PFCs accumulate into the environment and can be found in even the most remote regions of the planet. They can also interfere with the hormonal systems of both animals and humans.
ENDS
Contacts
Chiara Campione, The Fashion Duel Project Leader
Phone: (+39) 3470 100 310
Email: 
Greenpeace International Press Desk
PressDesk Hot-line: +31 20 718 24 70
PressDesk Email: 
Greenpeace International Photo Desk
Picture Desk Hot Line (On Call): +31 20 718 2471
PictureDesk Email: 
Notes
[1] See ‘A Little Story About a Fashionable Lie’, Greenpeace International here.
[2] See ‘A Little Story About a Fashionable Lie’, Executive Summary here.
[3] See ‘A Little Story About a Fashionable Lie’, P. 5 here.
[4] Companies committed to Detox: Nike, Adidas Puma, H&M, M&S, C&A, Li-Ning, Zara, Mango, Esprit, Levi's, Uniqlo, Benetton, Victoria's Secret, G-Star Raw, Valentino, Coop, Canepa, Burberry and Primark
About the campaign
Greenpeace’s Detox campaign is calling for a commitment from major brands to achieve a zero discharge level of all hazardous chemicals, by 2020. Currently, thanks to public pressure, 20 major companies [4] have already made major Detox commitments and are moving towards a transparent supply chain and toxic chemical elimination.