A group of demonstrators staged a “naked” protest ahead of London Fashion Week to highlight the role it has in promoting overconsumption and needless waste.
Men and women gathered outside Somerset House wearing only placards and skin-coloured undies.
The group wanted to raise awareness of the negative environmental impact of cyclical and seasonal fashion trends and is now calling on the industry to give second-hand items a bigger space on the catwalk at this year's event.
The protest was staged by Gumtree, which hoped to encourage fashion houses to stop perpetuating a “wear it once” culture and to feature more sustainable styles.
Hannah Rouch, from the preloved e-commerce brand, said they want leading fashion houses to take charge and “ensure what is trending is sustainable.”
Ms Rouch added: “We simply can’t turn a blind eye to billions of pounds worth of fashion waste ending up in landfill each year.
"We have a collective responsibility to put an end to ‘wear it once’ culture once and for all.
“Millions are waking up to the benefits of discovering beautiful pre-loved pieces, but we need ‘second hand first’ to be the new norm.
“For this to happen we need the world’s leading fashion brands - those that are showcasing at London Fashion Week - to fire imaginations and showcase the style credentials of pre-loved pieces.
“Together designers and all those who love fashion can start a consumption rebellion and demonstrate that style doesn’t have to cost the earth.”
London Fashion Week is set to kick off on Friday 15th September till Tuesday 19th.
