EXCLUSIVE: The Academy Just Got a New Sustainable Red Carpet ‘Style’ Code
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is increasingly adding sustainability to its storytelling.
Since 2011, The Academy has been collaborating with Red Carpet Green Dress Global on its initiative to get Oscars attendees into garments that prioritize more sustainable materials (like Tencel, for one). The organizations will now join forces in an official partnership to spotlight engaging topics and support communities and organizations driving powerful change in a wider capacity.
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As part of the long-term partnership, the groups will run a “Sustainability Evenings” dinner salon series and promote a new “red carpet style guide” (a voluntary dress code, more or less). Celebrity ambassadors are a big proponent, if not the lifeblood, behind red carpet campaigns. Already, RCGD Global’s ambassador network includes celebrities like Sophie Turner, Marlee Matlin, Tati Gabrielle and Billie Eilish among others, many of whom have proven their passion through climate change-related advocacy.
The inaugural “Sustainability Evenings” dinner series kicked off Thursday with the theme: “The Opportunities and Next Steps for Sustainability Progress in Film.” Speakers for the evening included The Academy’s executive president of impact and inclusion, Jeanell English; RCGD Global’s founder Suzy Amis Cameron and the organization’s chief executive officer Samata Pattinson; as well as eco-consultancy Good Energy’s founder Anna Jayne Joyner. A plant-based meal was served in a nod to Amis Cameron’s other organization, The OMD Plan, or “One Meal a Day,” which encourages swapping plant-based food options for at least one meal a day. The next dinner in the series is set for March following the 95th Academy Awards.
“While the Academy remains consistent in our commitment to operating as a socially responsible organization with sustainability at our core, we acknowledge that there is always more we can do,” commented Academy executive vice president of impact and inclusion, Jeanell English. “We are proud to partner with RCGD Global. Its thought leadership and expertise, along with the active engagement of Academy members, will continue to support our forward and necessary momentum.”
As part of the broader partnership, The Academy will circulate RCGD Global’s official “red carpet style guide” to all attendees, encouraging them to make more responsible fashion choices on the red carpet — where decisions like re-wearing have become a fashion statement — and beyond. Content in the style guide will span sustainable outfit recommendations, while highlighting past red carpet designs that are sustainable and include circular-inspired actions to take (as RCGD Global’s app already gave a taste of).
RCGD Global’s full guide will be available later this month. The resource is expected to help everyday citizens make more conscious style choices.
As RCGD Global’s Pattinson said, the overarching partnership aims to advance personal efforts and actions when it comes to sustainability.
