For too long, Love Island and the fast-fashion industry existed in a cyclical relationship.
Earlier today, Love Island contestant Tasha Ghouri announced that she is eBay’s first ever pre-loved ambassador.
Announcing the news on Instagram, the dancer wrote that she was proud to partner with the online market-place in order to endorse the second-hand clothes market.
“I feel passionately that we can all make little swaps to our wardrobes and our lives for the better and I’m so excited to join eBay on their mission to put secondhand fashion front and centre.
“Plus, I’d like to think that over the last 8 weeks I have shown that pre-loved serves up amazing looks while bringing out my personality!”
Through this partnership, Tasha becomes the first Love Island contestant to land a major deal that promotes a more circular fashion economy, and with over 1.2 million followers, her influence cannot be understated.
The deal also follows Love Island’s decision to move away from their former fast-fashion sponsors – I Saw It First and Missguided.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHC3lNKqdJ/
When you consider the influence Love Island has on its viewers, the recent move away from fast-fashion is significant. For instance, as The Guardian reports, I Saw It First experienced a 67% increase in sales during the show’s run in 2019.
For too long, Love Island and fast-fashion have existed in a cyclical relationship, and while that cycle may appear interrupted, it seems we still have a long way to go. Very few can deny the sheer influence of 2019 runner-up Molly-Mae Hague, who became the creative director of the fast fashion brand Pretty Little Thing. While Love Island and some of its stars may be moving away from fast-fashion, Hague’s campaigns with the clothing giant continue to gain huge traction online.
Despite Love Island’s formal uncoupling from fast-fashion, it seems the fire between the show’s stars and fast-fashion giants continues to burn. Last year’s winner Millie signed a deal with ASOS and has since launched her own line, while this year’s fan favourites Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Gemma Owen are rumoured to be in talks to sign with Oh Polly and PrettyLittleThing, respectively.
As the Love Island alumni brand deals continue, so does the impact of fast-fashion. The industry, which brings trendy garments to the market quickly and sells them at low prices, costs both the earth and the workers that make them dearly. For years, reports of underpaid garment workers have followed major fast-fashion brands in Britain, while unused garments continue to pile up on a ‘fashion graveyard’ in Chile.
While recent steps by Love Island and Tasha Ghouri signal that the tide may be turning on fast-fashion, this is a giant industry we’re dealing with here, and some conscious uncoupling is not enough to topple it down.
